Michelle Method

First massage gun experience: 10/10, Cody approves. 😂🐴💆‍♂️

I introduced Cody to the massage gun for the first time today, and I think it’s safe to say he was a fan. He relaxed into it almost immediately… and at one point, he rested his head right on my shoulder. 🥹

Obviously, I’m choosing to believe that was his way of giving me an “OMG thank you, I love you” appreciation hug. 😂🤎

We’re still so early in getting to know each other, so these little moments mean a lot to me. Right now, I’m not just learning about his body, movement, strengths, and weaknesses, I’m learning him. What he enjoys, what helps him relax, how he communicates, and what makes him feel comfortable with me.

And apparently, massage guns are officially on Cody’s list of approved activities. 😂

He is seriously the cutest, and I already adore working with him. I’m SO excited to see how his body, strength, confidence, and our relationship develop over the next few months.

Something tells me we’re going to have a lot of fun together. 🥹🐴🤎

The Cody era has officially begun. ✨

Follow his journey on YouTube! Comment “YOUTUBE” for the full video.

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

Bigger is NOT better with this exercise. 👀🐴

Lower Limb Front Leg Circles may look almost too simple to matter, but that tiny movement is exactly the point.

This exercise focuses on creating small, controlled circles through the lower portion of the front limb. We’re not trying to swing the entire leg around or create the biggest circle possible. The movement should be VERY small, slow, and controlled.

Why?

When we make the movement too large, we start creating motion from higher up the limb and moving the entire leg rather than focusing on controlled mobility of the lower limb.

Think quality over quantity and control over range.

Within The Michelle Method, exercises don’t need to look dramatic to be valuable. Small, intentional movements can help us work on:
✨ Joint mobility
✨ Proprioception and body awareness
✨ Relaxation through movement
✨ Comfortable, controlled range of motion

And remember… mobility is only one piece of the puzzle. We ultimately want to combine appropriate mobility with stability, strength, and control so your horse can better manage the forces placed through their limbs during movement.

So when you perform these circles, think:
Tiny. Slow. Controlled. 🤏🐴

Sometimes the smallest movements require the most precision.

Comment “YOUTUBE” for the full video! 🎥

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

There’s a BIG difference between performing an exercise and following a strength & conditioning program.

If your horse has been doing the exact same poles, backing, belly lifts, or hill work for months, their body has likely adapted to that demand.

To continue building strength, you need progressive overload… which is gradually increasing the challenge as your horse becomes stronger.

That DOESN’T mean making every workout harder.

Progression can look like:
→ Increasing from 3 quality reps to 5
→ Holding a belly lift or weight shift longer
→ Progressing flat poles to slightly raised poles
→ Increasing the distance or duration of an exercise
→ Adding transitions or more complex foot placement
→ Improving control before adding intensity

In The Michelle Method, we think about 3 things:

1. FREQUENCY: Are we training consistently enough to create adaptation?

2. QUALITY: Can the horse perform the exercise correctly without compensating?

3. PROGRESSION: Once it becomes easy, how can we safely increase the demand?

And don’t forget… recovery is part of strengthening too.

The goal isn’t to exhaust your horse.

It’s to provide enough stimulus → allow recovery → adapt → progressively challenge again.

That’s how an “exercise” becomes an actual strength & conditioning program. 🐴💪

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

One of the biggest mistakes I see with stretching is chasing range. More is not always better. Pulling harder, holding longer, or forcing a limb farther doesn’t automatically create better mobility, and can cause your horse to brace against you instead of relax into the movement.

A quality stretch should be:
✨ Slow and controlled
✨ Within a comfortable range
✨ Free of pulling, twisting, or forcing
✨ Performed while your horse can maintain their balance and relax

And remember: flexibility alone isn’t the goal.

Within The Michelle Method, mobility work complements strength training. We want joints that can move through an appropriate range AND muscles that have the strength, stability, and control to support that movement.

