The Balanced Horse Project

07/12/2025

🌟 STEP TRAINING Coming to Iva, South Carolina — July 26! 🌟

These days, our time off the farm is limited. On July 26, we’ll be in Iva, SC, working with horse owners whose horses face training, performance limitations or want the advantage of pre-balancing the horse before career training starts.

Our training program is different. Instead of forcing a horse into a “frame,” we help the horse figure out how to correct the way it creates balance. It sounds simple, but it goes to the heart of nearly every problem a horse can have.

We’ve done years of research developing STEP RESET Training. There’s a wealth of science and citations behind why it works. Our goal has always been one thing: SOLVE THE EQUINE PROBLEM.

We had to rethink biomechanics and discover how to modify horse training to prevent chaos by directing the horse to reset its own conformation and equalize how the body develops.

The result?
Improved conformation, which disengages trigger point, mystery pain and resistance. When body symmetry is rest, the horse moves freely, feels better and performs with confidence.

How can you tell if your horse might benefit from STEP Training?

● Mismatched feet
●Head carriage too high or too low
●Lopsided shoulders or dropped back
● Difficulty standing square
● Collapsing on circles
● Rough trot or lope
● Discomfort when girthed
● Refusing jumps
● Excessive mouthing or lip movement
●Head shaking when withers are touched
● Trouble standing for the farrier
● Weak or downhill conformation
● Choking episodes
● Frequent stumbling
● Hard keeper (difficult maintaining weight)

Or simply take a photo of the horse’s chest. Does the right side look the same as the left? If not; your horse may be experiencing a problem we method of horse training can help solve.

DM me to set up an appointment.

If you can’t make it to Iva, ask me about our STEP REMOTE training programs.

Or send your horse to stay with us for a month here at the farm, to result the full benefit of our intense redevelopment programs.

We have programs to help horses reset the body from anywhere in the world.

The reward? A balanced, healthier, happier and confident horse.

07/09/2025

OTTB UPDATE.

We went to the round pen to discover how to create a balanced circle.

He discovered how to use his neck.

07/08/2025

Should I trust?

07/08/2025

The Great Escape

“Get up! We’ve got two mares loose!”

That’s how the day began.

Frank disappeared into the morning mist, halter in hand, while I swung the truck around to block their escape route.

Ginger, our clever grade Quarter Horse mare, has discovered a new trick—she can lift the gate right off its pins. And now, she’s recruited Annie as her partner in crime.

Luckily, their affection for Frank proved stronger than their thirst for freedom. A few quiet words and they both let themselves be caught, heads lowering in guilty surrender.

Thank goodness.

Time for bagels and coffee.

07/08/2025

Ready to work.

07/07/2025

We sage smoked a horse with parasites in both eyes.

Very please with the results.

Tomorrow we use cedar smoke.
Always confuse the parasites.

07/05/2025

Why Remote STEP Training Is Different — And Necessary

At our farm, the horses in the barn are deeply engaged in rebuilding their bodies. While this intensive work happens on-site, it also creates precious breathing space for us to support our international clients through remote STEP Training.

It’s important to know: remote STEP Training is not simply the same series of exercises we use at the farm. Over years of working both on the road and over the internet, we’ve documented crucial differences in outcomes depending on the environment, consistency of application, and the level of human investment.

These observations led us to adapt remote STEP Training into a format that slows the transformation sequence. Why? Because the accelerated shifts horses experience at our farm can be overwhelming for owners when attempted remotely. Slowing the process helps owners better understand—and accept—the natural power behind STEP’s methods.

The Human Factor: Why Mindset Matters

Many readers dismiss the notion that the placebo effect—or more accurately, the power of belief and expectation—could influence results in horse training. Yet research across neuroscience and psychophysiology consistently demonstrates that human states of mind affect both personal performance and the animals we handle.

Studies show that human brainwaves in creative, relaxed states (often called “alpha” or “flow states”) improve communication and non-verbal connection with animals.¹

Horses, as prey animals, are exquisitely sensitive to human nervous system states and mirror the emotional coherence—or incoherence—of their handlers.²

Belief and expectation can modulate stress hormones and even immune response in humans and animals alike.³

In our work, we see this play out clearly. Owners with a scientific, analytical mindset often bring skepticism or interventionist tendencies that disrupt the natural flow of STEP’s principles. In contrast, owners who enter sessions with curiosity, creativity, and willingness to “allow” tend to see far greater transformations in their horses.

This is not magic—it’s biology and physics. The nervous system, fascia, and energetic fields interact continuously, whether we’re aware of it or not.

Why Remote Training Takes Longer

Here’s the reality: while we’d love to bring every horse to our farm for hands-on work, it’s simply not practical for many clients. Transporting long distance horses, horses with significant postural imbalances or stress-induced body shapes, can be stressful and costly. Remote STEP Training makes it possible for owners anywhere in the world to begin shifting their horse’s patterns safely at home.

However, it does require more sessions than having a horse physically present here. The slower pace allows both horse and human to integrate changes without overwhelming their nervous systems.

We’ve learned that explaining this process to communities solely focused on physical mechanics is often an uphill battle we don’t have time to fight. Instead, we focus on results remote STEP Training delivers.

If you’re curious whether remote STEP might be right for your horse, we’d love to talk. The possibilities for change are still remarkable even from afar.

