Horses pulling back
Has your horse ever pulled back when tied or have you seen a horse pulled back when tied? It is a very unsettling sight and sometimes it can be violent depending on how the horse reacts and how they are tied.

​The biggest mistake you can make is to ASSUME your horse is fine after a pullback incident. Your horse may act fine, but I assure you that there has been a certain degree of damage done that may not be apparent to your eyes. Your horse may even ride “ok”. But we must remember that horses are excellent at hiding pain and dysfunction…after all, that is how they survive. Let’s breakdown what can happen during a pullback incident to help you understand just how seriously it can negatively affect your horse’s health.

During a pullback incident, an enormous amount of force is applied directly at the poll (the joint of the occiput/base of skull and the atlas/first cervical vertebrae). This force compressed not only those bones but also the soft tissue underneath. This includes the nuchal ligament. The nuchal ligament runs from the top of the occiput along the neck to the withers. It is critical in transferring motion through the horse’s body and allowing correct posture and use of the entire body. The compressive forces from a pullback injury can compress the nuchal ligament enough that it can cause micro tears and adhesions. It can also damage the bursa the is underneath the connection at the top of the occiput. In addition to the nuchal ligament, there is damage to the surrounding nerves, muscles, and fascia that can occur…and that is only at the poll. In severe cases, nuchal bursitis or fractures can occur.

As the horse is pulling back, they can often fight in a side-to-side motion causing stress on other cervical vertebrae down the neck, into the lumbar, and the SI in the pelvis. I have recently worked with two horses who have had the same pattern in their cranial bones, and both showed soreness in the right side of their SI that was not previously there. One of the horses (pictured) exhibited a flipping of the nuchal ligament that was not there in previous sessions over the past few years. The left side of her cranial bones were all compressed caudally, her left TMJ was reactive and shifted ventrally, and her hyoid was shifted to the right.

The very best thing you can do to help your horse is to try to mitigate any pull back incidents. However, if your horse does pull back. PLEASE have a qualified Craniosacral Practitioner work with your horse as soon as possible. There is no such thing as they are just fine afterwards. There is always dysfunction…even if you can’t see it.
 

What’s the #1 disorder in people and horses. Yep, you guessed it, Metabolic Disorders or Insulin Resistance. I hear people ask all the time, “Why are so many horses having laminitis or metabolic disfunction? When I was a kid we fed all the horses oats and they could eat all the  grass they wanted without any issues!” The answer to that question is what I want to reveal… cellular dysfunction. I am really writing this to share about your horse’s health, BUT I want  you to realize this applies to your own health as well. I have been learning about this for several years and have been on a personal mission to dive deep into understanding what is happening to our horses. Like with everything I believe, it is critical to address the ROOT CAUSE and not just be reactive and address the symptoms. A lot of people are treating their horses for metabolic disorders whether it be with drugs, supplements, or lifestyle, but no one is talking about treating the root cause! Well, here it is…
 
We know that the incorrect metabolism of insulin is what causes laminitis. There is a lot of research that confirms that. The question is WHY is the body not able to correct metabolize the insulin.
 
Our bodies and our horse’s bodies are made to remove toxins. However, the toxins they are exposed to now in today’s world are exponentially higher than they were 40-50 years ago (even 20 years ago really). In a healthy body, the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER), go back to Biology class with me here, in the cell is known as the waste treatment plant of your cells. In order for that SER to function correctly there are certain co-factors that need to be present for the cell to have energy to remove the toxins. Unfortunately, the extreme amount of toxins we are exposed to limit the co-factor’s energy and therefore impact the SER ability to detox our cells and ultimately affect the body’s ability to function properly. This includes its ability to metabolize insulin, regulate hormones, and have a healthy immune system (which also includes the gut microbiome). Oh and let's not forget the EPIDEMIC of allergies in horses we see now! This also applies to allergic disfunction. 
 
The disfunction does not show up overnight. In fact, it shows up in small ways over time until the body becomes extremely dysfunctional and classified as metabolic. What toxins is my horse exposed to? I’m glad you asked.
 
