Every horse has its own history and individual challenges – be it physical blockages, stress or difficult diagnoses.
On this page we introduce some of our customer horses and show their way to more balance, health and joie de vivre.
Targeted training according to the HORSE bodyforming concept with trainer Jana helps to break old patterns and give horses a new, pain-free body feeling.
Benni 2023 – noticeable lameness – unrideable
Benni 2026 – lame-free – fully rideable without restrictions
Benni, a Hanoverian dressage horse with a good pedigree (owned by Sonja), was purchased in spring 2021 with placings up to elementary class. But just a few months later, a long odyssey began: Benni kept going lame. His gait was extremely clammy, super short-footed and lacked any impulsion despite his pedigree. This was followed by countless visits to the vet, lameness examinations, treatments by physiotherapists and saddlers as well as a constant change of farrier, as he kept taking his front shoes off himself until they no longer held at all.
His condition deteriorated significantly at the end of 2022. In January 2023, an X-ray finally revealed the devastating diagnosis: severe osteoarthritis in the lower cervical spine (C6/C7) with a catastrophic neck bend test. The veterinarian’s prognosis for the 12-year-old gelding was “unrideable” or, at best, only able to be ridden at a walk – sad proof of how much the classic English riding style of modern sport horses often stands in the way of keeping them healthy. Benni was also under a lot of mental strain and quickly became restless and stressed, especially in new or stimulating surroundings.
To give Benni a chance, we completely changed his training and started working with trainer Jana according to the HORSE bodyforming principle. For almost a whole year, we trained exclusively from the ground to get his body out of the painful compensation patterns, activate the Thoracic sling and build up his movement pattern from scratch in a physiologically correct way.
The transformation is tremendous: the lameness disappeared almost completely after the first year of Groundwork. Today, after three years of continuous training according to HORSE bodyforming (on the ground and under saddle), Benni is absolutely lame-free even after long breaks from standing. The constant hoof problems are history: the Duplo horseshoes, which were still worn out at the beginning, now hold without any problems as his movement and balance have improved dramatically.
Benni is physically straightened, the pain in his cervical vertebrae has virtually disappeared and his cervical spine has regained its natural mobility. His entire gait has completely changed: Momentum has emerged, movements are balanced and, thanks to the now load-bearing Thoracic sling, Benni no longer stumbles even on 30-kilometer Trail rides (including lots of trotting and cantering) on uneven terrain. Mentally, he is now absolutely even-tempered, remains calm even in challenging surroundings and can be called off with pinpoint accuracy. Benni shows a real joy for life again when playing on the paddock paradise – a wonderful success that shows how even serious diagnoses can be reversed with the right training.
Corradinio (owned by Anna and Juliane) showed clear stress symptoms and defensive reactions before the HORSE bodyforming training. He defended himself when being saddled by pinning his ears back and biting. A constant wrinkling of his nose accompanied his everyday life. Under saddle, he showed no willingness to walk; every step had to be laboriously driven and his movement pattern was extremely halting.
As soon as the reins were taken up, he reacted immediately by slowing down or stopping. His stress was released in bucking and rearing, especially in canter. He was also extremely skittish and overreactive in the wind or when confronted with unfamiliar things. Even classical riding lessons with well-known trainers did not bring any improvement, but rather made the problem worse.
We left traditional training behind and focused entirely on HORSE bodyforming with trainer Jana. The aim was to release Corradinio’s physical and mental blockages, show him a new, stress-free way of moving and rebuild the communication between human and horse from scratch – and above all in a positive way.
After three years of continuous training according to the HORSE bodyforming concept, Corradinio is now like a new horse. He is absolutely mentally balanced, actively enjoys his work and our daily interaction is completely relaxed. His defensive reactions when being saddled and his biting have completely disappeared (he only wrinkles his nose in rare, really stressful situations).
Instead of walking in a halting and impulsive manner, he now shows a fluid, physiological movement pattern and a natural joy of walking. Picking up the reins no longer means braking for him. On the contrary: all gaits can now be finely controlled by voice and seat, without the need to use the reins.
