8:45 AM to 9:45 AM – Are you ready for your library to become of, by, and for your community? For 7 years, Nina Simon has led dramatic change as director of the MAH, a small museum in Santa Cruz, Calif. Around the world, community-rooted organizations like the MAH have opened up museums to new people in new ways. Now, they are sharing the OFBYFOR ALL playbook for community transformation— and invite you to join in. Imagine libraries that are reflective OF their communities. Co-created BY their communities. Welcoming FOR their communities. Join the movement and help chart a new future for libraries as beloved institutions of, by, and for all.
10:30 AM to 11:15 AM – Our popular and knowledgeable speaker is always reinventing and transforming the world of search. Bates is a super searcher, an annual favorite who attendees flock to hear as she continues to surprise and impress with new strategies, techniques, and tips for getting the most out of web research. The host of Searchers Academy (where even more secrets are shared) provides an up-to-the minute and jam-packed-with-valuable-tools-and-tips talk that's always a hit! Bates tells us she takes 2 days to research this session, so take advantage of her knowledge and gather tips and tools to share with others!
11:30 AM to 12:15 PM – TinEye and other graphical search tools promise non-text search results display while ever more tools search by vocal commands. Alexa, Google, Siri, and more search on cellphones and smart speakers. Meanwhile artificial intelligence (AI) bots are doing some interesting mining/searching. What does the future look like for exciting new search tools? Which are easy to use and provide a great user experience? Notess looks at the landscape and projects into the future to please us, or scare us. Or challenge us!
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Each day, Price curates thousands of news items and reports to publish online reports that thousands of people depend upon for reliable, usable information. He shares how to build an open web resources database that suits your clients. He elaborates on the tools and techniques he uses to build a timely collection and gives you a road map to build your own!
3:15 PM to 4:00 PM – Getting the most out of publishing and connecting structured data on the web is what linked data is all about. Want to make your data more accessible and easier to find? Get tips from our expert, find out how you can better link data across the web, hear about the current landscape and how it's evolving, and learn about the challenges still facing libraries.
10:30 AM to 11:15 AM – In digital strategy and structural design, we serve as tomorrow's architects. The websites, services, and experiences we imagine and build may endure longer than we expect; and our users and use cases may prove to be far more diverse than we imagine. To create successful, sustainable digital places and cross-channel ecosystems, we must embrace what Brian Eno calls "the big here and the long now." Known as the "founding father" of information architecture, Morville shares stories from his work in crafting digital strategies and information architectures for the Ann Arbor District Library, Baker Library, the Library of Congress, and the National Cancer Institute and explains how to design for the future.
11:30 AM to 12:15 PM – This interactive talk explores the user-centered design (UCD) methodology and how it can transform the experience for your patrons. Our experienced UX designer explains the design process and looks at the various frameworks you can use to introduce UCD to your library projects. She presents findings from her most recent user research across libraries in the U.K. and U.S., highlighting the trends which have an impact on user behavior.
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – We've all seen good and bad library websites, but these library leaders from academic and public libraries choose several of each type, critique them, and help you understand what the most important features and functions are for making your library website as successful as it can be!
3:15 PM to 4:00 PM – Learn the basics of color theory (colorology) and how to use color in design and art. Color psychology is not only about "cool blues and warm reds." It studies the impact of color on the human mind and behavior. Each color focuses on a particular part of the body, evoking a specific physiological response, which in turn produces a psychological reaction. Essentially, color psychology provides you with a framework to be able to pull together colors, textures, type, pattern, and photographic or illustrative styles that will work together and help you communicate consistently to draw your audience into the content. Norlin provides the basics of color psychology and explains how to make this knowledge work to bring new life to your library marketing strategy, web design, and promotional materials. Diaz and Wilson share Caltech Library's recent experience in implementing the Stacks website and bento discovery layer. Using geology research questions to demonstrate the researcher's experience, Diaz and Wilson show how Stacks's metadata-driven approach bento manifests in the user experience, as well as how the Library has curated the website and search experience over the past year.
4:15 PM to 5:00 PM – These presentations focus on UX in different applications. Harrison discusses the shift from the A La Carte platform to Springshare's LibGuides CMS, a popular, mobile-friendly platform for curating library resources in guides. LibGuides has robust capabilities for creating rich interfaces using Bootstrap, and his library created a handbook for those not familiar with Bootstrap that outlines brand/identity and content standards and includes tools to create the code behind customized Bootstrap-specific features. Get tips, links to the handbook as well as UX best practices in LibGuides. Dahlen & Garcia talk about optimizing the simplified search interface of discovery systems for different search behaviors. Hear how one academic library employed usability testing to collect data on user behavior via scenario-based usability tests and a series of A/B tests, in which two simultaneously live versions of Primo captured search traffic from a large number of users performing authentic search tasks. Hear the results from Primo Analytics, which measured variables on user behavior.
10:30 AM to 11:15 AM – Big or small, urban or rural, every library has three critical aspects that will always affect customers: content, connection, and community. Learn how to harness the C equation: the power of traditional and emerging content needs; face-to-face connections, whether online or in-person; and community building. Put these three C's to work and help your library achieve the ultimate goal: contented customers.
11:30 AM to 12:15 PM – Although there has been lots in the news these days about how libraries are handling the opioid crisis, libraries have been responding to community needs for years, including employing strategies to help those experiencing homelessness. Since implementing a Community-Led model of service delivery in 2008, one of the first, EPL has been able to more effectively identify and respond to changing community needs. Speakers highlight relationship-building strategies, share some creative approaches to maneuvering around unique barriers, discuss common road blocks and how to overcome them; describe some of their popular and valuable programs; as well as all you need to know to develop a responsive program for your Community-led library!
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – In the first talk, Goff discusses growing a mindset of play and shares tips, ideas, strategies, and examples of the various online and unplugged activities and programs she's hosted as a librarian for different levels of students from elementary to high school. This should be a fun time for those with big budgets, no budgets, lots or little space, bright-eyed wunderkinds, and grouchy students. Absolutely no experience with coding at all is necessary (but she'll show you it's not such a scary thing). From bingo games and movie nights to Makey Makey and Sphero, there is something for every student to enjoy. The second presentation shares examples for reaching neophytes and nerds beyond the classroom: the tech savvy and late adopters. Technology discussion groups can fill that gap. Since everything is better over a cup of coffee, Vernon Area Public Library's Computers & Coffee offers senior citizens a safe, comfortable place to discuss, learn, and practice technology skills. Nerds with Beer, which meets at a local bar, connects Millennial community members for lively discussion about technology trends. Speakers demonstrate the benefits of monthly technology discussion groups, attendance statistics, evaluating ROI, and how these programs could be implemented at your library, big or small. Walk away with the tools to start these discussion groups in your community. Public libraries have made significant strides toward providing free cybersecurity-related outreach and education for adults, but many lag behind in reaching teens, who instead turn to camps, classes, and after-school programs for the same content. In this third presentation, Markman addresses game-based and privacy security education for teens and shares his experience and lessons learned as a 2018 Global Minecraft Mentor utilizing the Minecraft Education Edition platform to introduce security topics to a new generation of library users. He compares this new learning ecosystem to past efforts and future opportunities for a "gamified" library learning landscape.
3:15 PM to 5:00 PM – This fast-paced mini workshop shares many engagement case studies with tips and lessons learned! Baer discusses the art of digital storytelling and how a number of California public libraries partnered with Berkeley-based StoryCenter to create opportunities for engagement through digital stories.Library staff and community members learned to capture meaningful life stories using recording equipment and a video editor to create customized, multimedia, digital artifacts of these experiences. To expand libraries' capacity to collect digital stories and conversations, StoryCenter collaborated with several of the California Listens libraries to develop the Listening Station, an iPad-based recording kit and app, which facilitates the recording of stories, StoryCorps-style conversations and interviews, in audio or video formats, and which automates the upload and delivery of recordings to participating organizations and individuals. Hear how leveraging user-friendly tech to collect and share community stories can help libraries build better relationships with the people they serve. McNamara discusses the creation of a Democracy Wall Project using a low-tech approach as a means to engage public discourse, build community capacity, and support civic engagement. Questions asked on the wall focus on city services and neighborhood issues, and it acts as a simple whiteboard where questions and responses are written using a dry erase marker. The project utilizes social media as a marketing tool to promote the project. Lynch discusses reaching out to patrons digitally via Google Tools. He's been using the tools provided with Gmail to extend the reach of a special library, enabling him to provide outreach to people both local and visiting from outside the area. Get tips libraries of any size can use to extend reach beyond traditional means with minimal budget outlay and much appreciation by patrons. Ward covers strategies that a college uses to address the information needs of freshmen and transfer students. The digital portal provides essential support to students in navigating their way through their first year of college, increases freshmen GPA scores, and aids in retention efforts. Ward discusses the creation of a comprehensive Library Guide as a platform for library instruction for freshmen, faculty, and staff.
