The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

This podcast is one of my geekiest yet and I loved it! What a pleasure to chat with equine body worker Tami Elkayam about the equine fascial lines, her recent osteopathy training, craniosacral work and the essential role of the TMJ, and much more. A must listen for any equine body workers out there, and for horse lovers interested in learning more about how their horses bodies work. Scroll down the page for all the resources shared - I definitely have some new books on my wish list!

Tami started her equine therapy journey with the Masterson Method and worked her way through certification, and then continued her training with all four levels of Equine CranioScaral through the Upledger institute. As she finds new tools and gathers more knowledge, she feels able to better treat and help horses. She has recently started a new journey as an equine osteopath through the Vluggen Institute.

From Tami: I believe that therapists need empathy, humility and an open mind. I believe it takes a village to keep our equine partners healthy and happy. I feel there is not enough collaboration in the equine world between Veterinarians, Farriers, Dentists, Chiropractors and Therapists. I believe in spreading knowledge and sharing information so that each horse can have a better life. It is important for me that each one of my clients understands that each horse I treat becomes part of my herd; each horse gives as much as it receives. Therefore they are family.

Find out more about Tami on Facebook or at https://elkayamequinetherapy.godaddysites.com/

Enjoy!

One of my favourite podcast guests is back, because we all can use a little humour right about now. Liberty trainer Heather Nelson joined me on a Saturday evening to chat and chuckle about the training of her "magical unicorns" aka her three horse herd, while she is spending a whole lot of time at home during the Covid-19 event. We got into some excellent detail about the unicorn creation process, mainly diving into working at liberty in different positions (including long-lining) and in different ways with each of her horses, and I was riveted and inspired. I hope you will be too! I also found myself geeking out on the relationship between TCM element theory and constitutions and horses, such an interesting way of understanding our horses. Enjoy and keep well during these wild times!

Heather Nelson is a liberty training specialist, known for starting from the beginning without the lines and inspiring horses through connection. She combines her background in ground work, classical dressage, intuitive training and liberty to help horse lovers like you tap into your own innate ability to earn a big YES from your horse so you can coach your horse to develop to their highest potential in self expression and balance. Heather is sought after for her engaging workshops and demonstrations where she teaches people to access leadership and respect through creative play, which is just as out of the box as it sounds.

Find her at http://www.heathernelsonlibertytraining.com/

Enjoy!

Always such a pleasure to have Sarah Schlote, founder of EQUUSOMA™ back on the podcast! In this follow-up episode (check out Episode 21 and 24 for an intro to her work), we found ourselves speaking to the very real experiences of horse people as we move through a pandemic, especially when we can't see our horses, and/or ride, and how to be with this change in a healthy way. Sarah unpacked her Horse Time from Home article, and shared so much gold about what can support us through this challenging time, and how we can resource our horse connection even when we can't be with them. This podcast is full of cutting-edge resources (scroll down to find the list) - Sarah is as thorough as they come!

Sarah Schlote, MA, RP, CCC, SEP is a Registered Psychotherapist, trauma therapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner who has been involved in the field of animal-assisted interventions since 2003. A former St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs volunteer, her main focus aside from her in-office private practice is partnering with horses to support health and healing. She is the founder of EQUUSOMA™, a training model integrating Somatic Experiencing®, attachment theory and equine-assisted trauma recovery, and has started promoting Therapist-Assisted Horsemanship™, bringing a trauma and attachment lens as well as trauma-informed horsemanship principles to improve the relationship between owners and their horses (and their coaches and instructors)

Learn more about Sarah and her work at www.equusoma.com and www.sarahschlote.com.

Episode 50!! With this episode, my 40th birthday on Tuesday, and the entire globe navigating entirely unprecedented times with Covid-19, I'm feeling like there are milestones everywhere. Thankful to have Jayne Roberts join me to share her Equi-nidra work, a practice of yoga that centres around slowing down, breathing, and learning to be with stillness and with change. We talked about the impact of this crisis on our time with horses, and even our ability to ride, and things to support our ability to be with so much change. An important episode for sure, and a great way to hit 50 (and 40!).

Jayne Roberts is a horse woman who wants to create a world where we're all one big healthy happy herd. She combines over four decades of equine industry experience, research and qualifications (and a whole lotta life!) to help women and horses to nourish and flourish, beginning with the grassroots of Forage, Friendship and Freedom.