Today, he remains responsive even in “scary” situations and has built up a deep trust in his humans. A sometimes unruly, defensive horse has become a motivated partner who is mentally present, actively listens and genuinely enjoys riding.
Nelly in normal situations before changing the type of training
Nelly after a few months of training with HORSE bodyforming
Nelly, a still quite young small horse mare (owned by Lorena), not only had physical problems such as reduced core stability, but above all suffered from massive mental insecurity. This made her unpredictable and dangerous for her owner.
As soon as Nelly got under stress, she reared straight up in front of the person, broke free milliseconds later and kicked purposefully. No previous solution or training trick brought any improvement. As the mare was under constant stress and posed a massive danger to everyone, the last, only sensible alternative was to put the horse down.
Instead of continuing to combat the dangerous behavior with pressure or conventional methods, Lorena and Nelly began with HORSE bodyforming under the guidance of trainer Jana. The primary goal was to gradually help the mare out of her mental malaise, regulate her nervous system and give her self-confidence before tackling the physical deficits.
After just a few months, the results were incredible: Nelly now remains completely calm in situations that were previously unthinkable. The dangerous defensive reactions and freak-outs are a thing of the past. Now that the mental basis has been consolidated and the permanent stress has been removed from the mare, both Nelly and her owner are feeling much better. The next step is to systematically resolve the physical deficits (such as the reduced core stability). A resounding success that has saved Nelly’s life and has finally enabled Lorena to live together safely and trustingly.
Does your horse have a similar problem? Inform yourself about our offer for horse rehabilitation and professional horse training.
When I (Jana) took over Skip from a client in 2023, he was in an exceptional physical and mental state. His entire appearance was characterized by significantly increased muscle tone. His steeply sloping withers not only made him extremely difficult to saddle, but was also an unmistakable sign of completely dysfunctional thoracic sling muscles. Skip had to place his limbs far under his body in order to be able to stand without any pain at all.
He repeatedly showed severe lameness, but even the most complex clinical diagnostics (CT, X-ray) did not provide any results. He was also under enormous mental pressure: constantly focused on the outside world, he hardly ever found peace. This constant stress made him seem unpredictable and at times he even became a real danger to people and other horses. The real cause of all these problems, invisible on X-rays, was that Skip was suffering from extreme pain in the anterior brachial plexus.
To break this vicious circle of pain and compensation, we trained Skip using the HORSE bodyforming method. The primary goal was not to work away a symptom, but to teach Skip how to relax physically and, above all, nervously in order to release the massive blockages in the forehand area.
Just one year later, in 2024, Skip has completely transformed. His previously extremely high muscle tone has dropped significantly. Anatomically, he has really “grown”: The withers have raised again between the shoulder blades and a clearly defined shoulder edge is now visible – anatomical proof that his thoracic sling is finally working actively and functionally again. The unexplained lameness is a thing of the past; Skip is now free of pain and lameness.
The most beautiful effect, however, can be seen in his character: Being pain-free has given him back his mental balance. The unpredictable, stressed animal has become an approachable, calm horse that is now much more social and relaxed in the herd.
When I (Jana) took over Rio from a client at the end of 2025, he had extremely high muscle tone throughout his body. Particularly striking (as can be seen in the before picture on the left): tense, painful and underactive chest muscles.
As a result, he lacked lightness and balance under saddle. His hooves were also a big problem: as soon as the shoes were taken off, he immediately became noticeably lame at the front. Although Rio was a very sweet horse mentally, he was unable to concentrate for long periods of time and tended to “rev up” extremely quickly in stressful situations.
To break this negative spiral, the first thing we did was to optimize his posture and change his training. From this point onwards, Rio worked exclusively according to the HORSE bodyforming concept – just twice a week. The focus was on getting the body out of the high muscle tone and creating mental and physical composure and consent as the basis for the next training steps.
The physical transformation within just two months is enormous (visible in the after picture/video): The chest muscles have relaxed significantly and can once again perform their actual carrying function. The extremely high muscle tone in the rest of the body is also beginning to loosen noticeably, allowing Rio to continuously achieve more real balance.
