Most of us learned to ride before we ever learned to ask.

We learned the halter, the rope, the pressure, the release. We learned how to make a horse do the thing. And somewhere in there, quietly, a lot of us started to feel that something about it wasn't quite right — and didn't have the words, or the permission, to say so.

Elsa Sinclair had that feeling at twelve.

She's the creator of Freedom Based Training and the documentary Taming Wild, and this conversation is the story of where it came from — which is really the story of a question she couldn't put down.

It started with a student, who asked her: do you think horses actually like being ridden? And then, before Elsa could finish answering — do you think they ever had a choice?

She didn't have an answer. So she went looking for one.

What follows is one of the most honest origin stories I've had on this show. A lonely girl on a spirited Appaloosa named Demi. Years of clinics and books and methods that never felt like the thing she was reaching for. An offer from a near-stranger she couldn't refuse. And finally a year in a field with a wild mustang named Myrnah — no halter, no rope, no treats, no way to make her do anything — just the freedom to walk away, and the hope that she'd choose to stay.

Elsa says something in here I keep coming back to. That she never set out to be spiritual or soft about it. She wanted something "logical and practical and understandable" — a way of being with horses built on peace instead of domination, that still actually worked.

We talk about why she refuses to promise her horse a calm, composed version of herself. About trust as the willingness to suspend judgment. And about the idea that rearranged how I see every herd I've ever stood in: that in a healthy herd, awareness replaces dominance — because dominance only shows up when nobody was paying attention in the first place.

This is the beginning of Freedom Based Training, told by the woman who built it.

Elsa Sinclair is a lifelong horsewoman, behavior researcher, and filmmaker. Her year with Myrnah became the award-winning documentary Taming Wild and a book of the same name, and she now teaches Freedom Based Training to students around the world.

If you've ever wondered whether your horse would choose you — this is Part One. Stay for Part Two, where she shows us exactly how it's done.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN

• The single question from a student that made Elsa stop and ask whether horses actually choose to be ridden
• Why she trains with no halter, rope, or treats — and what the horse's freedom to walk away forces you to get right
• The reason she refuses to promise her horse a calm, composed version of herself, and what she does instead
• How she defines trust as "the willingness to suspend judgment," plus the 80/20 rule for how often you're allowed to get it wrong
• What Ari, the aloof stallion who needed no one, taught her about reaching a horse who isn't interested in you
• Why she calls it the slowest training method on Earth, and the honest reason it isn't for everyone
• The herd-dynamics reframe that replaces dominance with awareness

To find out more about Elsa Sinclair: website | instagram | facebook | patreon

CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] A surreal reunion and the wish list that started the road trip [00:44] Elsa's origin story: Demi and "good buckers make good jumpers" [05:51] The birth of Freedom Based Training: peace over domination [09:02] The question that changed everything — do horses choose to be ridden? [11:34] The offer she couldn't refuse, and a documentary called Taming Wild [14:24] Training without tools: timing, curiosity, and day one with Myrnah [18:35] Companionship as currency: matching, mirroring, and sensory association [21:31] The promise she won't make: congruence over composure [28:22] Showing up on a bad day, and what trust actually is [34:32] Ari, the aloof stallion, and the 80/20 rule [40:49] Why the slowest training method on Earth isn't for everyone [47:00] Herd dynamics: replacing dominance with awareness

Episode Sponsored by Total Feeds

Our mission to provide quality nutrition to people and animals puts us in contact with all manner of interesting folks. Whether you're interested in our animal feed, or the people involved in the animal industry: you'll find it at Total Feeds!

Check out our line of Quality Animal Feeds here: https://totalfeeds.com

Interested in more from Noëlle?

Noëlle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com

Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments.

https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus

And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com

You can also download the app - NF+ App

Thank you for your support!

Right now, somewhere in the horse world, a horse is shedding a virus it's carried since it was a foal. Its owner doesn't know. The horse looks fine.

That's EHV-1. Equine herpesvirus. And Dr. Bruno Karam, equine internal medicine specialist, wants you to understand it before the next outbreak — not during it.

We recorded this conversation in the wake of last year's EHV-1 cluster at the National Finals Rodeo. Horses stumbling. Famous horses hospitalized. People asking whether the event should have run at all. And a lot of horse owners left with unanswered questions about a virus they'd heard about but didn't fully understand.