10:30 AM to 12:15 PM – Imagine one of Japan's largest book and media retailers joining forces with cities in Japan to create dramatic new "cultural department stores" that combine a library, a full-service bookstore, a Starbucks, and often a sit-down restaurant including a bar. It is happening, and our speakers share the secrets of true public/private partnerships in which the private partner designs the facility in cooperation with the city (these are all either totally new facilities or total refurbishments), puts up a share of the capital needed to build it, and then operates the entire facility—including the library portion— under contract to the city. Most serve populations of 50,000 to 100,000, some, in quite rural areas; facilities are open 12 hours a day, 365 days a year. The focus is on books, and the combination library and bookstore allows them to serve both those who want to buy and those who want to borrow. There are no public access computers … but there is Wi-Fi everywhere and you can borrow an iPad from the reference desk if you do not have your own device (most people bring their own). There are no databases, and there are no dedicated meeting rooms. They do lots of programming, but furniture and fixtures are designed to be rearranged to accommodate programs, and they are hugely successful, with visits in some locations up as much as 1427%, with comparable increases in circulation, and the average length of visit has increased dramatically from 30 minutes to 3 hours in one facility, with comparable stats elsewhere.
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Book-lending is declining, and there is a critical library bypass. When our position as a library is closely linked in the public eye to lending books, and librarians are on call in the physical library, we need to rethink the entire concept of what we do as library professionals and how we do it. While still maintaining that ever important library DNA, the Copenhagen Libraries are undergoing massive changes in both form and function, which calls for a radical new role for staff members, new targeted library services, increasing self-service, and a more digital mindset. The Copenhagen Model explains the why, the how, and the what in a strategic and practical turnaround of the libraries. It shares tips for other libraries in other countries to use in their communities. Abram then shares the "better together" strategy used by Ontario Public Libraries and its three representative associations to increase funding, develop stronger ties to decision makers, and share the tasks for library success province-wide. Get tips for building your support team and lots more!
3:15 PM to 4:00 PM – This talk focuses on how an academic library is becoming a community partner and resource in addressing the challenges faced by Detroit youth. In an effort to support UM–Dearborn community outreach initiatives, the Mardigian Library is providing resources through its community engagement collection, spaces, technologies, and electronic resources for hundreds of community partners. The campus offers training on state-provided resources, basic information literacy instruction, and research skills building. It hosts community conversations to determine how to best serve the needs of community partners. Approximately 25,000 Detroit youth are disconnected from work and education.In an effort to combat some of the challenges facing youth, UM–Dearborn partnered with local schools, nonprofits, and workforce development agencies. The group worked to create a network that helps to address basic needs of the youth that are not being met (food, shelter, clothing, trauma), provide workshops and tutoring to get them to grade level, prepare them for higher education, link them to employers, and provide mentor support. Students from the university are placed with community partners or in schools in Detroit to support work with youth. Many workshops and activities are based on what youth identify as their needs. Within the first few weeks alone, the impact has been a tremendous morale boost for the youth. Join a mock community conversation, learn about discussions on community engagement training and resources, and more!
4:15 PM to 5:00 PM – Join Peterson as he reflects on the recent integration of the Simpson County Public School libraries with the Goodnight Memorial Library. He shares how they were able to partner up with the schools to give the students in all locations access to all the Goodnight Library's resources, including its subscriptions to EBSCO, World Book, OverDrive, RBdigital, and others. He discusses some of the shortcomings, workarounds, and fixes for the issues they've had so far and answers questions about implementation and upkeep.
10:30 AM to 11:15 AM – What does it mean to be a future-ready librarian? How will being a future-ready librarian affect my library, school, teachers, and especially my students? What can I do to become a future-ready librarian today? These questions are central to the Future Ready Librarians initiative and also what we ask ourselves every day as we embrace our roles within the library and school community. Miller explores the critical role that librarians play in the strategic work of schools and educational systems connected with educational technology leadership, empowering students as creators and learners, content curation, innovative instructional practices, collaboration, community connections, and more. She shares stories and inspires us to embrace the change we can bring through our roles as librarians. Leave this presentation knowing you have what it takes to be a future-ready librarian!
11:30 AM to 12:15 PM – Based on recent experience teaching a Rutgers University course for librarians, this talk provides an overview of interdisciplinary literacies needed and discusses how to share them with students, offering tips on how to get started. Literacies explored include connected and social learning; information ethics and remix culture; curation; communicating knowledge and creative expression; media, global, and data literacy; computational thinking; mobile technologies; digital citizenship/leadership; social reading; making; and coding.
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Go beyond expeditions and discoVR a whole new world. A world you can create. A world you can explain. A world for all to explore. Harness the power of 360 creation and make virtual reality interactive. App-smash 360 tools for increased engagement and intriguing learning experiences. Although expeditions and field trips are pretty amazing, there is much more to the 360 world. The first talk gives you the tools and techniques to enable students to not merely be consumers, but also creators of virtual reality. Then learn from another school's AR/VR journey about what works and what pitfalls to avoid to successfully bring VR to your school library. Explore ways to integrate VR across content areas and to support social emotional learning initiatives in your school.
3:15 PM to 4:00 PM – The most important thing that anyone can do to improve what they do is to become more capable at generating ideas. This conversation explores the role that ideas have in catalyzing innovative practice in libraries and discusses the strategies and techniques that you can use to become better at building better ideas tomorrow. Join us for a provocative conversation about how you can nurture, curate, incubate, grow, extend, and remix ideas that enable you to create the raw material that supports innovative library practice.
4:15 PM to 5:00 PM – The Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), in collaboration with Florida State University, is conducting a 2-year study to explore the role of school librarians in advancing the use of open educational resources (OER) for teaching and learning. Funded by the IMLS, the study seeks to document school librarians' current digital and OER curation practices and to develop a framework and a set of practical recommendations for advancing open digital resource collections for the benefit of students, educators, and communities. After introducing the what, why, and how of OER, the session presents the digital curation habits that are emerging through the study's interviews with school librarians across the U.S, and discusses the implications of integrating OER into the everyday curation practice of school librarians.


[libav-devel] [PATCH] Set protocol-level metadata in	AVFormatContext any time a packet is read.
Previous message: [libav-devel] [PATCH] Add av_metadata_updated to check for any metadata updates on the stream.
Next message: [libav-devel] [PATCH 4/6] Add av_metadata_updated to check for any metadata updates on the stream.
the context and then the option is cleared.
metadata with identical information should be acceptable.
"read_frame_internal stream=%d, pts=%"PRId64", dts=%"PRId64", "


could magically transform my dreams into real.
before a used tarot deck maintains I've yet to grow.
just to get a bear hug for his, oh, so thoughtful lie.
that never in a million years ever goes to press.
with the promise of a double dose of ordinary air!


Abstract: In this investigation, studies are carried out on the mechanical properties of hybrid polymer composites. Hybrid composites can reach a better combination of both artificial and natural fibre properties. Different weight percentages of jute fibres were hybridised with coconut sheath to produce the composites through compression moulding. Composites were produced using untreated and treated fibres. Fibre surfaces were treated with trichloro(vinyl)silane and starch solutions. Inter-laminar shear strength (ILSS) and flexural tests were conducted on the composites. Results show that jute hybridisation yields significant enhancement in the coconut sheath composite. Composites with starch treated fibres shows higher flexural strength. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface revealed agglomeration of fibres in the fibre-matrix interface, which helped increasing flexural strength.
Keywords: coconut sheath; jute fibre; hybrid composites; mechanical properties; starch treatment; hybridisation; natural fibre composites; fibre reinforced composites; composite materials; trichloro(vinyl)silane; inter-laminar shear strength; flexural tests; flexural strength.


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Building Front Door Steps building front door steps building a front door step front entrance steps steps more house stairs design. building front door steps tips and preparations building front porch steps exciting small simple stair design. building front door steps how to build stone steps to a front door how to build stone steps to stairs railing designs. building front door steps building a front door step tips and preparations building front garden stair design. building front door steps enchanting entry stairs design best ideas about front porch steps on wooden stairs design images. building front door steps building a front door step shapeyourminds deck stairs design ideas. building front door steps building front door steps images door design for home external stair design.
Find out the most recent images of Building Front Door Steps here, and also you can get the image here simply image posted uploaded by Brenda Katelynn that saved in our collection.


text:
Home » Our Doctors » Dr Leo Hamilton
Specialty: Paediatrics
Baby & newborn care
Childhood infections
Childhood vaccinations / Immunisation
Common childhood illnesses
Developmental & nutritional assessment
Travel health advice & vaccination
Sub-specialty:
Paediatric Hematology/Oncology
DR LEO HAMILTON
MD (Alabama, USA)
Dr Leo Hamilton trained in the United States, with degrees in History and Religion from Auburn University, subsequently graduating from medical school in 2000 from the University of Alabama. He trained with a residency at Maine Medical Centre before continuing to complete a Fellowship at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 2006. He became US board-certified in 2003 in the speciality of Paediatrics, and 2006 in the sub-speciality of Paediatric Hematology/Oncology. Dr Leo spent several years as a private practice Paediatric Hematologist/Oncologist before relocating with his family to Singapore in 2011.
He has since continued as a Paediatrician in Singapore. Dr Leo cares for children from newborns at delivery to teenagers. Beyond his background in Hematology/Oncology, he has an interest in asthma, behavioural issues (primarily ADHD), teen health, and modern management of routine childhood illnesses such as ear infections, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia.
He sees newborns and children in his clinic at Royal Square Novena, as well as at the private hospitals like Mount Elizabeth Novena, Mount Elizabeth Orchard, Gleneagles, Parkway East, and Thomson Medical Centre.
