The Horse's Advocate Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Stephanie Brown-Beamer is a horse trainer on Long Island, NY, who discovered firsthand ten years ago that a properly fitted bit could resolve horse training problems. This experience motivated her to become trained in fitting a bit to the horse. No, it's not all about math and physics; it's about finding what bit suits the individual horse.

This podcast delves into how Stephanie assesses the horse under saddle, determines the rider's purpose and skill, and then uses her extensive knowledge of science and experience to match that horse to a perfect bit style, shape, and material so that the horse becomes comfortable with it. She also uses science to counter claims that all bits should be avoided; instead, she discusses how a bit can help frame horses to improve their performance while removing pain from improper bits.

From her website: "I strive to always share my in-depth knowledge of bits, bridles and the latest research with each rider with whom I connect, for the betterment of the horse. This is what you can always count on from me."

Stephanie’s website: horsebyhorse.com

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

During my insightful conversation with Merja Sumiloff, we delved into the common thread of emotional blocks from our past that hinder our ability to form meaningful connections with ourselves and our horses. While our experiences may differ, the impact of trauma is a shared human experience. Whether it's a challenging childhood or a difficult relationship, these traumas can create emotional barriers that impede our potential for personal growth and healing.

For instance, my academic journey could have been smoother—I was a mediocre student in high school and a three-time college dropout. However, my experience as a member of our high school football team, which never lost a game, may have instilled in me a determination to succeed. Could these seemingly unrelated events have influenced my eventual graduation from Cornell's vet school?

Merja, with her diverse background, embodies the spirit of self-discovery. Born in Finland, she honed her skills with horses in Ireland and now resides in Australia. She conducts clinics in Finnish and English in person and online, guiding individuals to unearth their horses' hidden strengths and transcend the fear and doubt that often plague horse owners.

The Sumiloff Academy: https://sumiloff.com/

Coaching and mentoring: https://www.merjasumiloff.com/

Her book called “Safe Spaces:” https://www.merjasumiloff.com/safespacesbook

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. For our swag, go to this link: (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

This podcast is about sugar as a fuel for our horses to use when it's needed to run away from danger. However, I also tell the story of the risks of eating more sugar daily than is required to fuel the body. 

The first thing to know is that the body can make all the sugar needed to make it through the day. Adding sugar to food is required for only two things: replenishing stored sugar as glycogen for the next emergency and storing it as body fat for future use. Think of it as cash that you have either quick access to on a bank debit card (glycogen) or cash stored in a long-term asset requiring time to get, such as stocks or property (body fat). Further, think of using fat as fuel steadily released from body fat into the cell, like dividends automatically deposited into your bank.

When sugar is released freely into the blood or cells, it sticks to proteins, preventing them from doing their jobs and causing damage. Over time, this damage will cause the demise of the cell and the horse.

So why are you still feeding grain and giving hay 24/7?

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website for learning about horses, horse barns, and farms. Its membership side allows horse owners to attend live meetings to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of what they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message and spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. TheEquinePractice.com/appointment

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

This podcast is the second part of a discussion I started in episode #030. I continue that discussion of relating the brain of the horse with the human brain as the recent discovery of 4 distinct centers of the mammalian brain described by Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor in her book, "Whole Brain Living."

In the past, I had described these centers based on Hippocrates (about 400 BC) as Choleric, Melancholy, Sanguine and Phlegmatic. I have described these four primary personalities in my book, "The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship." I now associate these personalities with the four sections of the brain in anatomical locations: Left Brain Thinking (Character one), Left Brain Limbic or Emotional (Character two), Right Brain Limbic or Emotional (Character three) and Right Brain Thinking (Character four).

I hypothesize that humans today live within the left side of the brain, which is analytical and temporal (past and future, identity, judgmental), with poor or no connection to the right brain (connected to the present and the universe). On the other hand, the horse has access to all four brain sections. In other words, horses live in the moment while humans spend their time in the future with agenda-driven ideas and requests. Worse, humans ignore the present moment the horse is actively in, causing the horse to feel ignored. How would you feel if somebody ignored you, for example, while served at a restaurant?

I include a simple way to expand into the present moment and become honest, three-dimensional communicators with all horses, humans and everything in our lives. This mental practice is NOT hocus-pocus. It is how the brain's anatomy works, and I have used this approach daily for the past decade. It allows me to connect with horses in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes or 30 days and hand float thousands of horses while medicating only 3 in every 100 I see (3%). If you understand this natural connection, you will also be able to connect with the horses in your life more meaningfully. 

But it is YOU that has to change, not your horse. It's easy once you get the hang of it; it's addicting too.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

The temporomandibular joints connect the jaw (mandible) to the skull. It is the most active joint in the horse's body, moving on average 25,000 times daily - or 9 million chews per year. It has evolved over the evolution of the horse to be a very sturdy yet flexible joint.

Horse owners often define the TM joints as a condition rather than a joint. For example, "My horse has TMJ" describes a syndrome that may not involve the joint. Instead, the connective tissues may give rise to pain. But is this true? Could there be pain located elsewhere that is causing a secondary discomfort in the general area of these joints?

This podcast discusses my experience with tens of thousands of horses. It discusses what I have found in my observations, and I compare this to what others say about "TMJ" in horses.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

As a veterinarian, I have seen many horses with colic, and as a horse owner, I have experienced colic personally. But there is one thing for sure: we need to prevent it from happening in the first place. It is why The Horse's Advocate explains the harm of inflammatory diets in other podcasts and materials. Unfortunately, however, even with the best precautions, colic can still occur from other causes.

