Explore every episode of the podcast The NOËLLE FLOYD Podcast

Last year my horse G slid down the side of a mountain in the Tetons.

He came out of it okay. I carried it for a lot longer.

Gillian Larson has spent her twenties and now her thirties trail riding the backcountry from Mexico to Canada, more than once, on the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide, the Arizona Trail and the Colorado Trail. She calls herself a thru-rider. She recently raced across Patagonia in the inaugural Pass of Tears and finished second.

I traveled to Gillian's backyard in California to talk about trail riding at that scale. The mountain horse who reads the trail fifty feet ahead. The horse who pours gasoline on the fire. Two five-year-old Criollos nicknamed the Ferrari and the tractor.

And then I asked her the question I had been carrying since the Tetons.

How do you live with a decision that put your horse at risk?

Her answer is one of the most honest things I have heard about horses.

Gillian says the guilt belongs. It comes with being a good horse owner. You sit with it, you ask what you would do next time, and then you let yourself go back out. Horses forgive our flubs with a generosity that is, in her words, "immense and wild."

We talk about her first ride from Mexico to Canada at 22, when good horses carried a rider who was still learning. Why she went back and rode it again. Why the horse world shows the clean version of every trip and hides the scrambles. And why second place in Patagonia feels like a win to her, because she rode a race she can stand behind.

If you have ever lain awake replaying a call you made with your horse, this one is for you.

The question that stays with me is the one Gillian lives by.

Was I a good teammate to my horse today?

Gillian Larson is a thru-rider who travels long-distance backcountry routes on horseback. She first rode from Mexico to Canada at 22 and has since completed the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Arizona Trail, the Colorado Trail and the John Muir Trail, along with her own route from the Grand Canyon through Utah to the Wyoming border.

In this episode you'll learn

1. How a seasoned mountain horse reads the trail thirty to fifty feet ahead, and how a rookie fixates on the next step.
2. The horse who pours gasoline on the fire, and the one who freezes and looks to you.
3. Racing the Pass of Tears on two five-year-old Criollos, the Ferrari and the tractor.
4. The weigh-in, the waypoints, and the riders who dropped gear and called it kindness to the horse.
5. G's slide in the Tetons, and the guilt that followed Noëlle into the Wind Rivers.
6. Why Gillian rode Mexico to Canada a second time, and how it felt to finally carry her share.
7. The most undervalued skill a rider can have, according to someone who has ridden thousands of backcountry miles.

Chapters:

0:00    Welcome: the Wind Rivers and why the backcountry grounds us
5:18    What a thru-rider is, and how it differs from long riding
12:05   The Pass of Tears: racing across Patagonia
16:15   The Ferrari and the tractor: two five-year-old Criollos
20:56   What makes a good mountain horse
26:00   Criollos, estancias and making weight
35:06   Money, ethics and defining success
39:43   Guilt, mistakes and the horse you put at risk
50:19   Hyper-fixation: watching a horse after an injury
53:04   Why the horse world hides its mistakes
59:34   Being the partner your horses deserve
1:07:27 Rapid fire

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 listening!

 

What does it cost to go and find out who you are?

For me, it cost a house.

I sold mine to travel 25,000 miles across North America with my horses, Lady and G, and I filmed all of it. That road became Unbridled, a six-part horse documentary series. Episodes 1 and 2 are on YouTube now.

This time the microphone turned around.

Jen Landon, actor, Yellowstone cast member, horsewoman, and the person who owns Shorty, took the host's chair and asked me the questions I usually ask everyone else.

She asked why I nearly stopped filming. So many times on that trip I looked at the footage and heard the same three sentences. I'm not good enough. This isn't good enough. No one's gonna care.

I kept the cameras rolling anyway. I'm so glad I did.

Jen tells the story of how Unbridled reached her. My husband, Ben, looked at me and made me promise to send it to her. I thought that was gauche. I sent it. She planned to watch two episodes as a favor to a new friend, and she watched the whole season.

She compared it to Chef's Table. Jen calls herself a bad cook, and she still walked away from every episode of that show with something for her own life and her craft as an actor. She says Unbridled did the same for her. The horses are the backdrop for a bigger lesson.

That is my hope for this horse documentary. That someone who has lived their whole life away from horses watches it and sees who I became because of the way Lady and G live as horses, every single day.

We talk about process-based horsemanship and outcome-based horsemanship, and how far that idea reaches past the arena.

"If you focus on the process, then the outcome is more expansive than you could possibly imagine. But if you focus on the outcome, then you're limited to the outcome you can imagine as the person you are in the moment."

Then we go to Texas.

Florida humbled me. I left it feeling small. And then I cut cows with Lyndi Birch and Barbra Schulte, on Jen's own horse, Shorty, who carried me like the all-star he is. Barbra is nurture. Lyndi is nature. Two sides of one coin, and between them I learned what I now call cowgirl confidence. Thinking confident is one thing. Being confident lives in the body.

Jen adds the piece I keep coming back to. Cowgirl confidence has fun in it.

When you sell the house, where do you find home?

Inside ourselves. In our horses. In the people who show up for us.

If you have a big, scary dream, you are more capable than you think. And you will be amazed by the allies, the people and the animals, who arrive to support you on your hero's journey.

Episodes 1 and 2 of Unbridled are on my YouTube channel. Episodes 3 through 6 live on NF+, and you can buy Season 1 on its own, separate from membership. Episode 4 is Texas: Shorty, the cows, Lyndiy and Barbra.

Watch Unbridled Episodes 1: https://youtu.be/XI6lxdaSM7Y

and Episode 2: https://youtu.be/X0xOcksn7TQ

Buy Unbridled all 6 Episodes of Season 1 on NF+: https://noellefloyd.com/pages/noelle-floyd-unbridled

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/IpBkLxUk8AA

About Jen
Jen Landon is an actor and horsewoman known to Yellowstone audiences. She worked cattle on her horse, Shorty, between takes on the Yellowstone set, and Shorty appears in Unbridled Episode 4 in Texas with Lyndy Burch and Barbra Schulte. She is a recent NF+ member who watches lessons before heading to the barn.

Episodee Sponsored by: YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at YETI.com | @YETI | facebook.com/YETI

 

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 listening!

 

I wrote my mare a letter the day she came to me. Out in the field with her, with G grazing nearby, I read it to her out loud for the first time. It is the most honest thing I have said about horsemanship in fourteen years.

Fourteen years I spent interviewing the horse world's best — the trainers and riders everyone turns to for answers. Then Lady arrived, more wild than tame, and I stepped in front of the camera to say the one thing the interviewer's chair never let me say: I don't know.

That admission is where Unbridled begins.

This is the solo letter underneath the whole series — the private writing that became the reason I made it. Lady came to me more questioning than compliant, unwilling to perform a smaller version of herself for anyone's comfort. Loving her made it impossible to stay safely behind the microphone. She asked me harder questions than any guest ever had. Not "can you make me do this," but "how can you meet me if you will not meet yourself?"

Somewhere in there my horsemanship began to change, and so did I. I call it rewilding — taking the bridle off my horse and the invisible one off myself at once. Fit in. Obey. Be manageable. Do not become too much. Lady answers every one of those instructions by simply being who she is.

When the bridle comes off, the truth comes out. Without the equipment and the familiar measures of success, what remains? Two bodies. Two nervous systems. Two living beings trying to understand each other across the line between species.

This letter is about worthiness — and how Lady taught me it was never a thing I earn by knowing enough. It lives in the willingness to listen, to repair, to begin again.

If you have ever loved a horse who would not let you hide, this one is for you.

Unbridled is a six-part series following me and my horses across North America, asking whether partnership can go somewhere freer than control. Lady is the reason it exists.

▶️ Watch Unbridled — Catch the SEASON PREMIERE on Youtube MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 AT 4PM ET

and binge the whole season! at NF+ https://noellefloyd.com/pages/noelle-floyd-unbridled

In This Episode:

• Why she almost didn't make Unbridled — the fear that fourteen years of interviews still left her unworthy of her own horse.
• The gap between a horse obeying you and a horse choosing you, and why only one survives the bridle coming off.
• What Lady asks that no technique can answer: how can you meet me if you will not meet yourself?
• Rewilding horsemanship — taking the restraints off the horse and off yourself in the same motion.
• Why "I don't know" became the beginning of her authority instead of the end of it.
• The promises she wrote to a horse she had dreamed about before they ever met.

Chapters :

• 0:00 — Out in the field with Lady (and G)
• 1:00 — Why she writes letters to her horses
• 2:31 — "Dear Lady" — the letter begins
• 3:52 — The mare unlike any she'd met
• 5:10 — When the bridle comes off, the truth comes out
• 8:00 — Rewilding her horsemanship, rewilding herself
• 9:00 — The Fool, the threshold, the heroine's journey
• 11:37 — What Unbridled actually became
• 13:02 — "You did not come here to heal me"
• 14:50 — Worthiness, and the horsewoman she's becoming

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 listening!

 

The same patience it takes to earn a horse's trust is the patience Evan the Groom brings to teaching the rest of us. He came to horses the way most people never do — from the outside, with no background, terrified of the biggest one in the barn — and turned that beginner's-eye view into an education. Today he does the horse grooming and horse care in his wife's dressage business, and the horse world knows him as the viral comedian who makes the barn make sense to people who have never touched a horse.

This is a No Stupid Questions episode, and it is one of my favorites we have done. Evan explains horses the way he once needed them explained to him — no jargon, no ego, just plain answers to the things beginners are too embarrassed to ask out loud.

He was an engineer turning algae into protein. Then marketing. Then the pandemic took his job, his wife Ashley needed help at the barn, and he picked up a camera. The videos were meant to make his own family laugh — people who knew nothing about horses. Instead they built a following, and somewhere in there Evan became something he never trained to be: an educator.

We get into the skill he rates above all others and hears discussed least — observation, watching for the thing that is off today — and how six years of it on the ground is only now showing up in the saddle. His advice for every "horse husband" and non-horse partner out there: just support that. Why he would rather make a video so ridiculous you remember it than one only horse people understand, and how a loogie teaches you the word "hock." The groom's real job when no one is watching: being the horse's constant. And the mare who taught him the most — a year to earn her trust, and then, he says, she gives you everything.

There is also a talking pony named Piper, a children's book about a lost little bird, and — as of last week — his first ride off the lunge line.

If someone in your life doesn't understand the horse thing — or if you're the one at the rail — send them this.

Evan is a groom, content creator, and horse-care specialist in Southern California, where he works alongside his wife, dressage trainer Ashley Donant. He built his following making horses funny and reachable for people who have never touched one.

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 listening!

 

A horse has two choices. Learn to accept the bit, or fight it for the rest of its life.

That's Steffen Peters, and this is the half where his hands are on the reins. If you heard Part 1, you met the man — six Olympics, the dark place, the way back. This one is the horse training — the groundwork up through Grand Prix. Forty years of it, distilled into the way he starts a five-year-old and the way he brought a brand-new stallion into the ring after two weeks together.

Here's the thing that runs through all of it: he doesn't push a horse into the bridle. Ever. He thinks ninety-five percent of horses are ridden with too much contact, and he'll tell you why "more hind legs, more into the hand" was never the answer for him. What he wants is suppleness, self-carriage, lightness — a soft rein you can see, and a horse that carries itself instead of leaning on your hand.

We get into where that starts, and it is earlier than you would think. The groundwork — on a lead rope, in a halter — the horse that stops when you stop without a pull on the rope. He calls it cooperation, not submission, and he means the difference exactly. From there it's the walk work most riders rush past, the half halt that becomes a reflex, the spur as a reminder and never a crutch, and the three aids he says are the only tools you really have.