Now, don’t freak out. Don’t get overwhelmed. Toxins are literally EVERYWHERE. In the air, water, food (feed, hay grass) , supplements (yes, really), grooming aids, buckets, vaccines, NSAIDS, even your halter and tack. The key is to limit exposure where possible. You are not going to be able to limit exposure completely. Is that enough? Unfortunately, no. Because your horse is constantly exposed to toxins, you must constantly detox your horse to keep it as healthy as possible. Let’s talk about what that entails.
 
There are three levels of detox that are required to be completely effective: trapping the toxin, supporting the removal, and fueling the cells. You must trap the toxin to move it out of the body, ensure it does not stay in the body, and support healthy mitochondria in the cells. The mitochondria are the power house of the cells and needed to provide the cell energy to function properly and stay healthy.
 
Our best approach to helping our horses is to create a plan to provide elimination of as many toxins as possible, provide a constant detox plan, and help the horse's body be as healthy as possible for it to do the inherent healing God designed it to do. Being proactive in the health of your horse is the most effect approach you can do. 
 
There is no one size fits all approach to creating a detox plan for your horse. I am offering Nutritional Consultations to determine what is the best approach for your individual horse’s situation that will address all three levels of detoxing.
 
Thank you for continuing to learn more to keep your horse (and yourself) healthy.
 Please reach out to me via the methods on my Contact page if you are interested in scheduling a Nutritional Consultation. 
​
Blessings,
Amy

There are two things I want ALL horse owners to be aware of during the end of Summer. Acorns and the “Seasonal Rise”.

You may have noticed; acorns are starting to fall from oak tress now. Why does that matter to your horse? Well, some horses love the taste of acorns, and if they eat too many it can be detrimental to their health in a couple ways. Firstly, they are high in sugar and can cause laminitis in horses that are sensitive to sugars. Secondly, they are high in tannins and if eaten in large volumes, your horse can experience liver dysfunction. Please be sure to limit your horse’s acorn exposure this fall. Some horses can moderate just fine, while others really develop a taste and gorge themselves.

You may have heard something called the Seasonal Rise. This is referring to the natural rise in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). During the end of Summer (peaking in September), your horse’s body is already preparing for Winter. Horses experience a natural increase in the production of ACTH from their pituitary glands, which is called a "seasonal rise". ACTH stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. This seasonal rise can also cause fluctuations in insulin and glucose levels. 
For most horses, the seasonal rise is not a problem. However, it can be more difficult for older horses or those with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also known as equine Cushing's disease. In these cases, the seasonal rise can lead to laminitis, a painful hoof disease, in the fall. 

What can you do? If your horse is overweight, diagnosed as insulin resistant (IR), had a previous laminitic flare, or has PPID, you need to go full tilt to prevent sugar consumption mode. This may mean removal from grass and/or the addition of a grazing muzzle. It should also be noted that horses who have PPID under control via Pergolide may need an increase in dose during this time. It is important to work closely with your veterinarian to be proactive.

Enjoy your horse as the temperatures cool off!

Blessings,
​Amy

​But also, be gracious…

Most of us have heard the phrase “Do your best until you know better, then do better.” But, one piece of that we often forget, it to be gracious and forgive ourselves for that time we didn’t know any better.

For decades, my horses wore metal shoes. That’s just what we did. I believed most performance horses had to wear metal shoes, so mine did as well. My beliefs began to change, and I learned better when I began to see over and over the cause of unresolved lameness coming from the hooves. So naturally, on a mission to learn more and help our horses, I delved into learning to trim and shoe my own horses.
At my first barefoot and composite shoeing education class was with Ida Hammer, I had a huge breakthrough about something I did not know I was carrying around.