This episode answers those questions.

EHV-1 isn't new. The neurological form — EHM — isn't new either. What's changed is the density of horse movement. Western circuits don't park in one city for two weeks. They move. And they move on timelines shorter than the incubation period. By the time a horse shows symptoms, it's already three states away from where it got infected.

Bruno breaks down how the virus behaves in the body — biphasic fevers, white blood cell hitchhiking, the vasculitis cascade that leads to spinal cord involvement. He explains why your vaccinated horse can still shed. Why a healthy horse with no symptoms can spread it. And why giving Banamine the moment your horse feels warm is the single most counterproductive thing you can do in an outbreak.

The practical guidance in here is specific. Take temperatures twice a day. Know what's normal for your horse before you need to know what's abnormal. Don't share thermometers. And if your horse is questionable at a show — be okay with not showing.

He also talks about something that doesn't get said enough: we don't yet have data on why some horses get sick and others don't. We're still retroactively analyzing the outbreaks. The science is moving, and what we do today may not be what we do in ten years. That's not a reason to panic. It's a reason to pay attention.

Dr. Bruno Karam is an equine internal medicine specialist. He trained at Texas A&M under Dr. Michelle Coleman and has worked some of the most complex infectious disease cases in the field. He ended up on the news last year because of EHV-1. He came on this podcast to give you the version of the conversation that the news couldn't.

If your barn shares thermometers, send this to your barn manager.

Subscribe to the NOËLLE FLOYD Podcast — formerly Dear Horse World — wherever you listen.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN

• Why nearly every horse already carries EHV-1 latently — and what triggers shedding with no visible symptoms
• The exact biological pathway from respiratory infection to spinal cord damage that causes EHM
• Why the western show circuit's travel structure created exponential exposure chains in 2025
• What the EHV vaccine actually does and doesn't do, and why it still matters for herd immunity
• How to take and interpret your horse's temperature using their individual baseline, not just 101.5°F
• Why giving Banamine at the first elevated temp can mask early outbreak warning signs
• The most overlooked transmission vector at shows: human hands moving between horses

To find out more about Dr. Bruno Karam DVM - Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital - Equine

This episode is sponsored by Pegasus Training & Rehabilitation Center

Here at Pegasus, our mission is to run a first class horse training, rehabilitation, and conditioning facility; provide horses of all disciplines with full and complete care of the highest quality; partner with our clients to ensure that we not only meet, but exceed, their individual goals and needs; and maintain our facility and equipment with the highest level of care.

To find out more about Pegasus - website | instagram | facebook

Interested in more from Noelle?

Noelle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com

Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments.

https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus

And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com

CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Introduction to Dr. Bruno Karam, Equine Internal Medicine Specialist

[00:38] What an Equine Internist Does and Why It's Unique

[02:00] Memorable Cases — From Yellow Fat Disease to Aspiration Pneumonia

[09:34] What Is EHV-1 — Horse COVID Explained

[11:10] How EHV-1 Spreads and What Recrudescence Means

[13:11] Why Some Horses Go Neurological and Others Don't

[16:00] Shedding Explained — Subclinical Carriers and Transmission

[18:06] Vaccines for EHV — What They Do and Don't Protect Against

21:00] Vaccine Risk, Hesitancy, and How to Think About Risk Assessment

[24:28] The 2025 Outbreak — What Really Happened in Texas Before NFR

37:38] What Horse Owners Can Do — Monitoring and Biosecurity at Shows

Have you ever moved through a community — any community — feeling like you were watching from just outside the circle? Like everyone else had found their tribe and you were still looking? That feeling of not belonging might not be something to fix. It might be exactly what makes you exceptional. In this first solo episode of the Noelle Floyd Podcast, Noëlle Floyd makes the case that not belonging is one of the most underrated strengths a person can have — and shares the personal story, the science, and the poetry to back it up.

You'll hear why Noëlle started this platform in the first place: not to broadcast to the horse world, but to be in genuine conversation with it. Fifteen years of writing, a magazine, a media platform, and now a podcast and Substack — all of it built on the belief that clarity and connection matter more than belonging to the right group.

