work with Shelley
Individualized support for horses, riders, and the partnership between them.
I maintain a limited schedule for individualized horse and rider assessments at Khaleesi Acres in Eagle, Idaho.
These sessions are designed for equestrians who want a deeper look at movement, biomechanics, physical capacity, or a performance question that is difficult to understand from training alone.
My approach combines physiotherapy, movement analysis, biomechanics, and a trainer’s perspective to help identify what may be limiting performance—and what to do next.
Services
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Look beyond the symptom.
A horse may be sound but still feel different.
Perhaps one direction is harder. A transition has changed. The horse is struggling with a familiar task. Their behavior is different. Or something simply does not feel quite right.
A Horse Performance Assessment looks at the complete picture rather than one isolated body part.
Depending on the horse and the question, we may consider:
Posture and movement
Strength and coordination
Mobility and symmetry
Muscle development
Performance of specific tasks
Behavior and willingness
Workload and recovery
Tack and rider influence
Training history and current goals
The goal is to identify meaningful priorities and leave you with a clearer plan for what to address next.
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Understand how your body influences the ride.
The rider is one half of the partnership.
Restrictions in mobility, strength, balance, coordination, or confidence can influence how clearly you communicate with your horse and how effectively you move together.
Sessions may include work both on and off the horse to evaluate:
Alignment and symmetry
Mobility
Strength and stability
Balance and coordination
Movement patterns
Position in the saddle
Ability to apply aids clearly
Return to riding following injury
When appropriate, I use my physical therapy background to address the rider’s individual physical needs while keeping the demands of riding in mind.
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Two systems. One partnership.
Horse and rider are two individual athletes, each with their own movement patterns, strengths, limitations, confidence, and experience.
When they work together, those two systems need to coordinate.
A combined Horse + Rider Performance Assessment lets us look at:
How the horse moves independently
How the rider moves independently
What changes when they work together
Where strength, mobility, balance, timing, or coordination may be influencing performance
Whether the current training demands match the capacity of both athletes
This is often the best option when the question is not simply:
“What is wrong with the horse?”
or
“What is wrong with the rider?”
but rather:
“What is happening between the two of us?”
I often describe my work this way:
I train horses with their people—and people with their horses.
Not Sure Which Option Fits?
You do not need to diagnose the problem before you contact me.
Tell me a little about you, your horse, what has changed, and what you are trying to accomplish. I can help determine whether an individual assessment makes sense—or whether your needs would be better served through horse development, rehabilitation, Ride Well education, or another member of your professional team.