During class, I would ask questions and preface the question with “I used to have metal shoes on my horses.” Finally, after a few of those questions with the preface, Ida looked at me, looked at the class, and said “Raise your hand if you have ever put metal shoes on your horse.” Literally almost every hand went up. At that moment, I realized two things. One, most horse people have put metal shoes on their horse at some point, and two, I had some guilt I was holding onto about harming my horse’s hooves. I had not realized that I had failed to be gracious with myself and forgive myself for past mistakes and ignorance. This realization helped me to move forward and truly be open to learning more to do better.

Is there something on our horse journey that you need to be gracious with yourself about? Is there a past belief or training method that you now know better, but you are holding onto some guilt? I encourage you to examine your heart to find it. Our horses know we are trying to constantly do the best we can for them.

When you know better, do better, and be gracious with yourself.
​
Blessings,
Amy 

The journey of horsemanship is all a learning journey. When I say horsemanship, I’m not referring to just the riding piece. I’m referring to the care and stewardship of our equine friends. Learning to listen to our horses. Learning to listen to ourselves and putting it all together. I strongly believe the adage “When you know better, do better.” Sometimes, we need to pause and listen to what we are saying. What does it actually mean? Does it even make sense?

The horse industry is notorious for being about tradition. This is the way we have always done it, and this is the best way. I have noticed that also applies to mindset and in return the things we say.

I should preface this by saying that the owner and trainer in this scenario are very well intended. I do believe they want the best for the horse, and they are simply presented with a new learning opportunity (as we all have been and will be).
Let me set-up a scenario for you. A horse has been reactive on the ground near the right side of the girth. Under saddle, that horse is irritated, not able to turn well to the right, and has presented to crow hop and buck some. The horse spends some time with the trainer and is ridden a handful of times. The trainer reports to the owner that after a couple rides, the horse finally gave up and would bend to the right and not buck.

Let’s break that down a minute and think about what was said. The horse finally gave up. That would imply that the horse was intentionally behaving a certain way and decided to comply. OR the horse decided to comply because it was defeated and did not feel heard. Which is it? To determine that you must look at the whole picture. The horse was reactive on the ground in a specific area and behaved a certain way only when specifically asked to bend or move that specific area. That is a red flag that there is a physical issue. There are times when differentiated between physical and behavioral can be tricky. However, this was a clear-cut case. The main influencer here was the fact that the horse was reactive on the ground and the behavior was consistent under saddle only on the same side of reactivity. On this journey, I have come to determine that the fairest mindset to have is to always assume it is a physical issue first.

The horse indeed has physical restrictions that would indicate the type of behavior he was presenting. Behavior is communication. He was communicating that it was painful to move a certain way and was asking to be heard. The types of restrictions he had included fascial adhesions preventing abduction of the right shoulder and nerve impingement in the brachial plexus and phrenic nerve. In addition, his entire ribcage was compressed on the left side and pushed out to the right.

I was grateful the owner asked me to come look at the horse. She was open to learning the information about the horse and supportive of helping him heal.
Horses are so kind and gracious with us. The truly try to do the best they can, but they will communicate when something is hard. It could be hard for them emotionally or physically.

When you know better, do better. Listen to what you are saying. 

Thank you for your commitment to helping our horses be happy and healthy.
​
Blessings,
Amy

 Deworming Recommendations
 There is a lot of information out there about the best approach to deworming your horse. My aim is to provide you with information to assist you in determining what works best for you and your horse, while always coordinating with your veterinarian. Deworming protocols are specific to each horse because each horse is a unique individual. Your horse’s immune system, gut bacteria, and living environment play a big role in their ability to maintain a healthy parasite load. Notice there how I said, “Healthy Parasite Load” not “Free of Parasites”. Most horse owners are familiar with the life cycle of worms. However, some horse owners aren’t aware that a particular type of worm can migrate through the bloodstream and nest under the lumbar vertebrae in the back. This of course has the potential to directly affect your horse’s ability to perform. What? Yes. This is called a worm aneurysm, and we will get to that later. There is also the debate of chemical wormers vs. herbal wormers, and I will touch on that also. First, let’s start with a practical approach to evaluating your horse’s worm load.
 