The biggest milestone: Rio now walks lame-free and absolutely comfortably – without any horseshoes! The physical relaxation has also worked wonders mentally. He can now concentrate for much longer and is calmer inside. Rio’s journey is not over yet, but the downward spiral has been successfully reversed into a thoroughly positive development.
Under our guidance, Lena began to get Thea out of her pain and, above all, out of her compensatory movement patterns. The daily program included targeted fascia training and work with the HORSE bodyformer. Through this combination, Lena was able to show the body new, healthy ways of moving and gradually rebuild its load-bearing capacity.
Thea regained her zest for life and is now moving physiologically again. The lameness is history and the mare is now being ridden again – pain-free! However, the decisive factor was a radical rethink: away from the classic English riding style, which had brought the horse into this situation in the first place, and towards physiological work from the ground and riding according to HORSE bodyforming.
The team, who used to be at home in medium (M) level show jumping, had to relearn everything (“I feel like I’m sitting on a horse for the first time”). Today, the focus is on learning together with the horse through their senses, finding their own balance and helping Thea to constantly improve her range of movement under the saddle. The most important thing: today, everything happens without pressure or coercion and with a lot of fun for both of them.
Above: Thea at the age of 16 and active in show jumping
Below: Thea at 22 years old, trained after HORSE bodyforming
Kecoa (owned by Lara and Bianca) was in absolute physical and mental distress at the start of training. Mentally, she was extremely unfocused, insecure and overwhelmed by her environment. She had no trust in humans and suffered from panic fear of other living creatures (such as dogs or other horses).
A normal walk was impossible as she would have loved to jump onto people’s laps in her distress. Standing quietly was unthinkable; at the slightest overstrain she would jerk her head up in panic and want to flee headlong.
Her physical condition was also alarming: she had a sunken torso, a very high pelvis on one side and often literally stood on her own hooves at the front. Her neck was severely shortened and had a pronounced underneck. Her entire posture was massively crooked, which resulted in crooked hooves due to a painful malposition of the chest.
In order to break through Kecoa’s massive stress and compensation patterns, Lara, Bianca and Kecoa started with consistent HORSE bodyforming training under Jana’s guidance. The primary goal was to regulate the mare’s nervous system, to give her security and to get her body out of the painful crookedness and dysfunction.
Above: Kecoa in front of the HORSE bodyforming.
Below: Kecoa after several months of training by the owners with trainer Jana. The raised torso area and the resulting improved back line are clearly visible.
Nebell, a likeable Haflinger mare, came to us after suffering massive tendon damage to her front right (so far healed) (she had slipped on a pole). Her owner had already established a solid foundation in advance through my live training, but a gait analysis still showed a slight shift in beat on the front right – a classic posture of protection. In addition, the mare was often mentally stressed and usually very impulsive under saddle.
The way: In the first few weeks, we worked exclusively from the floor (static fascia training, Mobility Bridle, HORSE bodyformer). We trained 5 times a week for about an hour, whereby conscious breaks were essential so that the nervous system could learn.
The result: Nebsi was already walking in time from week 3! We were able to support her under saddle to keep herself stable over the thoracic sling and to walk physiologically correct in all three gaits.
The best effect: Nebsi was mentally transformed, no longer impulsive and even her chronic digestive problems (diarrhea) disappeared completely. This shows that if you solve the cause (stress/tension), the physical symptoms often disappear too. Contrary to the veterinarian’s prognosis, the tendon is now – years later – completely thin and stable again.
Above (before): Nebsi on her arrival. Physically tense and with accompanying physical symptoms such as chronic diarrhea.
Below (after): Nebsi after a few weeks of training. The area around the CTÜ is freer and more functional, the general muscle tone has noticeably decreased, the diarrhea has disappeared and the mare radiates a mental calmness.
