How Does Your Horse Stand?

Before I got into equine bodywork, I knew if a horse was pointing a leg, it meant something was wrong. But beyond that, I didn’t really pay much attention. Now, knowing what I know, I realize I was missing a big hidden key to how my horse felt in their body.

Have you ever wished that your horse could talk? Could tell you what’s wrong? As horse owners, we often wish they could but the fact of the matter is they do! Just not verbally. Over the years, I’ve learned that they speak to us subtly with their body language, behavior, and attitude towards their jobs. Today, I would like to inspire you to take notice of exactly how your horse chooses to stand at rest.

Before the equine bodywork class that I hosted at my barn, my instructor pointed out how many of the horses were standing. We had about 20 horses on the place, at the time. Not one of them stood exactly square. Some were squared up in the front but off-centered in the hind. Or visa versa. But by the time we finished the class, we took another look and the results spoke for themselves. Almost ALL the horses stood pretty square in front and hind. It was an amazing transformation to witness.

Now, I make it a habit to notice how my horses stand in the pasture, in their pens, and at the trailer. When I say, “stand square,” I mean front feet are aligned vertically and underneath the shoulder. Not too close together and not one foot farther forward than the other. The hind feet should be similar, although it’s perfectly fine if they are resting a hind foot, as long as it would be aligned when they set it back down. Above is some examples of what you’re looking for.

If your horse is exhibiting an imbalance in the way they stand, it means they have an imbalance in their body. My passion is finding that imbalance and provide the solution so they can return to a balanced state. Balance equals comfort and I like to see a transformation as soon as possible! Let’s take a look at these before and after pictures of a horse I worked on.

In the first picture, she is at complete rest. Her head is down. Her right foot is behind her left foot and her back legs are really close together. Her hind end is also stretched out. She just looked uncomfortable and her caretaker was in tune enough to notice these signs. Also take note of her color. Her hind end is shinier than her front end, indicating a lack of circulation in the front half of her body. If you look along her shoulder, you can also see what looks like a ridge or ripple in the skin along the shoulder. It’s rough, not smooth.

Now take a look at the after! I worked on her for an hour or so and this was the end result. She’s not longer trying to relieve uncomfortable pressure in her neck and back so her head is up and her hind end is back up underneath itself. Her front feet are square and directly underneath her shoulder. Her back feet aren’t 100% square but I love how her feet are underneath her hips, not camped out, like before. Sometimes it can take a couple sessions to get everything completely back to normal. Every horse is different.

Can we also talk about the full body SHINE? That is because I relieved all the tension and tight fascia which allowed for better circulation and increased blood flow. That transformed the ripple on her shoulder and allowed more range of motion. You don’t have to be a body worker to see how much happier little miss is in her body compared to the first photo. Her caretaker noticed a big difference in her afterward! She shared with me how much I helped this mare and how she went back to enjoying her job. I truly feel honored when people pick me to help their horses. I take the opportunity very seriously and put as much effort and love as I can into helping them feel their absolute best! I love finding solutions to problems and my passion has become being a translator for horses and their humans.

So if you notice any of these things in your equine partner, its time to make an appointment with your bodyworker. Noticing these small signs allows you to stay ahead of the curve and solve slight imbalances before they turn into big problems. If you’re looking for a bodyworker, click the ‘contact’ tab at the top of this website and let’s connect. Or you can email me directly at ridinonadream@gmail.com. I travel around WA, ID, and AZ regularly. As 2021 futurity season gets underway, I will be traveling quite a bit more and am looking forward to spreading my solutions along the way.