Fecal Egg Counts or FEC, are becoming more widely used. They can be conducted by your vet or there are a few options where you can mail a sample in. I order my FEC tests from SmartPak. They provide everything you need (even a container and spoon) to collect the sample and, the postage is paid. FEC’s are a good starting point, but you also need to be aware that you can’t rely on the results to give you a 100% accurate account of your horse’s current parasite load. The manure sample is a snapshot of what’s going on in your horse’s body and the number of eggs it contains is easily affected by the inflammation present on the day/time of the sample. It should also be noted that the FEC does not account for tapeworms or bots, both worm types that can have serious health consequences. However, I still consider FEC to be a valuable tool to provide us with more information. If you have recently purchased a new horse, or have not conducted a FEC in the past, I recommend you perform 3 tests over a period of 3 months. If possible, collect the samples at the same time each day. This will give you more of an idea of what type of shedder your horse is. Horses are classified as High, Medium, and Low shedders of worm eggs. This information can be helpful in determining the frequency and the protocol to take when developing your deworming protocol. When you are first starting your FEC, I recommend you follow the frequency recommended by you vet based on the shedder classification you horse has been assigned. Your vet will likely recommend a class of chemical wormer to best treat the stages and types of worms present in the FEC. That being said, let’s shift into the chemical vs. herbal wormer discussion.
 
If we must utilize non-holistic practices with our horses, I personally use the risk vs. benefit thought process. Because I have seen some very negative physical effects in horses with bots, tapeworms, and worm aneurysms, I utilize chemical wormers at the smallest amount and frequency possible for my horses. Chemical wormers have been shown in studies to detox from tissues easily and in humans are actually shown to be beneficial in ways other than deworming. I most commonly use Zimectrin Gold (Ivermectin and Praziquantel ) for my horses. My horses are all consistently classified as Low Shedders and my vet advises deworming twice per year for tapeworms and bots. I do not personally recommend anyone use Quest or Quest Plus. I have seen some very adverse reactions to those products. Chemical wormers are still chemicals, and anytime we introduce chemicals into our horse’s bodies, it is a wise thing to provide a detox. A couple easy and safe approaches to this are administering liquid bentonite clay (or powder that is hydrated) at a rate of 1 ounce per day once per day for 4-5 days. Please remember that bentonite clay will not allow the body to absorb anything for up to 2.5 hours after giving it. I recommend not giving it at the same time as other supplements or medications your horse is taking. Another option is to feed one handful of dandelion leaf once per day for 10 days. So does this mean I am opposed to herbal wormers? No. I think herbal wormers can be useful when fed to a horse that has shown a trend to be a Low Shedder. However, I have not seen evidence that they are a solely reliable source of eliminating tapeworms or the large strongyle larva that can migrate to the mesentery artery and cause a worm aneurysm. What’s a worm aneurysm? I’m glad you asked.
 
A worm aneurysm, or Verminous Arteritis(I just noticed this is mentioned on the back of the Zimectrin box!), occurs when the Large Strongyle Larva migrate into the mesentery artery and nest under the L2-L3 vertebrae in the back. The degree of the worm aneurysm is graded 1-4, with 4 being the most severe and the vertebrae becoming fused. Two questions probably came to mind, is this reversible? And, what causes it? The answer to the first question is, it depends. If the worm aneurysm is a Grade 1-2, it is usually resolved with a specialized worming treatment involving a Panacur PowerPak and an Osteopathic session to clear the artery. Unfortunately, Grades 3-4 can only be helped by preventing the larva to do any further damage to the artery, but the vertebrae are usually fused by that point. I have worked with several horses with Grades 3-4 who are able to comfortably be ridden at a lower impact discipline. The cause of worm aneurysms is confirmed to be due to a large parasite load of Large Strongyle, but there also seems to be an element of lifestyle and diet that play a factor. Horses who are continuously under stress, fed an inflammatory diet, and wormed regularly are still at risk. This is a good reminder of how powerful inflammation is in the body. If you suspect your horse may have a worm aneurysm, it is best to consult an Osteopathic Practitioner and your vet.
 
