Corrective in-hand work
In-hand training allows the horse to organize their body without the weight of a rider. We focus on neck-base stability, core engagement, and reducing the habit of overloading the forehand.
ECVM REHABILITATION · MONROE, WA
ECVM Rehabilitation
Postural retraining, conditioning, and management for horses with ECVM
Discuss a referral
Veterinary guidedWork begins with diagnosis and clearance
Movement focusedStrength, balance, and coordination
Individually adaptedProgress shaped by the horse’s response
LIVING WITH ECVM
Work with the horse, not against it
Rehabilitation to support comfort, movement, and quality of life
Equine Complex Vertebral Malformation (ECVM) is a structural variation in the lower neck (typically C6/C7 and sometimes the first rib) that affects every horse differently. Our work begins with a consultation with your vet. From there, we build a program around how your horse moves, what they can comfortably do, and how they respond.
While their anatomy can't be changed, with thoughtful training and management, affected horses can stay comfortable, functional, and engaged in meaningful work.
START WITH THE FULL PICTURE
Understanding ECVM horse symptoms
Horses with ECVM may show changes in movement, posture, coordination, or behavior. These can include:
- Bracing or guarding through the neck and poll
- Difficulty balancing, bending, or staying straight
- An inconsistent rhythm or difficult-to-localize “rein lameness”
- Uneven weight distribution or weakness through the thoracic sling and topline
- Resistance that may be connected to discomfort
These signs are not specific to ECVM. New, worsening, or neurologic concerns require veterinary evaluation before rehabilitation or training continues.
MOVEMENT WITH PURPOSE
Building support with respect for the neck
Training encourages relaxation, self-carriage, and natural neck movement while developing the thoracic sling, topline, and core. We avoid techniques and equipment that hold the neck in a fixed position or ask for excessive flexion.
BIOMECHANICS & NEUROMUSCULAR RETRAINING
A thoughtful framework for better movement
Rehabilitating a horse with cervical variations requires a thoughtful, science-based framework. Each program is adapted to the horse’s diagnosis, movement, comfort, and response.
Groundwork & learning theory
In a low-stress environment, horses can safely learn new movement patterns. Targeted postural resets and pole work help strengthen the thoracic sling and improve coordination.
Ridden rehabilitation
When appropriate, ridden work is introduced after greater stability is established on the ground. The focus is a soft, neutral balance and lifting the base of the neck without tension.
A TAILORED PROGRAM
Support beyond the exercise plan
Successful management depends on more than a list of exercises. Training, care, equipment, and lifestyle all influence how the horse feels and moves. Programs may support horses with chronic bracing, tension, or difficult-to-localize lameness, as well as horses returning after injections or surgery. Our Monroe rehabilitation program serves horses from Snohomish County and throughout Western Washington.
In-hand conditioning
Transitions, poles, stretching, and carefully selected exercises develop strength and coordination without adding the weight of a rider.
Ridden rehabilitation
When cleared and comfortable, progressive ridden work supports self-carriage, even weight distribution, and freedom through the neck and back.
Daily management
Regular turnout, appropriate saddle fit, and a low-stress environment can help reduce compensatory tension and defensive movement.
Coordinated care
Veterinary treatment and supportive care may include physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, bodywork, farriery, or medication as directed by the appropriate professional.
WORKING WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN
Rehabilitation begins with your vet
Seven Hills accepts horses with an ECVM diagnosis after veterinary clearance for active movement. We use the veterinarian’s findings and recommendations to establish appropriate boundaries for exercise and conditioning.
We communicate with the veterinarian and care team as the horse progresses. A change in comfort, behavior, coordination, or movement may require the program to pause while the horse returns for veterinary assessment.
Refer an ECVM rehabilitation case“In all my years of practice, I have never met anyone more skilled at rehabilitating neck and back horses than Kyra Fraser.”
Beth Byles, DVM · Tacoma, WA
TALK WITH US
Discuss the next step for your horse
Tell us about the diagnosis, your veterinarian’s recommendations, and what your horse is currently able to do comfortably.
Start a conversation