There's the new stallion — fourteen, extremely smart, the horse that trained his rider to say "don't quit." There's Totilas, and what it takes to watch someone beat you and mean it when you call it good. And there's the compliment two vets paid him without knowing he could hear: at Steffen's barn, they can't make any money — because of the walk breaks, and what they save.

If Part 1 was how he learned to manage himself, this is how he manages the conversation with the horse. Same man. Now the method.

Steffen Peters is a German-born American dressage rider, a six-time Olympian and multiple Olympic medalist, and one of the most decorated dressage athletes in United States history. He returned to competition this year, opening his season aboard a new stallion with wins across the Prix St. Georges, the Intermediaire I, and the Grand Prix.

 

Chapters:

0:00 Riding Becomes Training 01:39 Flow State With New Stallion 02:19 Suppleness Over Hind Legs 04:37 Stop the Nagging Leg 05:52 Feel Over Looks 08:16 How Much Contact 11:57 Western Lightness Lessons 13:45 Warmup Is Training 17:30 Mindful Aids and Tools 20:38 Reliable Tests and Nerves 22:32 Refining Pressure Release 25:05 Walk Work and Discipline 27:12 Quiet Coaching Shift 27:54 Trainer Judge Clinics 29:06 From Thinking To Reflex 31:02 Flow State In Competition 34:09 Building Presence On Ground 37:46 Mindfulness In Daily Life 41:04 Rapid Fire Questions 47:59 New Stallion Partnership 50:26 Walk Breaks And Longevity

Want to go deeper into the training behind a clean, confident flying change?

In his new NOËLLE FLOYD Masterclass, six-time Olympian Steffen Peters breaks down the entire process—from developing the right canter, balance and response to the aids to introducing the change and troubleshooting tension, anticipation, crookedness and changes that are late behind.

Learn more and watch Training the Flying Change with Steffen Peters:
https://noellefloyd.com/pages/flying-changes-with-steffen-peters

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 listening!

 

You get the thing you chased for five years.

And the ride is the worst one you've ever put down.

Kasey Perry-Glass reached the Olympic Games on the horse she bought to take her there — Doublé — and came home into a depression that blindsided her. This is the conversation under the medal photo. What it costs to want something that badly, and what she found on the far side of it.

She married a cowboy. Dana Glass starts colts and takes in the horses other people gave up on — the rearers, the buckers, the bolters, carrying baggage nobody unpacked. Two worlds under one roof: her classical dressage, his groundwork. What one taught the other is most of this hour.

We get into the perfectionism that dressage rewards and then punishes — a score out of 100 that stays out of reach, a sport where the best mark is a C or a D on a good day. Why she stopped posting to social media. The line Martin Black uses, let them cook, and why ending a ride a little early beats grinding it into the ground. Pain versus behavior, and the checklist she taught Dana: clear the ulcers, the hindgut, the teeth, before anyone calls it attitude.

Then the mental game she learned the hard way. Finding her number with Annette Paterakis — the exact pitch of nerves and calm that lets her ride her best. The work with Dr. Jenny Susser. Blacking out in the saddle, ten minutes gone, grinding the same movement. Boundaries. Getting told she was "too nice" for this sport, and what she kept anyway.

Behind the vertical, point of balance, throughness without a single draw rein — she explains the dressage the way she explained it to Dana, the sport he first met through her.

This one is for anyone who has wanted something so badly it made them small, and found their way back to the size they actually are.

Kasey Perry-Glass is a US Olympic dressage rider — team bronze at Rio 2016 (America's first Olympic dressage medal since 2004) and team silver at the 2018 World Equestrian Games — who competes as Kasey Perry. Her longtime partner was the Grand Prix gelding Doublé (Goerklintgaards Dublet), now retired; she currently campaigns Heartbeat W.P. She and her husband, cowboy and colt-starter Dana Glass, run Two Worlds Equestrian, joining Western horsemanship and Grand Prix dressage under one program.

To Learn more about Kasey Perry-Glass: website | instagram | facebook

In This Episode You'll Learn

• What it costs to reach an Olympic Games and ride your worst test there, and the depression Kasey came home to
• The perfectionism dressage rewards and then punishes,  chasing a score out of 100 in a sport where a great mark is a C
• Let them cook: why ending a ride a little early beats grinding a movement into the ground
• The pain-versus-behavior checklist Kasey taught Dana — ulcers, hindgut, teeth, before anyone calls it attitude
• Finding your number with sports psychologist Annette Paterakis — the exact pitch of nerves and calm that lets you ride your best
• Blacking out in the saddle, ten minutes gone on the same movement, and the mental work that pulled her out
• Behind the vertical made plain: the poll as the highest point, and why a horse's own point of balance can't be copied and pasted
• Throughness without a single draw rein, and how groundwork gave an Olympic rider tools her dressage babies never had

Chapters:  

0:00    How Kasey met a cowboy
4:51    What Dana does: colt starting & unpacking a horse's trauma
8:41    Groundwork, the rope halter & being a beginner again
14:34   [ad: Total Feeds]
15:14   The perfectionism dressage rewards and punishes
19:51   Let them cook: ending on a good note
23:17   Pain vs. behavior: what we blame on the horse
29:05   Bringing two worlds together
30:36   Welfare, eliminations & the "blood" rule
33:44   [ad: Noëlle's Substack]
36:07   Judging transparency & educating the viewer
39:21   Behind the vertical, explained
41:44   Point of balance & throughness without draw reins
44:47   Training aids as tools; groundwork informs the saddle
49:34   The Olympics — and the depression after
53:44   Patience in a same-day world
57:22   The mental game: finding your number
1:02:29 Boundaries, thick skin & remaking herself
1:07:19 Tough vs. strong; raising horses and kids
1:12:50 Rapid-fire questions

Episode Sponsor: 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 

 

Episode Sponsor: YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at YETI.com | @YETI | facebook.com/YETI

 

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 listening!

 

 

 

You think the cow is the hard part.

She isn't. You are.

You get ahead of her to turn her, and she beats you to the herd every time. You spur, you pull, the horse's head comes up, and now nobody is watching the cow at all.

Martin Black has read millions of head of cattle, and the horse training lesson underneath all of it is the one almost everybody gets backwards. To cut one cow out, you leave her alone and stir the herd around her. To turn her, you turn away — not toward. The horse rates the cow the way a foal learns to rate its mother in the first thirty minutes of life. It's already in there. Our job is to stay out of the road so the horse can use it.

This is Part 2 of my week with Martin on his ranch in the Great Basin. Part 1 is the ranch, the horses, and reading the moment — start there.

We work the balance point and the flight zone, and why a cow reads your horse's head like a horn and your horse's hip like something softer. Why getting in front of a cow to block her only sends her faster. What Tom Dorrance told Martin decades ago about turning tail, and how that one idea makes a green horse handier by the day. Gene Lewis, his mother's cousin, and jumpers that rate a fence with nobody telling them where to put their feet.

Then the part that reshaped how I keep my own horses. Turnout over stalls. Bare feet when the ground allows. A crick to cross and rocks to pick through, because a horse who has to sort out the terrain grows savvy, and a horse who never has to stays a passenger.

Martin runs horses as a business, not a companion animal, and says his vet bills will stand against anyone's. Colic almost unheard of. Feet the ground keeps honest. It made me ask what I was really protecting when I bubble-wrapped mine.

The horse training here is subtraction, not addition. Cows think more like horses than you'd guess, and empathy runs under all of it.

Martin Black is a lifelong Great Basin horseman and stockman from a multi-generation ranching family, working in the vaquero tradition and the lineage of Tom Dorrance. He spent ten years starting young horses at Calumet Farm in Lexington and now teaches horsemanship and stockmanship through clinics and a ranch school. 

If you want to go further with your own horse, NF+ has 70+ masterclasses at noellefloydplus.com or through the app link in the show notes.

 

In This Episode You'll Learn

• The move almost everyone gets backwards: to hold a single cow, you leave her alone and stir the herd around her
• Why getting in front of a cow to block her only sends her faster back to the herd — and what to do the instant she turns
• How a cow reads your horse's head like a horn and your horse's hip like something softer, so a leg-yield moves her where a headbutt would spook her
• What Tom Dorrance told Martin about turning tail to a cow, and how it makes a green horse rounder and handier by the day
• Gene Lewis and colts that rate a fence themselves, with nobody telling them where to put their feet
• Why a collected walk finally had a purpose the day Noelle worked cattle on Lady
• What ten years starting babies at Calumet and a lifetime in the Great Basin say about turnout, bare feet, and letting a horse sort out rough ground
• The barbed-wire story, and what a horse who navigates real terrain has that a bubble-wrapped one lacks

Chapters

0:00    Part 2: cutting a cow by leaving her alone
1:40    Holding cattle without a fence — what it takes
3:40    Sorting without stalking: keeping a cow parasympathetic
5:40    Cows think like horses — Dr. Peters & Temple Grandin
8:30    The old way wasn't the cruel way
10:40   After WWII: how the mechanized age lost the horsemanship
11:20   What a chuck wagon really was (Great Basin history)
14:34   [ad: Total Feeds]
17:49   The balance point & flight zone, explained
21:00   Rating: the foal, the herd, and the safe place
26:40   Headbutt vs. tail-butt: why a leg-yield moves a cow softer
30:40   The move most people get backwards: never turn into the cow
33:43   [ad: Noelle's Substack]
34:47   Predator habits that get in the way
37:30   Tom Dorrance on turning tail
40:50   Gene Lewis: horses that rate the jump themselves
47:00   Managing horses naturally: turnout over stalls
49:00   Barefoot when the ground allows
52:00   Rough terrain makes a savvy horse — the barbed-wire story
55:00   Horses as a business, not a companion animal
59:40   Advice for urban riders: get out of the arena

Episode Sponsor: 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 listening!

 

We pat our horses to tell them they did well.

Martin Black says the horse would rather we kept our hands to ourselves.

He has spent a life inside western horse training — starting close to five hundred colts a year on the same Great Basin country his family has ranched since the 1860s, seventy miles from his nearest neighbor, the road over the mountain closed all winter. And what he showed me this week is that the pat is for us. The reward the horse is after is chemical: the flood of serotonin and dopamine that arrives when pressure lifts and the body comes home to rest. Martin calls it the cocktail. Rouse the horse, bring him down, and he licks his lips — he got his drink, and he will go to that edge with you again because he knows you will take him to the bar after.

This is western horse training as one of its living masters practices it, and almost none of it looks like technique.

Martin reads a colt the way the rest of us read a single sentence — ten things at once. He calls it peripheral thinking. The predator in us locks onto the prey: the outcome, the lead change, the plan for the day. Martin holds the objective and lets the plan bend to whatever the horse hands him. The seed that wants to grow today gets watered today. The one that is not ready waits.

We talk about the hours. I could shadow him in Idaho for years and still not own his timing, because feel does not transfer. You earn it one horse at a time, and no clinic sells it.

We talk about why he trains his cattle the way his family has since the 1860s — the rodear, the old vaquero work that crossed from Spain and reached Texas two centuries late — and why a dressage horse belongs on a cow as much as any ranch gelding does.

And we go into the cowboy neuroscience of it: sympathetic arousal, homeostasis, pressure and its relief as one thing rather than two. Dr. Steve Peters pulled Martin out of a lineup for this. Martin calls himself a bartender. He once waited forty-five minutes on a traumatized cutting mare, feeling her heartbeat through the saddle horn, until she finally licked her lips and found her way home.

Part one of two. In part two, Martin takes it to the ground — reading cattle by the million, and moving one cow out of a herd by leaving her alone.

Martin Black is a Great Basin horseman and colt starter who has started close to five hundred colts a year, working the same remote Idaho country his family has ranched since the 1860s. He carries the lineage of Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt into a plainer, harder question: what does the horse in front of you need?

