Listening. Learning. Healing.
Brake Equine was founded in 2022 by Dr. Rebecca (Becky) Brake, a lifelong horsewoman and veterinarian dedicated to helping horses move and feel their best. The practice grew out of years of riding, studying, and searching for deeper answers to the problems traditional veterinary medicine often leaves unanswered.
From Pony Club to Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Brake’s story with horses began long before veterinary school. She grew up in the United States Pony Club, earning her HA certification (with B ratings in both Dressage and Eventing). From a young age, she loved training young and misunderstood horses. She raised and trained several horses herself—experiences that would later shape how she listens to and evaluates horses today.
A Different Path Through Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Brake earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry (2012), MBA (2015), and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (2017) — all from Texas A&M University. After graduation, she spent time learning from an equine vet mentor, Dr. E.W. “Buff” Hildreth.
During this time, one of Dr. Brake’s personal horses developed a “mystery” lameness. Wanting to get to the bottom of it and keep him as happy and comfortable as possible, she took him to several well-known experts to try to get answers. She found that too often, treatment defaulted to a routine series of joint injections without a clear understanding of why the horse was compensating or where the problem truly began. Even more frustrating, treatment often failed to have any real lasting effect.
Feeling burned out and seeking clarity, Dr. Brake took a step away from equine practice to refocus on her own well-being and her horses while still searching for answers.
The Horse Who Changed Everything
Herostan RSF was still struggling with recurrent lameness. Several MRIs, surgery, and months of stall rest and rehabilitation only offered temporary relief. When she was told he may have to retire, Dr. Brake began looking for answers in alternative medicine. In 2023, she became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and Certified Veterinary Medical Manipulation Practitioner (Equine). Although both of these helped, Hero was still painful and “not right.” Then she met Dr. Audrey DeClue. Through Dr. DeClue’s mentorship, Dr. Brake discovered the answer she had been searching for. Veterinary medicine was very good at identifying and treating “limb lameness,” but often ignored the body. What was needed was a mental shift to consider body soundness and biomechanics. Dr. DeClue’s approach made Hero sound for the first time in years.
The Birth of Brake Equine
Dr. Brake’s approach combines Western and Eastern medicine along with biomechanical insight and a focus on body soundness, emphasizing management over quick fixes and communication over assumption. Every case is an opportunity to listen to what the horse is saying and what it needs to heal. Every horse is a teacher to learn from. Many horses have shaped Dr. Brake’s career, and she continues to learn from each one of them—they have been her greatest teachers.