In this episode, Pat Parelli talks about his extraordinary journey in the horse world – from his beginnings as a rodeo cowboy, through reining with mules, to the development of his own training program in natural horsemanship. Parelli pursues the goal of making people better horse people – with a deeper understanding of horse behavior and needs. His methods have found over a million followers in more than 70 countries, but they also attract criticism. In this interview, he explains what lies beh...
Jun 22, 2025•55 min•Ep. 80
Pat Retzlaff is the co-founder of Mozambique Horse Safari and the book “One Hundred and Four Horses”. In this conversation, Pat shares how he and his family were forced to leave their farm in Zimbabwe during a time of political upheaval—and how they made the bold and brave decision to rescue and relocate over 100 horses across borders. We talk about the challenges they faced, what it took to rebuild their lives in Mozambique, and how that experience led to the creation of a unique safari company...
Jun 08, 2025•41 min•Ep. 79
Natalia Graf-Anders is the founder and CEO of Sync Equestrian, a U.S.-based equestrian apparel brand established in 2019. The company is known for designing performance wear that caters to diverse body types, aiming to make every rider feel confident and powerful. In addition to her work with Sync Equestrian, Natalia leads Sync Academy, where she offers programs focused on transforming one's financial mindset and business growth strategies. Drawing from her personal journey of overcoming financi...
May 25, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 78
If you are a woman who loves horses, if you love a woman who loves horses, if you are the parent of a girl, or the child of a woman who loves horses—this book is for you. Author Karin Winegar does the deepest dive yet into the nature of horse craziness, that incurable attraction and joy so many of us feel in the presence of horses. Karin’s latest book, “Horse Lovers: Unpacking the Female Fascination,” asks the question: Why are girls and women so very often horse lovers? Karin Winegar was born h...
May 11, 2025•50 min•Ep. 77
Yasmin Stuart is a renowned Equine Physiotherapist and Trauma Informed Horse Trainer based in the UK. In 2016, Yasmin completed her Level 6 Diploma in Equine Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation and has since gone on to study a variety of different bodywork and training methodologies which now underpin her practice. Over the course of her career, she has developed an extensive understanding of behavioural science, posture and biomechanics of which she applies to every horse that she works with - g...
Apr 27, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 76
Tara Glidden is a passionate advocate for veterinary professionals and their well-being. With 22 years of experience in the veterinary field, Tara has worked in various roles, from veterinary assistant to registered veterinary technician. Their journey led them to Zoetis, where they spent 8 years in the companion animal division as an industry specialist and strategic account manager, gaining a deep understanding of both clinical practice and industry support. Now serving as the Director of Well...
Apr 13, 2025•58 min•Ep. 75
Lorre Mueller is a registered Equine Osteopath, graduating from the Vluggen Institute for Equine Osteopathy in September 2014. Lorre has also been a certified Masterson Method® Practitioner since 2010. Lorre was an instructor, mentor, and coach for the Masterson organization for several years. She has also trained in myofascial release. In this episode, we chat about osteopathy, TMJ and how imbalances in the mouth can affect movement as well as the connection between teeth and feet, self-healing...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 74
Madison Shambaugh, also known as “Mustang Maddy,” from her work with wild horses, can be found roaming amongst her beloved horse herd in the ancestral lands of the people of Sun Mountain where she spends much of her time tending her herd of milk goats & sheep, making cheese, tanning hides, and engaging in land based craft and lifeways. While the focus of her work has shifted in recent years, she continues to work with horses–primarily rescues and mustangs with significant trauma who have “fa...
Mar 16, 2025•55 min•Ep. 73
Beccy Smith is the CEO and founder of Holistic Reflections CIC & Holistic Equine. She is an independent equine podiatrist and barefoot trimmer, equine body worker, consultant, therapist, wellness coach, equine facilitated learning practitioner, Reiki master, and healer. Beccy has over 30 years of equine industry professional experience and is a highly proficient and respected holistic equine podiatrist. She is qualified in advanced equine podiatry and her body work qualifications include bei...
Mar 02, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 72
Amelia Newcomb is a USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medalist. She has trained and competed close to 50 horses in almost 500 competitions, and has trained several horses that she started as youngsters all the way up to the Grand Prix. Her online platform, Amelia Newcomb Dressage helps to develop a trusting and confident relationship between horse and rider. Using elements from both natural horsemanship and classical dressage, Amelia creates a holistic approach to dressage training that adapts to fi...