In This Episode You'll Learn

• Why the pat you give after a good round is for you, and what the horse is asking for instead.
• The cocktail — how serotonin and dopamine turn pressure and its release into the reward the horse remembers.
• Peripheral thinking: reading ten things at once, and why the predator in us locks onto only one.
• Why Martin holds the objective and lets the horse choose which seed grows today.
• The forty-five-minute wait on a traumatized cutting mare, and the heartbeat he felt through the saddle horn.
• The hours nobody can hand you — why feel is earned one horse at a time.

Find out more about Martin Black: website | facebook | youtube

Chapters 

• 0:00 — The pat is for you, not the horse (cold open)
• 0:30 — Seventy miles from the nearest neighbor
• 5:00 — No formula fits all: hold the objective, bend the plan
• 14:38 — Peripheral thinking and the predator's focus
• 19:33 — Moving the feet: sympathetic arousal and self-preservation
• 28:45 — Why loving on your horse is for you
• 31:01 — The invitation: the cocktail, the margarita, the lick of the lips
• 39:29 — Cowboy neuroscience: pressure, relief, homeostasis
• 50:40 — The colt-starting science project
• 51:53 — Can a jumper work a cow? Stockmanship and the rodear
• 57:29 — Holding the herd without a fence — and what empathy means

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 listening!

 

When I was eleven, my mom handed me The Man Who Listens to Horses.

Last week, the man who wrote it died.

Within days, the horse world also lost Alexandra Kurland — the woman who spent decades convincing us that a clicker and a handful of food belonged in serious horse training.

This is a solo episode. An essay, read aloud, on two pioneers who stood in opposite corners of horse training and still moved the same conversation forward. On join up, and what it asks of a flight animal sent around a round pen. On positive reinforcement, and why handing a horse food never automatically creates consent. On the disputed parts of Monty's story, and why we can hold gratitude and discernment at the same time.

And underneath it all, the question I keep circling: why do we need our teachers to be heroes?

We put trainers on pedestals. The flaws appear — they always do — and reverence flips to contempt overnight. Either way, the person is never allowed to be human. And pedestals are useless to horses. A pedestal has never once made a horse feel safer, calmer, or less confused about what we are asking.

I believe we are living through the biggest shift in the human-horse relationship since machines took horses out of our fields and our wars. The question used to be: can the horse do it? The question becoming ours is: what does it cost the horse to do it? Did the horse understand, or did it simply stop resisting? Does the absence of conflict mean the horse feels safe?

One day, we will be the outdated ones. The next generation will see pressure we could not recognize and pain we rationalized. I hope so. If they never outgrow us, we failed to help them see farther.

Monty Roberts and Alexandra Kurland do not need us to decide which one was right. They need us to carry the torch. And the torch is not join up. The torch is not the clicker. The torch is the responsibility to keep listening.

Thank you, Monty. Thank you, Alexandra. This one is for the lineage — and for my mom, who put that book in my hands.

In This Episode:

1. Why join up is pressure and release in learning-theory terms — and why naming that honors Monty more than sainthood ever could
2. The question Alexandra Kurland made possible: how do I create a learning environment where the horse becomes an active participant
3. What the clicker teaches the human — poor timing, criteria that jump too fast, a missed try; the horse reports every one
4. Why food on its own creates neither agency nor consent, and what positive reinforcement still demands of the person holding it
5. Becky Moody at the top of dressage: trained with Carl Hester, embracing clicker work — evolution over allegiance
6. The pedestal inversion: how reverence flips to contempt when the flaws appear, and why both extremes abandon the horse
7. The three sentences responsible learning gets to say: this is what you made possible, this is where I believe you were wrong, this is what I will carry forward

Learn more about Monty Roberts: website | facebook | youtube

Learn more about Alexandra Kurland: website | facebook

Chapters 

• 0:00 — The book that started it
• 2:30 — What positive reinforcement changed first
• 6:00 — Two truths about Monty Roberts
• 8:40 — The biggest shift since mechanization
• 13:00 — Pedestals are useless to horses
• 15:20 — The torch and the next generation

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 listening!

You measure with your hand while he stands there.

Then he takes a step, and the horse you measured is gone.

Saddle fit is horse care. I rode my whole life before anyone said that to me plainly.

I met Letitia Glenn, founder of Contour Saddlery™, at Road to the Horse. She had seen footage of me riding, and the first thing she thought—which she then said to my face, out loud—was that I did not know what I did not know about saddles. She was right. I brought her to Florida on the hottest day of that summer, rode in one of her saddles, and felt my mare Lady's scapula move with a freedom it never had on the whole road trip.

Letitia came to horses at 47, with a two-year-old Paso Fino stallion named Echo, and has spent the last quarter century asking one question: Why do so many saddles fit a standing horse, yet interfere with the horse once it begins to move?

She found part of the answer backpacking. Fifty-five pounds, eight miles, the Rocky Mountains. Picture the corner of a book pressed into your spine. You will contort away from it. Horses do the same. Pressure behind the scapula changes posture, alters movement through the entire body, and creates compensation patterns that no amount of riding can truly fix.

So we explore what she looks for: the upward head nod at the walk on a loose rein, the Four Bs, the belly tickle test, and the hollow behind the scapula that reveals chronic restriction. We also discuss why the interface (the space between the saddle and the moving back) matters just as much as the saddle itself, and how the Contour Saddlery™ Saddle System and the VersaFit™ Saddle Pad System were developed to help accommodate the horse's changing shape in motion by restoring shoulder freedom and improving pressure distribution.

We also get into the part of horse care that never appears on a bill of sale. Saddle fitters are often paid by the brand they recommend. Trainers sometimes receive commissions on the tack their students buy. An expensive saddle isn't proof of a better fit—it may simply reflect a larger marketing budget.

Lady gave me a scar on my stomach the first year I had her, reaching back for me while I tightened the cinch. I used to call that her temperament.

Now I wonder if she was trying to tell me something.

I wanted the horse world to hear this conversation because Lady had been telling me the same story for years—I just wasn't ready to listen.

Learn more about Letitia Glenn, Contour Saddlery™, and the VersaFit™ Saddle Pad System, and request a free saddle fit evaluation: website | instagram | youtube 

At Contour Saddlery™, we believe saddle fit should be based on the horse in motion—not standing still.

Our complete Contour Saddlery™ Saddle System and the VersaFit™ Saddle Pad System work together to create a dynamic fitting solution that supports shoulder freedom, accommodates your horse's changing shape, and helps improve comfort, movement, and performance. Whether you're looking to optimize your current saddle or invest in a complete saddle system, our goal is simple: Every Horse. Every Saddle. Every Ride.™

Learn how to improve the fit and function of your saddle:

Experience the difference a truly horse-first saddle can make. Visit Naturalhorsemansaddles.com to learn more.

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 listening!

Chapters:

0:00      "Saddles are torture devices"

2:13      She doesn't know what she doesn't know

6:41      Lady's shoulder, and what freedom felt like

10:07     The fourth component nobody talks about

12:23     The upward head nod at the walk

16:08     The four Bs: bone, bulge, behind the bulge

17:17     The belly tickle test

22:20     The hollow behind the scapula

26:09     A steward at the end of the arena

32:00     Lady's scar and the cinch

33:41     The Black Stallion, age 47, and Echo

39:04     Dr. Stephen Peters: 27 saddlings a day

43:31     The Therm-a-Rest pad and the living interface

46:15     Where the shim goes, English and Western

50:41     A birdhouse roof on a beach ball

56:47     The free saddle fit evaluation

1:02:40   A body that changes

1:08:20   Rapid fire

We say we want a willing horse.

Then we climb on, and we start cramming.

And when the horse gets tight, or slow, or stuck, we do the one thing that guarantees it gets worse — we add pressure.

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Stephen Peters, and this time he brought a horse's brain. Cut in half, in his hands, on the table between us. He points to the cingulate. He points to the little kidney-bean pituitary. And he shows me, physically, the difference between a horse who can talk itself back down and a horse who has no way back.

That difference has a name. It's a chemical called GABA.

An empowered horse can produce it — can send the "stand down" signal before the cortisol ever floods the system. A horse in learned helplessness can't reach it. Same event, two completely different animals, and most of what separates them is what we wired in, and the state we wired it in.

We get into the cocktail — dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, oxytocin, serotonin — and why drilling the same exercise seven times flattens every one of them. Why release is not the same thing as relief, and only the horse gets to tell you which one it was. Why recovery, the part everyone skips, is where the learning actually locks in. And why an hour on the clock is a human invention your horse never agreed to.

Then it opens out — touch, exercise, diet, the five domains, allo-grooming, the prairie voles who fall apart in isolation and settle the second the herd rushes back in.

And we close on Charles Darwin. Not the line everyone quotes. The one almost nobody does — the one where he says it's the cooperative communities, the ones that bond and help each other, that represent the highest level of evolution.

Horses have the chemistry for that built in. Dr. Peters' whole argument is simple: let's use it.

Start with Part 1 if you haven't — this picks up right where we left off.

Dr. Stephen Peters is a neuroscientist who directed a clinic for brain health and memory, and co-author of Evidence-Based Horsemanship (with Martin Black). His most recent books are Horse Brain Science and A Horse's Life (with Mark Rashid and Chrissy McDonald), which pairs 19 real case studies with the neurological detective work behind each one.

You can find all the books by Dr. Stephen Peters here: https://www.horsebrainscience.info/books

1.  Horse Brain Science: The Neuroscience of Ethical Horsemanship
2. Horse Brain Science: A Foundation for Equine Neuroscience
3. The Book of Neuropoetry
4. Evidence Based Horsemanship
5. A Horse's Life: The Neuroscience of Equine Welfare

You can find out more about Dr. Stephen Peters on his website -  Horse Brain Science

And on Substack

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

0:00   Why we get in the way of our own horses
2:00   A horse brain, cut in half: corpus callosum & the cingulate
5:00   The stress circuit — HPA axis, cortisol, and GABA
8:00   Empowered vs. helpless: who can reach the brake
9:06   Wiring confidence vs. wiring fear
11:15  Lady's three stations: rebuilding a horse's love of learning
13:40  The neurochemical cocktail — and why drilling drains it
16:00  Sending the horse away: oxytocin, prediction, and the payoff
18:00  Release is not relief
19:25  A word from Total Feeds
23:00  Recovery, hippocampal replay & why silence matters
27:38  Short sessions, switching horses & the neurodivergent brain
28:57  Spaced vs. massed learning; every nervous system is a snowflake
32:11  The petals on the flower: touch, exercise, diet & the five domains
40:45  Allo-grooming, oxytocin & the prairie voles
44:13  Darwin's Descent of Man: cooperation as the highest evolution
46:43  Dr. Peters' books, Substack & wrap

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 listening!

 

Every rider has said it. He's being stubborn. She's testing me. He knows better.

Here's the harder, truer thing underneath: the horse isn't being anything. The horse is a nervous system, doing the one job every nervous system has — trying to stay safe.

Dr. Stephen Peters spends this conversation taking me under the behavior, into the brain that produced it. He's a neuropsychologist, co-author of Evidence-Based Horsemanship, and the person I call when I want to actually understand my horses instead of just managing them. This time we sat down as two diagnosed neurodivergent people talking about horse behavior from the inside — which is its own kind of honesty.

He explains why the horse that shoves past you off the trailer isn't defiant. It's running a pathway you built, three good grazes at a time. He calls it myelination, and once you hear how it works, you stop blaming the horse and start watching what you're teaching when you think you're not teaching anything.

We go into the thing so many of us get exactly backwards. You hit a wall, so you add pressure. More leg, more spur, more insistence. And Peters says it plainly: almost always the answer was to let the nervous system reset, not to push harder. Push harder and you don't get through the noise — you become the noise.