Doris Knie 2015
Dori (2018): A state of extreme physical and mental tension. Despite standing calmly on the outside, the panicked look is unmistakable, accompanied by excessive muscle tone throughout the body. The severe tension in the neck and shoulder area is particularly noticeable: the shoulder blades literally “stick” to the cervical spine. When standing, this can be recognized by the lack of a shoulder edge. The clearly pronounced underneck is also a classic indicator of permanent mental stress and underdeveloped stabilizing muscles in the forehand area.
Why a complicated leg fracture and a negative prognosis don’t have to mean the end.
Doriano, called “Dori” (born 2001), has been part of our lives since 2004 and has been in our possession since 2009 (Lena, Jana’s client).
Before his accident, he was ridden classically in dressage, show jumping and eventing up to novice level. Despite his riding success (LK 5 level), his work was often a struggle: a lack of permeability, a “false bend” in his neck and stress symptoms such as lockjaw characterized the picture. In dressage tests, he was often criticized for his lack of harmony, while he showed more and more willingness to run in cross-country.
In September 2015, a kick to the knee changed everything. The diagnosis: a splintered piece of the tibia (tibia fracture). Particularly critical: the affected piece of bone actually served as an anchor point for the ligaments that stabilize the knee joint.
Despite surgery (plate & titanium screws), the body broke down the bone fragment. The vets were faced with a conundrum: anatomically speaking, this horse should not be able to walk at all. The prognosis was bleak: “Either it holds, or it doesn’t.”
From rehab chaos to systematic development
The time after the operation was traumatic. Dori couldn’t cope with the prescribed stall rest and developed aggressive behavioral patterns due to the lack of exercise and pain. When I tried to retrain him in the traditional way, he withdrew by kicking me – which even cost me a serious shoulder injury. At the time, there was simply no sound rehabilitation concept for horses. We carried on as before, but the problems remained.
The turning point (from 2021):
When I moved to Flensburg, I got to know Jana and the concept of HORSE bodyforming (based on Franz Grünbeck). It was the starting signal for a real rethink:
The assessment: We realized that Dori was lame for muscular reasons (swing phase lameness) and suffered from reduced core stability, despite the veterinarian’s “okay”. She was also diagnosed with equine asthma, exacerbated by years of stabling and stress.
The new start: I decided to take a radical break from riding for almost a year.
The training: Instead of side reins, we used the fascia wheel and the HORSE bodyformer. We worked exclusively from the ground, focusing on freedom from muscular pain, mental calmness and training Dori in healthy movement patterns.
The husbandry: In 2023 we switched to a paddock trail with steamed hay to relieve his lungs in the long term.
Fit, proud and happy at the age of 25
Today, in February 2026, we are looking at a horse that, according to conventional medicine, should have been “ready for retirement” or unrideable long ago.
Physically: Dori is now 25 years old and more stable than ever before. He has developed healthy core stability, his hooves have improved massively and his equine asthma has almost disappeared (thanks to his attitude and less stress). We can enjoy long trail rides with lots of galloping again – without any complaints.
Mental: The biggest change is his nature. The horse that was once lethargic, sometimes aggressive and overreactive, has become an alert, motivated partner.
The indifference has disappeared. Dori’s eyes have regained their joie de vivre and sparkle.
Dori is living proof that HORSE bodyforming is not just training, but real therapy. It has helped him out of reduced core stability and given him a second, pain-free life. One thing is certain for me: I will only work on any future horse using this holistic concept with Jana’s help.
Dori 2020
Dori 2022
Dori 2022
Dori 2020
Dori 2022
Dori 2022
Dori (2025): A completely relaxed appearance. The chest muscles are pain-free and functional and the now clearly protruding shoulder edge is proof that the CTÜ (cervicothoracic junction between the cervical and thoracic spine) is working freely and unblocked. This physical looseness is also reflected mentally, which can be clearly seen in his soft, calm eye.
Dori 2025 – mentally calm and top fit
When I (Jana) took over Chuck from a client in the summer of 2025, he was in a desolate state both physically and mentally. Originally intended for big show jumping, he was already suffering from significant osteoarthritis in his lower cervical spine (C6/C7) at a young age.
