I didn't think I’d ever have my own horse—a dream I had boxed up and labeled fantastical years ago—but I hoped so from the moment Ginger sniffed my hand. In four months I’d have to move for college and leave her behind, but I simply refused to let this little red mare slip out of my fingers. There was something special simmering right underneath her anger at the world.

As we got to know each other, I felt more and more that something painful about her past had been overlooked. The explanations people offered weren't cutting it anymore. I knew the slow, stiff way she moved wasn't a laziness problem. I knew the way she lashed out at me for grooming certain areas wasn't just her being "ticklish". Most of all, I knew there was a more vibrant, confident, personable version of this horse I already loved so deeply, locked away somewhere by years of fear and stress. The baggage had to be shed, somehow. As I learned the truth about equine behavior I realized that using force, even if it appeared to work short-term, would only send that unicorn-Ginger deeper into hiding. She needed time. She needed a whole lot of bodywork. She needed radical compassion. Most of all, she needed someone to be patient with her and with themselves.

Creating a truly happy, healthy, well-adjusted horse means not only knowing the science, but being willing to experiment with it personally. All of us will stumble somewhere in the search for practices that are both effective and ethical. I’m here to help you on that path, because I’ve seen firsthand the massive changes that can occur when you address your horse from top to bottom, inside and out. Everything has changed for us since I committed to looking at Ginger is truly both my greatest teacher and proudest accomplishment. Today she is a happy, comfortable, athletic little mare who has gone from biting riders as they mount up to packing me around bitless in and out of the arena. She loves taking oral medication and seeing the farrier (yes, really!). Creating a truly happy and capable athlete means addressing the horse holistically, which is where I come in—helping address physical, mental, and emotional discomfort in your horse whether your goal is to trail ride safely or compete on a regular basis.