You'll learn about Noëlle's late ADHD diagnosis and how it reframed everything she'd believed about herself. For years, she told herself her questions were too many, too deep, too irritating. Neurodivergence, she now understands, was never a handicap — it's the engine behind everything she does. If you've ever been told you think too differently, ask too many questions, or just don't quite fit, this conversation is for you.

You'll also hear Noëlle's introduction to the concept of outroversion — a framework proposed by psychologist Ramin Kaminski in The Gift of Not Belonging — and why she believes the horse world, and the world at large, would be better if outsiders were celebrated as much as insiders. The diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, disciplines, and ways of being that people bring is not a problem to solve. It's the whole point.

Noëlle also shares why clarity is a form of care — not just for yourself, but for your horse. Because horses don't have a voice. Your unresolved questions, borrowed beliefs, and secondhand certainties become their lived experience. Seeking clarity isn't self-indulgence. It's responsibility.

This episode closes with an original poem Noëlle wrote — Who Do You Think You Are? — a meditation on identity, individuality, and what it means to be exactly, irreducibly yourself.

This is the Noelle Floyd Podcast — an equestrian podcast for curious minds, outsiders, and anyone who has ever felt like the horse world, or any world, was asking them to be a little less than they are.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN

• Why not belonging is a documented psychological strength — and how psychologist Ramin Kaminski's concept of outroversion reframes the outsider experience as a competitive advantage rather than a social failure
• How Noëlle's late ADHD diagnosis transformed the story she'd been telling herself about being too curious, too questioning, and too much — and why neurodivergence can be one of the most powerful traits a thinker and storyteller can carry
• Why your personal clarity directly affects your horse's welfare — because horses cannot articulate confusion, your unresolved questions and secondhand certainties become part of their daily experience
• What the difference is between communicating for a community versus to it, and how that single distinction shapes the kind of platform, podcast, and conversation Noëlle is building
• How to participate in Noëlle's upcoming Q&A series through Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, the Noelle Floyd+ platform, and Substack — where she will personally read every question submitted
• Why staying outside any single tribe or discipline gives you the objectivity to see patterns, ask harder questions, and contribute something no insider can
• What finally got Noëlle in front of the camera after months of hesitation — and the mindset shift that transformed a personal roadblock into the foundation of this episode

CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Welcome to the Noelle Floyd Podcast: Why the Name Changed

[00:30] Fifteen Years of Writing For the Horse World, Not To It

[01:16] What These Solo Episodes Will Be: Real Conversation, Real Community

[02:00] Clarity and Connection: The Two Pillars Behind Everything Noëlle Does

[04:41] The Question Behind Every Question: How "Feel" Became a Central Theme

[05:22] Why Information Is Power — and Withholding It Is a Welfare Issue

[07:22] Noëlle's Origin Story: Barn Brat, Working Student, and a Lot of Jobs Before 21

[09:17] The Late ADHD Diagnosis That Reframed Her Entire Story

[11:25] Tribal Belonging in the Horse World — and Why You Don't Have to Join One

[12:52] The Gift of Not Belonging: Outroversion, Outsiders, and Why They Thrive

[18:52] Who Do You Think You Are? — An Original Poem by Noëlle Floyd

[21:00] How to Join the Conversation: Q&As, Substack, and What Comes Next

Join Noëlle on Substack - https://noellefloyd.substack.com

It is easy to get wrapped up in the competitive environment when prize money and recognition wait at the gate. Our natural human instinct causes us to objectify horses as high-speed pieces of equipment or treat them like sentimental human pets, yet both approaches cause immense confusion for the animal.

When challenges arise, a rider focuses strictly on overriding the obstacle in front of them, whereas a horseman steps back to evaluate the wider picture and protect the partnership.

Daniel Bluman breaks down the psychological differences between these choices, sharing the real-world management practices that establish what he calls horse karma. He discusses why daily turnout and social connection create a healthier brain for an athletic horse, allowing them to remain sound and happy for years.

• What is Horse Karma?: Daniel shares a childhood story from Colombia that shaped his belief that treating every horse with empathy always pays it forward.

• Clarity is Humanity: Loving a horse means giving clear, decisive training directions instead of treats, carrots, and confusing human sentimentality.

