2011 ISES CONFERENCE DAY 3

An early morning breakfast and it is back to the buses, which for me were a great opportunity to get to know better whichever delegate I happened to sit next to, they are all so friendly and willing to share interesting stories about their experiences and work in equitation science...

Manuela McLean tries out the rein tension meter.

So Conference day 3 started with a plenary lecture by prof. Hilary Clayton, which unfortunately for some of us was a repeat of the one given on the first “popular science day” a review of 30 years of research into how bits work, and the rider-horse interaction via the reins. Prof Clayton did have a little surprise in store - a quick look at the next step in the research she is leading using pressure sensing equipment that can be placed underneath each of the bridle parts (noseband, poll, chin, etc). To date there’s just a pilot study on just one horse and showed that the cross-under type bitless bridle seems to exert very strong pressures, which emphasizes that bitless does not necessarily mean softer, and it is more about how bridles are used and whether horses are trained to respond to light pressures. On the biomechanics side, which is her main interest she is looking at the short (core) muscles that help stabilize the intervertebral joints. We are looking forward to seeing what else comes out from the McPhail Research Centre.

An interesting review was presented showing the (expensive looking) equipment that is now available to researchers and allows the study of the biomechanical interaction between horse and rider. Horses and riders can be videoed as they work through the different paces on specially designed treadmills that can incorporate a variety of measuring devices (the scientists admitted riders are very brave to ride all the paces on the treadmills!). Computerised video allows kinematic analysis, strain and gravitational forces are measured with a variety of equipment. There are rein tension gauges and these can also be adapted to the rider’s stirrups; the pressure pads commonly used to assess saddle forces now also extend down the horse’s sides and can help evaluate the rider’s leg position and pressure cues. All this equipment may help further our understanding of the impact of a variety of equestrian practices on equine welfare and help in the discussions on ethics and sport regulations.

Later in the morning it was time for the much publicized study titled “A comparison between the Monty Roberts technique and a conventional UK technique for initial training of riding horses” a presentation which had been causing quite a strong reaction from all sides and had brought the man himself, to fly from the US to attend the conference proceedings. I know many people have been asking about this one, so I will go into a bit more detail… The study involved two trainers, Monty Roberts himself and Phil Roelich, a UK trainer with 12 years experience starting horses.

14 horses were split into two groups and were cleverly and carefully matched according to their behavioural responses to leading and novel-object tests. Trainers had the help of one assistant each, 30 mins per day with each horse, and 20 days to train them to perform a standardized flatwork and obstacle test which was scored by a panel of judges who were blinded to which horse corresponded to which trainer (this was possible because Monty had brought his own assistant who the judges did not recognize, and none of the judges knew Phil Roelich at all). The sessions were videoed and horses wore heart rate monitors as the only way to evaluate their stress response. So what did they find? Not all the findings were detailed, but rather focused on the heart rates at two crucial points of any horse’s breaking-in: first saddle and first rider. These two stages have been previously documented to cause higher stress. The Heart Rates of the horses trained by Monty Roberts were indeed lower than those of Phil Roelich’s horses at those times. Monty’s horses also scored considerably higher in the ridden and obstacle courses. So the conclusion? Well it is important to acknowledge the findings, but in my humble opinion it may have been more appropriate to title the study ‘a comparison between Monty Roberts’ and Phil Roelich’s ability to start horses in no more than 20 days’, because it sounded a bit like they were comparing apples with pears. Later in the corridor, Andrew McLean and Monty had a long friendly discussion and it was suggested that the study could be repeated addressing the limitations of this one, for example allowing for the full duration of training according to each technique (the UK method typically is expected to take 6 weeks  – would the UK trainer’s horses have been exposed to higher stress than normal in trying to halve the training time? after all this was not a speed test but a stress test) as well as matching trainer experience to make the study more reliable.

After lunch Hilary Clayton presented findings on her research into saddle pressure differences between conventional (English) saddle and a treeless saddle. This only looked at two saddles, one of each type, that were deemed to fit well, and the pressure was measured using a pressure pad under the saddle at sitting trot in a straight line. The findings confirmed that the conventional saddle has a larger weight-bearing area and the treeless saddle produced focal areas of high pressure beneath the rider’s seat bones. I believe that the treeless saddle is designed to be worn with a special saddle pad which wasn’t used in the study, so unfortunately we don’t know if this would have any effect at all in spreading the load.

