Phoenix Equestrian

It was a very successful day today at Fox Lea Farm for our riders.

Lolie and Maeve brought home two 1sts and a 2nd in the Young Hunters

Karlie and Esther took 3rd in .65 and 1st in the .75 jumpers

Way to go ladies!

A good day for our riders Fox Lea Farm March Outreach Show.

Lolie and Maeve
3rd place - .75 Jumpers
2nd place - .85 Jumpers

Karlie and Esther
4th - .65 Jumpers
5th - .75 Jumpers

Raya and Bravo

5th and 1st over fences in the Open Working Hunter and 5th in the flat

Overall very proud of our girls!

Upright, relaxed connection with a nearly perfect straight line from elbow to mouth, nose slightly in front of the vertical.

Today's equestrians have such a distorted perspective on how round a horse should be in the contact, that this beautiful display would be considered not round enough. Other trainers would say, make him rounder, wiggle your fingers left and right, use the hand to make the connection. This couldn't be more wrong fundamentally.

We love seeing our horses worked correctly, back to front. Their bodies truly flourish under a horse first focused program.

Why barefoot?
Why grain-free?

Below are front radiographs taken 5 years apart on a horse that came to my program for continued training. What you're seeing are the original radiographs taken prior to shoe removal and the second after 5 years of barefoot rehabilitation and grain free nutrition.

This is simple physics.

1. Primary Law: Newton's Third Law (Action-Reaction)
This law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Application: When a joint is restricted (e.g., stiff ankle), it cannot absorb the intended load (force) during movement. The body must compensate to satisfy the overall movement goal.

Result: The force that should have been absorbed by the stiff joint is transferred to an adjacent joint (e.g., the knee or hip), which now experiences a "reaction force" that it is not designed to manage long-term.

We see this often in young horses developing ring bone, side bone, etc.

The Hoof is supposed to absorb forces from the ground, when restricted by a rigid shoe, the soft tissues atrophy and the shock absorption is taken on by areas not meant for the job.

How does grain free nutrition play a part you may ask? Well what we know about arthritis is that inflammation begets osteoarthritis. We know that byproducts and synthetic nutrients and soy and excessive amounts of alfalfa all contribute to systemic inflammation. This supports the development of arthritic conditions.

We never imagined that one dose of Tildren therapy, barefoot rehabilitation, and a commitment to grain free nutrition would ever reverse the ringbone on this horse's pasterns. However, what a wonderful result!

Before and after of a 5-year-old warmblood mare from intake to 1 year and 5 months later as a 6-year-old.

This timeline reflects a focus on foundational development, including a forage-based nutrition program, hoof rehabilitation, and progressive conditioning to support strength, balance, and overall biomechanics.

Over time, she was thoughtfully introduced under saddle and gradually brought along with exercises designed to build stability, coordination, and confidence, eventually progressing to small fences.

A clear example of what consistent, correct development over time can look like!
❤️

We finally did it! Tina Evans let me give our handsome Cubano boy a haircut! I sure think he looks dapper 😍

Venice Equestrian Tour 2026 was an incredible experience and success. Our students learned a lot and many well earned ribbons brought home. Star was officially carded a large pony and Maeve debuted the A circuit with applause taking 3rd in the Coquina. Looking forward to USHJA Outreach and Spring Concourse!

Special thank you to Michelle and her team at Forever Photo Company for taking such wonderful photos as always!

Star is braided and ready for tomorrow's Large Children's Pony! Sweet itch mane is quite the challenge!

A rainy afternoon is a great time for Centurion Therapulse. What I love about this therapy blanket is that I can isolate each frequency. This enables me to treat active inflammation or acute injuries better by avoiding the frequency that increases circulation. Today, Whiskey is enjoying the circulation frequency of 15Hz. This therapy is available as an add-on to boarders at Phoenix Eq.

Jade and Whiskey have been working on hind end engagement, straightness, and connection. Today was especially successful!