The Balanced Horse Project

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The Balanced Horse Project Is the horse safe to ride? will the horse hold up under stress? we promote Conformation Integrity through STEP RESET Training.

Helping owners create safer, balanced horses for more than 40 years, by improving posture, movement, and structural function. At The Balanced Horse Project, our goal is to create a comfortable body for the horse to use, while their mind focuses on the job. We develop training programs to address the completeness of symmetry and balance through organic means. Training, going to the show ring, the track, or down the trail, horses face constant physical stress. Attention to preventing injury is very important. Our maintenance program can be done on site using photo analysis, the mobile service, or visiting Rel Leaf Farm. Restoring and regenerating the body provides instant and long term benefits. The techniques are designed to resolve very deep seated issues producing the compensation injuries and behavior commonly experienced. We are dedicated to present a discussion through which owners, trainers, and handlers gain an education regarding the potential of quantum resources to naturally straightening the body, making training a horse safer and easier. Improving the whole body before training allows the horse to experience natural balance. We offer information, experience, and data relating quantum realms, energy, and the material goals of the horseman to create self-carriage, engagement, and athletic power. The horse develops his body, as we expand our thoughts.

Oh I can't wait to leave and let people carry on. There is a bucket list of places to see and experience. One last card ...
10/21/2026

Oh I can't wait to leave and let people carry on. There is a bucket list of places to see and experience.

One last card needs to drop into place and Boom, we are gone.

Horsemanship done right is a science. This is what I developed, to help you see how our training program influences corr...
10/20/2026

Horsemanship done right is a science.

This is what I developed, to help you see how our training program influences correcting conformation.

NEVER GIVE UP.Sometimes I question why I was sent on this journey to understand things so many people don't seem to care...
10/17/2026

NEVER GIVE UP.

Sometimes I question why I was sent on this journey to understand things so many people don't seem to care about.

Every time I've tried to walk away from the horse world, fate, or perhaps the hand of God, has drawn me back.

Back into an industry that has rejected, ignored, discounted, and sometimes suppressed the very things I've spent a lifetime discovering.

There have been disappointments, doors slammed shut, and people judging what I've accomplished without ever investigating the possibilities.

There were moments when I wondered why I bothered.

But there was one thing I couldn't walk away from.

The TRUTH the horses kept showing me.

I watched horses struggle with problems we were taught to accept, manage, correct, or compensate for.

More training. More treatments. More equipment. More money.

And too often, things went from bad to worse.

I began questioning something much bigger.

What if the horse wasn't the design flaw?

What if our understanding of natural balance was incomplete?

What if nature had already provided something we had overlooked?

That's when I found the truth in the impossible.

I...M...POSSIBLE.

Think about it!

When someone tells you something is impossible, they've just offered you an invitation to explore possibilities beyond their understanding.

That's where innovation begins.

That's where I found my freedom.

Outside the catch pen of conventional beliefs.

I followed the patterns of symmetry, biological inheritance, physical compensation, and the remarkable ability of horses to reorganize their own bodies.

I observed. Documented. Tested. Questioned. Backtracked. And started again.

I followed the horses instead of the rules.

And something extraordinary began to emerge.

Take Magnum 66.

A talented reining horse whose physical imbalances were limiting his performance.

When he arrived, his front feet had mismatched angles, one knee showed rotational deviation, he struggled to spin left, and his canter was one-sided.

These weren't simply training problems.

Rather than demand more performance from a body struggling to organize itself, I gave him the opportunity to find his balance through STEP RESET.

The changes were remarkable.

His hoof angles became more symmetrical. His movement straightened. His ability to spin left emerged.

Today, he's demonstrating the spins, stops, and athletic ability his breeding promised.

The horse didn't need another argument about what he couldn't do.

He needed the opportunity to show us what he could do.

And he's only one example.

I've documented changes in chest development, wither height, pelvic position, hoof symmetry, improved behavior, longevity and physical coordination in horses whose limitations were once considered normal or unavoidable.

Not because I forced them into another position.

Instead, I learned to ask them to find their own balance.

Imagine the implications.

What if we could prevent some of the problems we currently spend fortunes trying to correct?

What if safer, more sustainable horses began with understanding their natural architecture of balance?

What if the most affordable innovation in horsemanship wasn't another product, treatment, or piece of equipment?

What if it was knowledge?

That's the possibility I've spent my life investigating.

And that brings me to something I deeply value about America.

FREEDOM.

The freedom to question. To investigate. To challenge accepted thinking. To build something new.

Freedom doesn't guarantee acceptance or success.

But it gives an independent thinker the opportunity to try.

And sometimes it takes just ONE person willing to step away from the crowd, follow the evidence before them, and refuse to surrender an idea simply because others cannot imagine it.

Today, I have decades of experience, documented observations, repeatable results, and an innovative concept I believe can change the future of horsemanship.

Not by creating another industry around fixing horses.

But by exploring how nature's own balancing abilities might help prevent problems before they begin.