The next study was one of my favourites for two reasons: 1) the first slide showed a bridleless horse jumping a very reasonable size oxer in great style, and 2) the study was designed to provide a solution to every jump rider’s problem of horses spooking and stopping at strange or new jumps – a true link between science and practice. I am in the process of securing a couple of articles for you on this topic, which includes training stride control to the point where one can remove the bridle and still cope with related distances and complete a full competition course in control! (For those who are wondering how you can compete SJ bridleless, Italian SJ competition rules state that riders can use any bridle that does not hurt the horse, so the judges were unable to prevent him from competing without one!).

Queensland based Sue Lloyd presented her findings on the effects of positive reinforcement on learning ability. Sue has designed and developed a remote 'treat' system called the ‘trigger treat’ with which the rider from the saddle can release a small amount of a taste the horse enjoys as a way to reinforce a behaviour. The 'trigger treat' includes a click sound, and has a well designed valve that allows just one dose of 6ml to be administered at one time. Another interesting development that we hope to bring to you in full detail soon.

Another study presented that day referred to the effectiveness of training using Negative Reinforcement (pressure release) and Positive Reinforcement and showed that NR is more effective, that although it caused higher stress initially it tended to decrease with time, whereas with PR the opposite happened. The presenter highlighted the need to ensure that stress does decrease with training (as the cues become lighter) s a difference (lower stress when using PR). The researchers admitted there was room to interpret the findings taking into account that PR is significantly easier for trainers to implement as it allows trainers some errors in timing, whereas NR requires perfect timing of the release and a feel for the amount of pressure required so the horse can learn quickly and with minimum confusion.

Australian presentations abounded and the next one was by Lesley Hawson of the University of Sydney on her initial work on leg pressure cues, to date this has been done using a static horse (Elvis, the blue suede horse) and will now progressed to being conducted on real horses and in movement – we are looking forward to following this work.

After lunch Dutch professor Rene van Weeren repeated his presentation about the effects of different head positions which were conducted in a laboratory setting, on a treadmill by Grand Prix level horses and riders. This is the famous (or infamous depending on which side of the fence you are on) study that shows no difference in stress and some improvement in back mobility in both the semi and extreme rollkur positions. What wasn’t clear to me was what the higher head positions looked like in real life (all we saw were illustrations) and how they were achieved, as the horses used are routinely worked in lower and rounded outlines, so it seems unfair to change their outline dramatically and not expect a certain level of stress and stiffness. The lab equipment and skill of the riders to work on the treadmills is impressive, especially considering that the horse’s shoes were connected to cables that measured every movement!

New Zealander Chris Rogers followed with his work on early exercise in the foal, which points to a window of opportunity in the first few weeks from birth where foals require enough low intensity exercise (such as they do naturally in large paddocks) to stimulate healthy joint development. Some of the studies on brumbies have shown that mares and foals can walk up to 55kms a day. Similarily, at 3 days in large paddocks mare and foal walk on average 17.5kms.

The next focused on dressage scoring subjectivity and it sounded interesting but I have to admit that I need more help translating the statistics presented to make head of tail of the idea of an index of disagreement as a way to estimate quality of judging. This sort of work adds to psychologist Inga Wolframm’s work in the last few years on the issue of judging subjectivity. Inga was kept very busy as she presented several papers, posters and was also asked to talk at the GDF.

More and more presentations and poster teasers still to come, including one on the effect of noseband tightness on rein tension in the ridden horse – it showed that rein tension became lighter when the noseband was tightened (does it mean there was increased pain in the mouth? I am working on a full article on this very interesting subject).

Ok so the presentations over, it was time to dine and party, and the organizing committee had arranged a talented duo, who with piano, keyboard, drums and vocals kept the delegates that had the energy dancing all night (a few eminent scientists were seen bopping all night!) Fantastic entertainment and great fun and excellent Dutch hospitality.