Blessings,
Amy

In early April my childhood horse, and lifelong friend of 27 years (Lancelot), passed over at the age of  30 to receive his renewed body and eternal life with our Father. As with all things, I felt God was showing me important parts of the entire process that I needed to share with you. You see, learning to process grief is not just about the grief. It’s about all the other emotions you experience throughout your life too. If grief is not processed like it needs to be, it will adversely affect other areas of your life…including how you experience joy. As a society, we are not comfortable with and try not to discuss something that at some point we will all face… grieving the passing of a beloved animal.  I hope this will give you some insight and possibly provide some support and healing to those who have also experienced the passing of a beloved animal.
 Prepare Where Possible
While you are in the middle of enduring the pain of a passing or planning to help an animal pass, is not the best time to make decisions on arrangements for burial or veterinary support. It’s a difficult subject to think about, but I encourage you to think through what works best for your situation. Have numbers of contacts on hand so you are not scrambling to find phone numbers for mobile veterinarians or burial services. When the time came that we determined we needed to help Lancelot pass, I was grateful I had already determined we would enlist the help of our longtime friend and veterinarian to make a farm call and arrange cremation. Each person’s situation may vary depending on the services in your area, where your horse lives, and your personal wishes. Please take some time to think through what will work best so you don’t have to add those decisions to an already incredibly difficult time.
How do you know it’s time?
I think one of the hardest decisions we must make as stewards of animals and beloved friends, is when it is time to help them pass. There is no one size that fits all answer. I once had a dear veterinarian friend tell me that it is rarely too soon, and that has been my experience. If your horse is not able to live out their life in a happy and pain-free manner, you should evaluate all the factors. Sometimes it can be helpful to have a trusted friend or wellness team member to seek their opinion. When we are really close to our friends, it’s common that we can be blinded to the reality of the situation. When I knew it was time for Lancelot, only part of me would accept it. The other part of me was blocked and reasoning as to why it was not time. What I realized was that the blocked part of me was scared. I was scared of the process, scared of the hurt I would endure, scared of… Once I realized that the only reason the blocked part of me was not in support of me helping Lancelot pass was my own selfish fear, I knew I had to be brave to do the very kindest thing any of us could ever do.
Healing Afterwards
Allow yourself to grieve. I mean really grieve. Don’t put yourself in situations that you will have to subdue emotions. This may involve you taking time off work for a week or more. When the emotion to cry comes up and it is subdued, it will manifest itself later in a more intense way with some unresolved feelings attached to it. With the passing of Lancelot, I truly allowed myself to cry when and where I needed to. To be honest, I still have days I cry. But the reality is, I will always have days I cry. That’s how grief works. You never “get over it”. You learn to find a duality of living a joyful life while also having the hurt of them not being present with you sometimes pop up…and that’s a completely healthy and normal response. It is important to remember that everyone has a specific way they need to process grief. Remember those 5 Stages of Grief we’ve all heard of: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance? Those were developed from a study of people who were diagnosed with a terminal illness and had limited time remaining. Those are NOT the way we all grieve and it’s unfortunate that we have all learned them as “The Way” everyone processes grief! The processing of grief is very individualized because we are individuals, and our brains are all unique. It’s normal that you will bounce around between all the stages in different orders and could have your own stage as well.
 
​Let’s talk about the brain for a moment. When you experience grief, your brain is affected. Yes. There are literal changes in your brain that cause you to have brain fog, feel depressed, feel angry, etc. It’s important to know this if you are supporting a friend, or experiencing it yourself. There is nothing wrong with you…you are healing. Grief is the brain’s survival response, and it needs time. I can completely attest to my brain being affected. I have tried to sit down and write new content for the past 6 weeks, and I wasn’t able to do it. I would just sit at the computer. I finally told myself it was “Ok”. I had to heal how I had to heal and I was open to whatever that looked like. Everyone heals at different rates. As a society, we would think oh that happened two months ago, 6 months ago, a year ago…she should be over that. No, that’s not how grief works. You never “get over it”, and the path to healing is different for everyone. Be gracious with yourself and your friends.
 