Comment “YOUTUBE” and I’ll send you the full video! 🎥

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

Balance isn’t just something your horse either “has” or doesn’t. It’s a skill that can be trained. 💪🐴

Here are 5 of my favorite exercises I use to challenge balance, body awareness, and controlled weight shifting.

When we ask a horse to intentionally shift their weight forward, backward, side-to-side, or onto fewer limbs, we’re asking their body to make constant small postural corrections to stay organized.

And those tiny corrections matter.

⚖️ Balance + weight-shifting exercises can help:
• Improve proprioception and body awareness
• Strengthen the deep postural and stabilizing muscles
• Improve core and trunk control
• Encourage better control of the thoracic sling and pelvis
• Improve coordination between the limbs
• Build confidence when the horse’s center of mass changes
• Create a stronger foundation for transitions, lateral work, uneven terrain, and more advanced exercises

Through controlled balance work, you’re teaching the horse to recognize where their body is, redistribute load, stabilize, and regain equilibrium without rushing or compensating.

Start simple. Focus on QUALITY. Then progressively increase the challenge as your horse becomes stronger and more coordinated. 🧠💪

Want to try balance work with your horse?

Comment BALANCE below and I’ll send you my FREE Mini Balance Guide! 🐴✨

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For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

If your horse struggles with balance, you might think they need more poles, harder exercises, or more complicated groundwork.

But I would start much simpler:
Teach them to stand as square as possible, as often as you can.

Why? 👇

Standing square is one of the simplest ways to practice symmetrical weight-bearing and postural control.

When a horse habitually stands with one limb forward, one hind tucked underneath, or constantly rests the same leg, they’re repeatedly practicing an uneven loading strategy.

And remember: your horse gets stronger at what they repeatedly practice.

When I encourage a horse to stand square, I’m asking them to:
→ Distribute load across all 4 limbs
→ Engage their postural stabilizing system
→ Improve proprioceptive awareness of where their feet are
→ Maintain their center of mass over a more symmetrical base of support
→ Practice stability WITHOUT relying on movement or momentum

Before I ask a horse to balance through raised poles, lateral work, transitions, hills, or eventually collection, I want them to first understand how to organize their body at a standstill.

Will standing square magically fix every imbalance? No.

But those 10–30 seconds you practice while grooming, tacking up, waiting at the mounting block, or throughout your groundwork?

They add up.

Balance isn’t only trained during workouts.

It’s trained in the little moments, too. 🐴💪

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

Everyone meet Cody, an 8-year-old off-the-track Arabian and my new lease !

I’ve already had the opportunity to watch Cody under saddle and on the lunge, learn his routine, and talk with his owner about some of the challenges they’ve been working through.

But today? We didn’t start with strengthening exercises.

We started with trust.

Strength & conditioning isn’t just about what exercise you choose. Before I ask a horse to problem-solve, balance differently, coordinate their body, or progressively take on more difficult exercises, I want them to feel safe learning with me.

So today my goal was simple:

Be calm.
Be patient.
Be predictable.
Listen to his responses.
And make our first session a positive one.

Because eventually I’m going to ask Cody to do things that are unfamiliar and challenging, and I want him to approach those challenges with curiosity and confidence rather than tension or fear.

That’s an important part of The Michelle Method that people don’t always see:

Progressive overload requires progressive trust, too.

We’re not just building stronger muscles. We’re building the horse’s confidence in their body, their environment, and the person guiding them through the process.

Today wasn’t about seeing how much Cody could do.

It was about showing him who I am.

And now we get to build from here. 🐴💪

I’m SO excited to document Cody’s journey over the next few months and show you exactly how I progressively build his strength, balance, coordination, and confidence.

Comment “YOUTUBE” for the full video!

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

The Front Limb Adduction exercise is one of my favorite ways to improve shoulder stability, balance, and body awareness. 🐴💪

Many people focus on strengthening the hind end, but don’t forget… the front limbs support approximately 60–65% of your horse’s body weight. Healthy movement starts with a stable, well-functioning front end.

