Equine Tailor

Equine Tailor We bridge the gap between equipment & anatomy. We don't just tell you what fits; we teach you why it fits (or doesn't) and how that affects equine behaviour.

For over 30 years, I have walked the path of the equestrian. My journey has evolved from the competitive arenas of Show Jumping and TREC to the precise science of Bridle Biomechanics and Equine Behaviour. Today, I pivot that experience toward a singular goal: Education. I believe that when industry professionals—coaches, bodyworkers, vets, etc.—truly understand the horse’s anatomical and behaviour

al needs, the entire industry shifts. My work is dedicated to providing the “Missing Link” in that education, blending the art of horsemanship with the complex data of anatomy.

Have Your Say on Animal Welfare in Ireland. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is currently devel...
28/12/2025

Have Your Say on Animal Welfare in Ireland.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is currently developing Ireland’s next Animal Welfare Strategy (2026-2030) and has opened a public consultation to hear directly from people across the country.

At the NSPCA, we see first-hand where animal welfare systems work, and where they don’t.

This consultation is an important opportunity for the public to share their own experiences, concerns and priorities, and to help shape how animal welfare is approached in Ireland over the coming years.

Your Voice Matters 🐾

Please see helpful link 🔗 https://www.dspca.ie/have-your-say-on-animal-welfare-in-ireland/

⚠️ Closing Date: Friday 2nd January 2026 at 5pm.

24/12/2025

Happy Christmas from Animal Tailor! 🎄✨

We hope your day is filled with joy, laughter, and plenty of treats for the four-legged members of your family! Whether they are neighing, barking, or purring, we hope they are feeling spoiled.

👇 Show us a picture of your festive pets in the comments below!

Happy Solstice, horse friends. We made it to the longest night. 🌙 Cngratulations on surviving the first half of winter....
21/12/2025

Happy Solstice, horse friends. We made it to the longest night. 🌙 Cngratulations on surviving the first half of winter.

Today we celebrate the fact that it literally cannot get any darker than this. The sun is making its comeback.

Merry Christmas 🎄from Equine Tailor Wishing you and your equines a peaceful Christmas and Happy New Year for 2026.Teddy ...
20/12/2025

Merry Christmas 🎄from Equine Tailor
Wishing you and your equines a peaceful Christmas and Happy New Year for 2026.
Teddy Pippa and Flicka

INTRODUCTING OUR CO-FOUNDER MIKE CHRISTIEMike is the technicial whizz kid who makes dreams reality! He's also a dab hand...
18/12/2025

INTRODUCTING OUR CO-FOUNDER MIKE CHRISTIE

Mike is the technicial whizz kid who makes dreams reality! He's also a dab hand with ponies and pooches 🐴🐾

While Mike focusses more on the Animal Tailor side he has played an important role in the journey of Equine Partnership.

Welcome Mike!

Interesting reading coming out of the International Conference on Thoroughbred care in Hong Kong. 🇭🇰They are diving deep...
17/12/2025

Interesting reading coming out of the International Conference on Thoroughbred care in Hong Kong. 🇭🇰

They are diving deep into how saddle and girth fit impacts racehorses. In an industry where speed is usually the main metric, I love seeing a shift in focus toward the horse's physical comfort and equipment fit.

We know there are so many factors that go into equine welfare, but acknowledging that the tack must fit correctly is a fundamental step in the right direction.

A comfortable horse is a happier horse. 🐎

We have a new name and a fresh new look! 📢Equine Partnership is now Equine Tailor.Why the change? We are streamlining ou...
16/12/2025

We have a new name and a fresh new look! 📢

Equine Partnership is now Equine Tailor.

Why the change? We are streamlining our brand to better reflect what we do best: providing tailored education on equine anatomy, wearable fitting, and behaviour.

We are also excited to announce that we are now part of the Animal Tailor family, working alongside a new initiative to solve sizing problems for pets and horses alike.

We hope you love the new logo as much as we do! Let us know what you think in the comments. 🐴🧵

📒 NEW STUDY Interesting findings for Equine Assisted Services. How 'forced touch' impacts welfare.Worth a read for anyon...
14/12/2025

📒 NEW STUDY Interesting findings for Equine Assisted Services. How 'forced touch' impacts welfare.

Worth a read for anyone running an EAS programme or managing therapy horses.

A new paper just published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science (Sarrafchi et al.) has highlighted some important findings regarding how horses experience touch interactions with therapy clients.

The researchers compared stress levels in horses during interactions where they were either tethered (forced) or loose in a round pen (free choice).

The results were quite telling. When horses were tied up and unable to move away, they displayed significantly more stress behaviours—specifically restlessness, tail swishing, and oral behaviours like licking or yawning.

Perhaps the most striking statistic was when the horses were loose and given the choice, they chose to stay out of the human’s reach for 51% of the session.

It’s a good reminder that just because a horse is tolerating an interaction, it doesn't mean they are enjoying it.

