There are stereotypes for just about everything when it comes to the horse world, and aging horses are no exception. We picture a hard keeper becoming increasingly thin over time, or maybe we imagine a recently retired athlete going out to a big pasture with a herd of other horses and immediately feeling content. But just like with every stereotype, these perceptions do not tell the full story, and can actually be harmful in the long run to our equine partners.

In this episode, we dive into all things Golden Oldies. We aim to clarify the physiology behind the equine aging process, and debunk some common myths in the process (spoiler alert - not all old horses struggle with weight loss!). 

Our guest this week is Dr. Katie Sheats, an assistant professor of Equine Primary Care and a specialist in Equine Internal Medicine at NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to specializing in the care of older horses, Dr. Sheets also owns two senior horses in their 30s who live in her backyard. In short, she has an immense amount of both clinical and real-world experience when it comes to this topic, and she has an accordingly vast amount of knowledge to share. 

Here are just a few of the topics Caroline and Dr. Sheats discuss in this week’s episode:

• What causes aging in horses? It’s more than just the passing of time...

• How weight plays into horse health as they age

• How teeth condition and gut health factors in older horses

• Tips and tricks for good preventative care

• Common chronic illnesses in older horses (and how you can get the jump on them far before your horses turn Sr.)

• Arthritic and orthopedic issues in older horses

• Deciding when to retire your horse, and what that retirement might look like for them (it’s not always just a big field and no work!)

• How to navigate the difficult decisions and conversations that one must face as horses near the end of their life

There’s no question that the show jumping horses of today are different from the horses of 30, even 20 years ago. As courses continue to get increasingly technical and fast, breeders are producing increasingly athletic horses to match…or is it that cause/effect relationship the other way around? 

And what about the horses who are bred to jump 1.60, but either through a bad start or through genetics (or both), never reach that level - can a horse bred for a top Olympian still be rideable enough for the everyday amateur? 

To help us answer these questions (and so many more), we turn to Helena Stormanns, one of show jumping’s most respected coaches, horse-rider matchmakers, and breeders who was a top rider herself. 

In addition to talking about show jumping breeding today, and how it’s changed from the breeding of yesterday, Helena and Caroline also dive into:

• How Helena thinks about breeding for, or selecting horses for, the elite pro versus the amateur rider

• Show jumping stallions and breeding lines that Helena personally loves, some proven and some quite new

• New horse-rider partnerships, from the POV of both the rider and the horse

• Bits, and how they factor into developing a young horse

• Why no one is doing enough flatwork

• Helena’s views on The Olympics and the role BigEq plays in developing riders for top levels of show jumping sport

• Why buying a horse “off the rack” is never the good idea it can sometimes appear to be

There’s so much more to your seat and symmetry in the saddle than meets the eye. It’s not just about good equitation or looking pretty in the saddle. Your horse’s health, musculature, and soundness are profoundly impacted by your balance while you ride. 

Also, it’s just plain miserable to constantly be fighting your own position while you ride. If you’re constantly focusing on just turning your toes in, or not falling off the left side of your horse, there’s little hope to be effective and clear with your aids, thereby growing your partnership with your horse. 

But, here on Equestrian Voices, we have good news! One, there’s a lot you can do out of the saddle to fix position issues that you’re having in the saddle. (Yes, in this regard, you truly can become a better rider from your living room!) Two, most problems with seat and position come down to 3 main symmetry issues, and we talk all about them in this ep. 

We’ve turned to Maeve Sheridan MCSP, owner/operator of Activate Your Seat. Maeve is a highly specialized physiotherapist - for both people AND horses - with over 20 years of experience treating musculoskeletal disorders and sports injuries. 

Caroline and Maeve tackle:

• The three main symmetry issues (front to back, side to side, and rotational) and how they manifest both in and out of the saddle

• How asymmetry in the saddle greatly affects your horse (and how it can sometimes lead to injury)

• The main muscles involved in producing symmetry in your own body - spoiler alert, it’s not your core. 

• Basic exercises you can do out of the saddle to strengthen your sense of symmetry in the saddle

• How your own anatomy affects body position in the saddle (all rider’s who turn out their toes, this is for you..)

• How saddle fit and design helps (or hurts) how symmetrical you can be in the tack

You can also check out Maeve’s instagram account for more exercises and information on how to strengthen your own seat. 

If you’re listening to this podcast, then you probably know the name of the company producing it: Noëlle Floyd. What you might not know, though, is that this is also the name of our CEO and Founder. Noëlle started her namesake business as a personal blog meant to detail her career and experiences in the world of show jumping, and since then it’s become what you know today  - a hub for media, discussion, and education, now in its 11th year.

