Equine Performance Solutions

10/31/2026

Maaaax… it's all thanks to you. ❤️

My heart, my light, my muse. Eternally grateful. 🥹🐴

And P.S. Please excuse the sweaty helmet hair… the struggle is real! 😂

10/31/2026

🐴 Walking Poles & Cavaletti – Part 2 of 3!

Why do I prefer an even number of poles rather than an odd number of poles?

When I'm using pole work for movement retraining, I want to identify the horse's movement preferences so I can tailor the exercise to what that particular horse needs.

Just like we're left- or right-handed, horses often have a dominant limb that they prefer to keep closer to their body for stabiliy.

In addition to that, muscle and fascial restrictions can influence how freely they're able to protract or retract their limbs, and how they compensate for those restrictions.

All of this influences how the horse navigates the poles, where they place their feet, and how they shift their weight to maintain balance.

So pay attention to HOW your horse chooses to navigate the poles. They're telling you something!

The more you learn to recognize these movement patterns, the better you'll be able to tailor your movement sessions to what your horse actually needs. ❤️🐴

10/30/2026

The cutest and cheekiest little donkey of all time🥰🥰🥰

10/30/2026

🐴 Walking Poles & Cavaletti – Part 1 of 3!

Join me for this three-part series where I share a few things I try to keep in mind when working with horses over poles and cavaletti as part of movement retraining.

I find the walk to be one of the most therapeutic gaits, and working horses over elevated cavaletti can be an amazing exercise for developing core strength, coordination, and spinal stability.

I start by measuring out a distance that's appropriate for the horse's natural stride length, which typically works out to about three heel-to-toe steps for me between elevated walking poles.

I always allow the horse to slow down as they first learn to navigate the poles. Many horses initially brace through the lower neck and hollow their backs, and slowing things down gives them an opportunity to release that tension and figure out how to use their bodies differently.

One of the biggest mistakes I see with cavaletti work is people getting a little overzealous and trying to do too much too soon!

In the beginning, I focus on developing the correct form and quality of movement rather than the number or height of the poles. Once the horse can maintain that consistently, we can gradually introduce more challenging exercises and increase the height.

It's not just about getting over the poles. It's about HOW they navigate through them! ❤️🐴

10/29/2026

10/28/2026

Another one of my favorite exercises… the hindend-tuck! ❤️🐴

Following up on my post about wither lifts, I wanted to talk about another one of my favorite activation exercises, the hindend-tuck!

As the name kind of gives away, the hindend-tuck focuses more on the hindend than the thoracic inlet and withers. But it still very much goes hand in hand with the wither lift, because the horse needs adequate mobility through the withers and thorax to perform it correctly.

This is another exercise that some horses really struggle with because their topline muscles have become so braced and locked that they've lost the ability to relax and lengthen.

And if the muscles can't relax, they can't lengthen!

So forcing the movement by grabbing a hoof pick or mane-pulling comb and applying more pressure can actually be counterproductive. And it doesn't feel good!

There are so many variations of this exercise, including combining it with a wither lift, lateral wither lifts with lateral hind-end tucks, and other combinations that encourage mobility through different parts of the spine.

I almost always incorporate these exercises toward the end of my bodywork sessions to let the horse experience their new and improved spinal mobility and range of motion!

But I also love doing them before a ride or an in-hand movement session. They're a great way to wake up the supporting musculature, activate neuromuscular pathways, and prepare the body for work.

And they're so easy to incorporate into your regular grooming routine!

For me, it's about quality, not quantity! t's not about forcing a bigger movement or pushing the horse past its limits. When done correctly, it becomes a nice stretch and a smooth, flowing movement that mobilizes, lengthens, and activates.

And just like wither-lifts, there's a bit of an art to teaching these exercises in a way that the horse learns to relax into the movement rather than fight it.

I'll share more about how I teach it in another post! 😊

10/27/2026

Wither lift is your best friend! ❤️

I think most of my clients have heard me say this at some point when they ask what they can do to help their horses between bodywork sessions!

I find that so many of the problems I see in horses stem from a lack of lift, strength, and mobility through the base of the neck, thoracic inlet, and base of the withers.

As riders, we tend to focus so much on driving the horse forward from behind, engaging the hindquarters, to create impulsion and a lifted back. But how much attention do we actually give to developing the strength and stability through the thorax that's needed to support the trunk and allow the rest of the body to function properly?

When performed correctly, wither lifts can help activate the muscles that support the base of the neck, thoracic inlet, and withers, encourage the neck to telescope gesture, improve spinal mobility, and stretch the soft tissues along the topline of the neck, withers, and back that so often become tight and tense.

It's a relatively simple exercise, but one that can be incredibly beneficial when incorporated into a horse's regular routine.

So why aren't more people doing them?

The most common reason people don't do them, because their horse hate it.... And i get that but I have a way of teaching them how to do it to where it starts to feel good and there's no fight... So don't go grab a hoof pick or mane pulling comb, but follow for some advice on how to teach your horse to embrace the dreaded wither-lift instead🙂

10/26/2026

I have an opening in my schedule for Cocoa area for Friday October 30. These days typically fill up quick, but this time I ended up with too many horses for my last visit and have added another day. I have room for one bodywork and one movement session. Please DM or text if interested🙂

10/21/2026

“My horse won't stretch unless I use side reins...”

This is probably one of the most common frustrations I hear from horse owners when I suggest adding some in-hand work. Right up there with, "Well, you're just so patient..." 😅

Here's the thing. Getting a horse to lower its head and neck and bring it's nose in, doesn't necessarily mean it's lifting its back or elevating its trunk.

But when you understand how the horse's body is built and organized, and how to influence the different pieces, accomplishing those things becomes a whole lot easier!

When you teach the horse how to stabilize its body, lift the base of the neck, elevate the trunk, and align its spine with the track it's traveling on, the position and movement of the head and neck begin to change as a result.

It's about understanding HOW to influence the horse's body. And once you learn how to do that, you don't need to reach for the side reins, and you really don't need nearly as much patience as you might think either!😀

For that reason, I've decided to start offering virtual consultations!

These are not virtual lessons (I reserve those for students of my Equine Posture & Movement Masterclass), but rather an opportunity for us to take a closer look at your horse together.

During our consultation, we'll:

🐴 Review photos of your horse's posture and videos of its movement.

🐴 Discuss your horse's history, current training approach, and the challenges you're experiencing.

🐴 Look at movement patterns, balance, strength, and spinal alignment, and how difficulties in these areas may contribute to discomfort, body soreness, and even behavioral issues.

🐴 Discuss common patterns and restrictions I encounter in horses and how understanding muscle function plays an important role in influencing posture and movement.

🐴 Talk about what I observe and my recommendations for moving forward.

My goal isn't to give you a quick fix or simply a collection of exercises to perform. It's to help you develop a better understanding of your horse, how its body functions, and what may be contributing to the difficulties you're experiencing.

And here's a bonus! ❤️

If you decide to enroll in my Equine Posture & Movement Training Course within 14 days of our consultation, I'll credit $75 of your consultation fee toward your course tuition!

Send me a DM or text 757-270-9112 to schedule your consultation!

I already run a full schedule with my hands-on work, which I'm not planning to change, so I'll only be able to offer a limited number of virtual consultations every month. 😊