The Balanced Horse Project

The Balanced Horse Project "We don’t train horses. We reset balance so horses can train themselves and confidently carry the rider." Attention to preventing injury is very important.

Patricia Cleveland reshapes horses to make world class rides. Training, Equine Redevelopment Education, Sales, Workshops and Riding Lessons. At The Balanced Horse Project, our goal is to create a comfortable body for the horse to use, while their mind focuses on the job. We develop training programs to address the completeness of symmetry and balance through organic means. Training, going to the

show ring, the track, or down the trail, horses face constant physical stress. Our maintenance program can be done on site using photo analysis, the mobile service, or visiting Rel Leaf Farm. Restoring and regenerating the body provides instant and long term benefits. The techniques are designed to resolve very deep seated issues producing the compensation injuries and behavior commonly experienced. We are dedicated to present a discussion through which owners, trainers, and handlers gain an education regarding the potential of quantum resources to naturally straightening the body, making training a horse safer and easier. Improving the whole body before training allows the horse to experience natural balance. We offer information, experience, and data relating quantum realms, energy, and the material goals of the horseman to create self-carriage, engagement, and athletic power. The horse develops his body, as we expand our thoughts.

Most of us are shaped by the environments we grow up in. Horsemanship is no different. What you’re exposed to shapes wha...
09/02/2025

Most of us are shaped by the environments we grow up in. Horsemanship is no different. What you’re exposed to shapes what you believe, how you ride, and how you train.

Today, many riders have vets on speed dial. But what happens when you don’t? Much of my career was spent in places where the nearest vet was two hours away or where X-rays and advanced care weren’t an option. That experience forced me to innovate, self-educate, and truly see what was happening with the horse in front of me.

It’s not a trainer’s job to play vet. But it is our job to know when something is wrong, when to call for help, and how it impacts the horse’s performance and safety. Those skills don’t come from a textbook, they come from hands-on experience, old-time knowledge, and the pressure to do right by the horse.

Here’s the lesson: the ability to spot problems early, to speak up honestly, and to protect both horse and rider is what sets great horsemen apart.

Students and apprentices who learn this perspective gain something rare: confidence. The confidence to ride safely, to train with integrity, and to honor the horse above all else.

And here’s my question for you: If one day the vets aren’t there to lean on, will you have the knowledge and confidence to step up for your horse?

This is the kind of wisdom and practical skill I share with my students and apprentices. If you’re ready to study horsemanship at this level, reach out, I’d love to talk with you.

Hope you all had a great Labour Day Weekend!Did you make it out for a ride, head to a show, or just enjoyed a good laugh...
09/02/2025

Hope you all had a great Labour Day Weekend!

Did you make it out for a ride, head to a show, or just enjoyed a good laugh with family?

We ended up staying home. Company had to cancel, but that just gave me more time in the saddle.

Even at a walk, being on Gunnie fills the soul with joy. Then I worked Hurley...he was as kind to me as Gunnie. I'm conditioning the horses and they are helping me get in shape.

I couldn’t resist asking Gunnie for a spin. After shifting his hip angles last week, he suddenly discovered how to sink into his hocks. Boy is he athletic!

The moment I set my inside shoulder back, he fired off three rotations so quick I was laughing out loud. My legs are still reminding me of it today!

It surprised me.
He didn't have sticky feet. He rounded his back and sat under his navel and discovered his new ability.

That was fun.

There’s something humbling about coming back to riding as a senior. My 91-year-old mother-in-law nearly told me to “act my age,” but she held back. And honestly, I’m glad.
Why not keep riding until you can’t? It sure beats sitting in a chair watching TV..

We finished the weekend with a true Southern holiday spread: Frank baked golden skillet cornbread that slid right out in one perfect round, paired with field peas. I slow-cooked barbecue oxtail until it was fall-apart tender. Comfort food at its best.

Photo: Frank’s perfect cornbread, flipped from the cast iron to the plate without a crack.

But enough about us.
How did you celebrate your weekend? Horses, friends family food, or all of the above?

I just finished round penning horses. This cracked me up.Earlier today Gunnie was chasing Piper across his paddock.So sh...
08/30/2025

I just finished round penning horses.

This cracked me up.

Earlier today Gunnie was chasing Piper across his paddock.

So she decided to continued their game in the roundpen.

No she never nipped or bit....she just stocked his heels for 5 minutes...then she was finished.

Heelers always get the last word.

Why rush a great horse?Well he will miss his Furturities $$$$.That's just the way it is with some horses. Take Gunnie as...
08/29/2025

Why rush a great horse?
Well he will miss his Furturities $$$$.
That's just the way it is with some horses.

Take Gunnie as an example.
From the start, he was long, tall, and weedy. His frame needed time to fill out, especially through the front quarters.

Eddie and Miranda gather him a good education. But physically Gunnie wasn't ready to push.

I've had people suggest STEP RGT was the reason he looked narrow, because horses with his breeding are usually thick-bodied with wide chests. But the truth is, his weakness had nothing to do with STEP RGT.

