One of my favorite mantras is “Good performance starts with wellness.” 

Have you ever heard the expression “you can’t out train a bad diet?” This is like that, but bigger. You can’t out train a bad diet, bad sleep cycle, bad anxiety, bad discomfort, bad movement . . . . I think a paradigm like this helps you look at the big picture and double check that the base layers are in place. When sticking points develop, you can go through a checklist to make sure you, and your horse, are ready for the pressure of training and performing.

One of the best investments you can make with your horse is working with a physical therapist, osteopath, or another educated movement specialist/bodyworker, and here's why.