Dark Horse Therapeutics

10/26/2025

Catch ride

I spend a lot of time thinking about and teaching how we develop relationship with horses. I firmly believe (and there’s research to back this up) that horses are happier and healthier in long term caregiver relationships.

So what in what world, what stars would have to line up, for me to enter an event I’ve never shown, with a horse I’ve never ridden, and have fun?

1. Best horse girl friend Lee, riding buddy of 15+ years. My beautiful catch ride mare Dakota works with Lee, so I know she has a soft happy kind association with humans. I trust Lee, so I trust Dakota.

2. I stay true to what I know about horses’ preferences for touch and regard. I do not pet horses, I allow them to touch me first and offer touch that is FOR them, not TO them. This allows me to quickly develop a rapport that allows us both to feel safe.

3. No attachment to performance outcomes! I don’t know how I placed in my large classes and that’s fine. I felt great about my rides and that’s what counts.

4. I practice riding different horses, often! This is something I’ve only had the chance to start to develop in the last couple years. The only way to learn classical aids the horse appreciates is to ride many different horses.

5. Box breathing technique, or pretty much any breath work that extends the exhale will help reduce your heart rate and help you think more clearly when you’re nervous. Horses tend to catch on and blow out too.

I hope this inspires you to try something new yourself! Comment below and share what you’re thinking about trying out with your horse.

10/26/2025

FULL COVERAGE 🩲 sometimes cyclist shorts

I say. It’s time for the Great Underwear Debate!

What are you wearing, underneath it all? What are you avoiding?

We’re talking about the things that keep us in place, sitting nobly and not slapping and slumping in a miserable heap. What are you wearing underneath your jodhs, or under your jeans and chaps on long gathers in cold weather?

What doesn’t cut you in two? What is supportive and doesn’t slide off the shoulder, or let the girls get away with too many shenanigans? What keeps your legs warm and dry, without chafing at the knees?

While we can all be glad that we’re no longer removing our last ribs to cut a dashing figure on a horse, I do know that in the right place, a comfortably-laced corset can be a life saver if you have back pain, or when riding sidesaddle! It’s all in the situation and how we want to look and feel about ourselves.

So, let’s be honest and support our sisters. We’re giving and taking names here. What brands work best for you, day in and day out?

10/25/2025

My wheelhouse 🤓🤓🤓

10/25/2025

Home in Texas doing horse things with bestie this weekend 🤠✌🏻

10/21/2025

I talk about no with parents of kids with communication disabilities often. It’s important we teach our kids to say no and give them every opportunity to do so. That doesn’t mean that’s the end of the conversation.

“The horse will trust you more if you listen to their no”

Maybe - with some context.

Listen to their no? Yes. But always backing off gets you easily trapped with an un confident horse who doesn’t have much try in their vocabulary. That is, to me, a cruel thing to do to something in our care.

My kids say no all the time. No I don’t want to get dressed. No I don’t want to eat that. If I only listened to their no’s, our world would be very small.

My daughter especially has a certain set of challenges in life - fabrics and sounds and all kinds of things are very hard for her. There are some no’s I truly respect. She can’t help the way she feels and it would be cruel of me to force her into clothes that feel like torture. But for a long time she wouldn’t wear clothes at all. During a harsh winter this is not a safe option.

So I hear the no - I understand it - and then I go to skill building. What skills are we missing to wear SOME clothes?

A horse who only says no will not get in the trailer when it really comes time to. They will not accept veterinary care when it is life saving.

Some no’s don’t matter - I like a bosal over a bit - sure. But I won’t get caught? That one can be deadly.

If we back off for every no, we need to consider the long term ramifications. What are we really teaching here?

It’s easy and gives immediate gratification to let the horse walk away. But what if there is an emergency?

It’s our job to build skills. To develop trust. To support and honor the horse. And sometimes life comes at us unexpectedly and we need to say to the horse, I know you don’t understand this but I need you to try anyway because it’s important (say an evacuation).
The horse needs to trust that you will get them through it, and that only comes through experiences where you have gotten them through it.