Then we get to the part I asked him to slow down on. Learned helplessness. The old experiment neither of us can listen to without flinching, and what it tells us about the quiet, compliant, "well-behaved" horse who has simply learned that nothing he does matters. That's not a trained horse. That's a horse who stopped voting.

And near the end, something bigger opens up. Peters describes the freeze — the shutdown that isn't a choice, the body flooding itself with its own opioids so it can survive what it can't escape. He says the thing I most needed someone with his credentials to say out loud: that response is the nervous system deciding, not the animal, and not the person it happens to. If you've ever been asked why you didn't fight back, this part is for you as much as your horse.

What you'll hear, underneath all of it, is a kinder and more accurate way to be with a horse. Not softer for its own sake — more correct. Work with the nervous system and you get performance and behavior far past anything pressure buys you. The willing partner everyone wants isn't obedient. He's involved.

Dr. Stephen Peters is a board-certified neuropsychologist and co-author of Evidence-Based Horsemanship with Martin Black. He studies the equine brain and nervous system and is launching a new podcast, The Skeptical Horseman, with Jillian Kreinbring, M.S., dedicated to separating good research from pseudoscience in the horse world.

This is Part 1 of our conversation. In Part 2, Steve puts a real horse brain on the table, cut in half, and shows me exactly what agency does to it.

If someone you ride with keeps calling their horse the problem — send them this one first.

You can find out more about Dr. Stephen Peters here: Horse Brain Science

Chapters:

• 0:00 — "They have good days and bad days": meeting the horse's nervous system where it is
• 0:26 — Who Dr. Stephen Peters is, and why brain-first is a different conversation
• 2:19 — Critical thinking, bias, and the "baloney sandwich" problem in horse science
• 4:50 — Two neurodivergent people on masking — and the horse equivalent
• 8:00 — The predictive brain: why "predictable = readable = safe"
• 9:42 — Myelination, oligodendrocytes, and paving the horse's highways
• 11:59 — The trailer example: habit vs. the labels we assign it (defiant, disrespectful)
• 15:24 — Clever Hans: the horse who was reading, not counting
• 17:11 — Nervous systems, sympathetic arousal, and why more pressure adds noise
• 21:03 — Down-regulation, pendulation, and training the nervous system itself
• 23:30 — [Sponsor: Total Equine by Total Feeds]
• 26:45 — Dopamine, "special forces" horses, and solution-seeking vs. robotic horses
• 32:41 — Learned helplessness: the Seligman experiment and what it does to the brain
• 37:27 — The five domains, agency, and why every creature needs its behavior to matter
• 38:55 — The freeze response, the periaqueductal gray, and the opioid flood
• 43:35 — When words fail the nervous system: compliance is not consent, or courage
• 46:53 — Dissociation, wearable tech, hyperscanning, and Peters' Substack work
• 50:37 — "We're stopping here": the cliffhanger into Part 2 and the real horse brain

This Episode is 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 

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe wherever you listen, leave us a review — it genuinely helps more people find these conversations — and please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it ..........thank you!!!

 

Everybody wants the clear round. The win. The photo at the top of the podium.

Here's the part the sport keeps offstage — the doubt, the grief, the voice at the in-gate asking if you even belong here.

Joe Stockdale knows that voice well. He calls it imposter syndrome, and he feels it at the very top of show jumping, which is its own kind of honesty for a 26-year-old already riding at five-star.

In 2018 he lost his dad, Tim Stockdale, to cancer. Almost overnight Joe inherited a business, a famous name, a string of owners, and a mare his father picked out before he died. A young rider usually eases into all of that across years. Joe got a phone call and a yard to run.

This one goes straight at the thing under the results — what grief does to ambition, where riding confidence comes from, and why Joe would rather be home doing the work than chasing a spotlight.

He takes me inside the year everything turned. Less than five years after losing his dad, he's standing at the World Championships in Herning on the mare his father found, winning team bronze for Great Britain. He says it plainly: stories like that barely happen to anyone.

We talk about the people who caught him. William and Pippa Funnell, his dad's closest friends, who started watching every one of his rounds on video and calling with notes they took on their own. Joe is blunt about it — that web of mentors is the reason he's still standing here.

And we get to the line I keep turning over. Joe wants the pressure: last to go in a Nations Cup, the whole thing resting on him, the chance to be the hero. Then he goes home and rides like a horseman over a competitor, because the horse gets to have an off day, and his job is to listen.

When Joe was young, he told his dad he wished he could be as good as him. His dad's answer: you're going to be way better than me. Trust me.

He carries that. You can hear it.

If you've ever stood at the edge of something you wanted, certain everyone could see right through you — this one is for you. Riding confidence, the real kind, sounds a lot like Joe describes it here: hours of work off-camera, so you're ready the day someone finally watches.

Joe Stockdale is a British show jumper based at the family yard his parents made with their own hands. He rides for Great Britain at five-star level and trains alongside his mentors William and Pippa Funnell. His late father, Tim Stockdale, was a well-regarded British show jumper who selected the mare Joe later took to the World Championships.

If someone you love is carrying a name, a loss, or a doubt they keep to themselves — send them this one.

You can find out more about Joe Stockdale here: website | instagram | youtube

This episode is sponsored 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  

Chapters

• 2:42 — Losing a parent young: the grief he and Noelle share
• 6:55 — A famous name, two paths, and the weight of a legacy
• 22:00 — Inheriting a yard, a system, and his dad's owners
• 24:34 — William & Pippa Funnell: the mentors who answered the phone
• 30:10 — From loss to bronze: the World Championships in Herning
• 41:29 — Home vs the spotlight: wanting the pressure
• 46:54 — The Olympic medal on the bingo card
• 56:18 — Patience: letting the horse have an off day
• 57:18 — Why John Whitaker is the greatest horseman
• 1:01:52 — Mares, stallions, geldings

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 listening!

 

There is a question almost every one of us carries to the barn and never says out loud.

Not how do I get him to do this.

But: does he actually trust me — or is he just complying?

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Elsa Sinclair, and it's the half where I kept having to stop and close my eyes. Because Elsa reads horse behavior in a way most of us were never taught to. She breaks leadership into five kinds — dominant, persistent, assertive, passive, supportive — and then says the thing that reorganized my brain: that leadership is simply any action that results in harmony. That dominance and abuse are not the same thing.

She takes us back inside the year she spent with a wild mustang named Myrnah — three to six hours a day, five days a week. The morning she got on at three months, did it badly, and wasn't allowed back on for another three. Not because anything went wrong. Because her timing was off by a hair, and the horse simply told the truth about it.

Then comes the line I haven't stopped repeating: "I'm not going to try to be the best horse trainer in the room. I'm going to try to be the most accurate."

This is freedom based training as a craft — not a philosophy you admire from a distance, but a practice you can take to the barn tomorrow. Elsa shows how to actually see a horse's thought before you reward it — the ear that flicks, the eye that moves, the breath — and gives a homework exercise you can start in the morning. We get into why hyperfocus on the goal keeps you tripping over the next step. Why confidence, quietly, trumps every strategy. And Atlas — the horse she bought off a slaughter truck, the one who broke everything she thought she knew.

If you've ever felt like you're learning too slowly with your horse, this episode reframes that ache as the whole point.

Elsa Sinclair is a lifelong horsewoman, horse behavior researcher, and filmmaker. Her year with the mustang Myrnah became a documentary, Taming Wild, and a book by the same name. She now teaches freedom based training to students across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

If you have a horse who's been trying to tell you something — this one is for you. And if you know someone still fighting the horse they love, send it to them.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN

• Elsa's full leadership spectrum — dominant, persistent, assertive, passive, and supportive — and why she defines leadership as any action that results in harmony
• The difference between dominance and abuse, and how a single raised hand tells her which one a horse has lived through
• Why she got on Myrnah bareback and bridleless at three months — and the timing mistake that cost her the next three
• The distinction between feel and timing, and why she'd rather be the most accurate trainer in the room than the best one
• How to read a horse's thoughts through its senses instead of projecting the thought you wish were there
• Why confidence can trump every technique, and how to build it from the bottom up if you don't have it yet
• The case for the slowest training method on Earth, and how slowing down actually deepens what you learn

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

CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Leadership options most training never breaks down
[00:23] The leadership spectrum: dominant, persistent, and assertive
[04:36] Building it bottom-up: passive and supportive leadership
[07:30] Riding bridleless: the year with Myrnah, and getting on at three months
[10:00] Feel versus timing, and rewarding the thought, not the action
[12:47] Why she'd rather be the most accurate trainer than the best
[15:33] Untraining yourself: the sensory system over mechanical habit
[21:44] "Playing in Puddles": letting go of the goal of riding
[36:00] The horse who decided humans always make bad decisions
[40:20] Confidence wins: when it trumps every technique
[45:36] The two horses who shaped her: the generous one and the mold-breaker
[54:00] The beauty of slowness, and learning to enjoy the snail's pace
[56:24] Rapid fire: the one book, the most undervalued skill, mares vs stallions

This Episode is 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 listening!

 

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 

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 listening!

 

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.

Meet Daniel

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

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

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 listening!

 

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

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 listening!

Chapters:

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

⚠️ Disclaimer - This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.

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

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 listening!

 

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 

 

 

 

 

Peter Charles on Starting from Nothing, Building Champions, and Giving Horses Time Peter Charles joins the Dear Horse World Podcast for his first podcast and recounts leaving Liverpool at 15 after his parents died, starting as a groom in Ireland, getting limited early riding opportunities, and working up through top European yards before winning the Brussels World Cup at 24 on the 7-year-old April Son.    He contrasts his non-equestrian start with raising and training his children—Harry, Scarlett, and Sienna—emphasizing basics, hard work, confidence, and separating father from trainer; Harry learned on modest horses, was encouraged to choose riding himself, and later achieved multiple major medals and wins. Charles critiques the American hunter pathway versus Europe's pony system for developing competitive reactions, argues modern sport's nonstop schedule reduces time for partnerships, and stresses patience in producing horses, later starting ages, breeding selection via strong mare lines, and managing soundness by learning, asking questions, and knowing each horse's movement.

This conversation explores:

• What starting from nothing actually teaches you (and what money can't replace)
• Why the European pony-riding system produces more instinctive, competitive riders
• The difference between giving your kids opportunity and making it too easy
• How to build a genuine partnership with a horse — and why rushing it will cost you later
• What to do when your string of top horses disappears overnight
• How confidence is built, not born — and why Peter never once doubted himself
• Why the mare matters more than the stallion in any breeding program
• How to become your own horse's best advocate when the vet doesn't have all the answers

You can learn more about Peter Charles here:   Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathcroft_farm/ Website: https://heathcroftfarm.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 

Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast  01:25 From Liverpool to Horses  02:43 First Rides and First Win  03:47 Training the Charles Kids 07:52 Keeping Them Hungry  08:59 Europe vs America Systems  10:37 Letting Kids Choose 13:39 Learning From Mistakes  14:56 Giving Horses Time  20:08 Talent Versus Work Ethic  23:42 Modern Showjumping Chess  27:35 Building Confidence Today  29:27 Rotating Horses On Tour  29:49 Confidence Through Preparation  30:20 Show Circuit Eats Time  31:57 Basics Beat Money  33:29 Nations Cup Glory Days  37:18 Mentors And Giving Back  45:19 Breeding Starts With Mares  47:15 Soundness And Vet Wisdom  52:55 Rapid Fire And Farewell  

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 listening!

 

Horse Separation anxiety is something most horse owners will face at some point.

Sometimes it shows up as calling when a buddy leaves.
 Sometimes it's a refusal to leave the barn.
 Sometimes it escalates into behavior that feels dangerous, overwhelming, or emotionally exhausting.

And despite how common it is, it can feel isolating — especially when even experienced professionals don't always have a clear roadmap.

