Lowcountry Equine

These photos are 3 months apart. No riding. No fancy equipment. No intense conditioning program. Just consistent groundwork and walk work 2-3 times a week after nearly two years off. Same feed program.

I’m amazed how little is required to see gains. Don’t get me wrong. I’d still like to see him stronger, but this is incredible gains from low impact exercise.

If your horse looks like my before photos, you should not be riding in my opinion. Why do I say that ? Look how dropped he is through his thoracic sling, how weak his is core is, and how it’s starting to affect his limb positions (camped in!). Riding at this stage of development would only strengthen his dysfunctional compensation patterns which will lead to joint dysfunction , pain, etc.

Spend the time getting your horse strong enough to support you on his back. 6- 8 weeks of conditioning 4 to 5 times a week would’ve gotten us the same results and probably even better results! This is also more reason to use groundwork for Cross training and your riding program!

Do you see the changes? What are your thoughts on groundwork and pre-rehabbing before ridden work after extended time off?

This muscle development pattern is very common! Food for thought.

STIFLE SAFETY

I originally shared this in my Gueriniere’s Square group, but I thought it might be relevant to share here, as well, since I’ve gotten a lot of questions and concerns about classical work that is safe for stifles.

I discourage any work that attempts to heavily load the hind limb while the hind joints remain relatively extended.

For instance, driving the hind legs forward at too quick a tempo to force tracking up or overtracking without sufficient pelvic engagement can result in the hind limb landing with the tibia positioned too far in front of the vertical and the hock and stifle relatively extended while accepting load.

Similar extended-joint loading can also occur during downhill work, or with any exercises that over-immobilize the hindquarters or attempt to mechanically shift weight from front to back before the hind limb has folded sufficiently underneath the body. This can include front-to-back thoracic sling work, front-to-back school halt, and front-to-back bilateral or diagonal weight shifts.

It can be much safer to attempt these from back-to-front, allowing the stifle and hind limb to fold underneath the horse, while engaging the correct muscle groups (longissimus bridge/gluteo-pelvic fulcrum), rather than the muscle groups that pull the horse back with tension, which, in my experience, is often associated with soreness through the thoracic sling and lumbar region.

I’m also cautious with lateral work where the outside hind limb lands excessively far from the body, because this may increase loading on the stifle while the limb is relatively extended and abducted.

So I’m cautious with side passing, four track shoulder-in, and full hindquarter mobilizations around a fixed point/Giravolta, unless performed at a very shallow angle.

For shoulder-in, the fence can help keep the outside hind contained (Gueriniere’s genius adaption of Newcastle’s shoulder-in on the circle).

On a square or circle, counter shoulder-in can be a better option, because the line of travel and centrifugal force tends to direct that hind closer toward the midline.

One advantage of the square is that it tends to encourage the inside hind limb to fold before loading, while the forward line of travel through the corner helps direct the outside hind forward instead of laterally.

Renvers is often well tolerated even in comparison to shoulder-in, because the bend tends to contain the abducting hind limb and direct it forward, rather than laterally away from the center of mass.
Something to look out for is renvers pirouettes with insufficient bend or excessive angle, where the forelimb is not adducting, resulting in mechanics similar to the Giravolta.

The Diagonal Motor Pattern Assessment is one of the lowest-risk exercises I’ve found, because the horse regulates the workload, because we aren’t dictating how much they’re driving or angling.

I also feel that Gueriniere’s ‘Passing Through the Corners’ is one of the best ways to safely influence diagonal balance from back-to-front.

Almost no one teaches corners this way anymore, and it’s a great way to introduce diagonal balance and hind limb folding just a singular step at a time.

To simplify…

Excessive speed, extension, and abduction can increase stifle strain, while controlled tempo, flexion, and adduction can provide a safer environment for strengthening.

If your horse is getting sore in the shoulders, the lumbar, the stifles, it may be time to return to time -tested classical work, including lateral work that folds the hindlimbs. Straight work alone, if the hindlimbs are braced, can continue to exacerbate these issues.

And one of the things that I’m really stressing in my Gueriniere Square Workshop is the importance of interval work… his square variations create interval training naturally!

We’ve seen some amazing changes in hock and stifle tensegrity and stabilization after just a few weeks in the workshop, by using simple, time-tested classical work that encourages controlled tempo, flexion, and adduction, with intervals and workload determined by the horse.