As an international equestrienne, Jayne coaches clients around the world and has played a pivotal role in the development and management of several equine enterprises in the UK, USA and Australia. She holds an MSc & BSc in Equine Science, is a Registered Animal Nutritionist, Certified Holistic Land Management Practitioner & most recently Feminine Embodiment Yoga & iRest Meditation Teacher. In addition to guest lecturing at the University of Edinburgh and supervising post-graduate research, Jayne has published peer-reviewed papers in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science and regularly contributes to equine publications and industry groups. Along with traditional Pony Club, British Horse Society & competitive show jumping beginnings she shakes things up with a wealth of untraditional, real 'n raw as a rural ambulatory Equine Vet Tech!

With one foot in the science stirrup, and one firmly grounded on the yoga mat, she's currently deconstructing much of what she learnt in her first round. Her heart-felt purpose is to help deepen the horse-human relationship and live a life that is wildly nourished, intimately connected and lived with a felt-sense of true freedom.

If you'd like to come along for the ride, you can find her at www.equijay.com or on Facebook or Instagram.

I had the pleasure of beginning to learn about the Masterson Method from Katey Campbell of KC Equine this past summer at the Whole Horse Apprenticeship Retreat, and have wanted to have her on the podcast to share more since then! We sat down together at Firefly Farm to unpack this equine body work method that is growing at a rapid pace - we chatted about the underlying theories and physiology, how it allows the horse to have choice in every moment, why it is effective for so many horses, and why it is accessible for every horse owner to learn. We also got into some geeky anatomy territory as Katey shared about her recent eye-opening experience at an equine dissection.

Katey Campbell at KCEquine Wellness is becoming a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner, she is also a certified Farrier, Equine Veterinary Assistant, Professional Groom and a passionate advocate for equine wellness, working in the industry for over 20 years. The Masterson Method® is a unique, integrated method of equine bodywork that that helps build trust and communication with the horse. It is an innovative form of equine massage that allows the horse to release deep, accumulated pain and tension in muscles and connective tissue. Horses are in the drivers seat of Katey's career, guiding her each step of the way by her undying and persistent need to be better for them. Katey's goal is to help more humans deepen their connection and understanding of their equine friends to foster a more harmonious relationship where the horse has a voice. She is making this happen through continual education, practice, and hard work that is then shared through bodywork and clinics with horses and their humans.

Find Katey at www.facebook.com/kcequinewellness

Such a pleasure to have a conversation with Wendy Murdoch, developer of the SURE FOOT Equine Stability Program. I've been seeing these pads being used by friends and colleagues and needed to hear from the source what they are all about! During this chat we got into the importance of developing balance and proprioception in our horses, the role of the hoof to allow the horse to find themselves in space and to reduce anxiety, and the power of giving our horse choice in their healing process. We had a great time! Wendy Murdoch is an internationally re-knowned riding instructor and clinician. In 2012 she discovered the SURE FOOT® Equine Stability Program, which allows horses to reprogram their behaviour, balance and movement. SURE FOOT is an innovative concept that is helping horses worldwide and are specifically designed for use with horses by horse owners, riders, trainers and equine body workers. The SURE FOOT® Equine Stability Program is your horse's path to improved performance, comfort and confidence. Learn more at https://murdochmethod.com/

Oh wow. This episode was off the charts cool! Elisse Miki and Josh Nichol have teamed up to build a bridge between the anatomy and physiology of the heart and horsemanship, and I can't get enough. This conversation took us to so many amazing mind-blowing places I don't even know how to share them all in writing. You'll just have to have a listen in to get a sense of the adventure we had. Enjoy this awesome collaboration!