2011 ISES CONFERENCE - DAY 2

The 2011 ISES conference got off to a great start with ISES senior vice-president Prof. Natalie Waran welcoming all delegates and explaining the role of science in equitation...

Prof. Waran argued that belief is not knowledge, and that only an unbiased study can provide answers. Science can also provide equine practitioners with equine centred answers - we need to know what works, why, and what that means to the horse, and for that we need to understand the mechanics of the horse's mind. She challenged delegates to gather their own data during the conference and accept or reject the hypothesis that science and horse riding are different sides of the same coin.

ISES honorary President Dr Andrew McLean briefly outlined the history and the aims of the society, which was formed to provide a scientific base for horse people to understand horse behaviour and training. The society’s intention he said, is not to turn equitation into a science nor promote one method or ideology but rather to try to measure and understand what can be measured and understood about all aspects of the horse-human interaction. President of the Netherlands Equine Veterinary Association’s Dr Emile Welling finished the introductions highlighting the importance of science and research in the fields of both health and behaviour as an essential tool to improve horse welfare. He emphasized that horses should not suffer in competition, that an evidence based approach to training and management is essential, and that the ISES conferences are contributing to the assimilation of scientific research into the horse industry.

The first plenary lecture focused on welfare and was given by Professor Daniel Mills Director of the Animal behaviour referral clinic at the University of Lincoln, UK, who together with other colleagues has pioneered the development of an approach to problem behaviour management which focuses on an evidence based evaluation of the horses. Prof Mills spoke about the need to determine a moral framework of what’s ethical, instead of basing welfare concerns on personal opinion. He proposed the concept of the horse as a moral patient, explaining the vast difference between caring about horses (having an emotional attachment) and caring for horses, (which is about doing what’s in their best interest, what’s good for the horse). While the western cultures have progressed from the times in history where horses (and other animals) were considered to have no moral status, modern society still struggles to decide if horses have an extrinsic value (they are a tool or instrument to our own needs) or an intrinsic value (which implies their lives and feelings do matter, and that as carers we have the responsibility of meeting their needs and acting in their best interests). He gave many examples of when owners need take precedence and accepted that in the best of circumstances there will be times when there is a conflict of interest and this needs to be carefully managed, perhaps by adopting a similar ethical framework to the one used by the medical profession. This lecture was very inspiring to me, and has added structure and a vocabulary to the thoughts that I believe I share with many others who would like to do better for our horses. A good subject for an in-depth article in future?

The morning continued with four presentations under the theme of “understanding equine behaviour”. The first focused on the problems associated with vendor and purchaser disputes caused by horses displaying abnormal behaviours such as stereotypies, and gave delegates an insight into how this is dealt within the Netherlands justice system. The second was an interesting study from a group from the Univesity of Vienna about the stress response of three year old mares as they went from a paddock and group living environment into an individual stabling and training routine, not surprisingly it seemed to confirm that group housing is associated with lower stress, however a slightly more interesting finding was that all individuals in the group exercised considerably more in the paddock than when they commenced training and were stabled and exercised once a day. Another three presentations and the first of the poster teasers followed until lunchtime and the abstracts will be made available on the ISES website for anyone wanting to read the abstracts of the papers and posters presented.

Talking about posters, there were a total of 63 presented, and they showed just how much this branch of science is growing, and the variety of areas being studied in detail all over the World. I will try to compile a list of titles when I finish the blog.

The afternoon plenary by Dr George de Jong was a contrast to the morning session, as it focused on the role of science in improving performance at top sport level, citing many examples in other sports where science and innovation have led to better results. Danish Professor Jan Ladewig didn’t seem to like this lecture, worried that focusing on elite performance has the danger of prioritizing results over horse welfare. To his merit, de Jong did reply that bringing science and sport together also implied improving our knowledge in equine welfare, psychology and behaviour, and he challenged the delegates to continue to work towards embedding science in the field.