Caroline Culbertson sat down with Noëlle to talk about the evolution of the industry and sport as she sees it, and the hard questions she’s had to ask herself along the way. This special behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of Noëlle Floyd also dives into:

• Noëlle’s experience as a working professional in the show jumping world

• What she learned when she stepped away from being on the competition "hamster wheel"

• How the tone has shifted in the horse world (mostly for the better)

• The concept of “social license” and how it fits into the equestrian space

• The role and responsibility of the media in horse sport

• A candid conversation about grief 

• The balance of life and horses, and how to navigate that tension

Your horse is cold backed and unpredictable at the mounting block. Under saddle, he goes around inverted, and can sometimes even kick out or spook suddenly. One of your friends casually says, “Maybe he has Kissing Spines,” and your heart skips - you’ve heard of it before, and know that it’s definitely not good. 

Kissing Spines disease in horses has been increasingly diagnosed in recent years, and can even be a reason why some people pass on a horse during a pre purchase exam - but we know more about diagnosing, treating, and managing this condition than we ever have. In this conversation, Dr. Kara Brown helps us break down the in/outs of this disease, as well as what you should be worried about (and what you shouldn’t) if your horse is diagnosed with it. 

Along with listener questions, Caroline and Dr. Brown discuss:

• The anatomy of the back, and how it relates to Kissing Spines

• What we know (and don’t) about what causes this condition

• The grading system vets use to assess severity

• How to properly palpate your horse’s back

• The best (and most recent) diagnosis methods

• Surgical and non-surgical treatment options 

• Longer-term management and strengthening methods

The book referenced with regard to rehabilitation and strengthening: Activate Your Horse’s Core by Hilary Clayton and Narelle Stubbs

A bit about Kara Brown, VMD, DACVSMR: Dr. Brown attended veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania and completed specialty training (including a fellowship in Large Animal Cardiology and Ultrasound and residency in Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation) at the University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center.  She is also a diplomate of the American College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation and will be joining the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in July.  She has a special interest in complex poor performance in the sport horse, and has published research on varied topics within this subject. 

If you’re a regular to the Equestrian Voices podcast, you know that bitting is a subject we return to time and again. This is because bits have such a dramatic impact on a horse’s happiness and performance - and it’s an area we still have so much to learn about!

So we decided to come back to this topic, this time bringing together top professionals from the Hunter/Jumper, Eventing, and Dressage disciplines to discuss how their ideas about bits and bitting developed over the course of their careers, and to see if there were any common threads between disciplines that could shed some new light on how to approach bitting for our own horses. 

During this roundtable, our four special guests also focused on how bitting differs (and is more often the same) between different areas of our industry, as well as misconceptions/pitfalls for each specific concentration. We also talk about how education plays such a huge role in choosing bits for our equine partners, and where we might be falling short as an industry in that area. GUESTS: Liza Towell Boyd 

Liz Halliday-Sharp  

Betsy Steiner 

Stephanie Brown-Beamer  

Additional resources: 

• [LISTEN]Bits, Behaviors and Teeth: Misconceptions About Your Horse’s Mouth

• [LISTEN]What’s Your Horse Trying to Tell You About His Bit? (Part 1) (Part 2) 

• If you want to do some more exploration on your own, head to the Nueu Schule Knowledge Base (not sponsored) and nerd out on the topic of bits and bitting. Your horse will appreciate it!

When it comes to riding, more often than not the focus is placed on the horse - what are they doing, how are they feeling, what can we improve with them, etc. But we all know that the horse is only 50% of the equation - the other 50%? You: the rider. So why does it always feel like focusing on yourself, especially out of the saddle, is somehow selfish or irrelevant in terms of your time and effort? In the second of this two-part podcast, host Caroline Culbertson continues her conversation with Dr. Paul and Justin Haefner of Riding Far LLC to discuss the human part of the equation. Specifically, how being self-actualized and self-regulating can have a wildly positive influence on how our horses respond to us (and their environment) both on the ground and while being ridden. 

During this continued conversation, Caroline, Dr. Paul, and Justin also discuss:

• Why investing in yourself as a self actualized person is also an investment in your riding.

• The mix of patience and process in the horse/rider relationship. 

• How truly powerful it can be when a trainer claims both their place and their competence in the larger industry.

• The way in which disintegration can exacerbate moments of fear or tension in the saddle, and how to overcome it. 

• The Polyvagal Theory (we’re getting very technical and we love it!) and how it applies to riding. 

• The difference between a “brilliant” horse and a horse that just doesn’t self regulate very well. 

• How a horse’s job is more than what it does in the ring, and why that’s important to keep in mind.

• Why every rider has a responsibility to be aware of their ability (and their horse’s ability!) to self regulate in a given situation. 

