Viv Pearson BHS Accredited Coach

16/11/2025

💡 “40% of it is what you do. 60% is how you do it. The 10% imbalance? That’s the commitment to doing things the right way.”

Some might say, “Why not 80% how you do it?” Because the what still matters — especially when horses are involved.

🏆 Winning does matter. It’s a reflection of dedication, the mastery of craft, and the pursuit of excellence. It keeps us sharp, hungry, and striving for better. For many of us, it’s what gets us out of bed at 5am, back in the saddle after setbacks, and inspires us to keep improving.

But here’s the truth: winning alone isn’t enough. Not in this sport.

🏇 Horses are not machines. They are living, breathing, beautiful beings with personalities, emotions, and needs. That’s why the how — the 60% — carries more weight. It’s about respect. Kindness. Integrity. Patience. It’s about doing the hard work when no one’s watching — quietly building trust and mutual partnership.

So yes, the what you do matters — the results, the performance, the discipline. But the how you do it matters even more.

Because if you win without honouring the horse, without safeguarding its welfare and dignity, is it truly a victory?

29/10/2025

Save the date!

Saturday 22nd November - here at Thirty Acre
Sam Champney-Warrener
BHS Stage 5 Performance Coach
BHSI - BE Acc Coach - UKCC Level 3 Coach - BHS Assessor

Group, shared or private sessions available

Dressage, Poles or Jumping - all levels catered for. Please PM or WhatsApp 07713062051 to book your place!

28/10/2025

27/10/2025

This weekend!
Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd November

Pole-work or Jumping

Groups or private sessions
Suitable for all levels of horse & rider.

Please WhatsApp or message to book your space 😊

23/10/2025

How you can help us change the fireworks law

With fireworks season upon us, Redwings Horse Sanctuary has launched a petition calling on the Government to reduce the maximum permitted noise level of fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels.

Please sign and share to show how important this issue is for so many people and animals.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/738192

Because we’ve seen the devastating impact fireworks can have. Despite every effort to keep them safe, beloved Redwings residents Cinders, Sprite and Percy all tragically lost their lives after fireworks were set off near the sanctuary 💔.

And they are not alone – horses, pets, livestock, wildlife, and even people with PTSD or sensory sensitivities are at risk.

At 10,000 signatures, the Government must respond.

At 100,000 signatures the issue will be considered for debate in Parliament.

Please help us achieve this important goal within the six months the petition will run for by signing and sharing as widely as you can!

Thank you so much !

15/10/2025

🐴 The Power of Horses: Equestrianism’s £1.2 Billion Social Value Revealed

On Friday 3 October, British Equestrian proudly unveiled groundbreaking new research that, for the first time, quantifies the social value of equestrian activity in the UK — a remarkable £1.2 billion every year.

Conducted in partnership with social value specialists State of Life, the study shows how riding, volunteering, and equestrian centres contribute significantly to physical health, mental wellbeing, and community connection across the nation.

From Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) to Ebony Horse Club , the research shines a light on the transformative impact horses have on people’s lives — and the vital role our centres play as hubs for wellbeing, inclusion, and opportunity.

📖 Read the full story and explore The Power of Horses: Equestrianism’s Social Value 👉 https://news.britisheventing.com/the-power-of-horses-equestrianism-generates-1-2-billion-in-social-value-each-year/

10/10/2025

Calf stretch to help your riding:
This is a great calf stretch to help horse riders to maintain a heels down position. Stand with your feet parallel and as wide as possible in ‘horse rider stance’. Lean your knees against the edge if the sofa and hold the stretch for a few seconds. Do not bounce in this position as this can cause micro tears in the calf muscles. Just take deep breaths and relax into the stretch with every exhale.

07/10/2025

30/07/2025

An Open Letter to Those Who Wish to Help the Off-the-Track Racehorses 🐎💌

I’m writing this letter because, just like you, I want to help racehorses who retire sound from racing. I want to ensure they go on to live lives where they are well cared for.

Sadly, many of these horses end up neglected — or worse.

While there are many factors that contribute to these welfare issues, I want to share what I’ve learned about these beautiful animals. My hope is that it helps you give them a life where they are loved, respected, and valued for their big hearts, enormous try, and incredible athleticism.

1️⃣ First and foremost: they were trained to race.