Dr Leo lives with his wife and numerous animals. His daughter completed high school in 2019 and is starting University in Australia. He enjoys reading, travel, and long-distance running.
Dr Leo has a strong belief in practising modern, up-to-date medicine that minimizes interventions and medications. During his training, he learned that most of everything he knows about Paediatrics changes, hence sticking to evidence-based medicine is his guiding principle. The basic care he provided 20 years ago when he started as a Paediatrician has changed tremendously, and he knows it will continue to.
What has he learnt and changed in since he began as a Paediatrician?
Simple middle ear infections tend to resolve without antibiotics, and most pneumonias do as well.
Bronchiolitis and bronchitis in children do not often need treatment.
Medications may help with sleep in coughs and colds, and make the symptoms better, but tend not to affect the duration of an illness.
Most infants after age 1 month do not need to be hospitalised for fevers.
Solids are safe to start after 4 months, including eggs, nuts, and shellfish.
Dr Leo is a strong believer that most children need few or no medications, and enjoy working with parents to determine what medicines will help, and what is unnecessary. Knowing when a test is needed is an important part of being a Paediatrician and a central part of his practice.
Every child is unique and developing a relationship with children, teenagers, and families is important to develop the care and treatment each individual needs. Knowing when to test, when to treat, and when a hospital stay is needed are instrumental in Dr Leo's practice as a patient-centred paediatrician.
Place of Practice
Kids Clinic @ Novena
101 Irrawaddy Rd
Royal Square at Novena
Opening Hours (w.e.f from 4 Dec 2019)
9.00am to 1.00pm, 2.00pm to 5.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am to 1.00pm
CHECKLIST IF YOU ARE USING INSURANCE FOR PAYMENT
For a smooth clinic visit, kindly ensure the following has been done BEFORE your visit:
1. Confirm with your insurer that
Your insurance can be used at our clinic
Criteria for insurance usage e.g. age of child, need for GP referral letter etc.
Payment terms e.g. co-payment (if any), pay first and claim later
Terms of coverage for treatment and medication
Limits of claim amount
2. Bring along your insurance card for verification at the clinic.
3. Keep the 24-hour hotline of your insurer, should you have further questions while at our clinic.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Institute for Equine Therapeutic Options | "Knowledge is Power"
A very good article on Fascia written by Dr Hammer. This article was published in April 2014, in the newsletter American Chiropractic Association.
The knowledge that normal muscle function depends on the fascial system and between 30 and 40 percent of the force generated by muscle is due to its surrounding fascia can be compared in science to adding a new element to the periodic table of elements.
Science has dismissed the value of a connective tissue structure that encompasses our whole body both internally and externally. Carla Stecco, MD, elaborated this dismissal in her upcoming text entitled, Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System (Elsevier 2015): "In anatomy text books, only local areas of fasciae are described and they are characterized by only one of their minor functions: as an opaque covering." In her preface, she adds that most anatomists view connective tissue as something to remove so that joints, muscles, organs and tendons may be studied carefully. In fact, it has now been established that the basic function of joints, muscles, organs and tendons requires a normal, functioning fascial system.
Research demonstrates that more than 30 percent of the force generated from the muscle is transmitted not along a tendon, but rather by the connective tissue within the muscle and fascia contains mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors. In other words, every time we use a muscle, we stretch fascia that is connected to spindle cells, Ruffini and Paccini corpuscles and Golgi organs. The normal stretching of fascia thus communicates the force of the muscle contraction and the status of the muscle regarding its tone, movement, rate of change in muscle length and position of the associated body part to the central nervous system (CNS).
An important question now arises: What if the fascia, where these receptors are located, is restricted due to increased viscosity or is chronically overstretched? As receptors are activated by pressure or stretch, is it possible that the receptors, which must be free to function, are inhibited? Could inhibition of receptor function provide altered feedback to the CNS? The fascia is therefore much more than an "opaque covering." It should probably be designated as another organ of the body. Something else to consider: The acupuncture system is within the fascial system. Langevin described the network of acupuncture points and meridians as a network formed by connective tissue (fascia). Practitioners must understand what causes fascia to become pathological and why it disrupts function. Ultimately, they need to know how to restore normality to the fascial system.
This article is a very short introduction to the subject of fascia, but certain anatomical and physiological information has to be understood. Muscles are covered by specific types of deep fascia, designated as either epimysial or aponeurotic fascia. In the extremities, a thin layer of epimysial fascia called the epimysium envelops the surface of each muscle. It surrounds the entire surface of the muscle belly and separates it from adjoining muscles. It gives form to all of the extremity muscles. In the extremities, the epimysium is covered by aponeurotic fascia (AF). The fascia lata is aponeurotic fascia that covers the whole thigh and buttock like a stocking and slides over the epimysium of the muscles beneath it. AF is the "well-defined fibrous sheaths that cover and keep in place a group of muscles or serve for the insertion of broad muscles.". Some examples of AF are the thoracolumbar fascia, the fascia lata and the fascia that covers all of the extremity muscles. A principal function of the AF is to transmit the force (myofascial continuity) of the muscle groups it covers by way of myofascial expansions or insertions. These expansions insert into the periosteum, the paratenons, neurovascular sheaths and the fibrous capsules of joints. During forward movement of the upper extremity for example, the clavicular fibers of the pectoralis major (epimysial fascia) upon contraction stretches the anterior brachial aponeurotic fascia. The biceps is contracting, thereby stretching the antebrachial (aponeurotic) fascia and by way of the lacertus fibrosus to the flexor carpi radialis and the thenar muscles. This sequence has been verified by dissection.
Similarly, the quadriceps muscle inserts into the tibia by way of its tendon and continues on to a myofascial expansion that passes anterior to the patella to the anterior knee retinaculum. The Achilles tendon connects from the calcaneus to fascial attachments to the plantar fascia over the back of the heel and to the heel fat pad. Every movement of the body will stretch particular patterns of intrafascial receptors, especially in the deep fascia. The firing of receptors embedded in the fascial network represents the perceptive continuity necessary for normal unimpeded movement and the transmission of information proximally and distally to adjoining muscles and to our CNS.
AF helps transmit the force of the muscles it covers and is innervated mostly in its superficial layer. Aponeurotic fascia in the extremities is separated from the epimysium by loose connective tissue, which allows normal glide between the two fascial layers. The AF is made up of two to three layers of parallel collagen fiber bundles, densely packed, separated by a thin layer of its own loose connective tissue. Each layer slides independently over its adjoining layer. The loose connective tissue with normal viscoelasticity allows normal tissue gliding. This gliding function becomes abnormal when the loose connective tissue viscosity increases.
Closely connected to the epimysium is an intramuscular fascial layer called the perimysium. The perimysium surrounds the muscle bundles (fascicles). Both the epimysium and perimysium are an organized framework that transmit the force produced in the locomotor system. Both the epi and peri are thickened in tendinosis and with immobilization. From a sensory point of view, the chief proprioceptors for muscles are muscle spindles that are localized in the perimysium. Their capsules connect to the epimysium and fascial septae. The chief sensory components of muscles, the spindle cells, reside in the fascia. Finally, there is the endomysium, which covers every muscle fiber and separates fibers from each other to allow individual fiber gliding.
The fact that spindle cells are in the fascia implies that if the fascia is altered — restricted or densified — the spindle cells may not function normally, depriving the CNS of necessary information about joint movement, muscle coordination and position. Spindle cells represent a common final pathway, since all proprioceptive input from fascia, ligaments, skin, etc., goes to the dorsal horn. The dorsal horn has collaterals that synapse on the gamma motor neurons causing reflex activation of spindle cells. Spindle cells are active even during sleep, and they must be stretched during muscle contraction or passive stretch to become activated. It is therefore probable that if the spindle cells are embedded in thickened, densified fascia, its ability to be stretched would be affected and normal spindle cell feedback to the CNS would be altered.
Siegfried Mense, MD, one of the world's leading experts on muscle pain and neurophysiology, when questioned about fascial adhesions having an adverse effect on spindle cells, answered: "Structural disorders of the fascia can surely distort the information sent by the spindles to the CNS and thus can interfere with a proper coordinated movement," and "the primary spindle afferents (Ia fibers) are so sensitive that even slight distortions of the perimysium will change their discharge frequency." When our patients complain that the last thing they did was the cause of their pain (i.e., "must have gotten out of bed wrong"), they are already in an uncoordinated situation.
What is the actual mechanism of fascial disruption creating abnormal sensory afferentation? One of the chief causes of fascial restriction is related to a substance called hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is a high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan polymer of the extracellular matrix. Among its many functions, HA is a lubricant that allows normal gliding between joints and between connective tissue. The concept of gliding within the fascial system is crucial for normal fascial function. Normal gliding between the layers of fascia surrounding the muscle and within the muscle depends on the normal hydration provided principally by HA. HA is already proving successful when it is injected into osteoarthritic knees or frozen shoulders. A major location of HA is in the loose connective tissue between the deep aponeurotic fascia and muscle (where aponeurotic fascia slides on the epimysium), the loose connective tissue between the two or three layers of the aponeurotic fascia and between the intramuscular fascia. Loose connective tissue appears as an irregular gelatinous mesh containing mainly HA, some fibroblasts, collagen and elastic fibers. "If the HA assumes a more packed conformation, or more generally, if the loose connective tissue inside the fascia alters its density, the behavior of the entire deep fascia and the underlying muscle would be compromised. This, we predict, may be the basis of the common phenomenon known as 'myofascial pain.' There is evidence that if the loose connective tissue within the fascia has increased viscosity, the receptors will not be activated properly. Densified HA also alters the distribution of the lines of force within the fascia. In this environment, pain and stiffness may be created with stretching, even within the physiological ranges. When the HA chains become concentrated, their viscoelastic properties are altered, and this contributes to myofascial pain and the myofascial pain syndrome.
