Mebane Equine Bodyworks

11/07/2025

Answer: 15.1

Let’s see who gets close to guessing the height of this horse 😂

11/06/2025

Let’s swing the pendulum the other way now 🤣

11/06/2025

Let’s see who gets close to guessing the height of this horse 😂

11/06/2025

Ohhhhhhhhhh my endurance people am I going to have a saddle for you! More info to come 😍

11/06/2025

11/05/2025

One of my favorite days is saddle delivery day! *Especially* when there are immediate differences in the horse! At the end of this canter the rider asked “did she pick up the right lead? She never picks up this lead, we’ve been working so hard on that!” She just needed a saddle that allowed her the room to use her body correctly, AND that balanced the rider correctly so the cues were clear.

It’s even more fun on these days when I’ve left a demo behind and I’m able to see how much the horse changes in just a short period of time being ridden in something that’s fitting better .

Congrats you two on your new Jump saddle!

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11/04/2025

I don’t think I have ever ridden her two days in a row in her entire life, so needless to say she was a little skeptical lol but honestly, it was actually a pretty decent ride 😂

10/31/2025

Sunny and I are enjoying the sun today on this briskly Halloween day! 🎃 👻

10/30/2025

I am sure somewhere in the 7000 photos I have on my phone that I have a before picture, but here is a current picture of this mare’s posture today. For the last eight months, this mare has been going in the Smart Elite Dressage saddle by SMART Saddles SMART Saddles USA. When she started in it, she was downhill and much narrower with atrophy in her shoulders because *everything* would slide up on her shoulders and wither. Fellow friend and fitter Mary Bowless reached out asking if I thought a Smart Saddle would be a good option, and I remember telling her I couldn’t promise it wouldn’t slide up, but I *could* promise that even if it did, it would not interfere with her range of motion thanks to the fully flexible base and design. This pony was immediately happier and every time I’m out for bodywork, I notice tremendous improvement and now we’re getting her into her true body posture. I’m a big fan of these saddles and they are what I personally ride in!

10/28/2025

Hey mom, your hat looks and smells clean, sure would be a shame if we were to…..wipe our mouths on it….

10/24/2025

This is the truth. As a classically trained (and continuing to train) rider, I apply these principles to my bodywork and saddle fitting. These principles don’t jive with everyone, and that’s fine. Some people don’t like to hear how crooked their horse is, the work it will take make those changes, that no, it’s not the saddle that’s crooked. Or no, those injections aren’t going to help your horse at all without making these other changes in how you are riding. But this is what works to create happier, sounder horses. In 30 years of riding horses, not a single one of my horses has ever been back sore. I’ve never had mystery lamenesses, or ulcers. I’ve only ever injected one joint, didn’t like the results. (Doesn’t mean there aren’t good uses for injections, want to make it clear I’m not anti-injection, I’m anti doing it and we’re not really sure why we’re doing it and we’re not making other changes to avoid needing more).

It’s a lot of work to learn how to put a horse together correctly. At times it can be very, very boring. But, your horse be happier and healthier and sounder for the long haul.

Is Classical Dressage Competitive?
Absolutely. JJ just won two FEI classes at Dressage at Devon, proof that classical principles hold up in the competition arena at the highest levels. 🏆✨

That said, classical training isn’t always the fastest or flashiest path. Sometimes it takes longer, sometimes it isn’t fully rewarded on a given day, and sometimes the correct ride scores lower than it should. That’s the nature of showing horses to human judges. But in the long run, riding with true correctness creates a bond like no other, with sounder, happier horses, and that is real success.

And here’s the most important part: you don’t have to compete for your riding to be valid. The joy of classical dressage is that it offers meaning whether you’re in the show ring or in your own backyard. Training for harmony, connection, and the love of the horse is always worthwhile. ❤️🐴

10/23/2025

Here’s an inside look into one of my recent lessons. If you attended my Wine & Equine seminar or have had a biomechanics workshop with me, some of what you’ll hear will sound familiar, and you can see it applied.