🐴 Welcome to 2025: A Year of Growth, Vision & Opportunity

As we step into the heart of 2025, I wanted to take a moment to reflect, share, and invite. The past year has been a whirlwind of breakthroughs — in research, in service offerings, and in the growth of our incredible community. I’m deeply grateful for the support, the curiosity, and the shared love for understanding the emotional world of the horse.

Whether you've followed along since the early days or are just now discovering what we do, you're arriving at an exciting moment in time. From new partnerships to innovative services, from academic collaborations to public-facing reports — there is so much to share with you.

Let’s take a look at some highlights.

🧭 What’s New in Our World

🧠 New Signature Service

The Herd Dynamic Performance ProfileOur most advanced 1:1 service yet, this boutique psychological evaluation is tailored for all breeds & disciplines; breeding, training, and behavioral insights, re-homing, dealing with Equine PTSD & more!👉 Explore the Signature Service Herd Dynamic Profiling | Sensory Soundness 

🐎 Updated Thoroughbred Services

We’ve refreshed our thoroughbred offerings to highlight how psychology can influence performance, selection, and long-term development.👉 Visit the Thoroughbred Services Page Thoroughbred | Sensory Soundness 

📊 The Competitor’s Edge

Our newest product offering is the boutique Visual Handicapping Scouting Report which launches publicly this year, debuting with the 2025 Kentucky Derby and select races throughout the season. A game-changer for race day insights.

🎓 Academic Partnership

I’m honored to serve as a Special Advisor for the Equine Program at Transylvania University — a step toward integrating equine psychology into higher education.

🎥 School & Curriculum Expansion

Our online school, The Institute for Advanced Equine Studies, is growing.Now available:

• A new free course

• A recorded webinar: Understanding Herd Psychology in the Domesticated World

• More university-level curriculum and licensing opportunities are on the way.

  
  

  👉 Visit the School Classes & webinars | Sensory Soundness 

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🎙️ Podcast Launch

Beyond The Hoof with Kerry & Daphne is in the works! Expect heartfelt stories, behind-the-scenes reflections, and a touch of randomness.

🧬 Tech & Innovation

We’ve partnered with Novostable to explore cutting-edge monitoring and behavior tech that aligns with our natural herd dynamic focus. Currently we are in Phase 1 with Phase 2, a deep dive in Research & Development blending my work and research into equine psychology with the advances in AI Technology, we are excited to be a part of a new frontier in equine wellness, breeding, training and beyond.

🎤 Live Event Speaking

I’ll be a featured presenter at the USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships in Aiken, SC, this May, 2-4 — the first of many upcoming events. **We are now, for the first time ever, open to partnering with Event and Educational Sponsors going forward, starting with this exciting kick-off in Aiken!

If you are a person or business who would be interested in working with us, please email directly to my wife Daphne --> sensorysoundness@gmail.com   This includes providing academic sponsorships for our academic programs, you can sponsor a new educational module, a student who wants to take a course or provide scholarships! 👉 Follow us on Facebook for event updates

🧩 New Team Member

We’re thrilled to welcome Kori Korzeniewski to our team as Director of Academic Development & Strategic Partnerships. Kori is a truly amazing woman and will be instrumental in shaping our future including academic expansions and event offerings, partnerships & sponsorships!

🔭 Looking Ahead: The Vision for 2025

Everything we’re building — from school curriculum to race insights, from exclusive evaluations to tech integrations — is centered on one mission:

"To strengthen the bridge between the natural herd dynamic and the domesticated world".

*This year will bring more international events (Europe this fall, Australia I’m not writing off a quick visit in 2025 but a full tour is being planned for 2026), expanded academic programs, strategic partnerships, and new courses. We’re also planning now for the writing of university curriculum for the fall semester — the journey continues.

📣 Don’t Miss Out

We encourage you to:

• Subscribe to our website for free

• Book a service — even if it’s just a consultation, spots are filling fast

• Visit the Events Page and sign up to stay in the loop

• Follow us on social using the icons at the bottom of this site

• Make a purchase and support our students and education cafepress.com/shop/RuggudPosh  

A new series of presentations and boutique clinics is on the way — you won’t want to miss them.

👉 Get Started Here

📚 Understanding the Language of the Horse

The heart of everything we do is revealed in the quote below, shared from the new 6-book monographic series I am currently writing: “A View From The Hoof”…

"Harmony with their environment, contentment with their peers; the inherent desire of every horse. At any moment, we have the power to either strengthen or disrupt the horse’s sense of security. The difference lies in how we communicate—not just physically, but emotionally. Our goal is not to impose, but to invite. Not to control, but to connect. When we prioritize emotional enrichment, we help bridge the gap between the natural herd dynamic, and the domesticated world." kmt

Over the years, I’ve developed a specialized lexicon to define the core psychological structures, sensory processes, and emotional layers that influence performance, partnership, and well-being.

The terms below offer a glimpse into that lexicon—concepts you’ll see echoed throughout our scouting reports, private evaluations, school courses, and public events. If you're new to our world, this is your first step toward understanding the horse from the inside out.

Here’s a preview from our glossary:

• Psychological Pace Index (PPI): How long a horse can stay mentally focused during motion before needing a reset.

• Interpretative Ratio: The pace at which a horse processes their environment relative to how fast they’re moving.

• Cushion: The horse’s perceived mental “buffer zone” — a critical factor in how they handle stress.

• Individual Herd Dynamic (IHD): A horse’s ability to lock onto a single focus and express competitive intent.

• Group Herd Dynamic (GHD): A horse’s multitasking, emotional awareness system — the foundation of herd communication.

• Independent Nature: Elite-level psychological agility — horses who can lead themselves.

• Sensory Soundness: Emotional regulation and environmental connection through efficient sensory processing.

• The Sensory Egg: The horse’s invisible perception bubble — the space where reaction meets self-awareness.

• Sensory Sequence: The six-step cycle of how horses turn physical input into emotional and physical responses.

• Sensory Lead Change (SLC): The internal handoff of sensory data between zones, keeping horses fluent in motion.

📖 You can also find this glossary featured on both the Thoroughbred Services and Herd Dynamic Profiling pages —

👉 View Full Glossary Here Frequently used Terms | Sensory Soundness

These terms aren’t just labels — they’re keys to decoding equine behavior at its most fundamental level. When you know what to look for, you’ll start to see your horse—and every horse—through a different lens.

Thank you for your interest, your support and for being a part of this ongoing journey of discovery!

~Kerry