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In early November, I had the opportunity to participate in an equine dissection with a group of women from the Balance Through Movement Method community; each of us coming from different backgrounds, different skill sets, and different corners of the horse world.

Walking into a space like that, it’s easy to brace for ego, debate, or the kind of territorial energy that so often creeps into the equine industry, but what unfolded was the opposite.

We gathered as women grounded in humility and a shared commitment to equine welfare.

Every conversation, whether academic, emotional, or philosophical, was approached with the intention to understand rather than to win. There was room for nuance, room for differing perspectives and room to learn from one another without losing ourselves in the process.

I left feeling incredibly inspired by the fire in these women. So many visionaries. So many thoughtful, brilliant minds committed to reshaping this industry in service of the horse.

The heart of that weekend was Royal, the horse donated for the dissection.

Before any education, before any anatomy, we met him. Some of the women spent time with him at liberty earlier in the day. Despite the moments of volatility and defensiveness he had shown in his life, he walked up to each woman and offered connection. Softly. Willingly. On his own terms.

I arrived that evening and was still able to place my hands on him, to acknowledge him, and to honor the life behind the lessons he would teach.

Throughout the weekend, that reverence never wavered. The facilitators and participants held him with respect every step of the way. We balanced scientific inquiry with deep gratitude for the sentient being who made it possible.

At the end, we held a small funeral. A closing of the loop. A moment to acknowledge not just what we learned, but who we learned it from. It was grounding and it was important.

Dissection is never just an academic experience. It is one last offering from a horse whose story deserves to be held with care.

There are so many insights and key takeaways I want to share, and those will come in the following posts. The learning was powerful, the anatomy was fascinating, but the community, the respect, and the honoring of Royal are what made this experience so meaningful.

A huge thank you to Lorre and her team at Trinity Equine Services for guiding us through this experience with such depth and clarity and for being willing to follow every rabbit hole right alongside us. To Andi and Lynx, thank you for hosting us with such care and entrusting us with Royale’s story. To Celeste and Katherine, thank you for cultivating a community of passionate horse advocates and for organizing a space where learning and reverence can coexist so naturally. And to the incredible BTMM women—your passion and openness made that weekend unforgettable.