shifting the paradigm
We've all been there before. Your normally hard working, sound horse is suddenly "behaving badly." So many of us horse owners, trainers, and veterinarians alike have been conditioned to believe that certain behaviors exhibited by ridden horses are normal, labeling them as a consequence of the horse being resistant or lazy. If you're interested in finding the root cause of this behavior in order to achieve better equine health, join us in learning how to identify musculoskeletal issues before the condition worsens into more obvious signs of injury and so much more!
Welcome to Ask Dr. Dyson! Hosted by the Train With Trust Project (TwTP), a non-profit organization specializing in making equine behavior education accessible while promoting the use of evidence-based training, the Ask Dr. Dyson blog aims to inform, inspire, and motivate the equine care communities to shift how they view lameness, and through education, help people build trust-based relationships with animals in order to strengthen the human-animal bond. The creation and dissemination of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE), developed by Dr. Sue Dyson and her colleagues through a 6-phase study, spanning 3 years, and over 400 horses, is a big part of this knowledge proliferation effort.
Film maker Kath Lauritzen of Padma Video and Dr. Dyson brought the Train with Trust Project on board to help increase the reach and impact of the revolutionary documentary, The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain: Shifting the Paradigm of How We See Lameness (watch for FREE now on YouTube at https://youtu.be/hrZgtrqbMVI). The documentary follows Dr. Dyson and Dr. Jim Myers of Gold Coast Equine, as they examine and diagnose show jumper Lauren McMahon’s beloved mare Galina, and has been viewed nearly 300k times since its release September 2022. This pioneering film dares to challenge the way we look at "misbehaving" horses, promoting the notion that lameness doesn’t start at the head bob. It's thanks to the 24 Behaviors research that we can more easily identify the behaviors that appear BEFORE that tell-tale limp or other obvious mechanical restriction occurs, so we can intervene with the proper treatments sooner.
Here at Ask Dr. Dyson we will be hosting an abundance of information, including the latest updates on groundbreaking veterinary equine behavior research, free education resources, opportunities to attend speaking events online or in person, and an open, interactive conversation about human-horse relationships. Follow along for expert-answered Q&As with Dr. Dyson, the world-renowned equine orthopedist with expertise in horse lameness that, in hand with colleagues, did the research that laid the foundation for the RHpE. You will also find opportunities for assistance in using the vital information this blog will feature through interactive FB Live sessions with Dr. Dyson personally answering your questions about the 24 Behaviors, the utilization of the RHpE, and the introduction of other ongoing educational information and resources.
We aim to meet one goal: Foster a community that encourages its members to learn and grow toward the collective ability to be better custodians of our animal partners. The 24 Behaviors and the RHpE are just one part of the pursuit to provide animal behavior resources to as many people in equine care as possible to advance their knowledge, improve their skills, and strengthen the essential human-animal bond. So if staying apprised of cutting edge veterinary knowledge, fostering better equine health outcomes, and strengthening the bond between you and your equine friends aligns with your own goals, stick around! We'll bring the education, inspiration, and motivation featured here on Ask Dr. Dyson, like The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain, right to your fingertips.
Get ready to forever change the way you see horse lameness, take a step up on behalf of our equine better halves, and truly start training with trust.
