LINN THERESE OLAFSEN: REHABILITIATION AND TRAINING OF SPORT HORSES
With a bachelor’s degree in breeding and a master's degree in biomechanics, combined with a burning interest in horses, there is little doubt that Linn Therese Olafsen possesses a lot of knowledge about our four-legged friends. She currently runs Stall NOR and offers a unique competence in rehabilitation and training of sport horses. When training horses, her goal is to influence the horse’s behaviour and mobility with positive reinforcement based on their natural biology.
Published: June 1st, 2022
Just outside Drammen is Stall NOR. The smell of freshly cut grass, large outdoor areas and a horse statue welcomes us as we drive down to the main stable. Previously, Stall NOR only housed galloping horses, but after Linn Therese Olafsen took over the reins the focus is on rehabilitation and training of sport horses, regardless of discipline. Linn Therese Olafsen offers the Norwegian equestrian sport a completely unique competence and has an interesting approach to training.
“I have always had a dream of working with the rehabilitation of horses. Being able to contribute to increased knowledge about how to easily prevent injuries, and proactively work on unwanted behavior, is something I am passionate about. We take in everything from horses with stomach ulcers to physical injuries and behavioural problems. We also have horses in educational training.”
Linn Therese has a bachelor's degree in breeding from UMB and a Master in Ethology and Biomechanics from NMBU. She herself has researched on how movement and behaviour are connected. Linn is eager when talking about how the horse's natural state as a grazing animal shape their behaviour. Because even though we have used horses in sports for many generations, evolution has not changed any of this basic instinct.
“Ideally, the horses need 16-18 hours of chewing time. Then it goes without saying that they are naturally used to going with their heads down to graze. When the horses walk in this long, deep, shape during training, positive hormones are secreted which means that they go a little into the same state as when they graze.”
Linn explains that the horse's biology therefore recognizes the deep form. This knowledge is something you can use to reward the horses when they do something good. That is, to reward with movement, instead of with a treat.
“We teach the horses to move under light pressure and reward them with something from their own nature, such as lowering their heads. When lowering their head, the horse secretes endorphins, thinks of grazing, and we put it into a kind of meditative state. There is a lot of research on this. Internal hind legs up, back up and neck down, which thus ends up in a barbell depending on how engaged the hindquarters are.”
At Stall NOR, they prefer to have horses with a long-term perspective. It is rare that something is a "quick fix". It is crucial to give them time and not to rush things when solving a challenge. And it’s very fun when she has young students with young horses who want to do things in a nice way, Linn tells us.
“The simple things are often the best, especially with young horses. It does not have to be that complicated.
