09/06/2026
⬇️ THE BODY REMEMBERS.
We often look at a horse standing in front of us and see what is happening in the present moment.
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Forgetting the body has a history: years of repetitive movement, old injuries, uneven loading, compensation, bracing, and postural habits.
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An OTTB will carry patterns developed by hundreds of miles of repetitive work. But this isn't just an OTTB conversation.
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A barrel horse, reining horse, dressage horse, eventing horse, and any other competitive sport horse will develop patterns based on repetitive work.
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Any horse can develop patterns that become so familiar they eventually look "normal."
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I've learned over the years that one of the most valuable things we can do is learn to notice before we try to change.
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How does your horse stand when you aren't asking anything of them?
Which foot do they rest?
Do they consistently carry their head or neck one way?
Do they always feel different in one direction?
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Sometimes the first step isn't fixing. It's noticing.
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What have you noticed about your horse that makes you wonder, "Why does he/she always do that?"