• Becoming Indispensable: Learning how the animal functions biologically makes a person scarce and highly valued, securing a sustainable livelihood.

• Managing Social Validation: Daniel urges us to handle the craving for online recognition and instead celebrate the unseen daily lifestyle.

Daniel Bluman is an Olympic athlete and co-founder of Bluman Equestrian. He is an entrepreneur and a producer of horses who believes patience is a massive competitive advantage. His philosophy rests on the conviction that horses are our teachers, and our primary mission is to provide them with respect and dignity.

Explore the mission at:

BlumanEquestrian.com

This episode is brought to you by:

Connaway & Associates Equine Insurance Services, Inc. The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance. Visit www.connaway.net | @connawayassociates | facebook.com/connawayassociatesequine

Interested in more from Noëlle?

Noëlle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com

Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments.

https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus

And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com

Chapters and Time Stamps:

0:00 Horses are not equipment

4:00 Stop canceling riders you don't understand

5:10 Why clarity is kindness

8:32 The problem with humanizing horses

9:33 Why Daniel turns his horses out together

11:26 What stall life does to a horse's eyesight

12:54 When science catches up to horsemanship

14:00 Why the same ring every day limits your horse

17:00 The disappearing horseman

21:40 Horsemen always earn more than riders

25:35 Show jumping's social license problem

28:00 Managing the social media validation trap

35:50 Rapid fire questions

We have all walked into the barn carrying the weight of a chaotic day, a mile-long to-do list, and a rider ego that thinks jumping twenty fences is the only way to improve. We get clumsy because we try hard to chase points, ribbons, and instant gratification. We end up losing the horse.

Three-time Olympian Daniel Bluman helps us trade that frantic energy for a higher standard. Daniel represents Israel on the world stage, but his true strength lies in his ability to do less. He reminds us that our horse is an animal rather than a tool, and our success belongs in the quality of our bond instead of the ribbons we collect.

If you feel tired of the frantic cycle, this conversation provides permission to stop performing and start listening. We dive into the shift from rider goals—those check-box milestones we want for ourselves—to horseman needs, which are the mental and physical foundations our horses require to thrive.

• The Glamorous Farmer Mindset: Daniel explains why elite success requires appreciating the daily, weather-independent lifestyle of a simple farmer.

• The Trap of Accolades: Chasing endless victories and high rankings leads to an unfulfilled career, whereas finding joy in the daily routine changes the game.

• Educating the Next Generation: Daniel shares his focus on raising his children to be great horsemen and happy, well-balanced people.

• Postponing Your Own Gratification: A true horseman stays honest to the path, protecting the horse above immediate ring results

Daniel Bluman is an Olympic athlete and co-founder of Bluman Equestrian. He is an entrepreneur and a producer of horses who believes patience is a massive competitive advantage. His philosophy rests on the conviction that horses are our teachers, and our primary mission is to provide them with respect and dignity.

Explore the mission at:

BlumanEquestrian.com

This episode is brought to you by:

Connaway & Associates Equine Insurance Services, Inc. The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance. Visit www.connaway.net | @connawayassociates | facebook.com/connawayassociatesequine

Interested in more from Noëlle?

Noëlle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com

Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments.

https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus

And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com

CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Daniel Bluman Joins Dear Horse World: Why He Reached Out

00:02:09 What Watching Other Riders Teaches You About This Sport

00:03:56 Glamorous Farmers: The Connection to Nature Every Horseman Needs

00:06:27 What Show Jumping Must Not Forget as Prize Money Pours In

00:10:06 Why Chasing Fame in the Horse World Leads to a Miserable Career

00:13:28 The Barns Around the World That Showed Daniel What Really Matters

00:15:19 How to Fall in Love With the Life of the Horseman

00:16:35 The Mentors Who Showed Him You Can Be Both Horseman and Champion

00:20:46 Rider vs. Horseman: Daniel's Full Breakdown

00:25:02 What's Happening Inside a Rider's Mind When the Horse Gets Left Behind

00:29:11 The Riders Daniel Fears in Competition — and Admires Most as Horsemen

00:31:27 Horse Karma: Treating Every Horse Right Is How Champions Are Made

What if everything you've been calling a behavior problem is actually your horse asking for help? On this episode of Dear Horse World, Noëlle sits down with Jim Masterson — founder of the Masterson Method and a leading voice in equine bodywork for horse owners — to explore exactly that question. Jim has worked hands-on with an estimated 700 horses a year at peak, trained over 10,000 students worldwide, and built a method shaped entirely by what horses told him. This conversation will change how you see your horse.