In this episode, we sit down with clinician and author Kathy Baar to unpack herd-bound behavior through the lens of psychology and biology. Kathy has spent decades studying how horses bond, how they regulate, and how easily their instincts can be misunderstood.

This conversation explores:

• What separation anxiety is (and what it isn't)
• Why horses bond so deeply — especially when traveling or stabled together
• The difference between connection and codependency
• How to expand your horse's comfort zone safely
• What to do in show situations when you don't have weeks to rebuild patterns
• How your own personality type impacts how your horse learns
• Why safety and comfort must come before food or reward

This episode is for you if:

• Your horse struggles leaving the barn or their buddy
• Show warm-ups feel unpredictable
• You feel embarrassed or alone in this challenge
• You want to understand herd-bound behavior at its root
• You're ready to build confidence in your horse without escalating intensity
• Kathy's book that she would read to the horse world - Natural Horse-Man-Ship: Six Keys to a Natural Horse-Human Relationship (A Western Horseman Book) by Pat Perelli

Kathy offers understanding — when you understand what your horse is truly seeking, your approach begins to change.

Kathy Baar is a clinician, trainer, and author known for her thoughtful, psychology-based approach to horsemanship. Drawing influence from the lineage of Tom and Bill Dorrance and Ray Hunt, Kathy focuses on developing both connection with the human and internal confidence within the horse. Recently, Kathy was a judge at Road to the Horse and enjoyed the opportunity to experience the event from a judges perspective.

Her book, Solving Separation Anxiety: Over 77 Savvy Solutions for Herd Bound Behavior, is a practical guide for riders navigating barn sour and buddy sour behavior.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 3:00 How Motherhood Sparked a Book About Horse Separation Anxiety
• 7:00 What Is Herd Bound Behavior and Why Does It Happen
• 11:00 Building the Kind of Relationship That Replaces the Herd
• 17:00 How Common Is Separation Anxiety — and Is It Ever Solved?
• 22:00 Why Horses Bond So Deeply When They Travel Together
• 23:00 Horses in Pastures and Herds: Strategies That Work
• 28:00 Noelle's Feral Mare and Learning to Slow Down
• 36:00 Horses in Stalls: Training From the Comfort Zone
• 40:00 Nature vs Nurture — Is Your Horse Born Anxious?
• 45:00 Horses Kept in Pairs: The Hardest Scenario
• 51:00 Groundwork That Actually Transfers to the Saddle
• 58:00 Pressure, Yielding, and the Man's Horse Myth
• 1:00:00 Riding With a Buddy Horse — and Staying Present
• 1:06:00 Emergency Strategies at Horse Shows
• 1:08:00 Extroverted vs Introverted Horse Learners
• 1:14:00 Key Takeaways Before You Go
• 1:15:00 Barn Sour vs Buddy Sour: What the Terms Really Mean
• 1:17:00 Rapid Fire Questions with Kathy Barr

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 listening!

 

Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

What does it really mean to commit to something that scares you?

In this episode, we sit down with Filipe Masetti Leite, a journalist, filmmaker, and long rider who traveled more than 27,000 kilometers on horseback from the Canadian Rockies to the southern tip of Argentina. Over eight years, he crossed 12 countries, navigated remote terrain, built partnerships with 11 horses, and lived at the speed of a walk.

But this conversation goes far beyond the mileage.

We talk about what happens when you slow life down to three kilometers an hour. What leadership looks like when your team has four legs. The bond of a heart horse. The tension between loving horses and using them. The identity crisis that can follow achievement. And why having an "X" on your map might matter more than the destination itself.

This is a conversation about fear, resilience, ego, spirituality, and the responsibility that comes with living a dream out loud.

You can find The Long Rider - Filipe's award-winning film documenting his ride across the Americas here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7hudXw67yw

Resources mentioned in this episode:

1. Filipe's memoir detailing the journey, the borders, the horses, and what it changed in him - Long Ride Home: Guts, Guns and Grizzlies
2. Tschiffely's Ride by Aimé Tschiffely - The 1925 account of a Swiss schoolteacher who rode from Buenos Aires to New York on two Criollo horses — the book that inspired Filipe's dream as a child. 
3. The Long Riders' Guild - An organization preserving the history and stories of modern long-distance equestrian explorers.
4. Children's Cancer Hospital in Brazil - The ride to Ushuaia helped raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer support.

Follow Filipe on instagram - https://www.instagram.com/filipemasetti/

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dear Horse World wherever you listen, leave us a review — it genuinely helps more people find these conversations — and share this episode with someone who needs to hear more adventure horse stories.

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

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 listening!

Chapters:

00:00 Inro

02:06 NFR Host Origins

02:57 Writing the Dream

05:19 War Room Planning

05:37 Finding the First Horses

08:13 Bruiser Heart Horse

09:57 Living Like a Herd

14:19 Presence at Three KPH

17:59 Lessons on Fear

20:47 Defining Resilience

22:06 Finding Your Purpose

25:21 Grounded by Walking

29:18 Loving vs Objectifying

34:46 Intent Over Outcome

35:39 Natural vs Forced Riding

39:01 Trail Riders Matter

40:14 Judgment and Humility

44:55 Bruiser the Heart Horse

48:32 Cowboy Life and Meaning

50:54 Leadership Lessons from Horses

53:20 Wild Horses and Border Chaos

55:13 PTSD Depression and Recovery

01:00:01 Staying Whole with Horses

01:03:14 No Excuses Mindset

01:04:45 Rapid Fire

Not every rider has access to the perfectly bred, professionally produced sport horse. Many are figuring things out with the horse they could afford, learning as they go, and trying to build a partnership along the way.

In this episode, 5★ event rider and trainer Elisa Wallace shares what she has learned from producing horses many others overlook, including Mustangs and off-the-track Thoroughbreds. Alongside competing at the highest levels of eventing, Elisa has built a career developing unconventional horses into dream ones.

In this episode of "No Stupid Questions," we discuss:

• How to evaluate a horse when shopping on a budget
• The red flags riders should pay attention to early on
• The first steps to building trust with a new horse
• How to rebuild confidence after setbacks
• Signs your horse is progressing, even when improvement feels slow
• What unconventional horses can teach riders that highly produced horses cannot
• The book Elisa would read to the horse world - Four Square by Lucinda Green

For riders navigating the journey with one horse, modest resources, and a lot of determination, this episode is a reminder that your dreams are possible with the horse you have.

Resources:

https://wallaceeventing.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/WallaceEventing

https://roadtothehorse.com/elisa-wallace-usa/

This epidsode is generously sponsored by:

StableFeed - What You Feed Your Horse Matters

StableFeed is redefining equine nutrition with all natural horse feed and supplements made from real, whole foods. Using a unique forage, Sainfoin, as the base of their forage prodcuts and clean plant ingredients, never chemicals, fillers , or by products. StableFeed helps horses thrive with nutrition designed the way nature intended. Real food with real results.

Explore more at stablefeed.com | @StableFeed

  Chapters: 00:00 Ocala Week Announcement  00:39 Meet Elisa Wallace  01:57 Road to the Horse Nerves  04:46 Mustangs to Eventing Path  06:30 Fledge and Mustang Magic  14:03 Mustang Sensitivity Explained  19:59 Pressure and Communication  23:53 No Stupid Questions Begins  26:29 Underdog Success Story  28:49 Permission to Be Unorthodox  35:41 Producing Horses and Fear  40:57 Mentors and Asking for Help  44:40 Choosing Horses by Intuition  45:32 Overthinking Choices  46:32 Colts Versus Fillies  48:32 Mare Mindset Lessons  52:16 Format Change Gameplan  56:55 Learning From Past Rides  59:23 Green Horse Basics  01:05:43 Pressure Off Progress  01:10:50 Play Builds Partnership  01:13:29 Fun Groundwork Ideas  01:15:42 Gratitude And Perspective  01:16:47 Rapid Fire Wrap  

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dear Horse World wherever you listen, leave us a review — it genuinely helps more people find these conversations — and share this episode with someone who needs to hear this.

And you can follow us on instagram too!
Click here 👉 www.instagram.com/dearhorseworld

 

 

 

 

What if the story of the American cowboy is bigger than the version most of us were handed?

In this episode, Noëlle sits down with Drake LeBlanc, a Creole cowboy from Louisiana, filmmaker, and cultural preservationist. The conversation that unfolds is about history, identity, and what it really means to live a culture rather than wear it.

Drake was raised in a community where horses are not a hobby or an aesthetic. They are Sunday trail rides, music in the air, food cooking by trailers, land passed down through generations, and families riding together. They are belonging.

Together, they explore the untold history of Black cowboys, how the image of the American cowboy was reshaped through media, and what was lost when culture became costume.

This conversation is not just about the past. It is about how the stories we are handed down, the way they shape how we see ourselves, and who we believe belongs in the horse world.

In this episode you will learn:

• Creole identity and language in Louisiana
• Haitian Creole cultural parallels
• Native American symbolism in Western fashion and saddle design
• The history of cattle herding practices rooted in African tribes
• The book Drake would read to the Horse World - Black Ranching Frontiers: African Cattle Herders of the Atlantic World, 1500-1900

About Drake LeBlanc: Drake LeBlanc is a Lafayette, Louisiana-based filmmaker, documentarian, and photographer. He is one of the most compelling cultural voices working today in the preservation of Creole heritage and black cowboy history. His documentary Footwork has brought international attention to the Louisiana Creole cowboy tradition and the Louisiana trail rides that keep black cowboy culture alive every weekend across the American South.

You can find Drake on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lovebenoir/ 

Drake's film work can be found here https://filmfreeway.com/FootworkLA

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dear Horse World wherever you listen, leave us a review — it genuinely helps more people find these conversations — and share this episode with someone who needs to hear the real story of cowboys in America.

This episode is generoulsy sponsored by:

YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at YETI.com | @YETI | facebook.com/YETI

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction & the moment on the Atchafalaya Basin that set the tone

03:00 "I know my community" — why deep roots change everything

04:00 What is a Creole cowboy? Defining Creole culture and Louisiana's gumbo pot

07:00 What is a parish? Louisiana's Napoleonic Code explained

08:00 The vulnerability of introducing yourself as a Creole cowboy

10:00 Why Drake feels called to educate even when it's exhausting

12:00 The real history of black cowboy culture Hollywood erased

14:00 Why "1 in 4 cowboys were Black" is actually an undercount

15:00 "Cowboy" was a derogatory term — the truth about who built the West

17:00 What Hollywood took from Black cowboy culture and what it missed

19:00 Why money can't buy the spiritual bond between horse and rider

22:00 Tribal designs, turquoise, and the hidden origins of Western style

26:00 The spiritual meaning of turquoise in Native American horse culture

29:00 "You not pap" — live your culture or kill it, there's no in between

32:00 Shoutout to Chris Lewis & reining horses in the Creole community

37:00 Cultural gentrification in the horse world — what it is and why it matters

42:00 Advice for horse communities feeling threatened by change

45:00 Feeling alone in the horse world — Drake's answer

47:00 "Move to Louisiana" — and what community actually looks like

51:00 Time and intention: the only two things a horse truly needs

53:00 How to be brave when you're afraid to speak up

56:00 Find something you fear MORE — Drake's philosophy on courage

58:00 When Drake realized the outside world didn't know Black cowboys existed

1:07:00 Trail rides, thousands of riders, and how Creole horse culture thrives

1:11:00 Zydeco music, food, and why making it fun kept the culture alive

1:13:00 Rapid fire: book rec, most iconic horse, most undervalued skill

1:17:00 Greatest horseman of all time and mares vs stallions vs geldings

There is a whole generation of insanely talented young riders who feel like the system is not built for them. You want the top sport, you want the big moments in show jumping, you want to know what it actually takes to get there, yet the pathway feels gated and the access feels invisible. That is exactly why this conversation with Laura Kraut hits so hard. Laura is a legit icon in show jumping and she shows up here with zero ego, full transparency, and a real blueprint for what it takes to rise in a sport that can feel impossible to break into.