As always, any horse with known or suspected stifle pathology should be evaluated by a veterinarian, and any rehabilitation program should be undertaken with veterinary guidance.

If progress plateaus, lameness develops, or negative changes are observed, seek appropriate diagnostics before continuing training.

Below:

A horse stressing the stifle in canter, vs folding the hind leg better in canter.

Stressing the stifle in a rear, vs a classically trained, ‘folded’ levade.

Forcing weight front-to-back onto unfolded hinds, and an overextended hindlimb ‘tracking up,’ with the tibia in front of the vertical.

Classical Stifle Rehab…
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18Sa5WNi2q/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Lowcountry Equine will be in Columbia/Lexington/Ridgeway area next week, April 9 & 10 and have a few more spots for new bodywork clients available! Haul ins will be available at Red Horse Ranch LLC or can travel within small radius depending on location.

THE LOWCOUNTRY EQUINE APPROACH
Every horse deserves individualized care. Sessions blend multiple modalities — myofascial release, sports massage, acupressure, soft tissue mobilization, stretching, and nerve compression release — tailored to your horse’s unique needs.

We also integrate BEMER PEMF therapy to boost circulation, accelerate recovery, and reduce inflammation, ensuring support from the inside out.

Equine bodywork can benefit every horse, from retired seniors to competitive athletes.

Please check visit website for more information , DM to schedule

www.lowcountryequine.com

Lowcountry Equine will be in Columbia/Lexington/Ridgeway area April 9-10 and have a few more spots for new bodywork clients available! Haul ins available at Red Horse Ranch LLC or travel possible in small radius depending on location.

THE LOWCOUNTRY EQUINE APPROACH
Every horse deserves individualized care. Sessions blend multiple modalities — myofascial release, sports massage, acupressure, soft tissue mobilization, stretching, and nerve compression release — tailored to your horse’s unique needs.

We also integrate BEMER PEMF therapy to boost circulation, accelerate recovery, and reduce inflammation, ensuring support from the inside out.

Equine bodywork can benefit every horse, from retired seniors to competitive athletes.

Please check visit website for more information , DM to schedule

www.lowcountryequine.com

Love this idea! Link is in comments

A little digital Christmas card from Lowcountry Equine because the real ones didn’t make it to the mailbox. 🙂
Feeling so grateful for each of you and wishing you, your families, and your ponies a joyful, peaceful Christmas to close out 2025 🎄✨

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.” — Romans 15:13

— with love, Caroline @ Lowcountry Equine

Great info here. If your horse struggles with the farrier this is something to consider!

Our next question on the Equine Cervical Neck -
How does arthritis in the neck affect hoof handling of both front and hind feet? Thank You, Monique L

If your horse struggles with their farrier work or afterward, there could be a reason unrelated to the trim/shoeing.
• Pain with sustained positioning.
Farrier work requires the horse to hold a limb up and often slightly flexed for several minutes at a time. For a horse with lower cervical (neck) arthritis, this prolonged positioning acts like a long flexion test, stressing painful joints and surrounding soft tissues.

• Nerve involvement (especially in the front limbs).
The nerves that supply the front legs originate in the lower neck and brachial plexus. Arthritis can irritate or compress these nerves. Vibrations from rasping and hammering travel up the limb and can amplify nerve pain, making hoof work very uncomfortable.

• Shoulder girdle strain.
Lifting and holding a front leg requires stabilization through the neck and shoulder girdle. If the neck is arthritic, this effort can trigger pain that persists for days after farrier work, sometimes mimicking lameness caused by the trim or shoeing.

• Hind feet are affected too.
Although the hind limbs are not directly innervated by the brachial plexus, holding a hind leg up requires the horse to brace through the neck and back to maintain balance. Neck pain makes this difficult, so the horse may resist, fidget, or become sore afterward.

• Delayed soreness after farrier work.
Horses with cervical arthritis may appear fine during trimming but become lame or stiff for 2–4 days afterward, leading to farriers being blamed for issues like “taking too much off” or nail pain, when the real source is cervical discomfort.

Bottom line:
If a horse consistently struggles with farrier work—front or hind—especially with signs of soreness afterward, resistance to holding legs up, or sensitivity to vibration, the neck is an important place to investigate, particularly for arthritis or nerve-related pain.