Open Stride Equine Therapy

🐴 When a horse has back pain, is the back actually the problem?

Not always.

In a 10-year survey of equine back pain, Riccio et al. (2018) found an almost even split:

➡️ 46–50% of cases were primary back pain - where the source of the problem originated within the back itself.

➡️ 49–54% were secondary back pain - where another condition or influence was contributing to the pain experienced in the back.

And that distinction matters.

Primary back pain can arise from conditions such as overriding dorsal spinous processes (kissing spines), facet joint osteoarthritis, supraspinous or interspinous desmitis, congenital abnormalities, fractures, infection and other pathology of the vertebral column.

But when back pain is secondary, our investigation needs to extend much further.

We may need to consider:

🐎 Forelimb or hindlimb lameness
🐎 Ill-fitting tack
🐎 Hoof balance
🐎 Rider asymmetry
🐎 Posture and core strength
🐎 Training load and exercise progression
🐎 Extended stable rest
🐎 Working surfaces
🐎 Visceral pain
🐎 Metabolic or hormonal influences
🐎 Emotional stress

In other words, the painful area isn't necessarily the source of the problem.

Back pain can be a little red flag - an indication that something isn't right somewhere in the horse.

That is why recognising back pain should be the beginning of our investigation, rather than the end of it.

Where is the pain coming from? What else has changed? How is the horse moving? What does their tack look like? What is happening in their training, management and environment?

Sometimes treating the back is important.

But understanding why the back became painful in the first place is where we have the opportunity to make a much bigger difference.

📖 Want to dive deeper into the primary and secondary causes of equine back pain?

Comment EBP3 and we'll send you the link to read the full blog.

Summer is flying by! Some scheduling updates:

July is booked! Mid-August I will be in Spain for two weeks, so I appreciate your patience while we do a little scheduling juggle ✨🐴 Some sessions may end up a little sooner or later than the typical cycle.

Shoot me a text if you're wanting to lock down an Aug date!

Happy Pride from Open Stride Equine Therapy! 🌈

Thank you so much to Chloe Buchan for the beautiful custom art of Leni ❤️

Great day auditing the Dr. Gerd Heuschmann clinic hosted by Seven Hills Training!!

What an amazing educational opportunity & thoughtfully organized event. So many concepts that aligned with and built on other continuing education I’ve done recently.. and lots of food for thought regarding the type of rider I’d like to be.

Just registered do audit Day 1 (Tues)! Such a cool opportunity - who wants to come audit with me? 👀

PUBLIC REGISTRATION IS LIVE 🏁 | Dr. Gerd Heuschmann at Seven Hills

The wait is over! Registration for Dr. Gerd Heuschmann’s final scheduled U.S. clinic stop (June 2–4) is now officially open to the public.

Our priority list has been moving fast:

🔴 RIDER SPOTS: June 3 (Day 2) is already SOLD OUT.
🟢 RIDER SPOTS: We have just 3 riding slots remaining for Day 1 (June 2) and Day 3 (June 4).
✨ AUDITOR UPDATE: To accommodate the incredible demand for this final tour stop, Gerd has agreed to increase our gallery to 30 seats per day.

Having studied with Gerd for over a decade, I’ve seen firsthand how his work serves as a vital bridge between classical dressage principles and the biomechanical realities of the horse. This 3-day masterclass is a deep dive into the 'horse-first' philosophy he has championed worldwide to ensure our horses' long-term soundness and well-being. This is a rare, final opportunity to study with a mentor who has dedicated his life to being a voice for the horse at Seven Hills in Monroe.

How to Secure Your Spot:
Click the link below to book your auditor pass or grab one of the last 3 riding sessions before they are gone.

🔗https://sevenhillstraining.com/gerd-clinic

Waitlist Info: Missed out on a June 3 riding spot? You can join the official waitlist by adding the $0 "Waitlist" item to your cart during registration. We will notify riders in the order received if a cancellation occurs.

We can’t wait to see you in June!

Since starting my deep dive into studying the equine body, I’m reminded every day that the horses are our best teacher. This past weekend I had the opportunity to experience this in a new dimension through a 3-day whole horse dissection guided by the amazing Trinity Equine Services and Northwest School of Animal Massage. Layer by layer, we examined this amazing system, all connected by a beautiful web of fascia. What an incredible opportunity to dive under the skin to see and touch the intricately woven tissues that I think about every day. I’m looking forward to considering different approaches, and implementing new and reinforced knowledge (good practitioners and biologists never stop learning!!) as I continue my practice and study of the equine body. I’ll keep the photos shared here relatively internet friendly, but please ask me questions if you want to hear or see more!

It’s been an honor getting to do sessions on Frida B The Horse as she has continued her rehab back in WA ❤️

I love how much I get to learn on the job, including more about this ground-breaking procedure!

Rare surgery successfully performed on young mare A new large bore equine CT scanner has revolutionised the surgery that a veterinary hospital in California can offer.