There are corroborating studies that demonstrate the relationship between HA and myofascial pain. Under tissue stress, like tissue injury, hyaluronan becomes depolymerized and lower molecular mass polymers of hyaluronan fragments appear. These smaller HA fragments signal to the host that normal homeostasis has been profoundly disturbed. Smaller HA fragments contribute to scar formation. With overuse and trauma, HA becomes fragmented and proinflammatory. "By increasing the concentration of HA, HA chains begin to entangle, conferring to the solution distinctive hydrodynamic properties: the viscoelasticity is dramatically increased." Other studies show that thoracolumbar fascia shear strain was approximately 20 percent lower in human subjects with chronic low-back pain. This reduction of shear plane motion may be due to abnormal trunk movement patterns and/or intrinsic connective tissue pathology. Fascial thickening has been held responsible for chronic pain in both the neck and lower back. In the neck study, the thickness was found in the loose connective tissue, rather than the collagen fibers. In the lowerback study, the chronic low-back pain group had approximately 25 percent greater perimuscular thickness and echogenicity, compared with the non-low-back pain group. In the chronic neck-pain study, the variation of thickness of the fascia correlated with the increase in quantity of the loose connective tissue, but not with dense connective tissue. The value of 0.15 cm thickness of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) fascia was considered as a cut-off value that allows the clinician to make a diagnosis of myofascial disease in a subject with chronic neck pain.
Restoring deep fascial glide requires a method of reaching the deep fascia, especially since this is the principal location of the spindle cells and the HA. In a study where the tissue was sensitized equally from the skin to the deep fascia in the erector spinae muscles, longtime sensitization to mechanical pressure and chemical stimulation remained in the deep fascia rather than the superficial areas. Another study compared the methods of manual effects on restoring HA fluidity. They compared perpendicular vibration and tangential oscillation with constant sliding motions. The perpendicular and tangential motions caused a greater HA lubrication than the sliding method. This demonstrates why it is important to treat an area long enough. The treatment area is less than 2 cm2 and usually requires between 2 to 4 minutes until palpation reveals a gliding sensation rather than a densification. As we treat the HA fragments, which are proinflammatory, they finally reach a size where they become anti-inflammatory. This resultant reduction in inflammation takes about 48 hours. This may explain the possible side effects of continued pain after treatment. It is recommended that the same area should not be treated for at least four days or more. Vertical-type pressure using elbows, knuckles and Graston Technique® is necessary to effect this change.
• The fascia is a sensory organ.
• Normal muscular function requires that its surrounding fascia be hydrated to allow normal tissue gliding.
• Improper tissue gliding is directly related to mechanoreceptive and proprioceptive insufficiency and muscle incoordination.
• Dysfunction follows along myofascial kinetic chains, especially those that relate to both the anatomical myofascial and acupuncture meridian fascial planes.
• A thorough case history that considers areas of previous trauma or surgery may reveal fascial densities responsible for present complaints.
• Functional testing and palpation of fascial planes are a primary diagnostic method.
• Treatment of affected points should be continued until normal density is palpated and negative functional testing improves.
Much of the research regarding these questions can be found in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
As we read more research articles and bury our heads in fascia specific books, our fascination for all of its implications for whole body health just keeps expanding. You have to understand that all of this information is adapted from human medicine at this point. There are however some amazing equine anatomists whether in Australia or Europe doing equine fascia dissection and we are anxiously waiting for the published studies.
Traditionally, fascia has, for centuries, been essentially relegated to be just the "white packing stuff" around the muscles. However, over the past few years, the huge paradigm shift in how we look at fascia and what it means for movement and health, helps us better understand how dysfunction takes place. Currently, fascia is being recognized as the "Cinderella" tissue of medical research. The latest studies have yielded astounding insights regarding the importance of this body wide tensional network. Especially important are the implications for musculoskeletal medicine.
Stecco et al, in their 2008 research, had already recognized that the superficial layers of the body are in fact, more densely populated with mechanoreceptors than tissues situated more internally.
This form of connective tissue possesses an incredible intrinsic "rubber band like action." Using the example of biceps muscle contraction, the Triceps muscle group fascia is also stretched. After the contraction, the Triceps fascia will literally and instantaneously, spring back to its previous position. Kram and Dawson, 1998 described the "catapult mechanism" and observed that the tendons and fascia of the legs, for instance are tensioned like rubber bands.
Fascia, for better or worse, possesses the ability to contract independently of the muscles it surrounds. It responds to stress without any conscious command from our brain. In the case of injury, it is a big deal, because of lack of activity or inappropriate postural positioning, it will thicken the once-supple fibers. Chronic stress will fuse the connective tissues together in an attempt to protect the underlying muscle. Poor posture, lack of flexibility and repetitive movements will pull the fascia into unconsciously ingrained patterns, in order to stabilize the body.
Fascial adaptability is readily demonstrated. If you palpate the legs of an able-bodied person, it will be observed that, from our normal everyday walking, the fascia on the lateral (outside) of the thigh has developed a palpable firmness. However, when assessing the legs of a wheel chair patient, there is no palpable difference in development, or firmness between the inner and outer sides of the thighs. On the other hand, if you evaluate a professional horse rider's legs, you would immediately note, that the fascia on the inner side of the legs is more developed and stronger. El-Labban et al., actually conducted an in-depth study on that subject in 1993. Many riders are very aware of this and could have told them so!
Excessive repetitive actions, chronic stress or trauma will increase the density of the fascia and drastically impair movement, circulation and lymphatic flow. It will often result in accumulation of dense fascia, and/or scar tissue. This is usually followed by an area or areas of chronic pain. It certainly makes you understand the power of adaptability. We all need to realize how much fascia is dramatically impacting our movements – for better or for worse. But this is not all bad news! Due to the intrinsic and versatile nature of fascia, and its remodeling capacities, it allows that even major damage is reversible.
There are multiple modalities available to rehabilitate fascia. These range from "Rolfing," to milder forms of manipulative "Myofascial Release," "Trigger Point Therapy", to the use of Acupuncture or Acupressure. The latter two has led us to our goal of developing a specific myofascial system of acupuncture.
Langevin and Yandow, in their 2002 research project, hypothesized that a "Qi blockage" can be viewed as an alteration in the composition of fascia. Needling or acupressure may bring about cellular change in the fascia. The Vermont researchers have also shown that connective tissue is a sophisticated communication system. We are just scratching the surface of its potential.
Thus, the hypothesis that the acupuncture meridian system corresponds to a significant degree to connective tissue planes (Langevin and Yandow 2002) has merit. Acupuncture needle stimulation sends a mechanical signal through this tissue network (Langevin et al. 2001, 2002). Connective tissue consists both of a delicate web with fine branches penetrating all tissues, and major "trunks" forming connective tissue planes that link all parts of the body with each other. Documented efficacy of acupuncture relies, at least, to a major extent, on interaction with fascia. Dr. Langevin demonstrated this effect on certain acupuncture points via her special ultrasound elastography techniques.
More studies, with greater number of subjects, and working on different areas of the body, certainly need to be done, before we can "prove" the anatomical correspondence of acupuncture channels with the fascial planes.
However, the provocative evidence in Dr Langevin's study, contains the promise of discovering not only more about human physiology and health, but also the possibility of understanding the scientific mechanisms of acupuncture and being able to explain it biomedical terms.
Can you see the relation between fascia and a spider web? Think about it. If you touch one part of the web, the whole fabricated net moves (just like a tensegrity model), providing instantaneous information for the spider to act or react. Fascia acts in the same manner. It is a whole body communication system where, if stimulated, transmits a signal to every part of the body.
With our most basic knowledge of biology, we learned the term "connective tissue" as a way to describe certain cell types. However, when applied to fascia, the term "connective" takes on a whole new meaning. Fascia is the connective tissue that links every tissue in the body. For example, it connects the skin to the muscle, the muscle to the bone and the organs to each other. Anatomists and surgeons, for centuries, have cut the body up to isolate and define organs, ligaments, muscles and bones; but the body is really parts and organs linked by connective tissue. There is no separation of parts when we view the body on a microscopic level. In a living human or animal being, it is all linked together by fascial connective tissue.
Forces induced by, injury, trauma and every day stress will immediately, or over a period of time, cause imbalances in the fascial system. This tensional network may then shorten, thicken, become dehydrated, and consequently affect muscle function and joint mobility. This in turn, is typically displayed as pain, discomfort, stiffness or decreased mobility and altered movement. Under these circumstances, fascia not only loses its ability to communicate via bio-tensegrity, but it also loses its ability to lubricate, insulate, envelope and functionally support the all body systems. It may become excessively bound or stretched and cannot respond rapidly to required functional changes in posture or movement.
