A Whole Horse Retraining Approach

At the heart of our work is a belief that true equine wellness comes from seeing the whole horse—body, mind, training history, and environment. Over the past decade, conversations around equine welfare and long-term soundness have moved to the forefront of the horse world. As science evolves and diagnostic tools improve, we are learning more than ever before about horses, their behaviors, and the subtle ways they communicate discomfort, stress, or imbalance.

Our equine wellness program has been thoughtfully developed over more than ten years, during which time we have helped countless horses regain their well-being both mentally and physically. This work is rooted in listening, patience, and a willingness to look beyond symptoms to understand what the horse truly needs.

Katrin’s journey into rehabilitation began at just sixteen, when she took on the care of her first rehab horse, a mare with a fractured leg, chronic Lyme disease, and later, navicular syndrome. Working closely with veterinarians and a farrier from New Bolton Center, Katrin was able to support this mare with clear, compassionate management, keeping her happy and comfortable well into her twenties. Together, they went on to compete successfully at Prix St. Georges, a testament to what thoughtful, horse-centered care can make possible.

In 2014, Katrin began working more intentionally with horses labeled as “misunderstood”, highly sensitive individuals and those struggling with elusive performance issues or what was once called “mystery lameness.” Today, many of these challenges are better understood as body lameness, and there is an expanding body of knowledge and innovative work happening worldwide to both heal and prevent these patterns.

Our approach blends experience, evolving science, and intuition, always with the goal of restoring comfort, clarity, and harmony. By supporting the horse as a whole being, we create space for healing and for a deeper, more trusting partnership to emerge.

For much of our work, the horses who enter our rehabilitation program have been viewed as “lost causes” by mainstream standards. Often, we are the final option—where retirement is the only remaining goal. And yet, over 95% of these horses have gone on to enjoy successful riding and competition careers, beyond anything previously thought possible.

Katrin has been given with many “$1 horses”. These individuals were deemed dangerous, unridable, or beyond help. Through patient, thoughtful work, these horses have been able to heal both physically and emotionally, rediscovering comfort, confidence, and willingness.

Since the purchase of Pine Hill Farm, Katrin and Brianne have been intentionally laying the foundation to expand these healing services to more horses and owners. In 2025, we opened our training program to accept one additional full rehabilitation / mystery lameness horse. In 2026, we added another dedicated training space for young horses in the early stages of training who are not thriving.

Our goal is to support horses before they enter the cycle of chronic pain, lameness, and behavioral breakdown, offering clarity and guidance at the earliest signs that something isn’t quite right.

Below, we outline our process, share case studies, and offer before-and-after images that reflect the transformations possible through this work. Looking ahead, our vision includes launching a virtual consultation program for owners who sense something is missing or who are just beginning to encounter signs of mystery lameness, and are seeking thoughtful, experienced guidance.