As a human and equine therapist with over 15 years of experience working with clients in a therapeutic setting, Elisse Miki brings a wide variety of modalities into her practice. She began her career working as an Exercise Physiologist having completed her Bachelors in Kinesiology then went on to obtain her Registered Massage Therapy Licence. She has since gone on to complete Diplomas in Equine Therapy, Equine Craniosacral, and currently in the process of completing both her Human and Equine Osteopathy Diplomas concurrently. Elisse is also an Instructor of RMT at the West Coast College of Massage Therapy and a Certified Equine Assisted Learning Instructor. Her current focus lies in research and development of standards of practice in the equine industry. Learn more at www.equilibriatherapeutics.com

In Josh's words: "I like to think of myself as a professional student of the horse; learning is what I do first and teaching is second. Mentoring people, building relationships and watching growth is truly my passion. I currently teach clinics throughout Canada in the summer and work out of our home ranch in the winter, helping people develop their relationships through horsemanship. This style of horsemanship is very relational, it allows you to see yourself through your horse and continues as you advance through the process. Mastery in horsemanship begins with a commitment to bettering ourselves! This starts with taking ownership and responsibility for our part of the story, thus interpreting the horse's actions and performance differently. When we are aware of – and work on developing – our side of the relationship, we truly facilitate not only growth in our horses, but growth in ourselves. Good horsemanship challenges everything about our inner person. What an amazing gift: progressing in our horsemanship goes hand in hand with developing our best self!" Learn more about Josh at https://www.joshnichol.com

When you're a horse geek, it doesn't get much more cool than this! For this episode I was joined by Robyn Hood and Sinead McCann of the Tellington Touch Method. We got into the misconceptions around this work, and how TTouch can be successfully applied to everything with horses, including starting young horses, re-starting horses who need a loving trauma-releasing approach to find their trust and confidence, and resetting the nervous system, including balance and proprioception. It was such a pleasure to be able to learn from these two incredible and dedicated women. Enjoy!

Robyn Hood, who also happens to be Linda Tellington-Jones sister, has worked with Linda since 1965. She teaches training workshops, seminars and clinics all over North America, Australia and Europe. Robyn has been an integral part of developing the teaching program. In addition to running the Tellington Training Canada office, she also serves as the editor of TTEAM Connections Newsletter, which she has done since 1982. Robyn, her husband Phil Pretty and their two children live in Vernon, BC where they import and breed Icelandic horses. Their farm is home to about 130 Icelandic horses as well as two dogs, several cats, turtles and a parrot. Learn more about Robyn and TTouch at https://ttouch.ca/

Sinead McCann is a qualified equine practitioner in Australia who provides individual holistic sessions for horses combining non-invasive therapies including Tellington TTouch Method, Reiki, Essential Oils, Energy Balancing, Equine Cranial Sacral Therapy and more. Learn more about her work at www.facebook.com/boyneequine

Speaking with horse advocate Anna Blake was beyond delightful, and had me giggling or crying good tears throughout the episode, as she shared her hard-earned wisdom about horses, training, communication and life. We talked about calming signals, how they show up in horses and humans, and how we can use them as a road map to understanding and relaxation. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Anna Blake is a horse advocate, then a trainer, international clinician, and award-winning author. Working with riders of any discipline and horses of any breed, Anna believes affirmative dressage training principals build a relaxed & forward foundation that crosses over all riding disciplines in the same way that the understanding Calming Signals benefits all equine communication. She blogs at Relaxed & Forward on annablake.com. Her clinics and writing affirm a humorous and inspirational approach to understanding, training, and respecting animals. She blogs weekly at Relaxed & Forward on annablake.com and the author of five books. Infinity Farm is home, on the flat, windy, treeless prairie of Colorado, with a multi-species herd of horses, llamas, goats, dogs, and our moral compass, Edgar Rice Burro.

Learn more about Anna at annablake.com

What a fantastic follow up episode with Emily Kieson, Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning and PhD Graduate of Oklahoma State University! Her extensive research focuses on equine-human interactions and equine behavioural psychology. In this fascinating episode we discussed her new understandings of how horses and humans connect, and what we can do daily to increase our connection with our own horses. What is coming forward in her research is very different from our current understanding of horse-human relationship, and challenges some of commonly used training practices and foundational aspects of our equine-human relationships. I was once again on the edge of my seat, and I have a feeling you will be too! 

Emily works closely with MiMer Centre, a Swedish non-profit focused on research and education in horses and humans and collaborates with international scientists, universities, and equine therapy programs to improve research and education in equine-human interactions.  She has over 20 years working full time with horses, ten of which has been in equine-assisted therapies, works as an equine specialist in mental health and learning (ESMHL) with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) and has certifications and training as an equine specialist in many other models of equine-assisted therapies.