A localized area of pain or a scar might create adhesions in the fascial planes, which will become quite detrimental if not treated or at least released. Treatment through movement, bodywork, and/or other therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, etc, will ensure that fascia retains its essential and inherent qualities. "Fascia is your body's soft tissue scaffolding" says Jill Miller, a yoga and fitness therapy expert. "It provides the matrix that your muscle cells can grow upon and it also envelopes, penetrates and surrounds all of your joints". Leon Chaitow, a practicing naturopath, osteopath and acupuncturist in the UK, describes fascia as "the new frontier in bodywork." Fascia is the organ of posture whether we are referring to static or dynamic posture. It will adjust to good or bad posture. When inappropriate chronic posture is present, it will "lock" the body into that posture and cause it to function within a reduced capacity.
Kelly Starrett, a Doctor of Physical Therapy in his book "Becoming A Supple Leopard," feels that "dysfunctional movement patterns may be at the root of your pain." He emphasizes that a lot of the common musculo-skeletal problems and fascial restriction, that clinicians encounter, result from poor or improper movement. The first thing he addresses is correction of the individual's dysfunctional movement patterns and bio-mechanical inadequacies. He corrects them via correct movement therapy that results in restoration of full range of motion. Once the joints are properly aligned, the muscles and soft tissues can perform better, and typically, will resolve the initial dysfunction. This, he states, will put the patient in a position where he can safely exercise at higher levels of intensity.
In the horse world, some of the most biomechanically aware trainers, that we know, like Manolo Mendez, Charles De Kunffy, Klaus Schöenich, Colonel Christian Carde, Dr. Gerd Heushmann, all pay special attention to balance and straightness and the role that fascia plays in the biomechanics of the ridden horse. Every day in our practice, we see the fascial constrictions, the gait aberrations and dysfunctional movement patterns. These are present whether they are backyard horses or top athletes. We have learned far too often that these fascial or soft tissue dysfunctions lead to pain and lameness.
Once we understand that the fascia of the horse and/or the rider, is going to adjust to whatever posture, or body imbalances exist, we then need to realize that the balance of the natural horse is far from being adequate for the ridden horse. Unless, the inherent crookedness is addressed, the rider will encounter resistance, stiffness or avoidance and he or she, will be forever compensating for it. It is imperative to change the biomechanics of the horse when starting a young horse or when remedially "straightening" an older horse. Riders must absolutely address their own faulty body posture and biomechanical inadequacies if they are not to be carried into their equitation. No wonder, riding is such an art!
So even though, the muscles and bones are definitely relevant components, we need to look deeper into the body of the horse and address its posture, gait aberrations, foot balance, living arrangements, and training if we truly want to keep our horses sound and pain free. Restoring the natural intrinsic qualities of fascia (your horse and your own) is not only the key to pain management and soundness, but to unlocking the horse's performance potential!
It has been a long time – too long – since we have communicated and shared our thoughts. We do apologize for this.
Unfortunately, most of the last half of the 2012 was spent addressing some very serious health challenges for Dr. R. We are happy to say that they have been overcome and that he is back and stronger than ever!
Our goal of sharing information and discussing pertinent health issues remains the same – our, sincere desire to promote and empower you with knowledge of how you can better your horses' lives.
"Natural Crookedness" or "Laterality" is still the focus of our thoughts and practice. We are acutely aware of how deeply these factors affect the horse's health, performance and soundness. This very topic is a puzzle to many horsemen and many professionals as well. There is considerable argument over terms of laterality, terms such as dominance, weight bearing, free leg verses restricted or supporting leg. Dr. R is writing an extensive paper explaining our concept of right or left forelimb "dominance". Suffice to say that, at this point, the terms left or right handed are very poor terms. Horses do not have hands. That terminology leads to misunderstanding the forelimb biomechanics of man, who is a biped vs. the forelimb of the horse who is a quadruped. That paper will come out soon in a forthcoming blog.
Correcting the crookedness and changing the biomechanics is becoming an important and sometimes contentious discussion subject, with many different voices, opinions and linguistics being expressed. We are all chasing the same goals that the riding masters from Xenophon onward espoused – masters such as De Carpentry, and Baucher and Nuno Oliveira, who penned these lines: "True straightness consists of being able, while riding on the center line, to perform at any moment, a correct circle in either direction. We have a beautiful example of that type of riding when we look at the picture of Manolo Mendez riding Broga. You feel that he could, at ANY moment do a circle in EITHER direction and utilize any gait (if he were on the center line instead of on the wall). Isn't this what we all aspire to do?
We fully recognize the impact that crookedness has with respect to the performance ability and soundness of our patients. Dr Thomas Ritter beautifully expressed in two sentences (in an article on Natural Crookedness) our whole philosophy and the strong principles that are the foundation of our veterinary practice.
These powerful words should be engraved on the doors of every stall, every tackroom wall, and be memorized by each aspiring horse owner or rider, whether they want to go on the trail, jump, do eventing, endurance, dressage, or do any of the Western disciplines!
On the news front, we are pleased to announce that we will be organizing another straightness clinic with Klaus Schoneich, the German trainer and author of "Correct Movement in Horses". The clinic is set for July 20th to 23rd and will be hosted by Hullinndalur Farm in Landrum, SC. It will be fascinating to again analyse the biomechanics of each horse, observe the changes over the course of the clinic and assess the progress of the returning horses. Register online, whether you want to bring a horse or just audit!
The book "Correct Movement in Horses" by Gabriele and Klaus Schoneich is presently out of print, but we have been promised a reprint date of September 15th of this year. It will be available then from our website, as well as from other equine book sources in the US.
We have already set up quite a number of clinics this year. We will be doing our first seminar since teaching in South Africa in January and are planning to be in Gardnerville, NV on April 6th and 7th (www.equineownersacademy.com). We are also looking forward to participate at the International Veterinary Acupuncture Congress in Louisiana, from May 16th to 19th. It will be followed by the Saddle Fitting Course for Equinology (www.equinology.com) in California from May 28th to the 31st. The rest of the year will see us in England, Canada, Australia as well as back in South Africa. More US clinics are also in the works. Check our calendar for further updates and more details.
In June of 2012, I had the honor and wonderful privilege of presenting a symposium with Colonel Christian Carde, a former dressage olympian and head trainer and director of the French National School of Equitation in Saumur. I was able to share with him and our audience the muscle hypertension patterns, skeletal pain patterns and the asymmetric foot growth patterns that are so consistently expressed by the "crooked horse".
Colonel Carde then demonstrated the critically important principles of correct riding and training required to produce a straight horse, and why only a "straight" horse can consistently perform at high levels whilst maintaining soundness. To achieve that straightness, Christian Carde first insisted on balance through a soft, elastic but permanent contact. In his mind, a harmonious riding picture is a horse moving with lifted shoulders and withers, engaged hind legs, and showing an up-swinging back. The ultimate goal: a collected horse, moving with self carriage to the finest aids whatever the discipline is. His understanding of the equine biomechanics reflected in his constant demands to the rider for the utmost relaxation and calmness of the horse. Along these principles, he emphasized the need for the riders to keep straightness and softness at all times. He kept reminding them to pat and reward their horses often, and that any movement executed in tension at any time in the training was extremely detrimental to the horses' ultimate soundness and happiness. He wants the horses to become happy athletes.
The following paragraphs define the symbiosis of our work together and the value of a training based on sound biomechanics.
Crooked horses simply cannot meet their genetic potential. In my opinion, there are two factors that prevent it from doing so. One: a lack of true and effective straightness training that results in failure to change the biomechanics of the "natural" horse to the biomechanics required of the ridden horse; two: the presence of muscles with hypertension and pain and the accompanying skeletal pain.
The changes and approach to meeting genetic potential demands a team approach. We have known since Antoine de Pluvinel (1552 -1620, riding master to King Louis the XIII), that all horses are by nature born to move forward on the forehand and to move with a free moving side and a side where motion is stiffer and more restricted; that "sidedness" we now know as "laterality" or handedness. All horses are either right side dominant or left side dominant. Though the laterality serves them very adequately in nature, it is not compatible for the ridden horse in terms of longevity of performance and soundness.
Laterality, plus being on the forehand, result in poor performance. These factors also create so many of the problems veterinarians see on a daily basis. The root source is the omnipresent muscular and skeletal pain that crooked horses have. Veterinarians – especially those trained in integrative veterinary medicine, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, myofascial release etc. – can address the musculo-skeletal issues that keep the horse functional and maintain its performance levels. Knowledgeable body workers and physiotherapists can also help facilitate pain relief and functionality. However, not a single one of these groups of therapists can change the horse's biomechanics or create a straight horse. They can only manage the ongoing consequences –They cannot cure the root cause. That root cause is a lack of correct training and a lack of knowledge or skills to create the necessary biomechanical changes.
Creating straightness is solely the province of trainers and the subsequent riders who truly understand the requirements and can "create" a horse that is more ambidextrous. This is a horse with an up-swinging back that results in a "back mover" instead of a "leg mover." The good trainers and riders are those who also recognize that the foundation and basis of straightness is extensive proper groundwork involving many weeks (rather than the typical one or two weeks) before a rider is placed on the horse's back. One more element beautifully articulated by Colonel Carde is the importance of empathy, gentleness and reward as essential aspects of training any horse.