Think about what that could mean for the horse, the owner, the trainer, and the future of the industry. What could it bring to lives outside of the horse world?

Less struggle. Less unnecessary expense. Greater sustainability. Safer experiences.

And possibilities we haven't even begun to explore.

That's the power of prevention.

That's the possibility of working WITH nature instead of fighting it.

I didn't come this far to surrender what the horses have taught me.

Nor am I interested in spending the rest of my life dealing with people determined to remain inside the fence.
@
There's a much bigger world out here.

And I am part of it.

Sometimes you have to break from from the crowd, question the impossible, and discover a better way.

NEVER GIVE UP.

I...M...POSSIBLE.

And learning is my power.

When does the coughing and low energy stop!My horses keep asking, " Pick me for your ride."I don't have enough in me to ...
10/16/2026

When does the coughing and low energy stop!

My horses keep asking, " Pick me for your ride."

I don't have enough in me to pick up a brush.

Huge doesn't mean tough.They break like glass.Built like a truck.Soft, cuddly, patient, and full of love.Knows how to ha...
10/15/2026

Huge doesn't mean tough.

They break like glass.

Built like a truck.

Soft, cuddly, patient, and full of love.

Knows how to handle idiots.

A 25.8 foot gallop stride and easy 6-foot fences.

Power plays on hills just to practice.

Oversized warmbloods respect emotional intelligence.

They talk to those willing to listen.

And seek out riders who FEEL.

The lesson is physically subtle. Emotionally intense.

Hence the riding term, FEEL the horse.

Can you?

That's Huey's question.

The lesson is in how you answer.

Photo: Positioning Huey for photographs before STEP Reset Session 1 begins.

Yes! Balancing Act. I've got a monster magnificent warmblood named Hue to work with!His European heritage oozes talent. ...
10/14/2026

Yes!
Balancing Act.

I've got a monster magnificent warmblood named Hue to work with!

His European heritage oozes talent. His springy joints make my reiners' look flat and uninspiring. Two completely different breeds both over ridden by trainers who do not understand the impact of Rollkur.

Now, this boy is TALL! I have to stand on a step just to photograph his back. At 18 hands, he's remarkably agile with kind eyes and a history of nerves and sudden reactions.

But it makes me sick to document what riding to deep behind the vertical, over bent or flexed has done to his back and hips.

He reflect the same training stress as my reiner 66, and many others.
Let me drop a little note for folks.

Look up Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, a German veterinarian and equine biomechanics specialist, known for If Horses Could Speak. Watch the documentary, "Balancing Act"

Heuschmann challenged Rollkur (hyperflexion) and training practices that force posture at the expense of correct muscular development.

His argument is simple. The horse's physical structure must be understood before training demands are imposed.

Now, here's where I take that conversation further.

I don't believe North American horse trainer understand conformation well enough to produce sustainable horses.

I propose that educating trainers and advancing their ability to restore level structural symmetry creates conditions necessary for correct movement and more competitive horses ending their careers sounds.

I devises a training system that establishes self-carriage, level symmetrical conformation before conventional training begins. When the horse can naturally engage it's core, it provides the foundation for flow state training and performance.

That's why I introduced a RESET phase into training for over 20 years. Organize the structural symmetry first, and the trainer never needs to use Rollkur, draw reins gages or worse.

Imagine if Hue had been started using RESET program. He'd be a different his in horse, naturally designed to do demonstrate his family's traits.

Imagine if trainers, regardless of breed or discipline, adopted this one principle. How many horses could be spared years of unnecessary physical struggle?

Which brings me back to Mighty Hue.

At 18 hands, this talented jumper presents an opportunity to investigate how training behind the vertical may have influenced his development and behavior.

But rather than focus on everything that went wrong, I'm interested in putting things right.

Can conformation provide the map for a training program to restore his natural balance?

By asking the horse to reorganize his posture and balance will the Reset program level his behavior?

That's what we're about to explore.

It's feels great to be greeted with soft nickers. There is a gift in every task, if you choose to look.The precious sile...
10/13/2026

It's feels great to be greeted with soft nickers.

There is a gift in every task, if you choose to look.

The precious silence, as the dawn breaks the morning.

The natural motion of taking a breath.

The shared intent of walking to the field.

The grace of release because the goal has been achieved.

It's perfect.

Like the rest of the day.

Storm SummaryFrank's mother has been without power since the storm. He's been helping her troubleshoot the problems, and...
10/12/2026

Storm Summary

Frank's mother has been without power since the storm. He's been helping her troubleshoot the problems, and thankfully, this afternoon her power finally came back on.

Meanwhile, Frank has been called into work every day, leaving little time to deal with the neighbor's tree limb that crashed down on our plank fence. There's still a post and several planks to replace. That repair may have to wait until the neighbor's husband can get together to fix it.

So, I'm short one 6 foot fenced paddock. With the arrival of our newest horse, the importance of six-foot fencing has taken on a whole new meaning!

