Chatting about: Time Matters…

In this episode, we talk about the time we spend “doing” with our horses versus “being” with our horses. There are so many practical things that need to be done with horses to keep them healthy and happy that sometimes we run out of time for the things that feed the soul. Even taking five minutes of BEING with horses in a way that values how they feel, and how we feel together, and what they are interested in, is worth it. What I found again this week is how much joy I get when there is the luxury of a little more time for being. Time matters, and when we have the good fortune to have a bit more to spend on the things that are important, it makes life so much better.

Originally aired on: January 7th, 2025

Chatting about: The Eternal Student…

In this episode, we talk about being a student of the horses and about studying patterns, habits, and cycles. When we come at learning from the position of learning with each other more than we are learning from each other the world opens up with possibilities. 

Originally aired on: January 1st, 2025

Chatting about: Finding Light, Playing With Darkness…

In this episode, we talk about the good and the bad, the light and the dark, the awake and the resting times, and how everything exists on a spectrum. Where we place our attention perpetuates behaviors in our horses, and because of that, we are going to place our attention more on the good, the light, and the awake times. The bad, the dark, and the resting times will also exist, so we may choose to distract a horse or redirect them or play with a horse’s natural need for rest in contrast to its times in light Awakeness.

Originally aired on: December 24th, 2024

Chatting about: Using Your Powers For Good Or Evil…

In this episode, we talk about the enormous amount of power we have in relationships due to the quantity of small responses we give in a million little moments. Horses tend to remember behaviors that trigger a feeling response in themselves and a change in behavior in others. Horses repeat what they remember. We have so much power to help them remember and then repeat the behaviors that bring a greater quality of life to everyone.

Originally aired on: December 18th, 2024

Chatting about: A Question Worth Asking…

In this episode, we talk about how Relationships are made up of questions and answers. Sometimes, it can feel like life is just a series of problems to be solved, but when our patterns of stress come down to a reasonable level, those "problems" become simply questions worth answering. If we organize our questions to our horses in a way that focuses on things important to them first, then they are more open and interested in the kinds of questions humans might find interesting afterward.

Originally aired on: December 11th, 2024

Chatting about: How Horses Ask For Connection…

In this episode, we talk about how connection is made up of a series of actions showing how well a partner is known and understood. Horses ask for connection (ask to be known and understood better) by breaking harmony, either through push or pull. As humans we can choose to see that push or pull for the ask it is or we can punish the request for connection. The key is in the timing of our action and passivity. When we get the timing right the pushes and pulls become more and more subtle and gentle, creating a healthy relationship. When we get the timing wrong horses will tend to escalate behavior in an attempt to be understood

Originally aired on: December 5th, 2024

Chatting about: Ripples of Response...

In this episode, we talk about how to see the ripples of response within a herd of horses and how we can become part of these ripples. When a horse changes focus from one thing to another, their herd instinct wants someone else to notice also. If there is no response, there may be an escalation in stress and more obvious push or pull behaviors. When stress goes up the right amount, curiosity increases, when it goes up too high, fight and flight occur. When stress goes down, resting behaviors increase, when they stay low for too long, resting turns into ignoring and raises the stress of any members seeking that ripple of response. Ripples of response are a herd's primary tool for stress regulation.

Originally aired on: November 28th, 2024

Chatting about: Attention Replaces Pressure…

In this episode, we talk about a horse's need to be recognized as an individual can be used quite practically to replace needs for pressure in the relationship. While we will always use pressure to navigate safety situations, there are many many interactions with horses that do not have a safety component. When we find ways to physically show them we understand them and are paying attention, we find a horse's natural desire to cooperate is stimulated and the need for pressure dissipates.

Originally aired on: November 22nd, 2024

Chatting about: Interested in What Is, More Than What You Want…

In this episode we talk about stress. What is too much stress, what is not enough stress and how being aware of what is currently being experienced may be more important for a time than trying to change it.

Originally aired on: November 14th, 2024

Chatting about: Mental Learning Versus Emotional Learning……

In this episode, we talk about how mental learning and emotional learning are different in horse training. Many people are familiar with mental training which is puzzle solving or figuring out how to do one thing to get another thing. Emotional training is more important when it comes to regulation of the nervous system and developing strong bonds between partners. Emotional training is the practice of using the sensory system (seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, tasting, etc.) without needing to do anything about the information taken in. Practicing taking in information and processing it without needing to take immediate action on it develops the emotional strength needed for reliable social systems.

Originally aired on: November 6th, 2024