If you’ve ever taken a riding lesson, you know that it goes something like this: Your trainer stands in the middle of the ring giving you instructions, and you’re on the horse trying your darndest to follow those instructions precisely. 

It works… kinda. But bridging that gap between your trainer’s instructions and feeling/understanding can be challenging. Additionally, it can put the rider in a mindset of listening to the instructor which can, in turn, tune out the horse. So why does it continue to be pretty much the exclusive teaching method? Is there more to know when it comes to developing an effective back and forth between trainer and student?

In the first of this two-part podcast, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Paul and Justin Haefner of Riding Far LLC to discuss the many aspects of the student/trainer relationship, and how it can potentially change for the better into something more dynamic and fluid. 

Paul Haefner, PhD. is a licensed clinical and sport psychologist with more than 30 years of professional experience. His son Justin Haefner is a professional trainer who comes from a background in vaquero style natural horsemanship and specializes in the training and handling of young performance horses. Together, Dr. Paul and Justin help people create powerful opportunities for riders to transform their relationships with themselves and their horse in large and small ways.

During this powerful conversation, Caroline and our guests discuss:

• The difference between knowing your subject matter and effectively teaching it.

• Why it's important to be aware of the many sensory inputs you experience while riding.

• Why understanding learning styles (and having trainers understand them, too!) can play such an important part in rider development.

• The gap between seeing a skill and experiencing a skill, and how to bridge it. 

• Teaching “feel”, and why it’s critical to develop this skill sooner than later.

• The difference between doing something successfully and doing something well.

• Why the “Mean Trainer” should be a thing of the past.

• How trainers can think about their students seeking education outside of their barn. 

Most riders desire to develop a horse who is a happy, willing participant in whatever task or discipline they’ve set out towards. But where the training narrative used to revolve around making sure the horse knows who’s the boss, newer methods value give and take and making sure your horse is heard in the conversation. 

The balance of toughness vs softness in riding has never been more at the forefront of discussion. We want our horses to respect boundaries and listen to our requests (especially for safety’s sake!). We also want our horses to learn from a place of mutual respect and understanding, not fear and retribution. The line isn’t always an easy one to walk, especially when preparing a horse for a results-focused competition. 

To help walk us through this landscape, we talk with top International Grand Prix Dressage rider JJ Tate. JJ has been competing at the highest levels since her junior years and has vowed to herself to train without shortcuts, with integrity and principles that are aligned with how horses think, move, and learn. She runs a USDF University Accredited online program called Team Tate Academy so anyone can access her expertise regardless of where they live, and was also mentored by the great Charles de Kunffy (she shares with us some of the wisdom she’s learned from him along the way, which is particularly special). 

In this broader conversation, JJ and host Caroline Culbertson discuss hardness and softness in training, and why it’s possible (maybe even necessary) to have both. They also dive into:

• The concept of “rider merit,” and how it should be assessed beyond just the competitive accolades a rider achieves

• What is “horse sport” really about, and what universal qualities does it share with other sports?

• Riding as character growth for both horse and rider

• The sort of rider you need to become to have the horse volunteer for you, and why it’s something we should all strive for

• How science is backing up the classical methods that have always worked

• Why being clear with your horse is actually in the long run being kind

• The “Growth Mindset” and how to achieve it as a rider

• How methods of horse training in the EU differ from methods in the US, and how both have their strengths and weaknesses

You hear it all the time: “Young riders today don’t know about horsemanship.” “Kids today just want to get on and ride.” “There are no more barn rats.” These complaints point to a larger potential issue of losing generational knowledge. Is it something we, as horsepeople, should be concerned about? 

To help us answer this question, we turned to Archie Cox, owner and head trainer at Brookway Stables. Along the way, our broad conversation covered a lot of ground that should hopefully make us all feel a little better about the future, and a little more empowered about how we can all become better horsemen. 

Archie has been immersed in the horse world his entire life, and has operated Brookway Stables for 23 years. During that time, he’s coached numerous horses and riders to national titles and wins at the biggest shows in the country, and remarkably through it all, he’s kept the same manager, farrier, and vet. His daily routine revolves around starting early (as in 3am!), staying consistent, and keeping things simple - all of which he says contributes to his amazing success in the industry. 

In the conversation, host Caroline Culbertson and Archie discuss:

• Whether riders in 2023 know as much about horse management as riders in 1983

• The role of “tradition” and its connection to safety and function

• How passion acts as the driving force for those who seek out knowledge

• Social media, and why it’s such an important tool in horse education

• Archie’s two C’s: Consistency and Curiosity

• How to find your “flavor” of riding, and why the industry needs all types of riders

• The responsibility of trainers in teaching horse management as well as riding