Underdogs Performance Horses

02/25/2026

Feet pics on a full schedule of trims and 1 bodywork today 🫣 tommorow will be just as packed as will friday - glad I get a small break of only 2 stops Thursday

02/22/2026

Come pop by and see us at the Washtenaw community tack sale - flyer on bottom

02/22/2026

Schedule is fairly open next week, PM to setup!

Mon - (booked)
Tuesday- open till evening
Wednesday - Midland
Thursday - Belleville
Friday - Celina, OH
Saturday - open in afternoon
Sunday - open

02/21/2026

02/20/2026

Did you know? Compensation is not just mechanical, but also a product of neurology and proprioceptive feedback.

The horse does not care about being symmetrical, it cares about remaining functional under constraint.

So Compensation is not a flaw in the system, but an intelligent, self-organising response to the conditions the horse is placed under. From a farrier perspective, Those conditions include pain, but also the information the horse receives from the ground. Of course the inputs that drive compensation can come from anywhere.

The hoof sits at a unique position in this system. It is not just a structure that transmits force, but a powerful boundary constraint between the horse and its environment. It provides continuous mechanical and proprioceptive feedback

Because of this, hoof balance is not a one-off mechanical issue, it is a persistent constraint or boundary condition dependant on whether it’s good or bad. Any imbalance, distortion, or compensatory requirement at the level of the hoof must be organised for throughout the entire tensegrity structure of the horse. The limbs, trunk, and nervous system must all adapt to accommodate it.

But this relationship is not one-way. The hoof is shaped not only by trimming and shoeing, but by how the horse’s body transfers weight through it. Posture, conformation, muscular tone, spinal stiffness, and movement strategies all influence how forces are applied to the hoof. So, and this is important, compensations seen within the hoof are almost always maladaptive

When that happens, the system adapts and
A loop is created.

We are back to If the hoof changes the timing and direction of force,
the limb must change strategy.
If the limb changes strategy,
the trunk must stabilise differently.
And once the nervous system finds a solution that allows continued function,
it will preserve that solution, even if it comes at a long-term cost and becomes maladaptive.
And this happens through kinetic chains as seen in the image below showing the kinetic muscle chains extending into the limb following myofascial lines.

These things are why simply “treating what you see” so often fails. Because Addressing a compensatory pattern without removing the underlying constraint does not resolve the problem, it just forces the system to reorganise around it again. Symmetry may improve briefly, pain may reduce temporarily, but the conditions that required compensation in the first place remain unchanged.

Dr Haussler take us deeper into how compensatory strategies evolve, how pain and movement interact across the limb–trunk system, and why understanding compensation is essential if we are to avoid chasing secondary problems while missing the true driver within the system.

Watch the webinar recording now..

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/compensations

02/19/2026

I will be in Midland MI tommorow and have room for 1 more stop in evening. Can swing by Bay City as well or anywhere around or along route

02/19/2026

Excited to share Quietude is in Saddle Up! Magazine 🐴🤠

We’re super grateful to be included in a magazine that so many riders read and trust.

If you happen to pick up an issue this month be sure to check us out 🏇❤️

02/19/2026

Loonnggg day today but finally settling in for the night

These are my personal horses, kept on a consistent 4 week trim and massage schedule right down to the day. Some good releases, and some pretty feet. Everyone also got rode, definitely makes for a busy day

02/19/2026

I am beyond blessed with 2 beautiful and willing horses, 5 to be exact but we're focusing on these 2 for right now. I am insanely proud of both of them for how much they give me, blessed with such hard working horses that love to work!

Both of these horses are on 4 week trim cycles and massages! Pair it with a good workout routine, well these horses are performing WELL! Rocket was 26th/144 with a 15.4 and some gorgeous turns! Stormy was. . . Well he had some GORGEOUS turns! He's not fast but he still performs so nicely! I just love them both!

PM to get on schedule

PC Carson Robertson

02/19/2026

Sponsored rider Emily Bedell sure does look good on Gramps - not too many horses stride out like he does

02/14/2026

What are your Valentines plans?