Jim and Noëlle unpack how the horse nervous system moves between sympathetic arousal (guarding, bracing) and parasympathetic release (dropping the head, yawning, shifting weight). You'll understand why an agenda — even a caring one — can block that release, and how approaching your horse with quiet, clear intention changes what becomes possible. Natural horsemanship principles run through everything: you're not working on the horse. You're working with it.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN

• Why the poll-atlas junction is the single most important tension point in your horse's body, and how releasing it can shift movement, behavior, and comfort throughout the entire horse — not just the neck.
• How to identify when your horse's "behavior problems" — head-shyness, resistance to bridling, difficulty with one canter lead, sudden bucking — are expressions of physical tension, not disobedience.
• Jim's five levels of touch (air gap, egg yolk, grape, lemon, and hard lime) and how to stay beneath your horse's bracing response so tension can actually release instead of getting blocked.
• How to start the bladder meridian technique today — free, with no equipment — by following the blinks, yawns, and lick-and-chew responses your horse is already giving you.
• How your horse's nervous system moves between sympathetic guarding and parasympathetic release, and what visible signs tell you a real tension release has happened.
• Why approaching body work without a "fix it" agenda is essential — and how your own intention and presence either opens your horse up or causes them to shut down and block out the work entirely.
• Why regular body work is one of the only things you can do with your horse that is all give and no take — and how even one bladder meridian session can begin to transform your horse's trust in you.

Jim Masterson is the creator of the Masterson Method Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork, author of Beyond Horse Massage, and former body worker for the US Endurance Team. He has certified over 650 practitioners in 20 countries and taught more than 10,000 students since 2006.

Start your equine bodywork for horse owners journey at MastersonMethod.com.

Instagram and Facebook

Watch the free bladder meridian video on YouTube, and share this equestrian podcast with every horse owner in your life who has a horse they don't fully understand yet.

Interested in more from Noëlle?

Noëlle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com

Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments.

https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus

And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com

Chapters:

00:00:00 When Behavior Is Pain: The Lens That Changes Everything

00:01:33 Jim Masterson on 10,000 Students and a Method Born From Horses

00:04:32 From Groom to Bodywork Pioneer: How It All Started

00:07:09 Discovering the Bladder Meridian and What Horses Were Showing Him

00:14:23 Congo, Baboons, and Learning to Read Animal Cues

00:20:09 The Three Key Tension Junctions Every Horse Owner Should Know

00:29:09 How Tension Travels Through the Body: Compensation and Connection

00:39:36 Why Releasing Tension Changes Your Horse's Performance and Well-Being

00:44:25 Body Work as the Fastest Path to Real Horse-Human Connection

00:51:45 Subtle Signs of Discomfort and How to Spot Them Before They Become Problems

00:56:03 Levels of Touch and What Makes the Masterson Method Different

01:07:15 How to Start Doing Body Work on Your Own Horse Without an Agenda

Liberty trainer and Braveheart Beasts founder Kaleigh Marie shares how training oxen, mammoth donkeys, and mules before ever seriously working with horses shaped everything she knows about connection, trust, and the nervous system.

Kaleigh Marie is a liberty trainer and performer based in the Northeast who has spent the last decade developing a nervous system-informed approach to horsemanship rooted in connection, positive reinforcement, and the foundational lessons she learned working with cattle, donkeys, and mules long before horses became her focus.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why Kaleigh's foundation in training oxen and mammoth donkeys gave her a unique edge with horses
• What "conversational quality" means and how it shows up in your relationship with your horse
• Why donkeys ask "why should I?" — and why that's actually a gift to any trainer
• How the nervous system underlies everything from leg aids to liberty work
• The honest story of how clicker training almost derailed her liberty performances — and what she rebuilt from the ground up
• The difference between expectation and intention when you're struggling in a session
• What to do when you're not showing up as the trainer you want to be
• Why dull horses are often the most sensitive ones — and how they got that way
• The "backpack" concept and how co-regulation with your horse actually works
• Why self-regulation — for both horse and human — matters more than connection