Under saddle he was either skittish or very stiff and slow. In addition, he already had pronounced swing phase lameness on the right hind leg. A further burden was the diagnosis of PSSM2, for which even a strict feed adjustment only brought slight relief for the previous owner.
This chronic pain condition shaped his entire character: Chuck seemed permanently “stiff”, reacted defensively to any human touch and deliberately bit other horses in the paddock.
Picture left (before): Chuck’s chest muscles before training – severely atrophied and clearly underactive.
Picture on the right (after): Chuck’s chest muscles after 3 months of training. Well supplied with blood, functional and, above all, pain-free.
In order to free Chuck from this vicious circle, we first fundamentally optimized the way he was kept. He now lives permanently with other horses of his own species in our spacious paddock paradise. At the same time, we started targeted HORSE bodyforming training (just twice a week) to get Chuck physically and mentally out of the permanent overstress, strengthen his stabilizing muscles and thus create a basis for physiological movement.
After just three months, Chuck has completely transformed physically and mentally. His former defensive attitude when being groomed has disappeared – today he enjoys attention and politely shows us when he doesn’t need it. He also shows a completely new social behavior in the herd: He plays exuberantly and engages in relaxed grooming with his herd members instead of fighting them off. The biggest success: Chuck now walks without lameness and radiates a real zest for life again. Even the formerly atrophied, painful chest muscles now have an excellent blood supply and can now perform their function without restriction.
Sunny, a now 23-year-old mare (owned by Lea), had struggled with recurring lameness all her life. After a hairline fracture in her fetlock, she was considered “permanently lame” in 2018/2019. The veterinary diagnosis was: porous bones or poor bone density. The devastating prognosis: the lameness would recur in bouts.
The highly sensitive mare was also under extreme mental strain. She quickly reacted to stress with absolute headlessness. Especially when there was separation anxiety (when a member of the herd left the yard), it was no longer possible to think about working calmly. In her massive distress, she used to run around in a panic for hours, whinnying incessantly and, in the worst cases, simply running over people.
To get Sunny out of this constant physical and mental stress, Lea and Sunny started HORSE bodyforming with trainer Jana. The primary goal was to show the mare how to stabilize her body again and at the same time help her to regulate her extremely sensitive nervous system in order to get out of her headlessness.
The development is sensational: since starting with HORSE bodyforming, Sunny has not been lame once again! The constant stumbling is a thing of the past; today the 23-year-old mare can trot and canter with complete confidence and balance even on uneven terrain.
Her mental transformation is equally impressive. Initially, Lea learned how to systematically and calmly work Sunny out of stress so that Sunny could listen again. In the meantime, the mare’s nerves are so stable that she is able to find her way back to her basic mental calm on her own when she gets excited. Lea hardly needs to give any help at all.
What used to end in blind racing and a real danger is now reduced to a brief moment of “staring” – after which Sunny continues to work in a relaxed and concentrated manner. Lea and Sunny are currently learning to ride according to HORSE bodyforming and are excited to see where the journey will take them.
Left: 2026
Right: 2023
Sternchen, a 173 cm tall Holsteiner mare from the old breed (owned by Jule since 2023), had a number of physical and mental issues. Physically, the 9-year-old mare suffered from severe muscular imbalances, a clear imbalance and a pelvic obliquity.
Under saddle she was extremely sluggish and “lazy”, was overweight and constantly stumbled both in the arena and in the field. At the same time, paradoxically, she was often mentally very restless and could hardly stand still in a relaxed manner. Another clear symptom of stress was her extremely frequent pooping while riding.
Jule started with HORSE bodyforming and trainer Jana three years ago to get Sternchen out of this physical crookedness and mental unrest. The main goal was to release the severe tension in the locomotor muscles, correct the muscular imbalance and build up intact, functional thoracic sling muscles.
After three years of continuous training, Sternchen has changed fundamentally. The muscular imbalances are as good as corrected, which the saddler, among others, confirms with great satisfaction.
