Margie Mitchell - Rider Biomechanics Coach

24/10/2026

'We have to understand the difference between the origin of a dysfunction and the way the body expresses it.'

Very interesting post by Equine Osteo

Are we looking at the original dysfunction, or are we looking at the body's response to it? 🤔🐴

The nervous system doesn't have to be the origin of a problem to be central to how that problem is expressed.

When we look at a horse struggling with movement, showing muscular tension, altered posture, or changes in behaviour, it's easy to focus solely on what we can see.

But what if the restriction we're observing isn't where the problem actually began?

The original disturbance may be visceral, immune, endocrine, metabolic, or musculoskeletal. Yet the resulting changes in posture, muscle tone, movement, and behaviour may all involve neurological processing.

This is where understanding the relationship between the body's systems becomes so vital.

The nervous system doesn't work in isolation, and neither do the organs, muscles, or other tissues. Information is constantly travelling in both directions. 🔄

Consider a horse experiencing visceral discomfort:

🔹 That discomfort can alter incoming sensory information.

🔹 It may influence spinal and autonomic activity.

🔹 It can contribute to protective muscular responses.

What we eventually observe might be increased muscle tone, altered recruitment, guarding, or changes in movement.

The muscle may be expressing a response to something happening elsewhere.

This is exactly why treating an area of muscular tension, or prescribing exercises to strengthen it, doesn't necessarily address why that tension developed in the first place.

Equally, changing neurological input and improving a movement response doesn't automatically mean we've resolved an underlying visceral, inflammatory, or metabolic disturbance.

We have to understand the difference between the origin of a dysfunction and the way the body expresses it.

This is fundamental to how I approach equine osteopathy, PEMF, and Somato-Osteopathic Re-Education.

Through assessment, manual treatment, and carefully considered movement, I'm looking beyond the individual muscle or joint to understand the deeper relationships influencing how a horse organises its body.

Sometimes we need to change the sensory information the nervous system is receiving before we can expect a different motor response.

Sometimes there is an underlying medical or structural problem that needs addressing.

And sometimes several systems are contributing to the exact same presentation.

Homeostasis emerges through continuous interaction between them all.

🐴 Now, here's a little movement check you can try with your own horse!

We're going to look at something very small: the first few degrees of movement around the poll, involving the occiput, atlas and axis (OAA complex).

I'm not interested in how far your horse can bend its neck. I'm interested in how the movement begins.

1. Stand your horse comfortably on level ground, with its head in a natural, relaxed position.

2. From a safe position beside the shoulder, quietly invite your horse to look just slightly to the left. No pulling or forcing the movement.

3. Watch those first few degrees. Does the head move smoothly? Do the eyes remain relatively level, or does the head immediately tilt? Does the horse bring the rest of its neck or body into the movement?

4. Allow your horse to return slowly to neutral.

5. Now observe the same tiny movement to the right.

What differences did you notice?

You may find one direction looks quite different from the other!

The upper cervical region contributes to fine head positioning, working alongside visual, vestibular and proprioceptive information.

An early head tilt, altered eye alignment or recruitment of the rest of the neck doesn't automatically mean there's a restriction at the atlas. But observing how the horse initiates movement can provide useful information about its movement strategy.

This is an observation, not a diagnostic test. Keep the movement small and comfortable, and don't persist if your horse shows discomfort.

✨ It's not always about how much movement a horse has. It's about how that movement is achieved.

And that brings us back to the original question:

Are we looking at the root cause, or are we looking at the body's response to it?

Because those two things aren't always the same.

👇 I'd love to hear what you discover!

Does your horse move differently to the left compared with the right? Did you notice a head tilt, or did the whole neck want to join in?

Let me know in the comments. I'll be sharing more of these little movement observations to help you understand what your horse's body may be telling you.

NEXT WEBINAR: What exercises should I do with my horse ? COMING SOON

23/10/2026

Mary Wanless has devised exercises to stimulate rider awareness and demo'd them in dismounted workshops.

This is one of the fundamental ones.

Give it a go. It can feel weird and tickle your brain too.

23/10/2026

21/10/2026

Ronnie is a very good-doer and will stand and eat all day given the chance.
Managing her diet is something I'm aware of. Recently she's had half 'n half hay & barley straw in her daily hay pillow.
True to form she eats every last stalk but her calorie intake is more controlled. Happy pony who can do her 'thing' much more safely.

FORAGE CAN BE FATTENING AS WELL!

I do find it fascinating that whenever the subject of overweight horses and ponies come up, some people straight away start bashing feed companies, blaming compound feeds.

Now, I'm aware there are many overweight horses and ponies who are fed concentrate they don't need BUT there are also countless cases who are overweight and not fed any concentrate at all!

(I know, because I work with lots of them).

That's because forages including grass, hay and haylage can way oversupply calories (energy) to some horses and ponies, who get fatter as a result.

This even includes meadow hay, and also organic meadow hay, and even some low sugar hay.

The reason I mention all of these is that there is a persisting myth that unsprayed meadow hay, or low sugar meadow hay is not fattening.

It can be.

Don't forget that horses and ponies can extract calories out of fibre, and that even relatively low energy (for hay) meadow hay can still oversupply calories unless it is fed in an unhealthily low quantity.