Have someone you can talk to. Whether it’s a friend, spouse, or therapist. I had the most healing occur when my husband would ask “How are you doing?” and I would actually answer truthfully how I was doing and what I was feeling. Then I would be that person for him and ask him how he was doing (Lancelot was also a huge part of my husband’s life too for almost 20 years). Perhaps YOU can be that person for your friend. Reach out and ask how they are doing. Truly ask and encourage them to truly answer.
 
This is an excerpt from an article for The American Brain Foundation: “Grief is a normal protective process,” says Dr. Shulman. “This process is an evolutionary adaptation to promote survival in the face of emotional trauma.” Changes in brain function go largely undetected when an individual continues functioning normally, but these experiences still affect how the brain works. [1]
 
I have found it helpful to have goals to be working towards. The structure helped me feel accomplished and like I was still moving forward. When you are in the midst of processing, you feel almost numb and like time stands still. Work towards baby steps on what your brain can be open to and be gracious with yourself. Be gracious with your friends.
 
What do you say?
It can be hard to know what to say to support a friend during their grieving period. Most of the time, a simple “I’m so sorry” is the best thing. Don’t make it about you. Acknowledge the passing of your friend’s horse and offer compassion. If you’re not comfortable about saying the right thing, sometimes just being there and not saying much is most helpful. Small acknowledgements like a card, text, or email are extremely helpful to know that other people recognize you are hurting.
I had two people say things to me about Lancelot’s passing that will always stay with me. One friend described our relationship as an “Epic Love Story”. The other told me that the passing of our heart horses affects us like no other passing…we never stop the grieving, and that is ok. That’s ok. There was something about hearing someone else say that it was ok to be hurting and there would be times for years to come it may come up that allowed me to be gracious with myself.
I am very cognizant about words I use. I do not like to use the words referencing euthanasia such as “Put to Sleep” or “Put Down”. I prefer to use the words “Helping Pass”. I also think we should re-evaluate using the word, Loss. When someone passes, we don’t lose them. I didn’t lose Lancelot. I know exactly where he is. Using the word Loss or Lose makes it sound like an unresolved incident. Just something to think about.
I truly believe God sends the exact horses into our lives that we need. I am forever grateful God sent me Lancelot. We grew up together and he taught me things no other horse has. I am focusing on our amazing time together and look forward to seeing him soon. I scattered part of Lancelot’s ashes under the trees in his pasture where he liked to nap. When I would go catch him, I would tell him to meet me at the gate, and he would walk up to meet me. As I scattered his ashes, I remembered those words and realized he would me at a different gate now. The gates of Heaven.
 
I hope this may help some of you out there. Whether you are going through the grief of a horse passing, or you know someone who is. I want to thank you for reading this too. It took me a while to write this, and even now with tears streaming down my face, I find more healing occurring.
 
Blessings,
Amy


[1] https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org/how-tragedy-affects-the-brain/

5 Horse Products I Can’t Live Without

1. Magnesium- Most horses AND humans are magnesium deficient! Magnesium is responsible for hundreds of nerve related functions in our bodies. It affects nerve function and muscle recover to name a couple! I personally take magnesium and my horses get MagRestore by Performance Equine Nutrition or Su-per Mag Pro by Gateway Products. I also use Magnesium Oil on sore muscles! It works wonders for horses and riders.

 

1. KIS Trace Minerals- When feeding a non-inflammatory diet utilizing hay pellets as a carrier, you must supplement with a high quality vitamin/mineral mix. I personally love the KIS Trace Minerals. Be sure to check the Selenium map to see if your area has adequate or deficient levels.

 

1. Sore-No More Liniment- With an arnica base, the natural liniment works SO well! I use it for my horses and myself.

 

1. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar- This stuff is amazing. It has long been used to improve overall health! I drink it daily and my horses get 2 oz. over their feed once per day. It is rich in potassium, is ideal for cleansing blood impurities, reducing inflammation, and improving overall health! I am loving the LUCY brand ACV but Braggs is also a wonderful go to!

