Deanna Montero - The Safe Horse; Building Topline Volume I

In ‘The Safe Horse; Building Topline Volume I’ this video you will learn the basics of equine anatomy and it’s role for building a safe and strong riding partner. The biomechanics of the horse’s body is explained in comprehensive and practical language to help you help your horse build a stronger musculoskeletal structure for safer riding.

Because of the horse, I have built Sculpture Equine Anatomy to share worldwide the invaluable lessons the horse has taught me. Our silent friendship has shaped who I am and taught me some of the most important life skills. It's more than being in the moment, it's being in unison with a magnificent creature more powerful and sensitive than myself wrapped in a narrative of historic beauty. He teaches kindness of a deep degree and demands a betterment of one's self that flourishes into an indescribable friendship. He has taught me to seek the truth through anatomical and biomechanic studies, to search for balance of mind and body and to make what is silent heard.   

When you grow up on a miniature horse breeding farm you really learn the importance of equine observation, physiology, and anatomy. Every day was a day of discovery. When you care for more than 20 mares and foals you really feel like you are caring for hundreds of full-size horses.

Miniatures come with what I like to call their own mini puzzles. Each one with their own unique personality and often quite a bit of a challenge in the health department particularly when foaling. These little mini packages taught me what I feel to be the most important lesson for working with horses, patient observation. With patient observation, the horse will teach you all you need to know about his unique individualism. But, learning to be that patient observer who didn't anthropomorphize the horse was hard at first.

I also had to learn to observe without diagnosis in order to communicate accurately and fairly to our veterinarians. As my education and experience progressed, I learned more about the horse's anatomy and later his biomechanics, muscular health and finally psychology. Through the years I came to realize that the horse is not simply a beautiful creature whom we care for and ride but an animal that desires to be understood.

There is a profound depth to the horse with which we can learn and grow and build a lasting relationship with when we take the time to understand him holistically. This is why I've built these courses. In order to educate equestrians about the anatomy, biomechanics, muscular and mental development of the horse in hopes to provide a path of education steeped in science and cognitive learning. I can attribute much of my continuing education to the need to help my current horse and human pupils.

One of my most difficult and current cases is Relámpago a Pure Spanish Horse who I have owned since 2005 but entrusted to others to educate and train until 2013. Unfortunately, that training has led him to be an anxious and insecure horse both on the ground and in the saddle. In order to help him, I have had to dive deeply into researching equine development and general wellness in order to construct a path so he could come back to a confident and trustworthy partner. His case has served as a single horse research project which gone on to help horses and owners globally. 

Through this process, I've found great value in the research which our veterinarians have dedicated their lives to and have built my current programs based on that research to educate equestrians about their potential success when they apply correct biomechanics to their training programs and understand the horse emotionally. The project encompasses a holistic understanding of the horse and rider covering the areas of three-dimensional equine anatomy study, muscular development, and maintenance, lameness prevention through proper training, rider fitness, equine observation for pain assessment and integrated equine performance bodywork. Through this project, I am uniting the best programs of equine care to provide a structured education system for long term rider and horse success.