In this episode of The Elevated Equestrian, Samantha Baer sits down with horse trainer, author, and filmmaker Elsa Sinclair to ask the uncomfortable question that changed her entire approach to horses: do horses actually want to be ridden—if they truly had a choice? What starts as a simple question quickly opens the door to a radically different way of thinking about training, consent, and partnership.

We talk about what it really means to train from the horse’s point of view, including Elsa’s decision to start a mustang without a halter, without food rewards, and without trapping or forcing participation. She shares how prioritizing the horse’s sensory and emotional systems—not just physical training—completely reshaped her understanding of motivation, cooperation, and trust.

This conversation dives deep into sensory-based and emotional training, the peak-end rule and how horses form memories, and why many “problem behaviors” are actually patterns we unintentionally train into our horses. We also explore how these ideas apply to sport horses, especially sensitive, expressive horses who struggle with anxiety, explosiveness, or shutdown in high-pressure environments.

If you’ve ever questioned where the line is between consent and compliance, or felt stuck between wanting partnership and needing results, this episode will challenge you—in the best way.

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