During this exercise, the front limb is gently brought across the midline of the body while your horse remains relaxed and balanced. When performed correctly, it may help:
✅ Improve shoulder mobility
✅ Maintain flexibility of the soft tissues surrounding the shoulder
✅ Challenge balance and postural stability through the supporting limb
✅ Improve proprioception (body awareness)
✅ Encourage controlled movement rather than compensation
✅ Support healthy movement patterns as part of a complete conditioning program

The most important rule? Never force the movement.

Move only within your horse’s comfortable, pain-free range of motion. The motion should be slow, controlled, and relaxed. If your horse resists, loses balance, or appears uncomfortable, reduce the range and reassess. Quality movement is always more important than a larger range.

At The Michelle Method, we don’t perform mobility exercises in isolation. We combine them with progressive strength training, balance work, and conditioning so your horse develops the strength to control their mobility… not just the flexibility to achieve it.

Because the goal isn’t simply a more mobile shoulder…

It’s a horse that moves with better stability, better posture, and greater confidence every time they take a step.

👇Comment “YOUTUBE” below for more free step-by-step explanation videos, and follow for evidence-based horse strength and conditioning tips!

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

Your horse doesn’t have to be an Olympic athlete to benefit from strength training. ❤️🐴

At The Michelle Method, we work with horses at every stage of life… from young horses just starting under saddle to senior and retired horses whose owners simply want to keep them comfortable, strong, and moving well for years to come.

Because the goal isn’t just performance…

It’s longevity.

Just like humans, horses naturally lose strength, stability, flexibility, and coordination if these qualities aren’t trained. The stronger and more balanced your horse becomes, the better they’re able to support their joints, move efficiently, and enjoy the job we ask them to do.

Every custom program is built specifically for your horse and may include:
✨ Progressive strength exercises
✨ Pole work
✨ Hill work
✨ In-hand conditioning
✨ Balance and proprioception training
✨ Stretching and mobility
✨ Soft tissue techniques and massage
✨ Kinesiology taping
✨ Recovery strategies
…and so much more.

This isn’t about chasing the perfect topline for a photo.

It’s about giving your horse the best chance to stay sound, confident, comfortable, and capable for as many years as possible.

Because they give us everything they have every single day.

They deserve a program that’s designed specifically for them.

If you’ve been telling yourself, “I’ll start next month”… this is your sign to stop waiting.

Every month you invest in your horse’s strength today is an investment in how they’ll move tomorrow.

💬 Comment “ME” below and let’s create a custom program designed specifically for your horse. Don’t waste another year wishing you had started sooner.

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.

How does the Equiband around the belly help your horse? 🤔

The belly band isn’t just another piece of equipment. It’s a tool that provides gentle sensory input to encourage your horse to use their body differently.

When fitted correctly, the band provides light pressure to the abdominal region, which may encourage your horse to:
✅ Activate the abdominal muscles
✅ Improve core engagement
✅ Support better spinal stability
✅ Encourage lifting through the thoracic and lumbar regions
✅ Improve postural awareness
✅ Promote more efficient movement patterns

Think of it as giving your horse a gentle reminder to engage their core while they move. However, the Equiband doesn’t build strength on its own. Real strength comes from progressive training. The band simply helps facilitate muscle activation while your horse performs appropriate exercises.

That’s why, at The Michelle Method, we combine tools like the Equiband with strength exercises, pole work, hill work, balance training, mobility exercises, and individualized conditioning programs to create lasting improvements in movement and topline development.

⚠️ Important: If this is your horse’s first time using an Equiband, start with just a few minutes and gradually increase the duration in 5-minute increments over multiple sessions. Introducing it too quickly can leave your horse sore because the muscles are working in a new way. Always ensure the band is fitted correctly, your horse is comfortable, and discontinue use if you notice signs of pain or distress.

Remember: equipment doesn’t create results… consistent, progressive training does.

💬 Save this post for later, follow for more evidence-based horse strength and conditioning tips, and comment “ME” if you’d like a custom program designed specifically for your horse.

For more information, please visit:
www.Michelle-Method.com

Disclaimer: The Michelle Method is a paid strength and conditioning program. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before starting a new program.