Dark Horse Therapeutics

12/04/2025

12/02/2025

The pelvis, dont ignore it when looking at the shoulders !!! The whole body will tell you a story

I see allsorts when I am out and about, tilted forward, tilted back, tilted sideways, one side higher than the other, pokey up tuber sacrale, one tuber coxae waving hello in full view while the other is shy and hides away.

I have gone to work on a horse that had eating issues after the dentist, yet was presented with the horse backing up to get a good scratch on their tuber ishciums and while we are there we may as well have a good old feel to make sure one is not heading down towards the hocks while the other is reaching for the sun😉 and when you ask the owner their answer is "oh yes they are always asking for their butt to be scratched" ummm that tells me alot

Two places i look when checking the back is the scapula and pelvic angle now I dont want to draw lines on them trying to achieve the perfect degree angle of what a text book tells, horses bodies are not textbook perfect so why do we strive to see lines that a horse may not fit into??
As always I try to make things understandable and in digestible bites and well this is how I explain it to owners
Think of two chairs back to back with a cover over them like when we used to build dens, the more the chairs tilt towards each other the more the cover will sag and that cover is your horses middle, it also creates the tell tale atrophy, if the chairs are twisted it will create a twist through the body, if the chairs are to far apart it will create a tighter restrictive middle.

We need to change the position of the chair backs to bring the cover back to a less saggy middle🙂

Now we can manipulate, push, pull and often achieve a temporary change yet often because the soft and connective tissue surrounding the area has been that way for a long time its like an pulling an elastic band and not expecting it to just go back to where it was before when you let go,.we often think its only a pelvis or scapula issue yet mostly these angles change because of something else going on so often all we are doing is just chasing our own tails

Pain, pain anywhere in the body will always affect other areas, ever had a horse that is sore at the poll, and yet has gut issues ?? They come in a tandem and while we concentrate only on the poll to "fix" the area we often forget there is a head in front of it and a whole lot of body behind it, so would we start at the point of pain or work our way round to ask did the source of pain stem from one singular area, if your horse is camping under with the hinds then we find something somewhere else then just addressing one area is like leaving a door open to problems further down the line.

Which side is the wrong side?? We often see one side as an issue when both are not correct think of the pelvis like a box when one side is shifted then all the soft tissue connections on both sides will compensate one side may be strong yet to taut the other may be lax yet both need to taken into consideration.

Shoulder assymetry, well first there is no perfection in symmetry, if I had a penny every time I saw a picture of a dorsal view of the horse where everyone is pointing out the shoulder discrepancy yet no one notices the pelvis I would be rich and you can jack one foot up till the cows come home but every cow will probably have a problem in their back, every high low heel horse i have met i have never be concerned about the scapulas my concern always focuses on their back.
Remember different limbs have a different function in movement, the two sides of the body have different organ location, the two sides are not a mirror image of each other so why would we strive for perfection in symmetry.
Stop looking at just the scapulas as the only issue scan your eyes across the horse and see if you can find similar issues at the jaw, eyes, occiput, limbs, pelvis, and your horse must always be standing square to assess these !!!

A hamstring issue is hardly ever a hamstring problem look where the tendons attatch we can massage the area till our hands are sore but we also need to find the reason why or else it will just be a rinse and repeat, how many of you have been given homework of a hamstring massage yet they are still the problem area on the therapist return, I have never ever given a hamstring massage technique as homework for my clients as the problem has never been there they are just the result not the reason. Have you ever been told the reason why???

I dont live in a world of perfection I live in a world of this is how the horse is and can I make it better, I dont want to keep things as the are for the owner and the horse as both cannot stagnate and not move forward, but i dont want the owner to not see what i see and its why I try to be less jargon more action.

I see many many horses that are out there that do ok but my philosophy is it always could be better just dont strive for perfection as often that is the end of the rainbow we just can't reach and we can often miss out on enjoying our time with our horses trying to reach an impossible goal.

Of course this is my own opinion and experience of many horses out there doing ok with all those imperfections that leave the social media world aghast🙂

11/28/2025

Scrambling to catch up my understanding! Not much call for blanketing in Texas.