That’s not just a fun fact — it’s the foundation of how they think and behave. These horses have been taught to do a very specific job: run fast, go forward, and react to movement with speed and power. That’s what they anticipate. That’s what they expect. That’s what their body and brain have been conditioned for.

So your first job is to teach them their new role as a pleasure or performance horse.
And just as importantly, you’ll need to un-train their old one.

This takes time, patience, strategy, and skill. They’re not being ‘difficult’ — they’re doing their job until they understand their new one.

2️⃣ Their body has been shaped by their career.

From diet and metabolism to feet, joints, and gut health — everything about their body has been impacted by the demands of racing.

Transitioning to a new lifestyle isn’t just about retraining — it’s rehab.

You’ll need to:

- Adjust their diet gradually and mindfully
- Support hoof health (because thoroughbred feet are, well… notoriously dodgy)
- Treat or manage gastric ulcers, if present
- Build their physical condition in a way that supports comfort and soundness

Equine Anatomist Sharon May-Davis has studied the musculoskeletal system of Thoroughbreds extensively. Her research reveals how factors like the camber (slope) of city vs country tracks, and the direction horses race (clockwise or anti-clockwise), lead to skeletal asymmetries and imbalances.

So these horses don’t just need training — they need physiotherapy through training.

And often some veterinary expertise or bodywork therapy is necessary to help them function with comfort and symmetry, especially in the early stages.

3️⃣ Conformation matters — and many are built to run, not collect.

Selective breeding for racing performance has shaped racehorse conformation. While some are naturally well-proportioned for riding disciplines, others have anatomical features that make certain movements — like collection — more physically challenging.

This doesn’t mean they can’t learn new skills. It just means we need to be mindful of what we’re asking, and whether they have the build and strength to do it easily or comfortably.

So when selecting a horse, consider whether their conformation suits the job you have in mind. You’ll set both of you up for success.

4️⃣ Most OTTBs aren’t ‘difficult’ — they’re misunderstood.

No horse is more misunderstood than the retired racehorse.

They get labelled as anxious, unpredictable, difficult, even dangerous. But the reality is, they often become reactive because they’re:

- Confused
- Uncomfortable
- Overwhelmed

They’ve been trained to do one thing and suddenly expected to do something else with no translator.

But when you strip away the confusion, give them time to learn, support their physical needs, and show them how to succeed — you’ll see who they really are: kind, willing, sensitive, and full of heart.

5️⃣ Retraining an OTTB is not easier than starting a young horse.

In fact, it’s often more complex.

You’re not starting from a clean slate — you’re reshaping existing patterns, responses, and associations. It’s a journey, not a quick fix.

And if you are re-starting a Standardbred, many haven't even been backed yet!

Start simple. Help them navigate easy tasks before adding complexity. Let them build confidence, physically and mentally.

Unfortunately, many people don’t know what’s really involved. Horses are thrown in the deep end, confused and underprepared, and when something goes wrong, they get labelled ‘problem horses’.

And from there, their future becomes uncertain.
Because a horse seen as difficult or dangerous has little to no value — and that’s when their welfare is at greatest risk.

6️⃣ Their new value is built through training.
At the start of their career, racehorses are valued for their racing potential — sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When they retire, their value lies in their education.

A retrained horse has value as a riding partner — in pony club, dressage, show jumping, trail riding, or just being someone’s much-loved companion.

So when I retrain an off-the-track Thoroughbred or Standardbred, I know I’m doing more than just teaching them new skills. I’m giving them value. I’m securing their future. And to me, that’s deeply important — and incredibly rewarding.

❤🙏Please help share this.

Please share this letter, talk about these horses, and help others understand what’s truly involved.

Because the more people who understand their needs, the better we can support them — and the fewer horses end up confused, cast aside, or at risk.

Their future doesn’t just rest with the racing industry or government programs — it rests with all of us.

If you care about horses, you can help. And if you’re one of the special people who gives a Thoroughbred their second chance — thank you.

They deserve it.

➡️CHECK OUT THE FIRST COMMENT: Isabelle Chandler & I have a webinar this week, you are invited ❤ It is focused on how to select an OTTB if you are considering giving one a home ✅

IMPORTANT‼ Hit the SHARE BUTTON - Do not copy & paste, as it is not cool. If you would like to publish this in a magazine or newsletter please DM me.