 

1. Healthy Haircare Moisturizer- This concentrate spray-on and leave in hair moisturizer has been a favorite of mine for years! It is 100% lanolin and works amazing as a daily conditioner and also for areas of scruffy dandruff. It is a part of my regular routine to keep a long mane and tail.

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​Let's talk Compensation Patterns.
 
You’ve probably heard this term before either in reference to a human or a horse…but What is a Compensation Pattern???
 
A compensation pattern is an alternate neuromuscular strategy that the body employs when the naturally prescribed neuromuscular strategy is no longer a viable option to use in the creation of a given movement. In other words, when the body is not able to move as it is designed, it will find another way to move and perform. This is an inherent property in our bodies, and it can sometimes be a good thing to keep us going when we have minor discomfort or restrictions. However, if the body moves with a compensation pattern long-term, it can become the new default, and then you can start to have injuries from overusing joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
 
So how do you know if your horse has a compensation pattern?
Compensation patterns can be identified by working with someone trained in correct biomechanics, or a body worker. It is also common for me to partner with vets in identifying where the body is showing a weakness utilizing computer gait analysis or flexion tests. After any structural joint, tendon, or ligament lameness is ruled out, we can develop a plan to address the compensation pattern present. Sometimes compensation patterns will cause a mechanical alteration of the gait, or an imbalance. Often, the rider/trainer recognizes that the horse moves easier one direction than another or that one side of a movement is harder than another.
 
What causes them?
Most often, a compensation pattern is caused by the body altering movement due to an imbalance (like in the feet, teeth, or from the saddle) or due to pain. It is common for multiple compensation patterns to be present if the horse has been experiencing the imbalance or pain for some time. I call these “Onion Horses” because the rehabilitation of the horse will involve peeling one layer of restriction back at a time and re-training the body. This can become a very involved and tricky rehab process to unwind these patterns.
 
Can some compensations patterns be presented from birth?
I believe the answer is yes. There are definite patterns that are seen with most horses. The right side is typically in flexion. This can present with the left scapula up and back, the right scapula down and forward, and the right side of the pelvis forward. Is this from the way the horse is in utero or because of patterns we impose as owners/trainers? That is yet to be determined. The same is true for humans as well.
 
With that concept in mind, I think it’s fair to ask, can an inherited (what I will call default) compensation pattern ever truly be resolved? Or, does the body naturally reset to its default pattern? I believe the body naturally wants to reset to its default pattern. I have observed this in most horses and people for that matter. It seems we can unwind a pattern and teach the body to move in a certain way. However, over time, that improved way to going must be supported. If the horse is under intense training, sustains an injury, is out or work for a period of time, or regular exercises and body work are not maintained, the body seems to resort back to the default pattern. I have seen this over and over again. I have also experienced this with my own body. This does not mean it’s hopeless for horses or humans. This just means we need to recognize that it will continue to take work to maintain the new pattern. Otherwise, the body will resort to its default pattern.
 
One important thing to note, the EARLIER the compensation pattern is addressed, the higher the likelihood that the body will truly integrate the new improved pattern as the default pattern. This is why it is CRITICAL to get you and your horse as balanced as possible as EARLY as possible. I’m talking foals here y’all! In fact, here is some insider information…I have been working with a handful of foals this year documenting the patterns I am seeing. Stay tuned for the findings!
 
How can you help your horse if they have a compensation pattern?
The key is to first identify what CAUSED the compensation pattern and address or remove the cause. What is the imbalance? What is the source of pain? Then, you must address the cause(s). After that, I recommend partnering with a body worker and or trainer to develop a rehabilitation plan. The process of healing from a compensation pattern is very much a team effort. It takes commitment from the owner/rider, vet, and body worker. Please remember that it is likely your horse may have a default pattern (especially if they are over the age of 5). Be committed to helping your horse be the best it can be and supporting the healthy pattern.
Blessings,
​Amy