Thanks to the now intact stabilizing muscles, her trunk has become much more stable. The mare has lost a healthy amount of weight and the constant stumbling is a thing of the past. Her jumping has also improved significantly thanks to her new-found balance and strength.
The reduced stress level is also reflected in the fact that she hacks much less often when riding. The mare has also made a 180-degree mental turnaround: The sluggish but restless horse has become a much more alert, attentive and performance-oriented partner, who now has a deep mental calm and can stand still and relax without any problems.
When Hannah (Jana’s riding partner and client) got to know the now 19-year-old Spirit, his physical and mental condition was worrying. Physically, he showed a clear irregular rhythm in trot (swing phase lameness at the rear), could hardly be sat out due to the unphysiological movement and cantering was extremely difficult to impossible.
His general musculature was barely developed, his withers had dropped between his shoulder blades and he was extremely coarse-motored. He also suffered from severe hoof problems: He stood “like a duck” and suffered from constant hoof abscesses. His immune system and lungs were also severely affected by equine asthma.
Psychologically, Spirit appeared extremely sweet and well-behaved on the surface and tolerated everything without reacting, but in reality he was simply lethargic. He was the low-ranking outsider in the herd, usually stood off to the side in isolation and was often the only one to suffer bite wounds. In moments of stress, this inner pressure was released: he became completely headless, ran carelessly over people or seemed remote-controlled when out riding.
In order to free Spirit from his physical and mental torpor, they switched the training completely to HORSE bodyforming (accompanied by trainer Jana).
In addition, his husbandry was optimized and he moved from a classic open stable to a more species-appropriate paddock paradise. The clear goal: to give Spirit a physical feeling again, alleviate his pain and help him to use his nervous system functionally again.
His development over the last few years has been remarkable. The 19-year-old gelding has visibly built up functional muscles, increased his mobility enormously and now walks lame-free. His gross motor skills and stumbling are history: he no longer falls over trotting poles, no longer runs over anyone absent-mindedly and is now completely relaxed in the grooming lane. The hoof situation has improved dramatically; abscesses no longer occur at all.
His equine asthma is also showing huge health benefits: the correct biotensegral training according to HORSE bodyforming (in combination with daily inhalation) is now clearing the mucus from his lungs much better and faster.
However, the most beautiful transformation has happened mentally: Spirit has literally woken up. He reacts sensitively to help and situations again. He no longer just tolerates bluntly, but actively communicates with his humans – which may sometimes make him seem “less well-behaved” to outsiders, but is actually the sign of a mentally healthy, present horse.
His life in the herd has also turned around completely: he is much higher in rank, well integrated, no longer stands alone, but has found real friends with whom he walks the trail together.
When Marion (Jana’s client) came to the yard with her sport horse Caddy for a weekend training course, he was stuck in a deeply rooted, long-standing stress pattern.
In the riding arena at home and in his absolutely familiar surroundings, Caddy was wonderfully rideable and completely accessible to handle. However, if you went just ten meters further into the neighbouring meadow, he changed abruptly: he was completely mentally absent, started bucking on the spot in hand and panicked more and more.
He showed this extremely stressful behavior not only from the ground, but also under the rider. This pattern had been running through his life for years and no one had yet managed to get him out of this mental block.
During the weekend course at Betterhorselife, we worked specifically on freeing Caddy from his learned helplessness. The very first session showed just how deeply ingrained this pattern was: after just two minutes, the horse was drenched in sweat from stress, whinnying incessantly, bucking and kicking out on the spot.
The clear aim was to show him a way out of his excessive demands – a solution that he could not just accept, but actively understand and choose for himself.
After just a few sessions during the course, an astonishing transformation took place. Caddy became much calmer mentally and learned to break out of his usual negative spiral. Standing calmly without neighing suddenly became possible and the sweating – and therefore the massive internal stress – decreased significantly.
Marion was able to take the foundations laid this weekend straight home with her. In his familiar surroundings, the owner was able to continue the training seamlessly and has since made great progress with a horse that finally knows a way out of his mental ‘prison’.
Find out about our offer for horse rehabilitation and professional horse training or about our on-site training.
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