Photo: analysis of conformation is STEP 1 in development of individualized REMOTE STEP training programs.

References

¹ Dietrich, A. (2004). Neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the experience of flow. Consciousness and Cognition, 13(4), 746–761.
² McGreevy, P. D., & McLean, A. N. (2010). Equitation Science. Wiley-Blackwell.
³ Benedetti, F. (2014). Placebo Effects: Understanding the mechanisms in health and disease. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 54, 19–39.

07/05/2025

07/04/2025

Don't get scammed!
Horses sales
Tack
Trailers
Broading
Breeding

Have you been scammed?
Help others by listing your experience with fraudulent sites on Facebook, below.

Here are some of the most commonly reported saddle-related scams on Facebook involving payment for storage, bogus seller profiles, or phantom ads:

Common Saddle Scams on Facebook

1. Fake “Saddle House” pages
Scammers create bogus pages pretending to be reputable tack shops. A warning read:

> “️SCAMMERS‼️ Don't be fooled by this FAKE Saddle House Page … keep an eye out.”

2. “Saddle Solution” scam
Some users noted that adverts for “Saddle Solution” appear suspicious:

> “Has anyone purchased a saddle from ‘saddle solution’? It seems to be a scam…”

3. “Pearson Lacey” (or similar names)
Profiles using this name or variants (“Pearson Lacey Scammer”) have been flagged:

> “Avoid Pearson Lacey Scammer… I paid via [PayPal] and got scammed.”

🔍 Red flags to watch for:

Brand-new or suspiciously vague pages without authentic history.

Sellers requesting deposits for storage or immediate payment before shipping.

Fake pay‑by‑PayPal emails that mimic official notifications but don’t actually show funds in your account.

How to protect yourself:

Only use secure payment methods, like PayPal Goods & Services (not "Friends & Family").

Always log into your actual PayPal account. Don’t trust email notifications alone.

Verify the seller’s identity: check mutual friends, past listings, and profile activity.

When in doubt, flag or report suspicious pages to Facebook immediately.

Something that is new to consummers is ask AI (Grok or CHAT gpt) to screen the site for possible irregularities, scams, or out of country IP addresses.

Summary Table

Scam Name Modus Operandi

Fake Saddle House Pretends to be known shop, request deposits
Saddle Solution Mystery saddle seller, likely fraudulent
Pearson Lacey Uses fake PayPal angle, asks for storage fees

This is just the tip of the problem?

It's a Federal crime that qualifies under RICO wire fraud.

07/04/2025

July 13 2025 we are hosting Equine Dentist Jeff Kelpinger.

If you are in the Dothan Alabama region or the Panhandle Florida, this is a great opportunity to book an appointment to have your horse's mouth balanced. You can meet Jeff at our farm or arrange for him to travel to you.

Go to

Jeff Klepinger Equine Dentist on facebook.

This page highlights his nearly 30 years in equine dentistry. Call/text 904‑327‑9116 for appointments .

07/04/2025

Frank and I decided to put the findings of the Balanced Horse Project into action by training and showing our own horses. To do it right, we brought in a select group of investors so we could bring some of the best Quarter Horse bloodlines into our barn.

During our search for training prospects, we came across Shana Wilson’s Gunnashine for Babes, affectionately known as Gunny. We love this horse for more than his looks. He’s smart, athletic, loving and stays beautifully under his rider.

After starting Gunny in our STEP Training program, we collaborated with Miranda from MNR Horsemanship, who worked with him for a month, exposing him to new environments and the show ring. Her reactions and even the judges’ puzzlement confirmed for us that more Balanced Horses need to hit the show pen!

On our journey scouting horses, we also stumbled upon a daughter of one of the most influential reining sires in history:

Colonels Smoking Gun (Gunner)
• NRHA Lifetime Earnings: Over $177,000
• 1996 NRHA Futurity Open Reserve Champion
• 2001 USET Reining Champion
• NRHA Hall of Fame inductee
• Sired offspring with combined NRHA earnings exceeding $14 million
• Sire of champions like Gunnatrashya, Gunners Special Nite, Spooks Gotta Gun, and many more

And that’s how fate led us to Annie.
Funny enough, it was our friend Luewin who pointed us toward this special mare.

OMG — have you ever had a horse look at you and you just know they’re meant to come home with you? We had no idea at the time that Annie was Gunny’s grand-aunt. They are 1 year apart. Annie 4 and Gunny 3. Gunner Annie's sire has passed on.

On the papers it hints that Annie was an embryo transfer raised by a surrogate mare. So someone spent some money to produce sweet Annie.

When we stood looking at Annie.
I traced my balance lines across her body and tested a few trigger points. The reaction must have been obvious, because the reining trainer immediately dropped her price!

Like any experienced horse trainer , we know that no horse is perfect, no matter how stellar the bloodlines. But with the advantage of 25 years of research behind us, Frank and I felt Annie was a good horse. Then we read her papers, that sealed the deal.

Annie has nearly completed our program, and her symmetry keeps improving. I bought a saddle so we can start some ranch riding patterns.

It’s amazing how life unfolds sometimes.

Here’s Annie today, after STEP RESET Session #2. She’s turned out on grass to run for the first time and it’s pure joy to watch her rediscover herself.

If you are interested in the horses we produce or have a horse that needs improvement, keep us in mind. The skills and knowledge base we offer is very hard to find.