Later, our own Prof Paul McGreevy from the Univesity of Sydney had the floor and presented his findings about the use of the whip in the Australian racing industry, work which was recently commended by the Australian scientific community and received the Eureka Prize in the category of animal protection. His study seems to indicate that placings in the final stages of the race are not determined by whip use, and that it is the performance during the first stages (when jockeys do not use the whip) that is more likely to indicate who will be the winners. The argument that padded whips don’t hurt may be investigated further and put to rest by using thermography. It is getting increasingly difficult to justify the whipping of tired horses in the name of sport and entertainment, and we all look forward to a future with no whips, after all, in a race without whips there will still be a winner.

The afternoon was packed with presentations, I have to admit I suffered from information overload! So I will just briefly highlight a few, such as a study that compared the number of times Grand Prix riders practiced pirouettes during the warm-up and the final scores for that movement. The findings seemed to suggest that the more times they were practiced the lower the score… so maybe it’s true that the warm-up is not the place to train your horse, and more last minute practice is not going to improve your score! A study into the behaviour and stress responses in horses with gastric ulceration showed that while horses with EGUS didn’t show many difference in other aspects, they seemed to be more responsive to acute stressors such as novelty-test stress. While ulceration in the non-glandular section of the stomach is considered more common, the researchers were surprised at the high number that showed EGUS in the glandular section. Another study seemed to confirm yet again that horses are not very good at observational learning, and some remarks were heard during the coffee break from those who wonder if there was a need to study this further, as there have already been numerous unsuccessful attempts to show that horses learn by watching others. Temperament tests and measuring stress are also a big focus of research, with heart rate and increasingly more heart rate variability (the variation in the beat-to-beat interval) being used by many researchers.

The day's conference session ended and delegates were invited to explore the Bartels Academy stables, meet the horses and the lovely staff, so rather than go on about how beautifully presented everything is and how good the horses look, I will upload some of the (dubious quality) photos I took. After that there was a Dutch dinner in the dining area (with lots of potatoes!) and a surprise show which included beautiful Friesian horses, after which we were all herded by the wonderful bell-ringing Fenna to the buses and onto the Hotel van der Valk, where it must be said conversations and discussions on all things science and horses continued in the bar until well into the night!

The stables at Academy Bartels are built in three indoor barns. Horses normally have the top gates open, but most were closed in just for this night, to protect them from the visiting public.

Most stables had inside and outside doors, so horses can look out both ways.

A place for everything and everything in its place! the girls had been working hard and everything was spotless

2011 ISES CONFERENCE - DAY 1

This morning I arrived at Eindhoven, in The Netherlands for the 2011 International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) conference, which is being held in the spectacular facilities of the Academy Bartels, in Hooge Mierde.

ISES conferences are organized by a group of equine scientists and veterinarians as a platform to present new scientific results and discuss their potential application in horse sports.

This 7^th conference is significant for being run in partnership with the Global Dressage Forum and the chosen theme is: ‘Principles and Practices – Science at work”  with the aim of bringing equine scientists and equine practitioners closer.

The conference is preceded by the ‘Popular Science Day’, and opportunity for riders, trainers, coaches, behaviourists and other enthusiasts to experience first hand how evidence-based scientific research can enhance training practices in ways that can lead to improved welfare outcomes for horses.

The morning started with an excellent lecture by Professor Natalie Waran, Senior Vice-President and one of the founding members of the Society who explained to the audience how science contributes by challenging beliefs and searching for truth. In her view, science can offer the equine practitioner equine centered answers: what works, why and what it means to the horse.

Next was the theory part of Andrew McLean’s presentation called: Learning theory applied to horse training. Andrew explained the difference between learning, which is adaptive behaviour change, and training, which is behaviour change as a result of human interaction, and went on to explain about non-associative learning (habituation) and associative learning (operant and classical conditioning) as well as how horses learn and emphasized the importance of prioritizing operant conditioned responses (basic pressures) over classically conditioned cues, as well as noting how trainers must be aware of the fear factor, the fact that horses are wired for fear and fear is strongly reinforced by fast legs and distance. Unfortunately, Andrew’s lecture was cut a bit short so the delegates could have a short coffee break, after which they were quickly herded back to a hall that looked transformed with curtains drawn to reveal the beautiful indoor arena for the practical demonstrations.

