Grete Jørgensen is a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research who's spent years studying how horses communicate preferences — including the viral blanket study that taught horses to use symbols for yes and no. In this episode, we talk about what it actually took to teach horses to make choices, and what it revealed about how we train them.

We get into why some horses were too shut down to even touch the board, the cold-blooded horse who kept asking for a blanket when everyone assumed he'd be fine, how positive reinforcement was the only way to make the study work, whether horses should have a say in how they're kept and trained, and why the culture of "kick and pull" often starts at Pony Club.

Whether you're competing at the top level or just want a better relationship with your horse, this one's worth a listen.

Connect with Grete:Horse Voice Project: nibio.no/en/projects/giving-the-horse-a-voice-horse-welfare-and-owner-awarenessNews article: nibio.no/en/news/2026/new-research-project-gives-horses-a-voice

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