So, how can we apply this in practice to reduce stress?

🐎 CREATE SPACE FOR CHOICE
Where safety allows (e.g., in a round pen or secure paddock), try moving unmounted work off the lead rope. Allowing the horse to step away—even just a few paces—gives them a sense of control that seems to lower stress.

🐎 WATCH THE TAIL/ MOUTH
The study highlighted tail swishing and oral behaviours as key stress indicators during grooming/touch. If you see these, the horse is likely finding the interaction intrusive. It might be time to take a break or change the activity.

🐎 THE 'CONSENT TEST'
Before a client strokes or grooms, encourage them to offer a hand first. If the horse turns away or ignores it, treat that as a "no" for now. ✨ The study also noted that horses were generally more tolerant of touch on the hindquarters than the neck/shoulder area, which is worth keeping in mind.

🐎 REFRAME 'DISENGAGEMENT' FOR CLIENTS
It can be disappointing for a client if a horse walks away. However, we can frame this as a positive learning moment about autonomy and boundaries, rather than a rejection.

It’s not always practical to have horses loose for every session, but building in more moments of 'agency' seems to be key for their long-term welfare.

Has anyone else been experimenting with off-lead interactions recently? Would be interested to hear how it’s working for you.

Link to the study in the comments 👇

HORSEMANSHIP ISN'T JUST SOMETHING WE DO, IT'S WHO WE ARE 🐎There is a bread-and-butter principle that anyone who currentl...
13/12/2025

HORSEMANSHIP ISN'T JUST SOMETHING WE DO, IT'S WHO WE ARE 🐎

There is a bread-and-butter principle that anyone who currently or has studied Natural Horsemanship (NH) will know: "Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard."

The theory is highly practiced — apply pressure or "hard work" to the horse, and release the moment they do something you want.

But there is a massive caveat to this rule that often gets missed: You should never apply pressure to a horse that is physically unable to perform.

I was reminded of this recently while I was properly wiped out with the flu. A client contacted me for an update, and I couldn't perform the way they wanted

Now, here is the irony. This person is on their own NH journey. But in that moment, they perhaps subconsciously applied the "make the wrong thing hard" philosophy straight back at me. They didn't like the "no," so they ramped up the pressure. They added stress. They demanded a "yes" despite my health.

It got me thinking about how easily we compartmentalise what we learn in the yard.
We spend hours learning to listen to a horse’s subtle signals, to respect their physical limits, and to check our own ego at the gate. But do we extend that same grace to the humans in our herd?

If we are "horse(wo)men" only when we have a headcollar in our hands, but we push on the people around us when we don't get our way, have we really learned the lesson?

If a horse (or a person) says, "I can't do this right now because I am unwell," and our reaction is to apply more pressure to get what we want, we have missed the point. We are no longer making the wrong thing hard; we are just bullying a vulnerable animal.

True horsemanship is about emotional control and empathy. It’s about recognising when a "no" is not an act of defiance, but a plea for rest.

Let’s try to take the softness and feel we practice in the saddle and bring it into our daily lives.

Step back. Check your ego. Listen.
In life, not just at the barn.

P.S With regret In pretty sure I have acted this way in the past towards people, these days I'm far more compassionate and patient! Living my life lessons, hope this helps 🙏

10/12/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗔𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

We need to address the individual and cultural reasons that cause trainers of whatever species to utilise aversives and cause harm as well as appreciating the impact on the animal.

It is crucial to appreciate that equipment such as

🚩Prong collars
🚩 Shock collars
🚩 French grot collars

OR

For Horses

🚩 Be Kind headcollars (metal spikes in the head-piece)
🚩 Rope headcollars
🚩 Chiffneys
🚩 Control headcollars

Are all designed to cause pain.

Caregivers often use these out of desperation and they need our support to feel confident handling their Dogs and Horses. They need our support not our judgement.

Thanks to RPlus Dogs for their graphic

🐴 🐶Supporting horses and dogs who are fearful, overwhelmed, traumatised or who struggle to cope in the human world. Helping you to help them. Full APBC member & ABTC registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist 📍South East WhatsApp 07763317464

Address

Castleisland

Telephone

+353858772543

Website

http://equinepartnershipacademy.com/

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Howdy!

’m Phillippa Christie MCMA IAHT, founder of Equine Partnership. For many years I have been passionate about supporting horses in a natural way ~ training bitless, treeless & shoeless .

As a registered & certified Equine Psychologist, I am able to support you with your Equine Partnership in a holistic approach. I believe that we should work with horses is the most natural way possible, to support them in mind and body.

When we can learn why something is or is not working, we are able to apply ourselves and this supports our horses, supports our partnerships and ultimately makes us better trainers.

I work on many levels to develop horsemanship & listening skills in myself and others. Specialising in equine communication, equine behaviour, bitless transitioning within a holistic approach.