What STEP RGTraining did do was straighten his legs and liberate his neck. When we enhance the flexibility of his stifles and hocks Gunnie lifted off the forehand, and in turn his chest widened and his body deepened. The transformation wasn’t about forcing growth, but freeing the natural design that was already there.

Now, as a three-year-old, he has the strength to curl his hindquarters, sit, and spin with ease. He’s balanced, straight, powerful, and better prepared for work.

And it makes me wonder—what if STEP RGT hadn’t been applied? Would Gunnie still be struggling with a weak front end, unable to carry himself athletically?

The best horses aren’t made by hurrying the process, but by respecting it. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give them is time to grow up, or in Gunnie’s case, to grow out.

The first week under saddle is life-changing for a horse.They aren’t just learning cues, they’re revealing hidden imbala...
08/28/2025

The first week under saddle is life-changing for a horse.
They aren’t just learning cues, they’re revealing hidden imbalances and discomfort we often overlook.

If you want to understand what your horse is really saying, join my 6-week course on conformation and the Language of Balance.

Starts Oct 1 |
Zoom |
PM for details

The DDFT horse is doing well. His shoulders and withers muscles are filling in.He walks with purpose. He is still guarde...
08/27/2025

The DDFT horse is doing well.
His shoulders and withers muscles are filling in.

He walks with purpose.
He is still guarded but daily improvements are a big deal.

Heartfelt Thanks goes out to Kathy and Joe in Colorado.. Kathy harvested her local variety of sage. It isn't white sag...
08/26/2025

Heartfelt Thanks goes out to Kathy and Joe in Colorado..
Kathy harvested her local variety of sage. It isn't white sage. But it makes a power smug which has helped several horses that we've rescued.

Sage is a powerful plant.

I ferment it in honey for a year.

This base helps sore throats, pulls accesses cleans wounds and acts like a natural bandage.

A base Coco butter can be added to make a soothing hand cream and facial cleanse.

The new bundle will be divided. Some for making smoke, some to ferment, some to hang in the air duct to freshen the house, some in the tack room and car.
Thank you
Kathy

You can look forward to a package with the products your sage helped to create. .

Balanced Riding Isn’t a Lost Art When I was learning, my instructors spent hours drilling into us: ride through your sea...
08/25/2025

Balanced Riding Isn’t a Lost Art

When I was learning, my instructors spent hours drilling into us: ride through your seat and core, influence the hindquarters, let the horse carry you.

Bridles were stripped off, and we had to complete a 12-obstacle jumping course to pass our grade test. That’s how we learned mastery — through balance, not shortcuts.

Today, I see too many riders sitting in a driving chair seat, hanging on the reins to force an illusion of collection and control. The art of riding has been replaced by misdirection and poor education.

Over the years I’ve proven this method works. I helped a USDF Silver Medal rider succeed. . More recently, I taught a rider to influence her horse by controlling her own core and seat.

It doesn’t matter the discipline or the tack — Western or English — if you can’t control your own hips, you’ll never know what it feels like to truly dance with a horse.

Photos
Below: the example of a driving seat which generally pushes the horse into reins forcing the frame. Three lessons over 5 month and STEP RGT to level the horses the rider is sitting in balance and being carried. Her hips now regulate the stride length of the hindquarters — not her hands.

With this skill, she’ll move confidently toward a successful career.

I’ll admit, I miss teaching people how to ride in balance. If you’re interested in learning the art of balanced riding or hosting a clinic, reach out.

Let’s strip away the noise and simplify how to ride correctly.

Curious Question…Has anyone else ever physically felt a strange vibration, like invisible ripples or waves moving throug...
08/24/2025

Curious Question…

Has anyone else ever physically felt a strange vibration, like invisible ripples or waves moving through you?

It usually starts in the feet and rolls upward through the whole body, then suddenly stops.

Other times, instead of waves, there’s a high-frequency hum.
Almost always, it happens around 4:30 AM. It's strong enough to wake you from your sleep.

I know it sounds unusual, but we’re curious if anyone else has experienced something similar.

Our farm sits over the Florida Aquifer, so maybe it’s a kind of seismic pulse or someone is playing with the Doppler Radar frequencies. Or something else.

Another Day, Another Step ForwardThe dynamics of equine posture in relation to injury and resistance funnel attention to...
08/23/2025

Another Day, Another Step Forward

The dynamics of equine posture in relation to injury and resistance funnel attention toward a truth many overlook:
different disciplines place extra stress on horses with downhill conformation especially those who carry twists from birth.

This doesn’t just affect the horse.
It directly shapes the biomechanics of the rider’s balance. Of course it does.

So if your instructor says “Look up, heels down” and you keep drifting back to the unwanted position… maybe it isn’t you. Maybe you’re riding a horse whose posture doesn’t align with your body. The truth is, not every horse is symmetrical, but sometimes the conformation of the horse can either fight or compliment your natural balance.

That’s why when instructors send their school horses through STEP RGT, something remarkable happens:
their students’ skills accelerate.

