10/20/2026
Training with softness and non-escalating pressure does not mean abandoning our dreams or goals. It doesn't rely on avoiding hard things or forgoing training altogether.
Meister is the horse who made me search for a better way. He taught me that even if the mind is willing to comply, sometimes the body is unable to follow. Meister is complicated, physically. He has several spots of overriding dorsal spinous processes, or kissing spine, as well as bones in his withers that were broken at one point in his early life.
His story is a common one for his breed, Thoroughbreds are known for having a slew of physical issues, both from genetics and often from early life use. Meister is fortunate because he did not know the latter. At 4 years old Meister had never known 'work', when we got him he was barely halter trained.
This was intentional, I knew that I wanted a clean slate. I wanted to start a horse from scratch that didn't have the mental, physical or emotional damage from being on the track. Mentally he was just that, but as we got into training more and more I realized that his body was not as strong as it appeared to be.
Getting his Kissing spines diagnosed was a crucial part of our journey. I had my suspicions after about 6 months of starting him under saddle, and we had him checked by several vets who cleared him and claimed he was perfectly sound and healthy. Finally the recommendation for back xrays was made, and then we had our answers.
At the time he was not back sore to palpitations. He was fully started under saddle and was successfully doing all three gaits with me and taking my amateur husband on trail rides. But the signs were there if you watched and listened. He struggled to soften through his topline, and he sometimes found it hard to maintain his canter leads. He had moments of seemingly 'random' heightened reactivity, and if he really got tense then he would grind his teeth.
All of these were passed off as "green horse problems" or worse, just 'normal' for a Thoroughbred 🥴 until they weren't.
When we know better, we do better.
Getting his back diagnosed changed the entire course of my horsemanship journey. Learning to address the mental and emotional tension was huge. Learning that so much of his tension was caused by lack of balance, and realizing that I did not have the knowledge to bring him back. Suddenly all of the tools that I had for creating bigger movement and better performance were obsolete.
For 2 years we focused on rehabilitation, for his mind and his body. We stepped away from riding, and we learned how to rebuild his body from the ground up. Posture work in variable postures, emotional regulation practice, proprioception and core awareness, and quality body work. These were some of the main elements that allowed for his physical prowess to blossom.
His back will never look perfect on radiographs - bones do not change, but muscles do. These days Meister is sound, strong and happy. His spacing on radiographs has improved since those first diagnostic images and he maintains his postural strength from all of the years of gentle practice. He receives no maintenance at this time, and has never had his back injected or surgically altered.
My goals for him may have shifted over the years, but the important themes remain - safety, friendship and fun. It has been so amazing to watch his body and the quality of his movement transform as he comes into his own power 🥹✨️