All said, the trainer's and/or the rider's work can, obviously, be greatly facilitated by removal of the musculo-skeletal pain prior to and during the training, as well as ensuring proper shoeing and saddle fit. Thus, by far and away, a team approach is most favorable to the horse's ability to meet its genetic potential. The real bonus is that horses, so trained and cared for, can maintain peak performance and soundness for many more years; and that is certainly good for everybody concerned.
A few weeks ago, we were honored to participate in the Straightness Training Seminar in Germany, with Dr Gerd Heushmann, Gabriele and Klaus Schoneich, Elizabeth Eversfield and Martin Hanni.
Klaus Schoneich spoke first about the differences between the natural and the ridden horse and explained the biomechanics changes that had to take place for the horse to become a content and healthy athlete under saddle.
Gerd Heushmann, veterinarian and bereiter, explained once more, the importance of the biomechanics of the horse, according to the old classical riding principles. He stressed the importance of keeping the horse soft and supple, and a willing partner. He quoted Xenophon: "Your horse should be a trusted friend to you, and not a slave".
Kerry was the next lecturer, and the German audience got fascinated but the effects of crookedness on the musculo-skeletal system, and some admitted never having looked at the symmetry and balance of muscles, tendons and ligaments in that manner. Quite a few people came after the presentation to ask him if he had a book out. It sure is in the works…that is, if one can make him sit down long enough to write it.
Martin Hanni, trainer/rider at the ARR Zentrum and Elizabeth Eversfield-Koch were the demonstration riders, illustrating what had been explained earlier on. Elizabeth is a member of the Swiss dressage team and has been working with Klaus Schoneich for the past 10 years. She is the "finished" product of the straightening system promoted by Klaus and Gabriele Schoneich. She competed at WEG, in 2010 with a 17yo horse, that had had major health and training issues when she first acquired him. She ended up taking that horse to the ARR Center for retraining and then over the years, followed the Schoneichs's straightening principles. At the seminar, she did a presentation with a relatively young mare for her. It was a delight to see a horse perform at that level, harmonious dance between horse and rider, just a soft giving hand which invited the mare to come through with an upswinging back and rhythmical suspended gaits. She proves that it can be done, even at the highest level. Dressage or even plain riding, doesn't have to be "push and pull" or "kick and hold". These 2 riders demonstrated that harmonious riding with flawless communication between horse and rider does exist.
At the beginning of December, we were delighted to bring Klaus Schoneich from Germany, for our first "Straightening the Crooked Horse" clinic here in the South East. The 4-day clinic was hosted very efficiently by Sara Lyter at her beautiful "Hulinndalur Farm" situated at the southern border of North Carolina, near Columbus.
The first day started with a well attended lecture on the Equine Straightening System developed by Klaus and Gabrielle Schoneich at their Center for Anatomically Correct Horsemanship, in Germany. The theory presented by Mr Schoneich exposed the secret behind the differing biomechanics of the natural horse versus the ridden horse. The lecture, supported by illustrative pictures and videos, as well as explicit drawings, explained why every horse owner, trainer, rider, veterinarian or hoof practitioner needs to be aware of the inherent crookedness of horses. The second part of the presentation showed the essential elements and necessary steps needed to best remedy the problem.
All participants stayed at the farm for lunch. The meals were beautifully catered by a local chef. The first part of the afternoon was set aside for the assessment and videoing of three horses. That was followed by analysis and discussion of each horse's movement. The slow motion capabilities of the camera allowed the participants to clearly see the negative impact of crookedness. The rest of the afternoon saw the assessment of all the other participating horses. Each horse was individually lunged and evaluated by Mr Schoneich who shared his thoughts on conformation, shoeing, trimming, nutrition as well as saddle fitting.
Klaus did most of the lungeing on the first two days of the clinic, live-commenting on the work he was doing with each horse, and explaining at great length when people had difficulties grasping the concepts. The following days, the owners went on to work their own horses, whilst Klaus was guiding them and helping them position their body more effectively. He relentlessly went into the round pen with the owner. He taught them to watch intently, feel with compassion and anticipate swiftly. He wanted them to use their "horse sense". Who would have thought that lungeing could be so different from what they had been taught over the years? The goal, as explained by Klaus is, to take control of the shoulders in order to address the centrifugal and shear forces that are generated.
Four days of training is really a short time to try to accomplish anything, but we did feel that all of the horses showed significant improvements. We had a wide mix of horses/riders/disciplines, which made it very interesting since we were able to observe different phases of training. Every day, everybody stayed until the last horse was worked, which ended pretty late at night. Mr Schoneich with his amazing energy and unfaltering patience was determined to teach each and every one how to achieve proper straightness training.
This short format clinic was just an introduction for postural rehabilitation and straightness training, and has be continued by the owner/trainer. Through the first step of the straightness training, the horse learns to balance itself on the lunge and becomes more ambidextrous. It is only when the horse is no longer falling out or leaning on its shoulder, that he will start working with an upward swinging back. The horse is then ready for its training under saddle.
We are already working on the 2012 dates, for Klaus and Gabrielle Schoneich's next clinic. We are hoping to bring them to both, the East and West Coasts. Stay tuned and keep checking the website for clinic details.
Or, understanding what we need to do, to transform the natural horse into a correct riding horse which will stay sound and free of pain over the years.
Klaus Schoneich and Gabriele Raechen-Schoneich from Germany, authors of the book "Correct Movement in Horses – Straightening the Crooked Horse" directed the book to all riders be they competitive or pleasure. Their training system is the fruit of their work and analysis of thousands of horses over a span of more than 25 years.
No! Straightness training is not a new fad; it was acknowledged by the old riding masters and is addressed every day by many trainers around the world. Straighteness is one of the pillars of the German training scale, and is currently mentioned in numerous dressage articles. We all recognize that horses in their natural state carry far more weight on their forehand than their hindquarters. Modern breeding programs have compounded the problem by developing stronger, larger and athletic horses with huge strides and powerful hind ends that drive the forces into the dominant shoulder. Riders are also very much aware that most horses are more comfortable going in one direction versus the other, and bend more easily on one side than the other. This is because, horses like people have a dominant side and literally they "put their best foot forward" and end up using the dominant front leg as a post, putting more weight on that leg and shoulder, which of course affects the hind end considerably.
So, what makes us believe that the Schoneichs are offering something different?
First of all, they want us to understand the biomechanical differences between the natural horse and the ridden horse. The horse must be physically prepared for the right muscles to develop in order to, not only carry himself but later on, the rider. This takes time, patience and technique. That was the goal of the work in the pillars that the old classical dressage masters used before starting the under saddle work.
Secondly, remember that a crooked horse is an unbalanced horse; an unbalanced horse becomes tense and resistant to the aids. Therefore, crookedness should be addressed at an early stage. Each hind leg should bear equal weight if we want to avoid muscular compensation. We must train the natural horse to be more ambidextrous, just like top human athletes truly are.
So, unless these essential issues of crookedness and forehand heaviness are resolved in the early training (or truly corrected later), the average rider/trainer will be dealing with these problems on a daily basis. The crookedness creates gait aberrations that are manifest in pleasure horses as well as in many top level horses of all disciplines. To develop the pushing power by riding forward requires skilled riding and will only emphasize the crookedness if the rider doesn't understand the root of the problem.
The straightness techniques developed by the Schoneichs, very clearly define the three steps of training that must be achieved before you even put a saddle on the horse. We have talked about the lightening of the forehand as a first condition, along with developing ambidextrousity through softness and diagonal re-balancing of the center of gravity. The third condition requires the horse to be able to work forward and downward without losing its lateral, nor longitudinal balance. Only then, and then only, would they start the work under saddle! The horse has to have the physical ability to bring his trunk up and move with an upswinging back before the rider can actually start training from the saddle!
Taliana, is a 3 yo Hungarian warmblood, out of a Weltemeyer line dam, by Fabuleux, a Hanoverian stallion from Briddlewood Farm. She is, from being born on our farm, the subject of our experiment with the straightness training implemented by Klaus and Gabriele Schoneich. Fresh from our time in Germany, I could not wait to get her started. She had had no training at that point when I started working with her 8 weeks ago. Her training unfortunately, due to our work commitments and obligations, has not been as consistent as I would have liked but all in all, she has had, at least 5 working weeks.
We did an initial gait analysis/ body evaluation at the start of her training and found some minor muscle issues and soreness just from being a 3 yo living outside as any other 3 yo would. It is in our opinion, to best have the body soreness and pain resolved before the horse starts working. The Schoneichs on the other hand, feel that the body issues will resolve if the crookedness is corrected. We, unfortunately haven't spent enough time at the Center for Anatomically Correct Horsemanship to assess that fully, and it would be our desire to do a formal study to pursue that further. Hey, we only need time and money…just like everybody else on this planet!
Tali has been a moderate right front limb dominant horse, which means that she wants to come IN, on the circle when lunged to the right, using that right front as a post. Going left, she wants to fall out on an OUTER circle (centrifugal force). At this stage, I have definitely seen a difference in her way of moving, from when I started. She has acquired a clear rhythm and is getting more balanced longitudinally and diagonally. As Gustav Steinbrecht would have expressed, she is starting to "use her 4 legs equally to step forward in the direction of movement".
We still haven't reached the "forward and downward" that the Schoneichs would expect at the end of an 8 week period, but that could be in part, due to my own training inability. I am learning as I am teaching her, which might not be an ideal scenario, but I am on a quest for straightness and true lightness, so Tali will be one of my many teachers, I presume!
