In our 7th episode, Jec interviews saddle fitting expert Kristen Vlietstra. The California-based saddler works with horses and riders of all disciplines. 

In this conversation, the two discuss simple ways to assess good saddle fit and some common concerns among riders. 

We also welcome Horse & Rider books as a new segment sponsor. 

In our sixth episode, Jec Ballou interviews Michael Lingenfelter, a personal trainer who specializes in working with horse riders, especially, he says, older dressage riders. 

Mobility, Stability, and Strength are the most important elements of riding fitness, Jec and Michael agree. 

In this episode, Jec establishes a recurring feature called the Coaches' Corner in which she interviews fellow trainers and teachers to talk about elements of their work. Here, she interviews Amy Skinner from Rougemont, North Carolina.

Amy has studied with scores of well-known horsemen and women. She has presented at the Best Horse Practices Summit twice and had clinics scheduled around the country and in Australia before Covid hit. Nonetheless, she’s stayed quite busy this year. She continues to write guest columns for Cayuse Communications and has a wonderful book out: To Catch a Horse: Finding the Heart of Your Horsemanship. We will link to all that good stuff at besthorsepractices.com/podcast

In this half-hour conversation, Jec and Maddy talk about their backgrounds and philosophies as well as what went into their books, 55 Corrective Exercises and Horse Head, respectively. 

In our third episode, we welcome Dr. Steve Peters, a retired neuropsychologist and co-author of Evidence-Based Horsemanship, for some great insights into how learning brain science can improve our horse work. 

Maddy Butcher consulted Peters for the first chapter of her book, Horse Head: Brain Science & Other Insights and she reads a passage on the meaning of comfort in neuroscience terms. 

Jec and Warwick discuss the popular Australian's evolution as a clinician and trainer and how Warwick is open to all sorts of influences which will benefit his horsemanship. Also included, another Exercise of the Week with Jec. 

In this debut episode, Jec Ballou interviews Jim Masterson, founder of the Masterson Method.

Learn more about how body work can invigorate your horse's performance and well-being. Also in this episode, an Exercise of the Week.