📸 Photo 1 – A horse braces the neck, hollows the back, and pulls with the front legs. Downhill horse, downhill rider.
📸 Photo 2 – The same horse and rider after STEP RGT. With the weight shifted off the front, the shoulders lift, the back rises, and the horse begins to drive from behind. Notice how the rider’s body automatically adjusts, finding true vertical and mirroring the corrected posture of the horse.

Our goal at the BHProjecg goal is simple:
support the rider by providing a balanced horse.

Our STEP RGT promotes a new awareness of how downhill posture impacts both horses and students. Through our riding lessons and equestrian partnerships, we bring the new science of horse training into practice. creating safer, smoother, and more rewarding experiences for horse and rider alike

Back on the Road Thanks to Good PeopleOn one of our final trips to Iva SC to pick up Gunny, we had a scare.. The grease ...
08/21/2025

Back on the Road Thanks to Good People

On one of our final trips to Iva SC to pick up Gunny, we had a scare.. The grease cap came off our trailer, burning up the bearings and leaving us stranded. That day turned into a day of miracles.

Thanks to the support of our wonderful clients, Pat and Dawn, Gunny made it safely home. And then Dixie Horse & Mule Co. in Wicksburg, AL stepped in to help.

While waiting 4–6 weeks for repairs, we suddenly got an emergency call. Chance needed to be picked up right away to begin his STEP RHT program. He could barely walk, and time mattered. Without hesitation, Dixie H&M loaned us a trailer, no charge, just because they wanted to help us help the horse.

Yesterday, we finally picked up our own trailer, bracing for a big repair bill. Instead, the service manager, Michael, simply smiled and said:
“Just spread the word. We do our best to help our clients.”

That’s rare these days. Dixie Horse & Mule lived up to their word, and Frank and I are truly grateful.

Thank you, Dixie Horse & Mule, for getting us rolling again and for standing behind your community. 🙏

(Photo: Aerial view of the Dixie Horse & Mule facilities, just 30 minutes from our farm.)

Unrealized Impact.I need to pause and breathe in and be still . A wave of gratitude floods my thinking heart. Gratitude....
08/21/2025

Unrealized Impact.

I need to pause and breathe in and be still . A wave of gratitude floods my thinking heart.

Gratitude.
An aging horse's wisdom
Balance
And my old tattered driving lines.
Movement
Magic.
The interwoven engagement of a soul finding peace!

Yesterday's STEP RGT session taught us another lesson .

This DDFT horse has become my teacher. Without words his gentle touch reminds me of thankfulness. He humbles my ego, and deepens my awareness so the full weight of the the new exercise lis absorbed.

Yesterday, as my husband watched, I set my lines into a new configuration. I didn’t plan it, I didn’t research it. It came through instinct, intuition, or the shared intelligence between horse and human spirit.
The universal search for pain-free peace is not limited to humans.

I invited the horse to move into the passive tension of my lines.
The result was immediate.
The horse responded with gratitude, and both Frank and I were astonished.

Though the lines did not target the pelvis. The horse engaged his body in such a way that the entire hindquarters began correcting. The pelvis and the leg joints reset in minutes. It was as if he showed me something hidden in plain sight. In truth he did.

Today, the depth of what he shared, strengthens the foundation of STEP Training. We gained another piece of the puzzle to training downhill horses back to level and straight. It's less stressful and quicker then hours of riding and sweaty saddle pads. Without experiencing stress or injury this exercise makes horse training accurate and effecient.

Now I see how to help narrow horses open through the chest.
Now we can shift away from mechanical leverage. Now we can develop horses who trust their hips to step deep, sit or spin.

OMG are we as horse trainers in the position to preventing hock injuries? We're in the position to prevent DFFT and much more?

I'm surrounded by trainers who see this program as a therapy. They can't accept what has been offered. Is it ego fear or guilt? Neither Frank or I can understand the resistance.

It allows me the opportunity to develop my own riders. My own horses. It allow them to show the world what STEP RHT and STEP RGT can do.

The power of a new training tool has been added to my box, thanks to the courage of a gallant horse.

Thank you, Tiglon.

Address

249 W Smithville Road
Dothan, AL
36301

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13347187806

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Balanced Horse Project posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Balanced Horse Project:

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Our Story

The Balanced Horse Project, comes straight from the personal experience of Pat Cleveland and her love for riding and training. She left the show world to track down the elusive source of training problems, resistant behaviors and crooked conformation. It transformed into private investigation which changed her views on how to train, interact and support the restoration of balance in horses.

Pat’s approach is unique. by merging crooked horses, birth and body symmetry, she problems every facet that is over looked. The engagement of a powerful epigenetic response regenerates, restore and emotionally rebirths horses who thrive under stress. The benefits bridges all disciplines, horse problems and miscommunication to enhance horse and rider safety.

Ultimately Pat’s message is leading horsemanship towards incorporating topics and research that blend insight with epigenetics and practicality, to return the potential of naturally sustainable horses.

The Balanced Horse Project is an umbrella for her programs and investigations. As an internationally recognized trainer, clinician and speaker , Pat works when and where she is asked. Long distance programs, mobile training service, consultations for owners, stables and breeding farms, generate effective horses for the track, national Equestrian teams and recreational enjoyment.