First rider was Warwick McLean riding a young stallion owned by the Bartels. Warwick worked through some tension in the horse to show the differences between stride length and stride speed in walk, basic turns and yield, His workout was followed by Imke Bartels riding one of her top level horses, a huge moving black 18hh gelding that is working Grand Prix. This more trained horse showed that the more advanced movements are developed by shaping and combining the basic responses of ‘go’, ‘stop’, ‘turn’ and ‘yield’, and finished with the good example of a pirouette, which combines all the elements – (shorter, slower, turn shoulders and yield the quarters).

Time for lunch in the spacious and light marquee complete with crystal candelabra, which was a quick opportunity to catch up with some of the great people I met at the 2009 Sydney conference.

After lunch Professor Rene van Weeren from the Utrecht University who presented the theoretical lecture – Facts, figures and fiction about hyperflexion, based on the research undertaken so far into the effects of this controversial training technique, the most extensive of which has studied the biomechanical aspects of different head and neck positions. Van Weeren stressed that in order to meet present day requirements of dressage, the sport had to evolve, and this requires a holistic approach that takes into account the physical conditions, mental health and technical training. He said that the research so far has not proven that the practice is detrimental for horses, although he admitted that the behavioural studies to date have been very limited, which as Natalie Waran pointed out is a challenge for behavioural scientists to do better work in this field.

Next on the agenda was a mixed lecture and demonstration of the use of heart rate measurements to improve fitness and enhance athletic performance. The demonstration horse and rider were both wearing heart monitors and the readings could be seen live on the screen as they went through the paces. These measurements can help riders and trainers evaluate the workload, compare different training regimes, monitor recovery and prepare for optimal performance.

After this, delegates were divided into four groups that rotated over four different workshops and practical demonstrations by some of the companies showcasing the technical equipment that is being developed and marketed to aid riders and trainers gain a better knowledge of what is going on during training.

The Pegasus gait analysis system uses inertial motion sensors fitted to the leg protectors

These included a rein tension device that provides the rider with instant feedback showing different levels of rein tension in real time. As well as rein pressure gauges on the reins, the horse had a small box fitted on to the head piece of the bridle which had two rows of lights (one for each rein) showing different colours for different levels of tension. While the one showed is still a rather bulky prototype, the developers are working on a slim-line design that will fit flush around the headpiece and should be more comfortable for the horse to wear. Second was the Pegasus gait analysis, a system that combines inertial motion sensors that fit into the horses leg protectors and have GPS to allow measuring of limb movement, speed, stride duration and length.

A rein tension device designed to give the rider instant feedback

The Flexchair is described as an assistant to solve stability, posture and moving problems in the lower back and pelvic areas of the rider, and consists of a very comfortable looking stool with a saddle style seat that can be moved and the movements connected with a software program that shows the movements on a screen.

The most interactive workshop involved testing ‘ZACK’ a sensor system you can fit between reins and the bit and which breaks at a force of 15, 10, 7, 4, or 2 kgs. Some of the delegates volunteered to try for themselves and did so on the back of one of the organizer’s colourful Icelandic horses.

Last but not least was the long awaited theoretical lecture by Hilary Clayton from the McPhail Equine Research Centre in Michigan, USA which centered on the bit and horse-rider interaction via the reins. A fascinating look at the renowned work Clayton has led in the last 30 years into the position, action and effects of the bit and rein tension.

The initial research was done using fluoroscopy (which is something of an X-Ray video) which allowed the scientists to see how four different snaffles lay inside the horse’s mouth, as well as measure the oral cavities of a variety of horses and watch how horses react to different bits. Some of the findings include that most horses seem to really dislike pressure on the upper palate (such as happens sometimes with single jointed snaffles), that the size of the oral cavity varies greatly and is not related to the individual horse’s size, and perhaps the most surprising was that many horses keep the lower part of the tongue under the bit but push the middle down and over the bit. Her more recent work delves into rein tension and why the measurements in trot spike up and down in synch with the movements, and further studies into the mechanics of the horse’s head/neck movements and rein tension.

A great day which ended with drinks and time to meet and greet with other delegates and presenters back at the hotel in Eindhoven… must go to bed and get ready for a big day tomorrow!