We will keep you apraised of her progress and share with you, hopefully the highs and also, maybe the frustrations of her training!
Klaus Schoneich from the Centre for anatomically correct horsemanship, working a young horse.
After working the horse on the longe following the Schoneichs' specific instructions, the next step is to work the horse with the rider up. Even advanced riders very often must seek a better balance and develop a truly independent seat. The Schoneichs are masters at creating individual exercises for the rider to achieve that goal. These exercises are being done by the rider while being longed.
For my part, as a veterinarian specializing in integrative as well as conventional medicine, I have recognized that all horses, regardless of discipline, develop the same sets of muscle pattern pain and pathology. This observation is in my opinion, without question, related to the laterality of the horse. In horses with right forelimb dominance(75 to 80% of the population) the muscle pattern is the same, as in the 20 to 25 percent of the left forelimb dominant ones who then present a mirror image of the right forelimb dominant horses. The same can be said for the chiropractic and fascial patterns. It does not stop there, it relates also to the pathology that we see in the joints (especially the stifles and hocks as well as in spinal facet joints.) All these pathological effects are related to the combination of "shear" and "centrifugal" forces that are generated when the horse with uncorrected laterality problems work in circles, with their weight on the forehand. I will be expanding greatly on this subject in chapters of a book that I am currently writing.
When they take a horse in for training, they do a full video assessment of its current way of moving on a circle, a shoeing and foot balance evaluation as well as a saddle assessment. I am, personally, concluding that it is also important to do a full physical examination including acupuncture, chiropractic, limb palpation and flexion tests. It is my feeling that if the horses' physical problems can be sorted out previous to the hard work of rebalancing, that the entire process may go more smoothly. Even though the longe work may only be twenty minutes, the horse has to use his muscles in a very different way that can lead to more muscle soreness. I recognize my need to experience a large number of horses that are started relatively "pain and pathology free" to be able to speak with more authority on this aspect.
Many of the horses that are brought to the Schoneichs come because the owner's has been advised that the horse is not "good enough" to do the job or its career is finished because of pathology. The high rate of success that they have with this type of horses speaks volumes. Though, the system can stand on its own, we would maintain that success may come even more quickly when accompanied by a pain free state.
There is no question that many horses with "uncorrected laterality" are competing very successfully and at very high levels. We are very suspicious, however, that there is a lot of horse "wastage" when laterality is not addressed. The question is, how much longer could the horses perform if they were better laterally and longitudinally balanced? This seems like a very logical hypothesis. Our goal is to have horses live a longer, happier life performing well in a pain free manner.
We are in a very good position, as we have a coming three year old that we will start when we get home. I will be able to more closely monitor her progress from start to finish. We cannot wait to get home to commence!


Our man in Europe, Ian delivers a monthly dose of those tasty rumors and hearsay from across the pond that make up our Euro Gossip column.
revealed at Milan last year.
The weather over here in Europe for the past month has been pretty horrendous for motorcycling. Not only in terms of lack of riding, but it has meant that the motorcycle industry news has been pretty quiet, with very little happening in the way of leaks or sightings. Even the traditional warmer European circuits have seen little in the way of prototype testing taking place.
Certainly given the economic climate this has not helped the road to recovery, but as you will see from this month's offering, there are a still a few glimmers of hope for a better year to come. At the risk of being accused of patriotic flag waving, this is highlighted by Triumph's recently released figures showing their increase in market share!
Pictures are now leaking out from KTM of the new 125's that are being built in India by its partner Bajaj. The four-stroke 'Stunt' looks almost identical to the concept model seen at the Milan show last November along with the 'Race' model. Sources claim the bike is undergoing final endurance testing and will be shown in final form at the end of this year for production in 2011 with the Race following soon after.
Bosch continues to be on the leading edge of motorcycle safety recieving an award from the ADAC.
German automotive component supplier Bosch has been awarded a prestigious 'Gelber Engel' (yellow angel) award, by the massive German ADAC motoring organization. The award is in recognition of the part that Bosch's new motorcycle ABS is playing in motorcycle safety.
Bosch has actually been manufacturing brake control systems for motorcycles since 1994, but while all of the previous systems have been based on passenger car technology its new 'Generation 9' has been developed specifically for motorcycles at the Bosch competence center in Japan. Another big plus with the new system is that it is based on a modular design, allowing various levels of sophistication to be selected from a base system with basic functions, to a high-performance version. In the simplest version it weighs just 0.7 kilograms (1.54 lbs) and is half the size and weight of the previous Bosch units. Now in production, it is hoped that it will lead to more motorcycles being fitted with what many believe is a serious life saving aid.
Currently figures show only ten percent of new motorcycles manufactured in Europe are equipped with ABS, while taken on a worldwide basis, the figure drops to just one percent. In the passenger car market 80% have ABS as standard, but for the same distance traveled, the risk of being involved in a fatal collision for a motorcyclist is twenty times greater than a car driver in Europe. Various studies throughout the world, including the USA, show the risk of being killed is considerably reduced if ABS is fitted.
BMW's 1 millionth ABS equipped motorcycle rolled off the assembly line, a BMW K1300R.
The foregoing is of course something that BMW Motorcycles would agree with, having just announced it has just produced its millionth motorcycle equipped with its integral ABS system. The K1300R left the Berlin Spandau factory to join the other machines on the road that got the integral system in the last 21 years of production. Currently 90% of all BMW machines are now supplied with ABS and apart from the Enduro 450X, every machine is either fitted as standard or has the ABS as an optional extra.
Metzeler tires have now released the full specification of its new tire, the Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact, which they claim will redefine the Supersport tire market. According to the release, it has a five zoned belt, special compounds, along with a new innovative tread design and built in lean angle indicator. It has five well-defined zones over the entire contour of the tire, to allow it to achieve the best grip for each lean angle, along with giving high stability and constant feedback to the rider, who gets a claimed 8% increase in the tire footprint at all angles of lean.
Schuberth has unveiled their SRC device for their line of helmets combining blue-tooth to your phone, music or GPS. Built in to a neck roll it should be an easy swap to ride with everything at your reach.
Schuberth, producer of some of the quietest helmets in the world, has recently introduced a new communication system for the C3 helmet. Combining multiple device blue-tooth connectivity to enable phone, music or sat nav to be heard either via blue-tooth or cable along with bike to bike communication, it is state of the art. But where it differs from similar systems is that it's built into a neck roll which you simply exchange for the existing one, so there is no compromise to the helmets integrity!
Historic bike manufacturer Sachs, which produced its first bike in 1904, having been founded in 1886, has recently unveiled a new 'RS' version of the popular Speedjet sports scooter. Fitted with a 50cc air-cooled, two-stroke engine that, according to them, now offers both high performance and excellent fuel efficiency while being very green thanks to a catalyzed sports exhaust system.
This is mounted in a tubular steel frame, with telescopic front forks, adjustable monoshock rear and sport profile tires to ensure the bike can handle and live up to its sports tag. To maintain safety along with street credibility, it has wavy disc brakes with hydraulic calipers front and rear. Practicality has not been lost in the name of performance as the substantial underseat storage area remains. For the gadget conscious urban about town rider, there is a dual function 12V socket for charging mobile/MP3/sat nav etc.
Shortly after the release of the new Aprilia RSV4-R sportbike, there is already a recall for the whole engine! The dealer is contacting all owners, if you haven't been contacted for your RSV4-R contact your dealer.
Not what anybody wants to do or hear about, but Aprilia is recalling RSV4–R and Factory models for full engine replacements. It would appear that a faulty set of conrods from an external supplier is the cause, with several bikes failing during the press launch for that very reason last year. However, Aprilia is not stating the exact cause, but the recall is voluntary and a spokesperson has said the move is a proactive one as there have been no complaints from customers.
Bimota has launched the DB8 Superbike with an uprated 1198 Ducati engine complete with a dual seat. Many were expecting a rival for the naked Streetfighter, but Bimota have gone for a machine to attract those who wish to keep domestic harmony by taking their partner out with them. Billed as an entry level machine to the marque, it is expected to cost around $30,000.
Italian PTW registrations rose a massive 25% in November, with scooters alone climbing 36%. Industry analysts are putting this down to the Italian government funded scrappage scheme stimulating growth and putting sales figures on a par with 2008.
During the Milan Show in November (EICMA) police seized apparel and helmets from ten stands after it was found the goods were in breach of international patents and intellectual property rights. Apparently all stallholders were charged with counterfeiting!
MV Agusta continues to operate through the search for a new owner but things aren't looking too good as funds are drying up to pay workers.
Despite the fact that MV Agusta continues to trade while a new owner is sought following Harley-Davidson's decision to sell the brand, the company is now asking workers to volunteer for redundancy. Managers hope that any job losses will not actually be required if a buyer is found quickly, but as the situation drags on, working capital is getting scarce to fund paychecks.
Italy is all about fashion, so no surprise then that Vyrus famous for their hand-built hub-steered Superbikes have sold the first one to the Italian fashion house Prada. Lorenzo Bertilli the 20-year-old son of boss Miuccia Prada took delivery of the first 987 just before Xmas. Previous purchasers of the exclusive and innovative Italian brand include actor Tom Cruise.
