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The Functional Horse
Blog
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Blog
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Contact Us
Strengthening the thoracic sling on the go
training Katja Porenta 6/19/25 training Katja Porenta 6/19/25

Strengthening the thoracic sling on the go

Here are a few ideas on how to strengthen the thoracic sling in a very casual, non-complicated way.

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Reading the head position
training Katja Porenta 6/12/25 training Katja Porenta 6/12/25

Reading the head position

How the horse chooses to carry his head can tell us a lot about what is going on in his body. Here’s a few tips on reading head position.

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Downhill conformation ... or downhill posture?
functional anatomy Katja Porenta 6/5/25 functional anatomy Katja Porenta 6/5/25

Downhill conformation ... or downhill posture?

A downhill conformation is an undesired trait, one that is very often exacerbated by a weak thoracic sling. 

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Releasing the key areas
equine bodywork Katja Porenta 3/6/25 equine bodywork Katja Porenta 3/6/25

Releasing the key areas

Three important junctions in the horse’s spine are key to healthy back mobility. Here are some gentle techniques to help release any tension in these areas.

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Why running with horses can be awesome
training Katja Porenta 12/5/24 training Katja Porenta 12/5/24

Why running with horses can be awesome

Going for a run with your horse can be very beneficial, but we do need to go about it in a cautious way, as it can be dangerous.

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Assessing the pectoral muscles
assessment Katja Porenta 10/17/24 assessment Katja Porenta 10/17/24

Assessing the pectoral muscles

The pectoral muscles can become tight with thoracic sling dysfunction, lower limb injury or hoof imbalances. Here are a few ways to check if your horse’s pecs are in trouble.

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The pecs – more important than you think
functional anatomy Katja Porenta 10/10/24 functional anatomy Katja Porenta 10/10/24

The pecs – more important than you think

The pectorals are an important group of muscles that we tend to overlook. Understanding a bit about how to recognise dysfunction in this area can help us make better training decisions.

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What can the braciocephalicus tell us?
functional anatomy Katja Porenta 9/26/24 functional anatomy Katja Porenta 9/26/24

What can the braciocephalicus tell us?

The brachiocephalicus can tell us a lot about what is going on in the horse’s front end, so it pays to be able to observe and palpate it.

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Back to school challenge
training Katja Porenta 9/5/24 training Katja Porenta 9/5/24

Back to school challenge

If you are bringing your horse back to work after a lazy summer, make sure to make a plan first – this will make progress faster and healthier.

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Good posture on the trail
training Katja Porenta 8/29/24 training Katja Porenta 8/29/24

Good posture on the trail

Groundwork should not be reserved for the arena only. You can do some wonderful groundwork and set up a good foundation for healthy posture on the trail too. 

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A closer look at postural changes
training Katja Porenta 8/15/24 training Katja Porenta 8/15/24

A closer look at postural changes

Training your eye to spot good posture can be tricky. Here is a closer look at some things to be watching out for.

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Thoracic sling – a lesson in anatomy
anatomy Katja Porenta 6/13/24 anatomy Katja Porenta 6/13/24

Thoracic sling – a lesson in anatomy

Understanding the anatomy of the thoracic sling is essential in our ability to make good decisions when it comes to training our horses.

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Stress and the thoracic sling
functional anatomy Katja Porenta 4/25/24 functional anatomy Katja Porenta 4/25/24

Stress and the thoracic sling

Stress is bad for so many things, including locomotive problems. A stressed horse will be more likely to overextend the base of his neck, causing many issues.

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When addressing the body, address the feet too!
hooves, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 3/28/24 hooves, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 3/28/24

When addressing the body, address the feet too!

The feet impact the body and the body impacts the feet. When dealing with dysfunction, it is crucial to address both.

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The neutral spine and range of movement
functional anatomy Katja Porenta 2/22/24 functional anatomy Katja Porenta 2/22/24

The neutral spine and range of movement

A neutral spine enables the horse to move with ease and suppleness and allows him to use his body in an energy efficient way.

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Why we need to be very, very careful with horses' necks
horse training, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 7/27/23 horse training, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 7/27/23

Why we need to be very, very careful with horses' necks

The neck of the modern horse is a sensitive structure that can be damaged by improper riding. We need to be very careful not to create dysfunction in the neck.

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Sometimes it's not your fault
husbandry Katja Porenta 6/15/23 husbandry Katja Porenta 6/15/23

Sometimes it's not your fault

A lot of issues in the modern horse are caused by the way we keep and own them, but not everything is our fault. Some common issues can be seen in foals and predate our training.

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What's the cause behind persistent back pain?
checklist, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 6/1/23 checklist, functional anatomy Katja Porenta 6/1/23

What's the cause behind persistent back pain?

Persistent back pain is an issue a lot of horses struggle with. In order to get rid of it once and for all, we need to understand where it comes from.

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Assessing the thoracic sling.
functional anatomy, checklist Katja Porenta 3/9/23 functional anatomy, checklist Katja Porenta 3/9/23

Assessing the thoracic sling.

The thoracic sling is crucial to the horse’s ability to carry the rider, so we need to make sure it is functioning properly. Here are some signs of thoracic sling dysfunction to look out for.

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KATJA PORENTA EEBW

Lamutova 23
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia

info@thefunctionalhorse.com