What if listening to your horse’s no actually created a stronger, braver, more confident performance partner?
In this episode, Samantha Baer sits down with equine behavior specialist Adele Shaw to unravel the science and nuance behind choice, agency, and communication in performance horses. They talk about the difference between confusion, fear, pain, and true unwillingness, and how recognizing early signs of stress can prevent shutdown, blow-ups, and long-term behavioral issues.

Adele explains how positive reinforcement works on a scientific level, why “kind” pressure is still pressure, and how riders can shift into training habits that build clarity instead of dependency on whips, spurs, and force. Samantha shares stories from the show-jumping and eventing world that highlight the real consequences of ignoring a horse’s signals—and the surprising transformation that happens when you adapt your training instead of pushing harder.

This episode blends science, emotion, practicality, and real-world performance experiences. It’s an invitation to reexamine what partnership actually means and how much more a horse can offer when they’re given a voice in the process.

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