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The Functional Horse
Blog
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Restore function first, strengthen second
horse training Katja Porenta 6/29/23 horse training Katja Porenta 6/29/23

Restore function first, strengthen second

Strengthening exercises, especially those targeting the core, have become very popular. While we do need to strengthen our horses if we want them to carry us, it is important to…

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Why cavaletti in walk is pure gold
horse training Katja Porenta 6/22/23 horse training Katja Porenta 6/22/23

Why cavaletti in walk is pure gold

Working over cavaletti can be very beneficial or very harmful, depending on how it’s done. Using the cavaletti in walk can be a wonderful exercise for horses in re-training.

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Sometimes it's not your fault
husbandry Katja Porenta 6/15/23 husbandry Katja Porenta 6/15/23

Sometimes it's not your fault

A lot of issues in the modern horse are caused by the way we keep and own them, but not everything is our fault. Some common issues can be seen in foals and predate our training.

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Girthiness is never normal 
equine bodywork, whole horse rehabilitation Katja Porenta 6/8/23 equine bodywork, whole horse rehabilitation Katja Porenta 6/8/23

Girthiness is never normal 

Unfortunately, girthy horses are very common in the equine industry. While we might be used to the sight of a horse pinning his ears while the girth is fastened, this is far from normal. There is always a reason behind girth aversion, and we owe it to the horse to find it.

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What's the cause behind persistent back pain?
checklist, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 6/1/23 checklist, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 6/1/23

What's the cause behind persistent back pain?

Persistent back pain is an issue a lot of horses struggle with. In order to get rid of it once and for all, we need to understand where it comes from.

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Is the belly lift exercise always a good idea?
equine bodywork Katja Porenta 5/25/23 equine bodywork Katja Porenta 5/25/23

Is the belly lift exercise always a good idea?

The belly lift is a very popular core strengthening exercise, but for some horses it might not be appropriate.

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Strategies to cope with stress
husbandry Katja Porenta 5/18/23 husbandry Katja Porenta 5/18/23

Strategies to cope with stress

Chronic stress can do a lot of damage to the horse’s body and mind. Here are some strategies that you can implement to reduce stress in your horse’s life.

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Why stress is worse than you think
husbandry Katja Porenta 5/11/23 husbandry Katja Porenta 5/11/23

Why stress is worse than you think

While it can be a great survival strategy, the stress response can do a lot of damage, if it becomes chronic. Its negative effects are both physical and mental.

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Is asymmetry always bad?
functional anatomy Katja Porenta 5/4/23 functional anatomy Katja Porenta 5/4/23

Is asymmetry always bad?

Asymmetry can often be a sign of dysfunction, but is it always bad?

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Try this technique for TMJ discomfort
equine bodywork Katja Porenta 4/27/23 equine bodywork Katja Porenta 4/27/23

Try this technique for TMJ discomfort

Here is a set of very gentle, but powerful set of techniques that help horses with TMJ discomfort.

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5 benefits of track life
equine husbandry Katja Porenta 4/19/23 equine husbandry Katja Porenta 4/19/23

5 benefits of track life

Track systems have many health benefits. Here are some I have noticed with my own horses.

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Does my horse need groundwork?
checklist, horse training Katja Porenta 4/13/23 checklist, horse training Katja Porenta 4/13/23

Does my horse need groundwork?

Groundwork is crucial for providing the stability and strength that the modern horse needs before he can carry a rider. Here’s why.

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How to help horses with arthritis?
checklist, senior horse management Katja Porenta 4/6/23 checklist, senior horse management Katja Porenta 4/6/23

How to help horses with arthritis?

Despite the fact that changes in joint cartilage are mostly non-reversible, there are things we can do to keep our arthritic horses more comfortable. Here are some management ideas to help keep these horses more comfortable.

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Hunter's bump – restoring functionality
equine bodywork, functional anatomy, biomechanics Katja Porenta 3/30/23 equine bodywork, functional anatomy, biomechanics Katja Porenta 3/30/23

Hunter's bump – restoring functionality

We talked a little bit about what a hunter's bump is and how it occurs. In this post I want to delve a bit more into the practical aspect of dealing with this issue.

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Should I be worried if my horse has a hunter's bump?
equine bodywork, functional anatomy, biomechanics Katja Porenta 3/23/23 equine bodywork, functional anatomy, biomechanics Katja Porenta 3/23/23

Should I be worried if my horse has a hunter's bump?

Hunter's bumps are a relatively common sight in horses, especially in big warmbloods. Most horse owners know what a hunter's bump looks like, but not many know where it comes from.

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Try this move for the neck fascia.
equine bodywork Katja Porenta 3/16/23 equine bodywork Katja Porenta 3/16/23

Try this move for the neck fascia.

Tightness in the neck is very common in horses and it is often caused by restrictions in the fascis. Here is a simple move you can try to loosen up your horse's neck.

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Assessing the thoracic sling.
functional anatomy, checklist Katja Porenta 3/9/23 functional anatomy, checklist Katja Porenta 3/9/23

Assessing the thoracic sling.

The thoracic sling is crucial to the horse’s ability to carry the rider, so we need to make sure it is functioning properly. Here are some signs of thoracic sling dysfunction to look out for.

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Who needs good posture?
equine bodywork, whole horse rehabilitation Katja Porenta 3/1/23 equine bodywork, whole horse rehabilitation Katja Porenta 3/1/23

Who needs good posture?

Good posture is not something that belongs only in the rehabilitation process. It is good for every horse, regardless of age, breed and workload.

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Is your horse at risk for injury?
checklist, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 2/22/23 checklist, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 2/22/23

Is your horse at risk for injury?

Injuries rarely happen “out of nowhere”. They are usually a consequence of long-term myofascial dysfunction. Here are some clues that your horse might be headed towards an injury.

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Talking to the nervous system
equine bodywork Katja Porenta 2/15/23 equine bodywork Katja Porenta 2/15/23

Talking to the nervous system

A simple exercise you can do with your horse to release some front-end tension and address the nervous system.

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KATJA PORENTA EEBW

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info@thefunctionalhorse.com