North Haven

North Haven Whatever a horse is forced to do, it will do without understanding or beauty. Xenophon

11/27/2025
11/18/2025

So many riders start their warm-up by shaping the neck… but that isn’t where true training begins.

A good warm-up starts with the horse in his own natural balance, the place where he feels safe, loose, and coordinated.

From there, you ride him forward, let him find the contact, and only then allow the frame to develop.

The frame isn’t something you put on your horse.

It’s something that appears when the horse feels relaxed, balanced, and confident in his own body.

Start with his balance, not your picture, and the rest will follow. ✨

11/17/2025
11/17/2025

Take care of the horse's stifles! Even though "disengaging the hindquarters" is a popular technique when training young or unschooled horses, it taxes the stifles and often leads to soreness and dysfunction. Stifles are not designed well for sideways movement of the limbs.They must first be made stable and strong with forward, balanced work. Otherwise, not only is the stifle joint compromised, but the supporting musculature which originates from higher up the pelvis and lower back is also strained. The result is often inflamed joints, diminished range of motion, and poor use of the hind limbs. So, at the risk of being controversial, I would encourage all of us to avoid disengaging the hindquarters in an unfit horse.

09/12/2025

Having too much fun putting on final touches!

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4175 Hessel Road
Sebastopol, CA
95472

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