He's an 18-hand show jumper. With his education and athletic ability, standard fencing would be more of a suggestion than a boundary if he decided to leave. LOL.

He's big, kind, thick as a moose, athletic, and surprisingly elegant.

I suspect much of his past has involved trainers attempting to physically control him. His size could be intimidating. Rather than taking the time to understand the problems he was experiencing, they forced the ride.

Rule 1
Never fight with a big horse. They quickly learn how to use their size against you.

Rule 2
Watch.
Observing the horse's gait conformation and reactions allows you to stay calm. If the handler gets worried the horse will react.

Rule 3
Set your ground work boundaries.
If I demonstrate what I expect or what upsets me, horses respect my rules.

Rule 4
Horses who don't give a flip because they've learned how to control or bully humans get to meet CRAZY ME. Having a tantrum sets up amazing respect from big energy horses. I can over power them. They need to work around me. Think about a mouse controlling an elephant.

Already, the jumper's letting go of anxieties. The other horses share their happiness. Grounded handlers build his confidence. Trust is primary for STEP RESET Training to work.

On Day 1, he tested our reactions by being rude. We didn't react when he barged through Mike, openning the stall.

We simply watched as he ran around the yard, showing off, exploring his new surroundings and meeting the other horses over the fence. When he was finished, he voluntarily returned to his stall for breakfast.

No chasing. No confrontation. No drama. But WOW! What a powerhouse.

We run a no-stress barn.
You'd be surprised at the impact that simple philosophy can have on a performance horse.

Today, his owner visited and observed a relaxed, happy horse. They were pleasantly surprised.

Tomorrow, I'll begin collecting the data needed to establish his training baseline. From there, we'll begin the STEP RESET process.

Meanwhile, the storm continues to affect friends beyond our farm.

Today, a friend in Florida needed help getting a generator running. Her water troughs were nearly empty, and electrical service still hadn't been restored.

But tonight, thanks to Frank Mike and her Dad and some problem-solving, the farm will have water again.

Then came the difficult part.

The storm had overwhelmed an already septic horse. She's been waitting for weeks, hoping a vet would help. Her system collapsed yesterday.

Thankfully, a veterinarian finally came to help her pass peacefully.
The horse is liberated. The struggle to find help has ended. The sacrifice leaves a lot of questions.

Storms have a way of reminding us how quickly ordinary life can change. One day we're repairing fences and welcoming a new horse. The next, we're helping friends find water and saying goodbye to an friend and old soul.

Through it all, people keep working to solve problems, and doing what needs to be done so live can improve.

Tonight, Frank collapsed in the bed. He has been run off his feet.

Tomorrow, we begin fresh. Who knows where it will lead.

Well, Frank, being the gentleman he is, won't let me help repair the hurricane damage to the plank fencing in Paddock 1....
10/10/2026

Well, Frank, being the gentleman he is, won't let me help repair the hurricane damage to the plank fencing in Paddock 1.

So I'm left to entertain myself by playing mad scientist. LOL.

We've always made most of our own remedies: colloidal minerals, salves, dried sage bundles, and all sorts of things that don't involve harsh chemicals or drugs.

There's something deeply satisfying about making things from nature. Just call me old fashioned. But I'm a penny wise, not a pound foolish. You can instantly see the difference in the horses we produce.

Today was Sage Honey Lip Balm day.

I made a small batch last year. One jar traveled all the way to Colorado to Kathy, who harvests sage for me.
She loved it. So I'm sending another jar this year.

Sage is an incredibly versatile plant. Combine it with raw honey, and you have two traditional ingredients with some fascinating skin-care properties.

Years ago, one of our horses opened a 10-inch laceration down its rump. We used raw sage honey, silver, and duct tape. That horse healed without any infection, scar, or change in hair color. It was a remarkable result, and one I've never forgotten.

Today's experiment was a little less dramatic.

While Frank was outside having a serious conversation with a chainsaw that refused to start, I was in the kitchen preparing my little laboratory.

I cleaned the countertops, sterilized the jars and equipment with heat and moonshine, measured my ingredients, and set up the double boilers. I could use commercial alcohol, but I always have shine on hand.It's a old time base for making remedies from herbs etc.

As the water gently warmed, the plant oils, nut butters, and sage honey merge. Then came the one ingredient that can't be measured: the love that goes into making something that might benefit another living being.

Taadaa!

Sage Honey Lip Balm.

A rich, soft balm made with plant oils, butters, and honey. I use this kind of preparation to soften dry skin and comfort chapped lips. I enjoy experimenting with its other topical uses.

The first batch is cooling before the lids go on.

Frank is still working on the fence.

And I'm wondering what to make next. Silver & Sage solution for eyes or sore throats?

LOL.

10/10/2026

Life is good.
The farm has trees down on fencing. So you know what we are doing.

Our neighbors evacuated, after a tree fell into their bedroom.

We are happy to see the sun this morning. And grateful .

Address

249 W Smithville Road
Dothan, AL
36301

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13347187806

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