To find out more about Kaleigh Marie: website | instagram | facebook

This episode is sponsored by Triple Crown Feeds The secret to raising a healthy horse begins with nutrition that goes beyond. The team at Triple Crown is dedicated to helping our customers succeed by understanding your horse's unique needs and working to develop the right feeding program for the horse you love. www.triplecrownfeed.com | instagram.com/triplecrownfeed | facebook.com/TripleCrownFeed | youtube.com/@triplecrownfeeds

If you love honest conversations about horsemanship, trust, and the ongoing practice of becoming a better horse person, subscribe for more.

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Kaylee Marie

01:10 Road to the Horse Memories

03:38 First Meeting with Tik

08:12 Braveheart Beasts Origins

08:31 Farm Kid to Oxen Trainer

13:07 Riding Cows and Controversy

18:39 Back to Horses and Draft Life

20:16 Mammoth Donkeys in the City

24:01 Connection and Motivation Lessons

8:05 Conversational Quality Explained

32:22 Nervous System Awakening

38:31 Rescue Rehab and Roman Story

45:18 First Q&A Reset as a Trainer

47:30 Gut Brain Connection

48:27 One Percent Better

48:55 Expectation Versus Intention

51:44 Stop And Regulate

53:28 Co Regulation Release

56:41 Leg Aid Without Fight

58:40 Sensitivity Versus Expression

01:00:46 Rehab Dull Horses

01:04:17 Clicker Training Ethics

01:09:42 Rock Bottom Without Food

01:15:47 Pressure And Resilience

01:18:53 Clicker For Quality

01:22:10 Keep Learning Through Pain

01:24:03 Rapid Fire Favorites

01:28:23 Final Thanks And Wrap

In this episode of Dear Horse World, equine veterinarian Dr. Kent Tooman breaks down the truth about equine metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and why more horses than ever are at risk of laminitis.

Dr. Kent Tooman is an experienced equine veterinarian with over 30 years in practice, specializing in performance horses and metabolic health.

In this episode you will learn:

• What's really happening inside your horse's body
• Why "easy keepers" may be misunderstood
• The subtle signs most owners miss (including fat deposits and barn blindness)
• Breed predispositions (ponies, Arabs, draft crosses, and more)
• Practical steps to reduce risk and manage weight safely

• How insulin affects your horse's health

• The connection between weight, metabolism, and laminitis

• Why modern horse management is increasing risk

• How to spot early warning signs before it's too late

If you care about better horse health, training, and management, subscribe for more expert conversations.

This episode is sponsored by Pegasus Training & Rehabilitation Center

Here at Pegasus, our mission is to run a first class horse training, rehabilitation, and conditioning facility; provide horses of all disciplines with full and complete care of the highest quality; partner with our clients to ensure that we not only meet, but exceed, their individual goals and needs; and maintain our facility and equipment with the highest level of care.

To find out more about Pegasus - website | instagram | facebook

0:00 – The "Easy Keeper" Myth (Why This Matters) 1:12 – Meet Dr. Kent Tooman 3:45 – Why More Horses Are Developing Metabolic Issues 6:20 – What Is Equine Metabolic Syndrome? 9:10 – Insulin Explained (Simple Breakdown) 12:30 – Where Fat Shows Up (Signs Most Owners Miss) 16:15 – Barn Blindness: Why You Don't See the Problem 20:40 – Breed Risk: Ponies, Arabs & "Thrifty" Horses 25:10 – Why Modern Horses Are Getting Overweight 30:25 – The Link Between Weight & Laminitis 35:50 – How to Reduce Risk (Practical Steps) 41:30 – Feeding, Exercise & Management Mistakes 47:10 – Can This Be Reversed? 52:00 – The Future: Ozempic for Horses? 56:30 – Final Advice for Horse Owners

Champion cutting horse trainer Barbra Schulte joins the Dear Horse World Podcast after teaching host Noelle her first cut in Weatherford, Texas, explaining her teaching approach through mechanics and nervous system regulation.