The old school brand Ossa looks to be making a come back with their new Trials bike the Ossa TR 280. Check out the Ossa website for specs and details.
The Spanish manufacturer Ossa started making movie projectors for the home market back in 1924. In the 1960s and '70s it came to prominence around the world thanks to its two-wheeled competition machinery. Despite gaining some success on the race track it was trials bikes that took Ossa to victory and brought the brand to most riders' attention, but it folded in 1982. Now Ossa is back with a new 280cc six-speed trials machine as trick as any on the market, which should be in production by the end of this year.
Despite the problems of many other manufacturers including all the big Japanese players, Triumph had record sales in the home market last year despite there being a 10% drop in the UK's large capacity motorcycle market.
Instead of contracting, Triumph increased sales by 26% in 2009, selling 7450 new motorcycles to become the fourth largest big bike brand in the UK, deposing Kawasaki in the ratings. The good news continued right to the end of the year outselling all manufacturers in the month of November and trailing Japanese giant Honda by just one unit in December in the UK marketplace. Worldwide, this trend has been mirrored with Triumph increasing its market share in all major markets in which it operates. In fact, it is currently the world's fastest growing motorcycle brand bar none!
Riders of the Piaggio Mp3 are drawn by its unique styling and Unique three wheeled design.
One big disadvantage of a single track vehicle generically referred to as a Powered Two Wheeler (PTW) is that it can fall over once the gyroscopic forces acting on it are not sufficient to keep it upright. Alternatively, when the cohesion between the tire and road surface is broken, the same thing happens, the rider crashes.
This inherent danger explains why the banking three-wheeled Piaggio MP3 has been selling so well, you can't fall off it. The two front wheels give the machine the stability and the banking allows it to feel, if not handle, like a conventional PTW. Piaggio has taken the concept on further by increasing the track of the front wheels so it gets classed a Quadracycle and can therefore be ridden/driven on a car license in Europe, thus increasing its sales potential.
Are four wheels better than three? Nick Shotter believes so with his 4MC. Taking the Piaggio concept one step further.
But, what do you get when you add a fourth wheel? Well according to British engineer Nick Shotter you get a two, three or four – wheeled machine just by adding or subtracting spacers. According to current legislation, if the wheels on the same axle are less than 460mm apart, they are classed as one wheel, over that, and then they are two wheels.
The London-based engineer has spent 20 years on the project, which he has extensive patents on and has invested over £400,000 (mainly his own money) to get it to its current stage. He now hopes that a major manufacturer will buy the intellectual rights from him and take the development to production levels for sale to the public.
Yamaha's Tesseract concept four wheeled leaning machine revealed back in 2007-8.
Yamaha has already shown what the finished machine could look like when it debuted a prototype called the Tesseract at the Tokyo Show in 2007. The machine used similar banking and steering concepts to the 4MC, but to date it has had trouble getting past the patents that Shotter has filed.
Ironically it came about after he went to the Japanese giant for help when working on the engineering prototype, although they insist the similarity is purely co-incidental. There is a tie-up in that the British machine is powered by a Yamaha Majesty scooter engine and uses many parts from the donor machine that Yamaha supplied at a very agreeable price. However, the frame and all the steering and banking concepts are all his own design and tests have already shown the machine to be extremely stable even when sliding under power on a skid pan.
The idea to produce such a machine came to him after being injured in a road traffic crash when working as a London motorcycle courier. Despite the extra wheels, he has specifically designed the 4MC to get its rider through traffic safely, yet as efficiently as a conventional PTW.
With the markets growing in China, many manufacturers are increasing presence there by showing their latest offerings at the 8th China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition.
Many motorcycle companies worldwide have joint venture operations with Chinese companies, so it was no surprise to see brands such as Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Piaggio and even Japanese manufacturers such as Yamaha and Suzuki exhibited at the 8th China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition.
Held at the Chongging Exhibition Centre, which is the heart of China's motorcycle manufacturing region, it attracted in excess of 140,000 trade visitors, 333 exhibitors and 27 manufacturers exhibiting over 1000 motorcycles. According to the recently release figures visitors came from over 40 countries.
None of the figures are surprising when you consider that of the 50 million machines sold worldwide, 27 million came from Japan. With 1.3 billion people living in China now demanding more mobility, their motorcycle market and potential sales are still on the increase even if other markets are shrinking!
Mira Motorcycles is bringing its MT80 to life, with a 250cc not far behind.
Mira Motorcycles is a new company based in Auckland, New Zealand, with an assembly plant in ChongQing, China. It has now announced it is ready to launch its own range of machines first shown as prototypes two years ago. The water-cooled 80cc two-stroke is available in Motocross and Motard versions and there is a 250cc four-stroke already under development.


Two years ago this summer, I went for "The Big Chop." I cut off all my chemically processed, straightened hair and decided to grow out my curls.
Two years ago this summer, I went for "The Big Chop." I cut off all my chemically processed, straightened hair and decided to grow out my curls. I had no idea what my natural hair was like because I had spent my whole life fighting against it. It was a turning point for and a defining moment. It was when I decided to be unapologetically me and be confident with curls.
I love the John Frieda Hair Care "Your Hair Talks, Make A Statement" campaign and everything it stands for, which is why I'm so happy to partner with them to talk hair! My carefree curls obviously make a statement and I wouldn't want it any other way. It tells the world that I'm not afraid to be me. And hopefully encourages women and young girls, with hair like mine, to embrace their locks too.
With that said, I wanted to share my "wash & go" routine, using John Frieda's Frizz Ease products, to help my curlfriends out! The most challenging part of transitioning my hair was finding products that work! I started by using the Frizz Ease 10 Day Tamer Pre-Shower Treatment on my dry hair. This stuff is magical ladies and makes my hair so soft and smooth. After the treatment, I jumped in the shower and used the Frizz Ease Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner combo. With a large tooth comb, I detangle my hair in the shower. Starting at my ends and working my way up, being careful not to pull too hard. After my shower, while my hair is still very wet, I spray on the Frizz Ease Leave-In Conditioner. My final step is to "finger-curl" any curls that are not defined enough, then let air dry! Done and done.
About 3-4 hours later (yup, it takes that long for my hair to fully dry!) I have the curls of my dreams. Curls, that for most of my life, I didn't know I had! So ladies, whether your hair is curly, straight, blonde, brunette or anything in between, embrace your locks. Show the world that your hair talks and make a statement!
Thank you to John Frieda Hair Care for partnering on this post.


text:
Pompeo is "Setting the Stage for a War with Iran"
By The Real News Network
Global Research, April 18, 2019
The Real News 17 April 2019
https://www.globalresearch.ca/pompeo-is-setting-the-stage-for-a-war-with-iran/5674883
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested that the Trump administration would not rule out going to war with Iran even though there is no explicit authorization from Congress to do so. Pompeo said this in the context of being asked whether the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) could be used to attack Iran on the basis that Iran supported the 9/11 attacks and is connected to Al Qaeda, which carried out the 9/11 attack.
"Do you believe that the 2001 authorization to go to war with those who attacked us on 9/11 applies to Iran or Iran's Revolutionary Guard?" Senator Rand Paul asked Pompeo on April 11 during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
"I'd prefer to just leave that to lawyers," Pompeo said, dodging the question.
"So you're unwilling to state unequivocally that you, that the resolution in 2001 to have retribution and stop people who attacked us, that Iran had something to do with the attacks on 9/11?" Rand asked.
"The factual question with respect to Iran's connections to Al Qaeda is very real," Pompeo said. "They have hosted Al Qaeda, they permitted Al Qaeda to transit their country. There's no doubt there is a connection between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Al Qaeda."
Then on Monday, April 15, the Trump administration's decision to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization went into effect.
"Iran is not a sponsor of terrorism," Colonel Larry Wilkerson told The Real News Network's Greg Wilpert. "So to say that Iran sponsors terrorism of any sort, let alone Al Qaeda, is just preposterous. The greatest state sponsor of terrorism in the region and indeed in the world is Saudi Arabia—our ally."
In a previous interview with The Real News, Wilkerson criticized Pompeo's initial declaration that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was a "foreign terrorist organization" and called the Secretary of State "a fool."
Wilkerson observed that the elements in this possible lead-up to war—from a president who does not seem to know the inner workings of his own administration's military strategy to the involvement of hawkish National Security Advisor John Bolton—recall the invasion of Iraq in 2003 under President George W. Bush, where nonexistent Al Qaeda connections were used as justification for war.
"We're operating in a way that's inimical to, injurious to, U.S. national security interests," Wilkerson said. "To watch this as an academic and to watch it even more so, more profoundly, as a military professional is really jarring. This is truly stupid."
Wilpert observed that "given that all of this groundwork … being laid with the terrorism mission for Iran's Revolutionary Guard and the claim of connections between Iran and Al Qaeda," the U.S. was likely preparing for an attack on Iran, which would fall conveniently in the months leading up to the 2020 election.
"President Trump wants the tension, the pressure on Iran to bring Iran back to the negotiating table so he can claim—just prior to the 2020 elections—that he's done the impossible: He's brought Iran back to the table and we're negotiating again, and that the deal he will produce will be much better than the deal President Obama produced,"
Wilkerson said. "I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that that's the case and that at the end of the day none of this happens—that we won't go to war."
Copyright © The Real News Network, Global Research, 2019