Blanketing is not just about adding warmth. Horses heat themselves very differently than we do and understanding that helps us support them instead of accidentally making them colder.

Horses heat themselves from the inside out. Their digestive system ferments fibre all day which creates steady internal heat. Their winter coat traps this heat when the hair can lift and fluff, a process called piloerection. This creates a layer of warm air close to the skin and acts as the horse’s main insulation system.

A thin blanket can interrupt this system. It presses the coat flat which removes the natural insulation. If the blanket does not provide enough fill to replace what was lost the horse can become COLDER in a light layer than with no blanket at all.

Healthy horses are also built to stay dry where it matters. The outer coat can look wet while the skin stays warm and dry. That dry base is the insulation. When we put a blanket on and flatten the coat, the fill must replace that lost insulation.

Problems begin when moisture reaches the skin. Wetness at the base of the coat flattens the hair and stops the coat from trapping heat. This can happen in freezing rain, heavy wet snow, or when a horse sweats under an inappropriate blanket.

Checking the base of the coat tells you far more than looking at the surface. Slide your fingers down to the skin behind the shoulder and along the ribs. Dry and warm means the horse is coping well. Cool or damp means the horse has lost insulation and needs support.

Horses also show clear body language when they are cold. Look for tension through the neck, shorter and stiffer movement, standing tightly tucked, avoiding resting a hind leg, clustering in sheltered areas, a hunched topline, withdrawn social behaviour, and increased hay intake paired with tension. Shivering is a clear sign but it appears later in the discomfort curve.

Ears can give extra information but they are not reliable on their own. Cold ears with a relaxed body are normal, but cold ears paired with tension, stillness, or a cool or damp base of the coat can suggest the horse is losing heat. Always look at the whole picture instead of using one single check.

If you choose to blanket, pick a fill that REPLACES what you are removing. Sheets and very light layers often make horses colder in winter weather. A blanket that compresses the coat needs enough fill to replace the trapped warm air the coat would have created on its own.

Blanketing is a tool, not a default. Healthy adult horses with full winter coats often regulate extremely well on their own as long as they are dry, sheltered from strong wind, and have consistent access to forage. Horses who are clipped, older, thin, recovering, or living in harsh wind and wet conditions will likely need more support and blanketing. The individual horse always matters.

It would be easier if a single number worked for every horse. But in my own herd I have horses who stay comfortable naked in minus thirty and others who need three hundred and fifty grams (+) in that same weather. That range is normal. It is exactly why no one chart can ever work for every horse, and why watching the individual horse will always be more accurate than any temperature guide.

Thermoregulation is individual. Charts cannot tell you what your horse needs. Your horse can. Watch the body, check the skin, and blanket the individual in front of you.

11/27/2025

When riding, it’s easy to fixate on your horse’s head. After all, from the saddle, your horse's head and neck are right in front of you.

But instead of focusing on what you SEE, focus on what you FEEL through your seat, and shift your attention to your horse’s hind legs.

When the hind legs are working correctly, you’ll feel (through your seat) your horse lift his back and swing forward in a relaxed, regular rhythm. And when that happens, the front end will usually take care of itself.

❌ Focusing on your horse's head (what you SEE in front of you)
✅ Focusing on your horse's hind legs (what you FEEL through your seat)

Illustration created and copyrighted by HowToDressage

11/24/2025

More thoughts on teachers

FINDING AND SETTING POSITIVE EXAMPLES

I’ve put a pause on bringing in outside horses due to EHV-1, and I’m taking this time to work on myself with my own horses, and share a little more of that.

The horsemen I learn from and respect the most teach by example, not accusation.
They lead with outcomes, not outrage.

And somewhere along the way, I’ve decided, as uncomfortable as it is, to dare to try to do the same.

This requires a deep trust in the work.

It also requires trusting that people are good and want to do good.
Because those are the only ones we can reach anyway.

It also means becoming comfortable sharing imperfect examples of good work.

And it requires making peace with criticism.

Watching some of these horsemen, I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter how close to mastery we get… not everyone will value our work.

So we can choose to shift away from needing self-serving validation, and find validation in the work itself, and in the selfless contribution of adding something good to the collective.

And as learners, we also have to allow our teachers the grace to be human.