Laura brings us inside Road to the Top, the program she created with Katie Prudent to give hungry riders the mentorship, horsepower, and behind the scenes education they never get access to. She talks openly about the emotional and financial pressure of show jumping, how real horsemanship gets built, and what separates riders who make it from riders who burn out. This episode is equal parts wisdom, reality check, and hype. If you're dreaming big, this one will light a fire under you.

In this episode, you will learn:

1. How Road to the Top actually works and why it gives overlooked riders a real shot in show jumping

2. The mindset mistakes that hold promising riders back and how to avoid them

3. How to think about horse management, horse picking, and building real feel

4. What mentorship looks like at the absolute top and how it shaped Laura's Olympic career

5. How to stay grounded when social media makes everyone else look perfect

6. How owners and supporters can get involved and genuinely move the sport forward

7. The book that Laura would read to the Horse World - The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts

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

and

YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at YETI.com | @YETI | facebook.com/YETI

Chapters:

• 00:00 Why Riders Feel Stuck

• 00:24 Meet Laura Kraut

• 01:47 Road to the Top Explained

• 04:12 Horsemanship and Horse Sense

• 05:53 Funding Model and First Riders

• 11:38 Owners and Horse Rotation

• 16:47 Beyond the Highlight Reel

• 19:07 Building Community Support

• 25:41 Keeping US Talent Competitive

• 35:26 Mentorship Versus Teaching

• 42:30 Passing the Torch

• 44:04 Scarcity vs Sharing

• 45:55 Road to the Top Vision

• 47:53 Mentorship and Independence

• 49:00 Applying Like Harvard

• 52:52 Grit and Handling Failure

• 57:41 Mentors Who Shaped Laura

• 01:05:13 Love of the Horse

• 01:06:29 Pay It Forward Chain

• 01:10:33 Rapid Fire and Wrap

And for even more expert-led workshops, in-depth courses, and exclusive lectures designed to elevate your riding and horsemanship, visit NoelleFloydPlus.com

NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a passionate community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.

And you can follow us on instagram too!
Click here 👉 www.instagram.com/dearhorseworld

Some horses appear confident while others seem reactive or unsure, but what if confidence is more nuanced than that?

In this special episode from our NF+ Masterclass, The Confidence Advantage, Tik breaks down the five distinct areas where a horse can gain or lose confidence and how each one functions like a cup that can be filled from one to ten.

In this episode, you will learn:

1. Around Other Horses - Can your horse leave the herd calmly and enter new spaces without anxiety?
2. As an Explorer - Do the approach new environments with curiosity instead of fear?
3. In the Relationship - Do they see you as botha trusted friend and a steady leader?
4. In Specific Skills - Have they practiced their job enough to feel capable and secure in it?
5. In Their Skills and Sports - Practicing discipline-specific tasks with ease and gaining confidence through repetition and variety.

Tik also explains how these five areas interact and why a horse's confidence in you can help support everything else.

Watch the Full Course:

This episode is just one part of Tik Maynard's full Confidence Course, available exclusively on NF+.

Use code TIK25 for 25% off an annual NF+ membership and start building lasting confidence for you and your horse.

Streaming now at noellefloydplus.com. and follow along on instagram

You might know this feeling all too well. You want to trust your feel, keep growing, and do right by your horse, yet something in the culture makes you hesitate. Questioning a method or following your instincts can feel dangerous, like one honest moment could cost you belonging, spark backlash, or even put a target on your back.

In this episode, Sharon Madere, an equine behavior consultant and cult survivor, brings a special combination of lived experience and scientific expertise to help riders reclaim their clarity, confidence, and curiosity. As a lifelong horsewoman, she understands the mechanics of influence, pressure, and obedience in ways most people never articulate. And she applies that perspective directly to the horse world in a way that is both affirming and liberating.

In this conversation, you will learn:

• The clear signs of cult-like leadership in horse communities
• Why emotionally charged language like disrespect or naughty derails presence and erodes confidence
• How to stay grounded, think critically, and avoid manipulation as a student or owner
• Practical tips on training, positive reinforcement, and making better choices for you AND your horse  
• Why empowerment and curiosity matter more than any "guru"

Sharon also shares practical strategies for safer, clearer horsemanship, from building boundaries in a herd to teaching effective trailer loading. It is a conversation that blends science, psychology, and lived wisdom into something every rider can immediately apply.

Resources and Mentions:

• Sharon's podcast: Feet of Clay: Confessions of the Cult Sisters
• Sharon's Website : EquiLightenment.com
• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
  

Chapters:

• 00:00 Is the Horse World Acting Like a Cult?
• 02:10 Sharon's Story: Growing Up in a Religious Cult
• 08:45 How Cult Psychology Works
• 15:20 Authority Culture in Horse Training
• 21:30 The Danger of "Disrespect" in Horsemanship
• 28:40 When Riders Stop Trusting Their Intuition
• 35:15 Science vs Dogma in Equine Behavior
• 43:00 Reclaiming Critical Thinking in the Horse World
• 50:00 What Needs to Change

This episode is sponsored by YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at YETI.com | @YETI | facebook.com/YETI

 

 

 

 

In Part 2 with Dr. Dennis Brooks, we step fully into the world as horses see it. This episode unpacks the five emerging immune mediated eye diseases he is treating around the world, why one of them is more alarming than moon blindness, and how tiny changes in the cornea can trigger sudden behavior shifts.

We explore how horses process color, motion, and depth, why their optic nerves move information faster than ours, and how they can perform at an elite level with one eye or even with no vision. We also bridge ophthalmology with neuroscience to understand how the equine brain reads emotion, remembers experiences, and navigates the world with extraordinary sensitivity.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The five types of immune mediated keratitis and the one specialists worry most about
• How to spot early signs of cloudiness, floaters, or subtle vision changes
• What colors horses truly see and how this affects training and jump design
• Why horses detect motion in low light far better than humans
• How elite horses perform with limited or no vision
• How the equine brain processes emotion, memory, and spatial cues
• When sudden behavior changes may originate in the eye and what to do next

Connect with Dr. Dennis Brooks : 

• Facebook: Dr. Dennis Brooks, Equine Ophthalmologist

Book they would read to the Horse World - Veterinary and Comparative Ophthalmology, published in 1914 by Eugene Nicolas 

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

YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at yeti.com | @yeti | facebook.com/YETI

And for even more expert-led workshops, in-depth courses, and exclusive lectures designed to elevate your riding and horsemanship, visit NoelleFloydPlus.com and use code 'DHW' for 15% off annual memberships!

NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a passionate community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.

And you can follow us on instagram too!
Click here 👉 www.instagram.com/dearhorseworld

When you meet Dr. Dennis Brooks, you understand why horse people around the world talk about him with a kind of reverence. He is one of the most influential equine ophthalmologists of our time, the OG of horse eye care, yet what makes him unforgettable is not just the medicine. It is the heart behind it. In this episode, Dennis takes us inside the world of horse eyes with the clarity of a teacher, the soul of a storyteller, and the honesty of someone who has spent a lifetime caring deeply for horses and the people who love them.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why Dennis became the original pioneer of modern equine ophthalmology
• How breakthrough surgeries changed what is possible for horses with severe eye disease
• Why Appaloosas are genetically more vulnerable to uveitis
• The simple eyelash position test that instantly tells you if a horse is in eye pain
• How the immune system and the eye communicate and why that matters
• What immune mediated keratitis is and the 5 emerging types Dennis is seeing worldwide
• Why one of those new diseases is more frightening than moon blindness
• What every horse owner should know to protect their horse's vision

This episode blends science with story, medicine with emotion, and legacy with practical takeaways. It is a rare chance to learn from the man who shaped an entire field while reminding us that the best medicine always begins with human connection.

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

And for even more expert-led workshops, in-depth courses, and exclusive lectures designed to elevate your riding and horsemanship, visit NoelleFloydPlus.com and use code 'DHW' for 15% off annual memberships!

NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a passionate community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.

And you can follow us on instagram too!
Click here 👉 www.instagram.com/dearhorseworld

 

Part 2 continues the conversation by moving into the moments that test riders and trainers alike. This episode focuses on what happens when something doesn't feel right, and the courage it can take to pause, question, or choose a different path in the middle of a lesson.

Karen Rohlf is an FEI Grand Prix dressage rider, USDF Gold Medalist, internationally respected clinician, and the founder of Dressage Naturally. In this part of the conversation, Karen explores how easily context gets overlooked in training, and why protecting the relationship must come before any single exercise or result.

Karen and Noelle talk about situations many riders recognize immediately: being asked to push forward when a horse is clearly uncomfortable, feeling pressure to comply even when instincts say otherwise, and how quickly intuition can be silenced.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why some "training problems" are actually context problems
• How fear and tension are often mislabeled
• How to be a mindful, courageous student
• How trainers can foster confident, curious riders
• Why no result is worth sacrificing the relationship
  
  

Karen also shares how different horses require different approaches, why consistency does not mean sameness, and how commitment to a decision matters more than the decision itself. 

Part 2 invites riders and trainers to reflect on how trust is built moment by moment, and how much influence educators have in shaping riders who feel safe to think, feel, and advocate for their horses.

Resources & Mentions

• Karen Rohlf's Book: Dressage Naturally
  https://dressagenaturally.net/book/
• Dressage Naturally
  https://dressagenaturally.net/
• Parelli
  https://parelli.com/
  
• The Black Stallion by Walter Farley

Episode Sponsored by:

YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at yeti.com | @yeti | facebook.com/YETI

Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Have you ever questioned whether the way you've been taught to train truly fits the horse in front of you? Most people don't. And when they do, they're often reprimanded for it, which is usually enough to make them stop asking.

We repeat the same exercises and routines because that's how we were taught, rarely questioning the system even when our horses do. This conversation challenges that pattern and asks a harder question: what happens when the system stops working for the horse?

Karen Rohlf is an FEI Grand Prix dressage rider, USDF Gold Medalist, internationally respected clinician, and the founder of Dressage Naturally. Her career spans the highest levels of the sport, but the foundation of her work traces back to her first horse. As a child, Karen watched that horse be sold and change in ways that frightened her. Same horse. Same environment. Completely different outcome under different hands. That moment led her to make a promise to herself and to every horse she would ride, a promise that still guides her work today.

In Part 1, Karen shares stories she rarely tells publicly. She explains why she stepped away from a conventional training model most professionals never question. She tells the story of a horse who flinched simply for touching something in the barn aisle, and what changed when she responded differently than she had been taught. These moments show how curiosity and confidence can return to horses who have shut down, and why what we call tension is often something we haven't learned to read.

During the conversation, lightning strikes just as Karen names three essential needs of horses, reinforcing a central theme of the episode: the system is often the problem, not the horse.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The childhood experience that shaped Karen's approach to horses
• Why curiosity is often suppressed and what happens when it returns
• How to distinguish between physical, mental, and emotional training challenges
• Why giving horses real choice builds confidence rather than resistance
• Why no two horses should ever be trained the same way
• How tension often disguises itself as dullness or resistance

In this episode, you will learn how to recognize horses as individuals and partners, and how to ground your training in responsibility and trust.

Resources & Mentions:

Karen Rohlf's Book: Dressage Naturally
https://dressagenaturally.net/book/

Dressage Naturally
https://dressagenaturally.net/

Episode Sponsored by:

YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts.
No compromise. 

Just gear that works as hard as you do. Explore more at yeti.com.

