The Soundness Check

Inside a Performance Exam: Building the Clinical Picture

What actually happens during a sports medicine examination? Whether you're evaluating a horse or a rider, every assessment is about gathering meaningful information to un

"Maintenance" Joint Injections

Joint injections are a valuable tool in equine sports medicine—but they shouldn't be considered routine maintenance or performed simply because a horse is "due." Every in

Overriding Dorsal Spinous Processes: Beyond the Diagnosis

Overriding dorsal spinous processes—often referred to as "kissing spines"—can be an intimidating diagnosis for any horse owner. But what does it actually mean, and how do

Red Flags in Rehab

Rehabilitation comes in many forms, but not all rehab plans are created equal. In this episode of The Soundness Check, Dr. Michelle Correia and Dr. Rachel Buchholz compa

Is it a Training Issue or a Medical Issue?

When performance changes show up, it’s not always easy to know where the problem is coming from. Is it a training limitation, a communication issue, fatigue, weakness—or

From Image to Insight- Getting the Most Out of Diagnostic Imaging

In the Season 2 premiere of The Soundness Check, Dr. Michelle Correia and Dr. Rachel Buchholz dive into best practices around diagnostic imaging in the sport horse, inclu

Hidden Causes of Poor Performance in the Equine Athlete

Not every performance problem in the ring comes from a musculoskeletal issue! In the Season 1 finale of The Soundness Check, Dr. Michelle Correia (horse + human physio)

Managing the Aging Equine Athlete: Keeping Experience in the Game

Just because a horse is aging doesn’t mean their athletic career is over. But keeping senior athletes performing well takes a different approach. In this episode of The

Therapies That Work (And Some That Don't) - Sorting Fact From Trend

In today's world there’s no shortage of tools marketed to help horses recover and perform better. But what does the science actually say? In this episode of The Soundnes

Intentional Rest: How to Plan Your Time Off for You and Your Horse

Rest isn’t the absence of work—it’s a vital part of performance management. In this episode of The Soundness Check, Dr. Michelle Correia (horse + human physio) and Dr. R

What your Rehab Plan SHOULD look like

Rehabilitation isn’t just about rest—it’s about rebuilding strength, resilience, and confidence in a way that lasts. In this episode of The Soundness Check, Dr. Michelle

When to Push and When to Pause

Soreness and weakness can look the same—but the way you respond to them should be very different. In this episode of The Soundness Check, Dr. Michelle Correia (horse + h

The Forgotten Athlete

Most riders don’t have hours that they can spend in the gym—and that’s okay. But your strength, balance, and movement patterns still shape how your horse performs every s

What IS Soundness?

When we talk about a “sound” horse or rider, what do we actually mean? In this episode, Dr. Michelle Correia (horse + human physio) and Dr. Rachel Buchholz (equine spor

The Team Behind the Soundness Check

Welcome to The Soundness Check! In this introductory episode, hosts Dr. Michelle Correia (horse and human rehab specialist) and Dr. Rachel Buchholz (equine sports medicin