The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

Get ready to expand your mind and heart with this potent conversation! Recording this episode with Emily Frost of Kiros Way was a glorious and deep look at the ways in which horses invite us to remember and reconnect to the divine nature of life. We discuss shadow work as an essential tool on our journey to embodying the love we know we feel for our horses, but can struggle to express due to unconscious conditioning, and share how everything from the mundane to the mystical can be a spiritual experience. I'm truly grateful for Emily's enthusiasm and unapologetic way of embracing these less-tangible spaces of connection with our horses, and I hope our chat can leave you feeling inspired and curious to explore new realms of being and relating to both yourself and your equine partners

Emily Frost of Kiros Way offers a holistic, connection based training approach through the integration of a well-rounded and embodied language bridge. By combining animal communication, somatic reinforcement, bioenergetics, and operant conditioning; primarily in the form of positive reinforcement & non-escalating negative reinforcement; each language bridge and educational experience is unique and completely customized to every individual and partnership - supporting all stories. So often we demand that our horses bridge themselves to our human world, far more than we step into theirs. Emily is dedicated to helping horses and humans meet in the middle, catalyzing powerful healing journeys to the heart.

Learn more about Emily's work at https://www.kirosway.com

A synchronistic series of events connected Betsy Vonda and I and right away we knew we needed to have this important conversation. Betsy specializes in rehabilition and meets and works with a lot of horses dealing with pain and major, sometimes progressively deteriorating conditons. In this episode we talk about when rehab is no longer enough, how to know, and what to do about it, and we get personal as she shares about her own mare, their journey together, some of the hard and important decisions she's making and facing, and what she's doing to stay neutral through this time so she can make the best decision possible in the right timing. I'm grateful for Betsy's vulnerability and openness in a situation that so many of us face with our horses.

Betsy Vonda is an Equine Postural, Performance, and Behavioral Consultant residing in Ontario, Canada with a focus on equine rehabilitation, as well as starting and training horses for longevity and soundness. Betsy grew up competing in western performance disciplines and went on to being a successful competitive rider in barrel racing and pole bending.

As a coach and clinician she teaches owners how to recognize proper movement patterns and development, as well as how to improve their relationship and communication with their equine partner no matter the chosen discipline. Betsy is also a Paramedic and an Emergency Service Education Coordinator. This unique background coupled with her specialized horsemanship skills has enabled her to develop thorough physical assessment and observational skills, training in de-escalation and regulation of the nervous system, as well as a formal education in anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. She is also an apprentice instructor of the Balance Through Movement Method.

Betsy is available for Distance Sessions, Clinics.and in-person sessions in her area. Find her at https://balancedwithbetsy.com.

What a pleasure to connect with Dr. Tracy Rainwaters! I had goosebumps most of this poignant episode, as there was so much resonance and so many affirmations of my own path and work. We explored more deeply how to navigate death and dying in a healthy and even sacred way, how to more fully listen to horses in all moments and interactions, how to support them in a concrete way through all the transitions they may face, how to wean foals in a more mindful and communicative way, and how to gracefully listen to and receive a no from the horses in our world. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Dr. Tracy Rainwaters is a human and equine chiropractor with over 16 years of experience in helping animals and their humans thrive. Tracy brings a whole-being approach to healing by looking at a being from the perspective of the energetic/spiritual & the mental/ emotional in order to bring harmony & vitality to the physical body. Tracy uses her skills as an intuitive channel to anchor in the wisdom & healing from the highest aspect of a being, along with her shamanic healing techniques to provide a powerful healing container for animals and their humans. Tracy obtained her Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology. She obtained her Doctorate in chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic, West and her animal chiropractic certification from Options for Animals where she was on the teaching faculty for 6 years. Tracy's equine practice quickly revealed her animal intuitive abilities as animals started showing her what was occurring energetically and spiritually with themselves and their humans. Horses have been Tracy's greatest teachers and have ushered down her spiritual path. She spent 2 years training in shamanic energy healing with The Four Winds Society. The shamanic healing practices have profoundly influenced and enhanced how she helps animals and humans heal. Tracy offers classes on intuition development & animal communication, 1:1 healing sessions for people & their animals as well as healing workshops on her farm in western Washington that focuses on allowing the horses to be our guides through a journey of transformation using shamanic medicine wheel as the foundation. Website: www.tracyrainwaters.com