So hear the no, sure. But go deeper. WHY are you getting no? Have you developed a habit of no? Is a skill set missing? Are you asking in a way that doesn’t suit? What do you need to get to a yes? That’s the more important question.

Six years of no’s from my daughter have lead me to learn to build confidence through skill building, support, and now she has more desire to try hard things. We have a lot more yes’s, and her world is bigger than ever - and she is much happier for it.

10/21/2025

Beautiful fall weekend 🍁🐎🍂🌳🍁🍃

WTP taught a great lesson, Jesse and Judy took a stroll, Peace had some hand grazing, and Aslan stood guard while I read my book in the pasture. 😌

10/18/2025

Volunteer spotlight!

Joan is a West Chester local who found us looking for opportunities to sign ASL through Facebook. She’s been a dedicated volunteer these last couple months and it’s been a pleasure to spend horse time together.

Like many deaf and hard of hearing adults, Joan is learning to sign ASL herself! It’s awesome to see her dedication to practicing ASL and helping taking great care of the horses. Thank you Joan!!!

10/14/2025

This year I've undergone Dauphin Horsemanship's Bit Course and indulged a lot of my technical curiosity about equine oral structures and mechanics related to bit use. When we step back and consider what we're doing: putting metal in the mouth of another being for the purpose of control (we say communication... but communication for what purpose?), it is easy to feel some ick factor. As a speech language pathologist who treats dysphagia (swallowing disorder) my primary concern about bits is how they impact the vital mechanical and neurological process of swallowing in the horse.

Also, as an equine bodyworker and riding instructor, I just don't think bits are at the top of the list of complaints a horse has related to their comfort. If I had a to make an (informed) guess and rank a couple, I'd say access to sufficient movement, emotionally healthy herd dynamics, quality of human communication, and saddle fitting all far exceed bitting issues.

That's not to say that bits, namely, bit use, isn't something we should carefully consider. Actually, I think rein use is a better way to frame the concern. I have similar concerns about rein use with bitless rigs as bitted. 40lbs of rein pressure vs 0.01 oz is a big difference, and 40lbs of pressure for 0.05 seconds vs 45 minutes is also makes a big difference to the horse.

I think this article gets it wrong from the start.

"Metal bits, or at least bits made of solid materials, when is contact with these tissues stimulate pain receptors, such that the greater the pressure, the worse is the experience of pain."

I don't agree that bits operate solely by means of pain receptors. I could cause pain with my gua sha myofascial tool if I wanted to, but I can also release tension and support healthy tissue.

Some of the references listed are compelling and important, and I would encourage horse lovers and learners to go on and read these studies, remembering what types of horses are included and under what conditions.

Reading between the lines, this author is globally opposed to "animal use," which is a pretty extreme stance and not one I'm on board with. I cherish our inherited stewardship of domesticated animals and see a lot of mutual benefit in these relationships.

For more info on bits, how they function, and most importantly to the horse: HOW WE USE THEM, reach out, I'd love to help.

Follow Dauphin Horsemanship, he's always putting out great info and free webinars to better understand many aspects of horsemanship.

Comment below to share your experiences, good and bad, using bits with horses.

Emeritus Prof David Mellor explains why, from a welfare perspective, the perfect horse bit is the one that stays on the tack room wall.

10/11/2025

Reading through this post initially I felt a wave of sadness and regret. I am not a world class athlete or artist, I’m not a Great Rider with many thousands of horses under my seat bones. I dream of being a rider who can help horses with my body and my knowledge, and some days that dream feels a little far away.

But then I remembered, I do have many more than 10,000 hours of skilled practice in another area of my life: as a signer and a person who conveys ideas visually. My students have been my teachers, at this point hundreds of children who’ve showed me what connection to concepts feels like. How many Helen Keller W-A-T-E-R moments have I born witness to, seeing understanding light up behind their eyes.

This has to count for something for my horses.

I might not have the athletic Body Memory (yet), but my body and my mind know what it feels like to share information between beings, understand, and be understood.

We all have our journey to becoming better riders, better horsemen.

What’s your 10,000 hours?

10/08/2025

https://gofund.me/6ef331c5e

Send a message to learn more