30/07/2025

*** Well what do horses do in the wild, then? ***

After one rider’s justification in taking her horses out travelling and jumping in 30 degree heat in the U.K. involved the phrase “all the wild horses are fine” (on my post about horses not being able to acclimatise to a few days of 30 degree heat in the U.K.), I thought I’d do a little post about how “horses in the wild” cope in various situations. I’ll use several “real life” examples that frequently crop up on my posts; some are genuine people asking genuine questions, and some are confused people thinking that “horses in the wild” live this idealistic life that we should be trying to emulate for our own horses.

Firstly, real “wild horses” live extremely tough lives. They fight to eat, they fight to stay in their herds, and most of all, they fight to simply survive. It’s not a lovely, relaxed lifestyle. Horses are prey animals; they have many predators. They must be acutely aware of their surroundings, 24/7. These horses are born into that environment, but it’s still a tough life. Our horses are literally born in a barn. They are COMPLETELY different to a herd of wild horses. Most foals are born in a stable, with just their mother for company. They are born into safety. They know domestic life as a safe life from day one. They aren’t wild horses. Wild horses need to get their foals up and running, literally, before predators smell the placenta/see the vulnerable new born foal, and move in. Wild horses must be on their guard at all times; it’s not a life of freedom.

1. Why do we need to examine our horses’ mouths and treat dental pathology at least once a year? What do horses in the wild do?
They die. It’s honestly as simple as that. Horses hide dental pain incredibly well; they are “programmed” to hide dental pain as they must keep eating to survive. Yes, wild horses will absolutely suffer from dental pathology (it’s not due to the “evil” domestication, or the nasty stables we keep them in). If a wild horse can’t eat very well, he/she will become malnourished, unable to keep up with the herd, and succumb to predators. Their shorter life expectancy also means that a lot of dental disease seen in our veteran domestic horses, won’t be relevant due to their shorter life span.

2. Horses don’t need shoes! How do horses cope in the wild?!
Yes, a lot of wild horses definitely cope barefoot much better than our domestic horses are able to. It may be due to breeding, and likely also due to the fact that they are constantly moving over various terrain from day one, and do very little “road work”. A lot of barefoot domestic horses can’t really cope barefoot, which is where hoof boots have their place. If we want to hack our horses out for hours on roads, or to compete our horses on grass without them slipping, then they will most likely need some form of shoe/grip on their feet. Wild horses don’t need to collect and jump on slippery grass, and won’t spend hours on tarmac (which wears hooves down).

3. Horses get colic because they’re stabled; what happens in the wild?
Certainly a lack of constant forage will predispose a horse to colic, and in the wild, horses are constantly foraging and grazing. However, there are many causes of colic that just happen, and we don’t know why. Again, many wild horses won’t live long enough to suffer from some of the “old horse” causes of surgical colics, such as strangulating lipomas. Again, a horse with a surgical colic will simply die in the wild.

4. Why do we need to acclimatise our horses to being ridden in extreme temperatures? Wild horses are fine!
Well, firstly, they aren’t out in the midday sun cantering in circles and jumping courses, whilst carrying about 90kg. And secondly…..no, I think that just about covers in! They find natural shade, and will move about slowly if they can’t find water/shade.

5. Why do I need to provide field shelters and hard standing for my ponies? What happens in the wild?! Just because horses survive in the wild, doesn’t mean they thrive. Yes, horses in the wild don’t have field shelters, but our domestic horses are often used to a roof over their heads from birth, and by choosing to domesticate horses, we are also responsible for ensuring the absolute best of welfare standards for them. Horses do find shade and shelter in the wild, normally under big trees, and just because they don’t have shelters, it doesn’t mean their quality of life wouldn’t be improved by having them. Horses in the wild are frequently on the move, so it’s rare for them to be standing around in muddy paddocks - our domestic horses need hard standing for that reason.

To summarise, just because horses (mainly) survive in the wild, definitely doesn’t mean they thrive. We often expect our horses to carry us around, and in return for that, we should expect to provide the very best care for them. Our domestic horses are more often than not, born in a stable or barn, and are extremely far removed from wild horses from day one. A life for a wild horse is often one of battling to survive.

15/07/2025

Sunday 20th July
Polework or Dressage test practice at The Diamond Centre.
Limited spaces available
Please message for more info 🙏