Well look at that! It's the 100th episode of the Whole Horse Podcast! Loved celebrating this milestone with this awesome chat with fellow podcaster Felicity Davies. We covered a heck of a lot of ground, from unpacking our feels about podcasting and why we love it so much, to how to centre and support your horse with trauma-informed desensitization practices, to a new understanding on capacity, why less is often more with horses and training, to why I love magnesium so so much, to the importance of regular bowel movements and healthy digestion, not just for your horses (oh yes, we went there!). There's definitely a reason I call this the Whole Horse Podcast, as no stone will be left unturned. Thank you all for listening in and supporting the podcast to reach this exciting milestone!

Felicity Davies is a Horsemanship and Mindset mentor based in South Australia. She is the founder of The Confident Equestrian Program, a global online course that teaches horse owners exactly how to help their horse feel more confident in any environment. Through the program, she works closely with each student over 12 weeks to empower them with the tools and mindset they need to confidently navigate any moment with their horse. To do this she uses an intuitive combination of compassionate horsemanship, learning theory, neuro-linguistic programming, emotional freedom technique and lessons she has learned from horses, their owners and other resources. Her mission is to help horses become better understood through empowering their owners with the information and the mindset they need to trust themselves and their feel.

For more on Felicity and her work head to: https://www.confidentequestrianprogram.com

To check out her new Equestrian Oracle Deck head to: https://www.confidentequestrianprogram.com/equestrian-oracle

Me and my partner in all things equine body work are back again for another deep-dive into geeky territory! Elisse Miki of Equilibria Therapeutics is back for her fourth episode as we dig right into one of our favourite subjects, cranial therapy, specifically applying to horses. If you've been curious about why cranial work is so effective, what mechanisms are actually being worked with and how they function to help or hinder our horses, the fascinating anatomical landscape of the cranium and spinal cord through an osteopathic lens, and how this work might help your own horses or your clients, this episode definitely worth a listen (or two!).

As a human and equine therapist with over 15 years of experience working with clients in a therapeutic setting, Elisse 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. Some of her clients include the Langley Equestrian Academy, Cloverdale Rodeo, and the International Professional Rugby 7s teams. Her current focus lies in research and development of current standards of practice in the equine industry. Elisse hosts clinics for horse owners and will be offering continuing education courses for existing health care professionals and equine therapists starting in January 2020.

Website – www.equilibriatherapeutics.com

This episode with Celeste Lazaris, founder of the Balance through Movement Method, was everything I had hoped and more! After starting this work with my own horses through Celeste's Masterclass and having a good amount of success but feeling very much like a newbie, I was full of questions and Celeste was full of informative answers and information, getting into how the masterclass works, how to use it well for you and your horses, where to go for more support, what this work is and how it can support many different kinds of horses and much more. If you've been interested in trying this method, but haven't been sure what it's about and how to start, this is the episode for you! Celeste Lazaris is a biomechanical lameness specialist and an expert in equine movement and muscle development. Her primary focuses are releasing nerve compressions in the horse that cause restrictions and undiagnosed lameness, and teaching owners how to develop their horses body both in-hand and under saddle through intrinsic motivation and proper movement to prevent injury and further nerve related problems. She is highly valued by Veterinarians around the world and is quickly changing the way we see our horses for the better. Learn more at https://www.balancethroughmovementmethod.com

An archeologist turned saddle fitter? It's the recipe for a completely fascinating conversation, as I found out recently in this episode with Claire Marshall of Plateau Holistic Equine. She had me on the edge of my seat (pardon the saddle pun!) with her in-depth knowledge of saddles and tack through the age, sharing how tack has not come very far at it's essence, how saddles are still a ways off from that elusive "perfect" fit and what we can do to support our horses to find what works for them, why bridging might not be the terrible thing you once thought, what padding has to do with it, and her thoughts on treeless vs treed saddles. If saddles both fascinate and frustrate you, this is a must listen!