They discuss staying in an optimal state between under-arousal and fight-or-flight, slowing down when things speed up, and building skills through fundamentals, clear sequences, repetition, and positive reinforcement (dopamine) to install neurological pathways rather than "muscle memory."

Barbra Schulte outlines beginner learning, the discouraging "messy middle," refinement, and mastery, emphasizing between-lesson work, visualization, scripts/mantras, and self-coaching tools like "what's my job?" and "what do I control?" They address negative self-talk, fear of judgment, blame vs responsibility, and self-worth, and Schulte shares how human performance training influenced her competitive success, plus retreats and book recommendations.

To find out more about Barbra - Website | Instagram | Facebook

Barbra Schulte is hosting a Cutting Clinic September 17-20th 2026 in Pony, Montana. Click here for more info.

What You'll Learn:

• Why your nervous system — not your technique — is the real ceiling on your riding performance
• How to find and stay in the sweet spot between flat and frantic, and what to do when you lose it
• Why positive reinforcement creates a dopamine cycle that accelerates skill acquisition
• The truth about muscle memory — and where new riding skills actually live in your body
• How to navigate the messy middle of learning without losing confidence or motivation
• Why nervousness is closer to peak performance than you think — and how blame moves you furthest away
• How Barbra used visualization and nervous system work to win two legs of cutting's triple crown

This episode is brought to you by Total Feeds:

Our mission to provide quality nutrition to people and animals puts us in contact with all manner of interesting folks. Whether you're interested in our animal feed, or the people involved in the animal industry: you'll find it at Total Feeds!

Check out our line of Quality Animal Feeds here: https://totalfeeds.com

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Barbra Schulte

01:00 Teaching With Awareness

03:40 Cutting Fundamentals Explained

07:06 When Things Speed Up 1

2:41 Dopamine And Learning Waves

19:38 Installing Skills And Practice Plans

31:41 Surviving The Messy Middle

35:48 Taming Negative Self Talk

38:46 Scripts Mantras And Regulation

42:38 Why You Ride In The First Place

43:54 No Failure In Learning

44:07 Total Equine Feed Story

47:19 Coming Home To Yourself

49:50 Visualization For Show Nerves

52:05 Do You Be You

01:00:28 Why Judgment Hurts

01:09:02 Nervous Anger Blame Rings

01:17:09 Hard Things Build Confidence

01:19:34 Why Nervous System Work

01:24:18 Retreats And Courses

01:26:37 Rapid Fire Wrap Up

NF+ is proud to present our exclusive new Masterclass, The Millar Method Complete Training System, where Ian & Amy Millar introduce their system for building winning horses.

Olympian Ian Millar returns on NF+ with Amy Millar to introduce the first of 16 episodes of the Millar Method, a consistent, repeatable system designed to develop horses that stay sound, confident, and ready to win.

They share their backgrounds—Ian's record 10 Olympic Games, role with the Canadian show jumping team, and scholarship work in Ontario; Amy's two Olympic appearances, Canadian championship, team ambitions, and efforts to improve accessibility through Can Jump. The episode explains how their method applies from trail riding to top sport, grounded in understanding the horse's nature and using tools like lunging, round penning, gymnastics, grids, and courses.

They emphasize principles that stay consistent while adapting teaching to how each horse and rider learns.

A Program Responsible for nine Olympic Horses across two Generations.

The Millar Method | Complete Training System - Save 25% on annual memberships with code DHW25

Learn the system that has developed top-level horses for Olympians lan and Amy Millar.

Chapters:

00:00 Meet the Millar Method

01:12 Ian and Amy Introductions

02:26 Why Teaching Matters

04:44 Sharing the Method

05:28 What the Method Covers

06:47 Tools and Foundations

07:45 Principles and Adaptation

08:19 How Horses and Riders Learn

08:55 Teaching Wins

The Millar Method | Complete Training System - Save 25% on annual memberships with code DHW25

Exclusively available on NF+, the equestrian masterclass platform for riders of all levels and disciplines.

This episode is brought to you by:

Connaway & Associates Equine Insurance Services, Inc. The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance. Visit www.connaway.net | @connawayassociates | facebook.com/connawayassociatesequine