05/21/2026
Thank you for trusting us with Tito and sending him all the way from Michigan to train with us at Bacci Stables. We are excited for his future and hopefully will have him offered for sale soon.
Tito has been a reminder of why we love this work so much.
On the ground, he has always been kind and easy. Under saddle, however, he became spooky, tense, and at times unsafe to ride. When he arrived, we found a horse that was extremely stuck in his body, with poor movement patterns, limited front-end mobility, and a topline that did not reflect the years he had spent competing.
Before even introducing a bridle, we focused on helping him move better and feel better in his own body. Our first goal was to encourage him to stretch forward and regain mobility through the shoulders and scapula. Horses that do not feel comfortable or capable in their own bodies often become anxious because they feel they cannot move away from pressure or “threats” effectively.
One of the biggest changes came from simple daily work. We spent about 15 minutes each day lunging him over 2–3 poles set 3 meters apart, allowing one full trot stride between each pole. This encouraged him to lift through the hocks, activate the abs and back, and stop bracing through the neck and thoracic sling. Over time, he became softer through the ribs, more mobile through the body, and finally able to bend correctly to both sides.
was incredibly patient and committed throughout the process. Every day, we explained not only what we were doing, but why we were doing it. Rehabilitation and retraining take understanding, consistency, and trust.
To horse owners out there taking lessons:
It is a red flag when a trainer constantly blames the rider for the horse’s behavior or dismisses the horse as simply “quirky.” Horses are horses. They all share the same basic biomechanics. Good posture is good posture, and healthy movement patterns are remarkably similar from horse to horse. Many behavioral issues are rooted in discomfort, weakness, restriction, or compensation patterns. Sometimes they simply need help learning how to move correctly.