Claire Marshall of Plateau Holstic Equine; Archaeologist turned saddle fitter and whole horse integration professional. Love of horses in the past and living history education led me to pursue an academic interest in combining, initially; history, archaeology and the role of horses in the past. From being around horses since the age of 11, to providing educational clinics and problem solving the trickiest of fitting horses. The work has evolved over the past 10 years to incorporate specific makers of saddles, from baroque to English, Iberian and historical examples for museums and living historians. Work has evolved from influences as diverse as Mary Wanless, centred riding by Sally Swift, Alexander technique and Science of Motion. This and the respect for how the saddle has developed over time has made for a unique approach to saddle fitting. Working closely with other professionals has proved essential in signposting clients and their horses to other professionals prior to fitting saddles and also thinking more about the technical aspects of fitting the riders and their individual seats to saddles too.

Find more about Claire's work at https://plateauholisticequine.com

This beautiful conversation with Tara Davis of Unbridled Goddess may require tissues! We covered much territory, from her ever-deepening work with positive reinforcement training and it's roots with her mare Misa, her deep commitment to creating a haven for her horses where all physical needs are met before moving forward and why she believes in a free-choice forage, her work with the Balance through Movement Method and how it's supporting her horses, and the passing of her much beloved stallion, and her powerful and very moving way of honouring him and his legacy.

At Unbridled Goddess, Tara immerses herself in the teachings of the Herd, sharing the timeless wisdom of the Horse. Weaving together lessons from science and spirituality, hers is a unique horsemanship approach with the purpose of empowering both horse and human. Tara believes that opening our awareness to the possibilities of a more conscious and consensual relationship with our horses reflects in our interpersonal relationships – as well as our relationships with ourselves.

Tara supports the unique connection between each horse and human through her 20+ years of experience in the equine industry, background in dressage, and education in holistic horse care practices. In her training, Tara combines principles of classical dressage with a focus on biomechanics and the inner drive of the horse to achieve harmonious, healthy lifelong partnerships. Her teachings are based heavily in positive reinforcement, with an adherence to LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) protocols, and incorporate the development of mindful awareness in riders.

Learn more about Tara and her work at https://unbridledgoddess.com or follow on IG

Ever since Equine Therapy school I was fascinated with the Element theory from Traditional Chinese Medicine and how it provided a lens to understand horses and their health better, as well as understanding myself. Now, many years later, Susan Tenney of Elemental Acupressure re-kindled this fascination for me and I'm so excited to share this super helpful and interesting understanding with you! In this episode we chatted about how to identify the main element of your horse, the behvioural and personality patterns related, the health implications of their key element and how you can help them to be their most healthy, and how you and your horse's main element combine in the most supportive way. Enjoy!

Susan's students and clients say that she positively shines when she works. Her love of animals comes through in everything she does. To illustrate her ideas, Susan can be theatrical – making an idea come alive by panting like a happy dog or drooping her head and sighing like a horse relaxing into a massage. These images stay with students, helping them integrate ancient Chinese Medical concepts into their modern day lives. To Susan, Five Element acupressure for animals is so insightful and powerful that it seems wondrous. She passes on that sense of wonder to her students, clients, and readers.

Susan feels strongly that massage and acupressure are for everyone – not just the "experts". This you- can-do-it attitude carries over into her classes where she delights in demystifying Chinese Medicine and Five Element theory. Her deep experience and gentle touch makes her very popular with her students and readers as well as her four-legged clients! Susan teaches the Shiatsu, acupressure and Five Element theory courses. She is the co-founder of Elemental Acupressure along with her husband, Jonathan Cohn.

For more information about Susan head to www.ElementalAcupressure.com

It wouldn't be a new season without a podcast episode with Heather Nelson! Our fun and funny conversation unpacking positive reinforcement training, food rewards (and how to use them safely), how to do horse care, like feet, wounds, teeth and vet visits, collaboratively with your horse to greatly reduce stress for everyone, and why it's totally ok to not have an agenda when it comes to your horses (or the rest of your life), kicks off season six of the podcast (how has it been this long already?!). This season promises to be packed with great conversations, with new guests and your faves. Thanks for coming along for the ride...

Heather Nelson is known for starting from the beginning without the lines and inspiring horses through connection. She combines her background in positive reinforcement training, 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. She offers lessons in positive reinforcement and liberty training online.

Find her at http://www.heathernelsonlibertytraining.com/ or on FB - Heather Nelson