Last week I listened to a podcast from Platinum Performance which provided an overview of what colic is and what to look for if you ever have a horse suffering from abdominal pain (colic). The host did a reasonably good job, but in the end, it was a promotion for their colic protection plan offering up to $10,000 for surgery. The restrictions for this program seemed great in terms of cost versus other prevention programs.

I also attended last week a program from Cornell's Veterinary College on colic with the perspective of a veterinarian working up a colic case. The decision-making process is vast and includes a thorough knowledge of anatomy, statistics (age, use, diet, breed, etc.), lab tests, diagnostic tests and experience. It was a detailed and thorough trip through the mind of the attending vet before formulating a diagnosis and treatment plan. But, unfortunately, it was too much for a horse owner to follow.

This podcast splits the difference between these two presentations by providing what horse owners need to know about colic in simple and memorable terms:

1. Make colic preventable.
2. The severity of pain does not equal the severity of the colic.
3. Increasing the delay in diagnosing and treating causes a decrease in good outcomes.
4. A heart rate above 60 beats per minute is usually a surgical colic.
5. Pain unresponsive to pain medication is usually a surgical colic.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

On October 13th, 2021, The American Association Of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) had a virtual meeting of 4 professionals caring for horses suffering from laminitis. This disease is a crippling and often life-ending painful affliction of horses' hooves. I attended to update myself with new information I could pass on to the listeners of this podcast.

Discussions revolved around the determinants of severity from diagnostic images. It involved high-resolution X-rays with specific measurements, venograms (images of the blood flow in the hoof), and even advanced imaging machines practitioners don't have access to (PET scans). In addition, they discussed the application of supportive therapeutic horseshoes and cushioned boots. They further discussed the benefits of cold therapy, shoeing angles and even deep digital tenotomy (cutting of the deep digital flexor tendon) and their relevance and effectiveness.

There were two mentions of nutrition. The first was a brief comment about the need to reduce insulin production. The second was an increased survival rate associated with a higher hoof growth rate. First, however, there needed to be a mention of how to do these in horses, which they never addressed.

I review how insulin is involved in response to nutrition as well as the role of protein in the development of hooves. Preventing laminitis is far better than curing it, and restoring the hoof to the original configuration after destroying the laminae is impossible. While these professional presenters are the ones to seek out when laminitis strikes, ALL practitioners (vets and farriers) would love the day they never see another case of laminitis. This podcast is about doing just that.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Reducing the extra body fat on our horses is the best, if not the only, way to improve and eliminate metabolic syndrome. But is there a cost to their health in the increased production of molds with mycotoxins when doing this?

I attended a symposium by the European Equine Health & Nutrition Congress in the Netherlands that addresses molds and mycotoxins in forage. This meeting would be where I could get all the answers to horse owners' questions about mold development in soaked hay. However, I became confused with no evidence-based answers given. The most evident response I received, directed to my question in the Q&A section, was provided by a hay steaming company representative (Haygain).

If you are frustrated at the end of this podcast, I understand because I am frustrated too. However, I gained some insights and achieved validation on others.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

Humans now live in a world where communication is one or two-dimensional. The telephone or video meeting is a two-dimensional conversation, and texting, writing, or email is one-dimensional. These types of communications don't employ the depth of vision to notice the subtle nuances of facial expression. Wearing a mask will also eliminate seeing a slight smile or frown.

There is a fourth dimension with the hormone oxytocin, delivered between people during conversation. However, this has yet to be studied in horses. I'm likely correct in saying this fourth dimension is our energy. In that case, it is absent in most human conversations when using any technology, from pen to paper to high-tech devices.

We communicate with horses through 3 (or 4) dimensional conversations. Still, most people today need to improve at this, as personal face-to-face talking is rare, using only 1 or 2 dimensions of communication. In addition, humans live in the left half of the brain, which houses our identity (ego) and emotions tied to fear and joy, among many other emotions that complicate our thinking. This podcast discusses how our brain works based on the experiences of Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., in her book "Whole Brain Living." Through the loss of the left half of her brain through a hemorrhage, this Harvard professor of neuroanatomy pieced back the lost functions, and through her 8-year journey, she discovered new concepts of how our brain works.

I tie together Dr. Bolte Taylor's expert information with my experience working with about one hundred thousand horses and deliver my understanding of how we can improve our communication with our horses. As I say in the podcast, ask yourself how well you communicate with other humans (spouse, siblings, parents, strangers in the convenience store), and if THAT isn't good, then start with your own species. Once this is improved AND you also learn to understand how your brain/thinking works, then use this skill to connect with a horse in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes or 30 days. We all can do this, and in the upcoming podcasts, I'll continue with the other parts of the brain and expand on what I say here.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."

After floating 75,000 horses since 1983, Doc T discusses the valuable observations he has observed.

Without funding for significant scientific studies involving a broad spectrum of horse breeds with significant participants (1000s) for extended periods (years), we only use observational studies to understand dentistry in horses. These have no randomized populations with a control group to verify the study results.

I discuss a variety of issues commonly asked by horse owners and veterinarians. In addition, I am specifically evaluating myths and theories of equine dentistry used by general horse owners and professionals. 

This podcast addresses a dozen or more ideas you have often wondered about horses' teeth, their care and why it matters. Be sure to visit TheHorsesAdvocate.com for more images and blogs about equine dentistry. While you are there, please become a member and join the discussion and ask your questions directly to me.

Doc T will take a break from floating to answer.

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TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."