Too many learners cycle through mentor after mentor, system after system, in a kind of limerence-
the honeymoon phase, the infatuation, the idealization, followed by the inevitable disillusionment when they realize this new idol is also human.

If we’re always seeking perfection… in our teachers, in our work, in ourselves, we will always be disappointed.

I believe the way forward is being ok with learning from imperfect teachers, and being OK with being an imperfect learner, and being ok with sharing imperfect work.

“And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.”
- John Steinbeck

11/24/2025

Teachers teachers…

Edit: these theoretical choices are just there to make you think about the rest of this post, where our decision-making comes from. Obviously I am not saying that you have to choose between these two fictional teachers, or that I agree with their styles ( though I’m certain you can probably think of a few like this that you’ve met in your past or present)

———

This topic is a doozy — so buckle up

An educated person who can really help you, wrapped in an unpleasant personality, who invalidates your skill set and makes you feel bad

Or

An uneducated person wrapped in lingo, presence, mystique, who validates you and makes you feel special

Which teacher are you choosing?

Almost every time I ask this question, folks say the first. They want the truth and growth.

But this is where this is so sneaky, so tricky, so insidious - all these decisions are made subconsciously.

We tend to choose the person who aligns with our core beliefs about ourselves, right or wrong.

Some folks, deep down, will struggle to believe any praise about themselves, right or wrong, because they believe to the core they cannot be good. They will choose an abrasive personality who invalidates them and almost “enjoy it.” Feels familiar, must be right.

Some folks, deep down, in their hurt will seek comfort. They want to be made special, to feel cared for. You might think everyone would want that, but the before mentioned person distrusts this special making, even if it is sincere care. To the person who wants comfort, they are happy to overlook even lack of progress, incorrect information, even intentional manipulation because they will subconsciously reject any information that makes this person, the one who made them feel so good, invalidated.

Can we find good information and skills dressed in a presentation we don’t recognize? Can we learn from someone with a personality that we don’t necessarily enjoy? This is quite a complex situation. It requires quite a bit of knowing where we are and what drives us to make these selections consciously.

Of course, someone with an abrasive personality is not inherently more honest, and someone with a caring and kind personality is not inherently manipulative. Teachers come in all varieties and flavors, and unfortunately, it is up to the consumer to study them and decipher who is actually educated and can teach them, and who is wearing all the right clothes, so to speak, for our easy acceptance.

Who are you? What drives you? What are we constantly trying to prove or disprove about ourselves? What are we compensating for? We all have our skeletons- and if we know this and can face it calmly, even lovingly as you would your own horse, you can make confident, conscious decisions for your own growth and development. Some of the choices you may come to would surprise you as to what is actually for your benefit - and what is just reinforcing the wheel turning in the background of our minds.

11/24/2025

Here’s a break from horses to share about my other professional life:

This weekend I attended American Speech and Hearing Association’s national conference in Washington DC. I had my first experience as a presenter at ASHA for one talk and contributing author for another. I had a wonderful time catching up with friends and colleagues in the field and having the chance to talk about ASL and linguistic care in Deaf community.

I’m so lucky that in the work I do everyday (with humans and horses) is to think about communication and be in connection.

🤟🏻 💜

11/22/2025

11/21/2025

Correct bend isn’t when the whole neck moves to the inside. Correct bend is when the horse rotates the poll around its own axis, which creates concavity on the inside of neck. The horse’s nose really doesn’t need to pass the inside shoulder.
You can also think of putting their outside ear on the midline.
Sometimes I describe it as folding the head onto the neck and not folding the neck onto the body.

Sometimes I absolutely will bend the whole neck, nose passed the shoulder, while asking the horse to reach out with the opposite front leg/shoulder (abduct), and that’s a great suppling exercise, but it’s just an exercise. We don’t want to live that way. 

My lines are crooked but you get the idea.

11/19/2025

Enjoy the cuteness overload starring Aslan and Jesse! 🤩

Winter is a great time to teach some silly horse tricks. I like to sprinkle in tricks with more serious training to keep things light and my horse feeling successful.

Does your horse know any tricks? Comment below! 👇🏻 🤡 🐎

11/18/2025