📱 @yeti

📱 facebook.com/YETI

 

 

Have you ever felt your heart thumping and your palms sweating before a competition, only to realize it wasn't just nerves but something deeper? Riders know what it means to carry pressure long before a round begins. It often starts early. Parents want so deeply for their children to thrive, yet the fear of falling behind can blur the line between supporting and pushing. Most riders have compared themselves to people who make the hardest moments look effortless. And when some young riders rise while others quietly disappear, it forces all of us to question what truly creates long term success. In this episode, we sit down with Rodrigo Pessoa, who brings honesty and decades of legendary experience. As one of the most iconic show jumpers of our generation, his openness is a rare gift. He shares how real development comes from patience, thoughtful pressure and the courage to learn in full view of others. He also explains why young horses and young riders need almost the exact same environment to thrive. Rodrigo takes us inside the realities shaping modern sport. He talks about why wealth does not create perseverance, how the wrong coach can derail a rider faster than no coach at all, and why early pressure often shuts potential down rather than unlocking it. He reflects on the mentorship behind Baloubet du Rouet and the moment that permanently changed how he handles public scrutiny. By the end, you will understand the sport more clearly and feel steadier in your own path forward. You will learn: • How pressure really works and why timing matters more than intensity
• Why perseverance and engagement outweigh access or privilege
• What ruins good horses and good riders and how to prevent it
• How to set goals that stretch you without overwhelming you
• Why comparison derails progress and how professionals truly think about it
• The core mentorship principles behind developing young horses and young athletes

Rodrigo's book that he would read to the Horse World - Six Feet Above by Peder Fredricson

Learn more about Rodrigo Pessoa on Instagram at @rodrigopessoa29

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 to explore options, or get in touch today.

instagram.com/connawayassociates 
www.facebook.com/people/Connaway-Associates-Equine-Insurance-Services-Inc/100063556540763/

 and YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts.
No compromise. 

Just gear that works as hard as you do. Explore more at yeti.com.

 @yeti

 facebook.com/YETI

Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

So many riders want their horses sharper, quicker, and more responsive, yet end up drilling, micromanaging, and unintentionally shutting their horses down. Hall of Fame cutting horse trainer Lindy Burch offers a wildly refreshing reframing: what if the sharpest horses are not the ones you control the most, but the ones you allow to think?

In cutting, the horse has to make decisions in real time. They must read the cow, feel the moment, and respond faster than the rider ever could. In this episode, Lindy breaks down how she develops horses who stay mentally present, balanced, and tuned in, not by force, but through short, thoughtful training bursts, strong foundations, and the power of letting the horse learn from the cow itself.

You will hear Lindy unpack the origins of cutting, what makes a great cutting horse, how to ride with more feel, why short sessions produce better learning, and why riding outside the arena creates more balanced, emotionally sound partners in any discipline.

No matter your discipline, this conversation will shift the way you think about responsiveness, contact, pressure, partnership, and how to build a horse that truly tries for you.

You will learn:

• Why micromanagement dulls horses and how to create a horse that thinks with you
  
  
• How to use short, focused sessions and the environment as your greatest training tools
  
  
• Why riding outside the arena and honoring your horse's mind leads to deeper connection
  
  
• Lindy's book that she would read to the Horse World - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Resources:

•  Evidence Based Horsemanship by Martin Black and Stephen Peters
• The history of the National Cutting Horse Association
• The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame
  
  

Learn more about Lindy Burch:

Website: https://lindyburch.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindyburchcuttinghorses
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindyburchcutters

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

and 

YETI

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Explore more at yeti.com | @yeti | facebook.com/YETI

Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

 

Frustration is a human emotion, and it almost inevitably shows up in every rider's journey. The question is what you do when it does.

In this episode, Olympic dressage medalist Laura Graves steps in as your coach and mentor, sharing the mindset that guides her when riding feels more hard than harmonious. This clip comes from her NF+ masterclass Laura Graves Troubleshoots Common Flatwork Woes and offers a rare look into how an elite rider thinks during the private moments of training, when there are no quick answers and no one else in the arena.

Laura reflects on learning to pause instead of pushing, and on the role curiosity plays when a horse doesn't respond as expected. She speaks about developing your own internal dialogue and giving both yourself and your horse the space to figure things out without judgment.

This episode is an invitation to ride with more awareness and patience, guided by one of the most thoughtful voices in the sport.

Listen in and discover what can change when you shift from frustration to curiosity.

Watch Laura Graves Troubleshoots Common Flatwork Woes on NF+. Use the code DHW to receive 15% off an annual membership.

 

https://noellefloydplus.com/programs/laura-graves-troubleshoots-common-flatwork-woes?category_id=208907 

Learn more about Laura Graves

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauragravesdressage/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauragraves.dressage/ 

NF+ :https://noellefloydplus.com/authors/author-B6lI72KCcaM

Welcome back to No Stupid Questions, the nutrition edition with Dr. Harry Anderson. In part Part 2 we take deeper look at the physiology that drives your horse's behavior, metabolism, and overall health.

We explore the way sugar, minerals, and fiber interact inside the horse. We talk about why some horses puff up, why certain forage creates sharpness, and how small choices in the feed room can shift the entire internal environment. This is the kind of steady, clear education most of us never received but always needed.

In this episode we cover:
• The horse's unique digestive design and how it works in real life
• The truth about fiber and why long stem forage is not the full picture
• How sugar and NSC influence behavior, energy, and metabolic health
• The role of key minerals like magnesium and manganese
• What causes swelling, puffiness, or digestive instability
• How to approach hay, supplements, and slow feeding with clarity

Referenced Products and Resources:
Total Equine Feed
Total Equine LNSC
Ascophyllum Nodosum Kelp Research
Equine Hay Analysis Labs
Dr. Harry Anderson on YouTube

This is Part 2 of a two part series, be sure to listen to Part 1 for the full foundation.

Learn more about Dr. Harry Anderson Website
https://totalfeeds.com YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@totalfeeds

Most horse owners are trying their best in the feed room while quietly wondering if they are getting it right. You want your horse to feel calm, healthy, and steady in their body, but the information out there is overwhelming and often contradictory. One person says alfalfa is dangerous. Another says your horse needs hay 24/7. Someone else blames ulcers, sugar, or stress. And in the middle of all of it, you are just trying to understand what your horse is telling you. Dr. Harry Anderson has spent more than fifty years studying animal physiology and nutrition, and he has an uncanny ability to explain complex processes in a way that immediately lowers your shoulders. He walks you through what is actually happening inside a horse's digestive system so you can finally understand which choices matter, which ones don't, and why your horse responds the way they do. If you want to feed your horse with confidence, clarity, and compassion, this conversation gives you the framework you have been missing. In this episode you will learn:

• Why micronutrients often shape behavior, energy, and overall wellbeing
• The essential role of the small intestine and why it determines so much of your horse's health
• How hay type and NSC values influence digestion without the fear based narrative
• What we misunderstand about ulcers, stress, and stomach acidity
• Why alfalfa makes some horses feel reactive and what is actually behind that response
• How to support horses who are anxious, metabolic, or recovering from laminitis

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Learn more about Dr. Harry Anderson: Website
https://totalfeeds.com YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@totalfeeds

Eventing is equal parts strategy, skill, and mental game, but for many riders it can feel like a constant battle to balance all three phases, keep their horse sound, and make real progress. How do you build a horse's confidence and physical strength without rushing them or burning them out? In this episode, Olympian and 5 star eventer Will Coleman joins us to break down what truly drives elite performance. A lifelong student of the sport, Will shares the mentors who shaped him including David and Karen O'Connor and Anne Kursinski. He talks about his early exposure to natural horsemanship, the lessons he wishes he learned sooner, and the systems he and Katie use to develop sound confident horses who stay happy in their work. We dig into how Will cross trains his horses, how he studies top riders across disciplines, and why rider fitness and honest feedback are essential for anyone who wants to improve. Will also opens up about the heartbreak of preparing two Olympic horses only to watch the Games from the sidelines and what that experience ultimately taught him. This conversation will leave you with a clearer sense of how to build feel, develop your horse with integrity, and make better long term decisions in your training. Tune in to learn: • How Will Coleman approaches training as a lifelong student
• What he learned from David and Karen O'Connor and Anne Kursinski
• Why cross training matters for building sound confident horses
• The role of rider fitness and body awareness
• How to know when to push and when to pause
• What Will learned from the disappointment of missing the Olympic start box

Will's book that he would read to the Horse World - Secrets and Method of a Great Champion - Michel Robert

Learn More About Will Coleman: • Website: https://www.willcolemanequestrian.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willcolemanequestrian
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willcolemanequestrian

This episode is brought to you by YETI.

Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.

No shortcuts. No compromise.

Just gear that works as hard as you do.

Rambler Drinkware LP: https://www.yeti.com/drinkware

Explore more at yeti.com | @yeti | facebook.com/YETI

 

 

 

We're back with Season 2 of Dear Horse World, premiering on December 2nd!

This season, we bring you some of the most iconic voices in the industry, featuring legends like Will Coleman, Lindy Birch, Rodrigo Pessoa, Laura Kraut, and the unforgettable Boots O'Neill.

Their wisdom and experiences reveal life-changing insights into the sport, horses, and horsemanship.

Additionally, don't miss our Black Friday sale starting November 28th for an exclusive 50% off annual NF plus membership.

Join us for another incredible season and elevate your riding to the next level! 

00:00 Season Two Announcement and Black Friday Sale 01:15 Karen Rolf's Disney Moments and Training Advice 03:02 Jim Masterson's Animal Communicator Story 05:03 Dr. Ellen Staples on Farrier Relationships 07:20 Dr. Harry Anderson on Equine Nutrition 10:21 Lindy Birch on the Cowgirl Spirit 14:24 Craig Cameron on Positive Thinking in Competition 19:21 Sharon Maadere Understanding Animal Behavior 23:38 Boots O'Neil Qualities of a Great Ranch Horse 28:42 Drake LeBlanc The Unique Identity of Creole Cowboys

Some horses come with a few challenges. This one came with a list. In this episode of Ground Work Guys, Nick and Tik meet a mare who pulls back when tied, rushes off the trailer, fidgets for the farrier, and gets jumpy around the saddle. Instead of diving straight into solutions, they do what they do best: take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

What unfolds is an honest, funny, and surprisingly tender conversation about trust, patience, and why most training problems are really just relationship problems in disguise. From clicker training to pressure and release, from soft timing to emotional awareness, Nick and Tik unpack how small wins build true confidence for both horse and rider.

Here's what you'll learn:
• How to rebuild trust with a horse that pulls back or panics when tied
• Ways to help a horse back quietly off a trailer
• How to turn foot handling from a struggle into a confidence builder
• Why rewarding relaxation matters more than rewarding obedience
• How clicker training and pressure and release can work together beautifully
• Why progress often looks more like a circle than a straight line

It is a thoughtful, down to earth episode that leaves you smiling, nodding, and maybe rethinking the way you handle the tricky moments with your own horse.

----------

Episode Sponsor: Jug Waterers

Thanks to the open bowl design and unique draw tube water supply system, animals can see and smell clean, fresh water. No learning how to lift flaps or push balls or float out of the way to get a drink. An animal simply places its mouth in the open pool of water in the drinking bowl and sucks up the water just as it would from a natural water hole.

Visit - bakkoindustries.com

----------

Groundwork Guys - Now streaming on NOËLLE FLOYD's new platform Camp HorseWorld" linked to https://camphorseworld.com/pages/groundwork-guys

Meg writes in about her daughter's experienced 1.25m jumper who's suddenly backing off liverpools (water jumps), and the Groundwork Guys, Tik Maynard and Nick Rivera, dig in to help rebuild his confidence from the ground up. They start where all good training starts: ruling out pain. From there, they look at what the horse is telling them through his reactions, his body, and the way he thinks about the task.