This is why I often recommend soaking hay and/or replacing some with straw - in this way we can then feed plenty of forage, helping to fulfil their natural need to eat and chew, whilst also giving them the right amount of calories.

(Any oversupply of calories will be stored as body fat).

I know some of you who've been following me for some time already know all this, and you might well own a horse or pony who is overweight from forage alone... but there are also some newer folk here who might not realise this yet.

As always, we need to look at the whole diet and not just what goes into the feed bucket!

Feel free to share,
🐴🍏

20/10/2026

16/10/2026

Enjoyed reading this

There is a proper balance of timing and feel in every movement a horse makes, whether it is something we have taught him or something he has known since the day he was born.

Timing is understanding when a foot leaves the ground, when to make a request, and perhaps most importantly, when to release it.

Feel is something much deeper. It is recognizing the level of awareness a horse is operating on and understanding how much energy, intention, and presence we need to offer through our own bodies to communicate with him.

The two cannot exist independently if we expect to develop a horse with true understanding.

A horse that feels secure in the person working with him develops a remarkable level of awareness. He becomes attentive without constantly being reminded, begins to follow a thought, recognize an intention, and prepare himself for what might be asked next.

You no longer have to hold his hand through every movement because he has developed the confidence to participate in the conversation rather than simply respond to pressure.

A horse that appears dull is not necessarily a horse that lacks sensitivity. Often, his awareness has simply been directed somewhere other than toward the person guiding him. That same horse may become incredibly reactive when something in his environment suddenly demands his attention.

How can a horse be so dull to the person riding him yet so sensitive to everything happening around him?

Because sensitivity and awareness are not the same as understanding, and neither guarantees security.

A horse can be quiet without being confident, obedient without understanding, and sensitive without ever truly feeling secure.

The greatest feel we can develop in a horse is not how little pressure it takes to move his feet, but how much understanding exists before that pressure is ever applied.

15/10/2026

CLIENT FEEDBACK

I am totally blown away to receive this msj today. Nikki has tremendous dedication to improving herself for her horse and it's a total pleasure to help her.
I'm sharing as I hope this will encourage anyone who wants to give their riding an overhaul to try the RWYM coaching technique.

Nikki's msj:

I have been riding since my early 20's and am now 55. For the last 12 years I have only ridden 1 horse, my old boy Todd who I lost last December. I had bought a 2 year old mare 2 years ago to step into his shoes when the time was right for him to be retired and she had grown up and matured. Sadly I lost Todd much earlier than I expected but some amazing friends have stepped in to offer me their horses to ride while I wait for my mare to mature.

At this point riding horses I didn't know well made me realise that the last 12 years with Todd, who was amazing with me as I have MS, had turned me into a sloppy rider. Sitting like I was in an armchair not a saddle and really having no clue how to use my body to actually help the horse I was riding and not be just a passenger.

I knew i needed someone to take me back to basics and treat me like a beginner again.

I asked Margie if she might be able to help me and she said that she would love to.

I have had 4 sessions with Marg now and the difference Marg has made to my position in the saddle has been quite profound. I no longer feel like i am sitting in an armchair and my sense of security whilst on board has quadrupled over the last 4 lessons which has made me feel so much more confident when I am getting on horses I don't know well.

Margs teaching method is very clear and she is always asking you to describe what you are feeling and give it a name which resonates with you so you remember what that feeling is like and what you call it so you are able to replicate it again and again.

Marg explains why you are doing the stuff you are doing not just the how to do it. Marg is a really lovely person to have teaching you, she is always on time and she is totally happy to take it at your pace.

If you have come to a place in your riding where you want to feel more secure in the saddle, you are dealing with disabilities or long term health issues and you feel like I did that your riding is suffering because of it or maybe that you just don't have the confidence in your ability like you used to there isn't a better way to tackle any of those things than have some sessions with Marg. Whatever you need help with Marg will be able to help you and your horse will thank you.

* * * *

Thank you hugely Nikki. I feel very humbled x

15/10/2026

GOOD PRACTICE ..... just another buzzword?

Nope. Making something look effortless is usually the result of countless repetitions of 'good practice'. How do you know what 'good practice' looks like when you apply it to your riding.

Have you ever had a lesson where your instructor praised you and your horse but afterwards you weren't quite sure what you'd done to achieve that result?
More importantly would.you know how to recreate it when you next ride at home?
Understanding what you did, how you did it and why it worked is key to developing consistent, effective riding and 'good practice'.

There are no easy routes to 'effortless' riding. It takes years to perfect.
RWYM coaching can help simplify the journey

RWYM takes a mindful approach to rider learning, helping you become more aware of your own body, recognise positive changes and understand how these influence your horse.
It gives you a clearer understanding to keep you on a straighter path with less uncertain detours along the learning road.
Because the aim isn't simply to achieve something once in a lesson, it's to develop the awareness and understanding to repeat it, refine it and make it part of your everyday riding.

Practicing is good to help you improve, but it needs to be good practice to make a real difference.

✅ Mindful riding. Meaningful change

Margie Mitchell
RWYM Rider Biomechanics Coach