In this episode Nancy McLean explores a listener question about whether to remount after a fall, using Dr. Stephen Peters’ research and a review by McBride et al. to explain how equine learning, myelination, and long-term potentiation shape behavior.

Nancy explains how automaticity, basal ganglia consolidation, and dopamine-driven rewards can help overwrite fearful responses, and she shares a real-life example of calmly remounting to reinforce positive patterns.

Key takeaway: when horse and rider are uninjured, a calm remount and rewarded repetition can help redirect the horse’s neural pathways and prevent lasting fear responses.

In this episode Nancy McLean explores Dr. Stephen Peters' book Horse Brain Science, comparing human and equine brain anatomy and function. She explains brain size and cortical folding, then walks through the four main lobes (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital), the amygdala and hippocampus, and the brainstem.

The episode connects these brain differences to horse behavior and training—why punishment fails, how pressure and removal or positive rewards work, and how understanding sensory processing, memory, and fear responses can improve ethical horsemanship.

This episode introduces equine neurobiology through the work of Dr. Stephen Peters, explaining core concepts like neurons, neurotransmitters, neuroplasticity, and how sensory processing affects learning and behavior.

It shows how applying neuroscience can reduce stress, build trust, and improve training and welfare, and previews a follow-up episode on brain anatomy.

This episode reviews a 2019 study where 23 horses were trained to use symbols to indicate whether they wanted a blanket put on, left on, or removed. Researchers tested horse choices across a range of temperatures, wind, rain, and seasons to see how weather and individual factors influenced blanket preference.

Key findings: horses overwhelmingly chose blankets at very low temperatures (below −10°C/14°F) and tended to reject blankets above about 10°C/50°F, with most preferring no blanket around 20°C/68°F. Wind, precipitation, clipping, age, and individual variation also affected choices. The episode emphasizes observing each horse and adjusting blanketing to weather and the horse’s needs.

In this episode Nancy McLean checks into recent equine herpes cases and focuses on new research linking corticosteroid (triamcinolone) joint injections to insulin spikes and severe laminitis. They review the case of Fiona, a competitive mare who developed fatal laminitis after sacroiliac injections, and summarize ongoing studies at NC State funded by the Chromatic Fund.

The researchers are comparing single high-dose versus repeated low-dose steroid protocols, finding undiagnosed insulin dysregulation in many sport horses and recommending insulin testing before steroid treatments. The clinical study is expected to conclude by spring 2026.

This episode breaks down the current EHV-1 (EHM) outbreak in the U.S., covering clinical signs, transmission, and incubation periods.

Listeners will learn about vaccine limitations, why quarantine and low-stress management matter, and practical biosecurity measures—cleaning, disinfectants (70% alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine), and when to avoid bleach on dirty surfaces.

Advice emphasizes keeping horses home when possible, monitoring for fever and limb swelling, and consulting your veterinarian for case-specific guidance.