They unpack how fear can look like enthusiasm, why overjumping isn't confidence, and how the words we use, such as always, never, or tried everything can quietly shape the way we train. Then they shift gears to curiosity, showing how to help a horse investigate instead of react, using simple groundwork and obstacles to rebuild trust and calmness.

Here's what you'll learn:
• Why pain and tension need to be ruled out before training begins
• What overjumping really means and how it connects to anxiety
• How target training and draw build curiosity toward something new
• When to send instead of lead and why it is often the safer option
• Four ways to approach a Liverpool from the ground before ever riding it
• How to spot the moment curiosity replaces fear

It's a thoughtful, practical episode about turning pressure into partnership and helping a horse find the confidence to think his way through a question instead of just trying to survive it.

----------

Episode Sponsor: Jug Waterers

Thanks to the open bowl design and unique draw tube water supply system, animals can see and smell clean, fresh water. No learning how to lift flaps or push balls or float out of the way to get a drink. An animal simply places its mouth in the open pool of water in the drinking bowl and sucks up the water just as it would from a natural water hole.

Visit - bakkoindustries.com

----------

Groundwork Guys - Now streaming on NOËLLE FLOYD's new platform Camp HorseWorld" linked to https://camphorseworld.com/pages/groundwork-guys

 

Some horses just do not do spray bottles. One sound, one mist, and it is all over. In this episode of Ground Work Guys, Nick and Tik meet an 18-hand draft mare who panics at the very idea of being sprayed. Even hearing a bottle on the other side of the trailer is enough to send her sky-high.

Instead of fighting through fear, they talk about how to rebuild trust one sense at a time. You will hear them unpack why spray bottles can feel like predators to horses, how to take the mystery out of the sound, and why relaxation beats tolerance every time. They explore ways to use rhythm, predictability, and even curiosity to help a horse think her way through fear rather than run from it.

Here is what you will learn in this episode:
• How to safely reintroduce scary objects using sight, sound, touch, and smell
• Why a horse's reaction to a spray bottle often has more to do with past restraint than the bottle itself
• How to replace panic with predictability through approach and retreat
• The difference between tolerance and true relaxation — and why it matters
• Why training in short, frequent sessions helps horses learn faster
• How to turn desensitizing into a conversation instead of a confrontation

This episode is full of insight, humor, and a few classic Nick and Tik moments that remind us training is as much about staying curious as it is about staying calm.

Watch the full video lessons on Camp HorseWorld, where every rider's journey finds its path.

 

----------

Episode Sponsor: Jug Waterers

Thanks to the open bowl design and unique draw tube water supply system, animals can see and smell clean, fresh water. No learning how to lift flaps or push balls or float out of the way to get a drink. An animal simply places its mouth in the open pool of water in the drinking bowl and sucks up the water just as it would from a natural water hole.

Visit - bakkoindustries.com

----------

Groundwork Guys - Now streaming on NOËLLE FLOYD's new platform Camp HorseWorld" linked to https://camphorseworld.com/pages/groundwork-guys

If your horse likes to stand a little too close for comfort, you know how fast "friendly" can turn into "please step back."

In this episode of Groundwork Guys, Tik Maynard and Nick Rivera unpack what's really going on when a horse ignores your space and why calling it bad manners might be missing the point.

They dig into the difference between respect and fear, and how to build a boundary that feels fair, not forceful. The conversation moves from the science of horse behavior to the art of staying calm when things get crowded.

Here's what they explore:

• Why "manners" are taught, not instinctive

• How to hold your ground without creating a standoff

• The importance of catching the first subtle "no" from your horse

• What it means to enter a horse's space politely

• How emotional neutrality becomes your most powerful training tool

Tik and Nick bring humor and honesty to a universal challenge, reminding us that groundwork is never about control. It's about communication, timing, and the kind of calm energy your horse can trust.

Listen to Groundwork Guys: The Pushy Horse Problem wherever you get your podcasts, and explore the full series for a limited time on NF+ or inside Camp Horse World, the new equestrian learning marketplace.

----------

Episode Sponsor: Jug Waterers

Thanks to the open bowl design and unique draw tube water supply system, animals can see and smell clean, fresh water. No learning how to lift flaps or push balls or float out of the way to get a drink. An animal simply places its mouth in the open pool of water in the drinking bowl and sucks up the water just as it would from a natural water hole.

Visit - bakkoindustries.com

----------

Groundwork Guys - Now streaming on NOËLLE FLOYD's new platform Camp HorseWorld" linked to https://camphorseworld.com/pages/groundwork-guys

 

If you've ever been late to a lesson because your horse suddenly decided the trailer is lava, welcome. Tik Maynard and Nick Rivera are here to help.

In this first episode of Groundwork Guys, the duo tackles listener Megan's question about her semi-feral mare who has made her feelings about trailer loading very clear. What follows is part training plan, part therapy session, and part two horsemen trying to out-joke each other.

Tik and Nick talk through why trailer loading usually isn't about the trailer at all, how to spot the moment your horse starts thinking instead of panicking, and why you should probably practice before show day. They cover everything from "sending vs. leading" to reading ear flicks like body language PhDs.

Along the way, you'll learn:

• The difference between a reward and a bribe (and why your horse totally knows the difference).

• How to help your horse find curiosity instead of chaos.

• Why calm energy gets you farther than fancy gear.

• And how Tik somehow turned a groundwork lesson into a plan to build a horse-sized suspension bridge.

Key takeaway:
Trailer loading is 20% technique, 80% emotional regulation (mostly yours).

Quote of the episode:

"If you go out two hours early, your horse walks right on. If you go out five minutes before, it takes two hours. Do the math." — Tik

So grab your coffee, your sense of humor, and maybe a cookie (for you and the horse). It's time to load up.

----------

Episode Sponsor: Jug Waterers

Thanks to the open bowl design and unique draw tube water supply system, animals can see and smell clean, fresh water. No learning how to lift flaps or push balls or float out of the way to get a drink. An animal simply places its mouth in the open pool of water in the drinking bowl and sucks up the water just as it would from a natural water hole.

Visit - bakkoindustries.com

----------

Groundwork Guys - Now streaming on NOËLLE FLOYD's new platform Camp HorseWorld" linked to https://camphorseworld.com/pages/groundwork-guys

Season One of Dear Horse World changed the way so many of us think about riding and about ourselves. But there was no way to fit all the mic-drop moments into one episode, so here is Part Two.

This is an honest look at what it truly takes to grow with your horse, not just to train harder. We're talking about the uncomfortable but transformative shifts that distinguish simply "riding" from genuine partnership.

You'll hear:

• Josh Nichol on why leadership isn't control. It's learning to be calm when everything in you wants to tense.

• Animal communicator, Deleah, on vulnerability, surrender, and the purpose horses are quietly asking us to find.

• Dr. Jenny Susser on confidence, goal setting, and why every rider (yes, even you) deserves to own their space in the arena.

• Karl Cook on cutting through schemes and taking responsibility for the basics of great horse care.

• Dewey Freeman and Dr. Connie on looking deeper than "bad behavior" to what our horses are really experiencing.

• William Fox-Pitt on believing in the horse you have and adapting with humility when plans change.

These are the conversations that shift you from overthinking and reacting to leading with clarity, trust, and purpose. It is honest, it is challenging, and it might just change how you ride forever.

Want to be first to know when Season Two drops? Join the mailing list here and stay connected to a community of riders rethinking what great horsemanship can be.

 

If these conversations inspired you, you'll find even more at noellefloydplus.com—our learning community for riders who want to deepen their horsemanship, connect across disciplines, and grow alongside world-class trainers. Explore courses, resources, and tools designed to bring the wisdom of Dear Horse World into your everyday riding.

Season One of Dear Horse World has been nothing short of transformative. In this special finale, Noëlle Floyd revisits the conversations that cracked open our understanding of what it means to be in true partnership with horses—and with ourselves.

From Jochen Schleese revealing how saddle fit can numb a horse's body, to Nikki Simpson dismantling the "pose" in favor of authentic effectiveness in the saddle, to Anne Kursinski reminding us that patience and repetition are the real keys to mastery—each guest has left an indelible mark. We'll hear from Mark Rashid about the weathered cowboy who unknowingly set him on his path, from Cristóbal Scarpati reading a colt's plea to be trained with kindness, and from Dr. Steve Peters on the neuroscience of curiosity, learning, and flow.

Some moments are raw, like Jerri Scherff's story of confronting horse abuse at a barrel race. Others are poetic, like William Fox-Pitt's reflections on congruency, or Nick Dowers on the power of presence. Together, they weave a tapestry that shows just how deeply interconnected our horsemanship, values, and humanity really are.

This season was born from a mission: to unite the horse world through conversation. Along the way, it has transformed Noëlle—heart, mind, and soul. The hope is that somewhere in these voices, every listener will hear a piece of their own story, and leave with a sense that the messy middle we all occupy is where transformation begins.

Join Noëlle in revisiting the moments you voted as your favorites, alongside a few that shaped her forever.

—---------

 If these conversations inspired you, you'll find even more at noellefloydplus.com—our learning community for riders who want to deepen their horsemanship, connect across disciplines, and grow alongside world-class trainers. Explore courses, resources, and tools designed to bring the wisdom of Dear Horse World into your everyday riding.

—---------

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 to explore options, or get in touch today.

📱 instagram.com/connawayassociates 
📱 www.facebook.com/people/Connaway-Associates-Equine-Insurance-Services-Inc/100063556540763/

Matt Brown has ridden at the top of the sport. But when he watched a replay of one of his proudest rounds, he didn't see a confident partnership—he saw a horse responding to pressure, not trust. That moment changed everything. In this episode, Matt joins us to talk about why he stopped carrying a whip in eventing competitions—and how that decision opened the door to something deeper: leadership, vulnerability, and the quiet reckoning that happens when tradition no longer aligns with who you want to be.

Matt names what so many riders feel but rarely say out loud, from internalized pressure to the shame of past mistakes to the fear of evolving in public.

You'll walk away with:

• Language for the subtle forms of pressure that can go unnoticed in training
• A deeper understanding of how systemic norms shape personal choices
• Insight into what real partnership with a horse can look like, without force
• Encouragement to rethink tradition with nuance, empathy, and clarity
• Matt's book that he would read to the Horse World - Burn Your Goals by Jamie Gilbert and Joshua Medcalf

This is a conversation about the beliefs we absorb without knowing, the pressure we pass down without meaning to, and the kind of rider we become when we stop trying to prove we belong—and start listening instead. Connect with Matt Brown

• Instagram: @eastwesttrainingstables
• Website: www.eastwesttrainingstables.net
• Training & Clinics: Learn more about Matt and Cecily's coaching, clinics, and horses for sale at East West Training Stables

Read More: Explore Matt's columns on The Chronicle of the Horse 

Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

Trailer loading isn't just about getting your horse from A to B—it's a skill. And like any skill, it depends on trust, preparation, and practice.

In this episode of Dear Horse World, you'll hear the first video from Tik Maynard's Trailering 101 & Common Trailering Problems Masterclass on NF+. Tik explains why most "loading problems" are really relationship problems, how to set your horse up for success, and why rushing almost always backfires.

This is just one lesson from a 19-part, 3.5-hour masterclass, now updated with four rider case studies that show exactly how Tik works through common trailering struggles.

👉 Watch the full course on NF+ at and use code DHW for 15% off your annual membership.

Because a horse that loads quietly isn't just convenient—it's peace of mind.

--------------------------------------

If you enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to subscribe, like, and leave a review - it really helps us grow!

NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a passionate community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.

And you can follow us on instagram too!
Click here 👉 www.instagram.com/dearhorseworld