Feb 16, 2025•36 min•Ep. 71
Steffi Spielhaupter is an Equine Scientist and Holistic Horsewoman. With a Bachelor's and Master's in Equine Science, Steffi has dedicated her life to helping horses and their humans build deeper, more meaningful connections. Her goal is to support you on your individual journey of conscious horse-human connection and personal growth, training your eye for the subtle shifts in not only your horse’s, but also your own, state. Steffi’s passion is working with the fine nuances of your horse's sound...
Feb 02, 2025•52 min•Ep. 70
Baylee Summer is a marketing and business strategist expert, dedicated to helping the equestrian industry. She works with ethical horse trainers and helps them create, launch, and sell out online programs, so they can work less while making more profit and impact. Her goal is to help them create profitable businesses by leveraging social media. In this episode, we discuss what horse trainers are missing with their marketing, why leaving social media or outsourcing it to someone else isn’t always...
Jan 19, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 69
Jochen Schleese, the founder of the internationally recognized saddle company, Schleese. Jochen is a former member of the German young rider’s 3-Day Event team, and qualified for the European Championships in 1984. Unfortunately, he had to retire his horse due to lameness, which abruptly ended his riding career. Years later, through research Jochen discovered his horse’s lameness was caused by damage to the scapular cartilage from an ill-fitting saddle. This was the catalyst for Jochen’s life-lo...
Jan 05, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 68
This is a replay of our classic episode, originally recorded and aired in late 2022. Christian Kroeber, wehorse CEO, traveled to Denmark to interview the dressage superstar in person. Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour is a Danish dressage rider who is currently ranked 2nd and 3rd in the world, as of July 2022. Cathrine is an olympic athlete, having competed in 2016 at Rio and 2021 at Tokyo, and she won double individual silver as well as helped her team win gold at the 2022 World Dressage Championships in...
Dec 22, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 67
Noor Slaoui is the first rider to represent Morocco in Olympic eventing as well as the first person from the Middle East and North Africa to compete in Olympic eventing. She started riding when she was very young, riding mules through the mountains of Morocco with her family. As a teenager, Noor attended the École Nationale d'Equitation de Saumur in France. It was here that she developed her riding skills as well as trained to be a groom. Noor’s success in the saddle could be accredited to her f...
Dec 08, 2024•28 min•Ep. 66
Chiara Poscente is a Mindful Horsemanship Coach, Horse and Rider Biomechanics Trainer, and BTMM Rider Pillars Apprentice Instructor. Zak Maytum is a Mindful Horsemanship Coach, Equine Behavior Specialist, and Innovative Traditional Western Saddle Maker. Together they have founded Un-Natural Horsemanship. Un-Natural Horsemanship is not a method, doctrine, or school. It is an Idea: Both horse and human can be equally valued and worthy parts of a balanced partnership. The highest goal is to find a ...
Nov 24, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 65
Martha Cook is the managing director of Trafalgar Square Books, a publishing company serving the horse industry with beautifully illustrated, well-written books to supplement the growth and development of horse people. Martha runs the daily operations of Trafalgar Square Books, as well as handling contracts, print buying, rights, and promotion and marketing. Trafalgar Square Books believes that, with the help of their authors, we can all learn to ride better; teach our horses to perform better; ...
Nov 10, 2024•36 min•Ep. 64
Cheryl Eriksen is an author, blogger, horse midwife, and eternal student of the horse-human connection. While earning her MSW from Western Michigan University, Cheryl took a special interest in the effects of trauma on the developing brain, and she applied that learning, along with her personal experiences as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, into her memoir, Follow Me, Friend. Additionally, Cheryl has spent decades as an equine professional and extensively studied equine behavior and how it...
Oct 27, 2024•32 min•Ep. 63
Steven Wilde travels the world to talk about horse sport. He grew up in the sport of show jumping with his mother, an international rider, and began equestrian sports commentating in 2001. Steven has had great success organizing shows as well. With a long list of events on his resume, Steven has commentated at many shows including multiple Olympic Games, European Championships, World Championships, over 100 World Cup Qualifiers, and over ten years on the Longines Global Champions Tour. His voice...
Oct 13, 2024•44 min•Ep. 62
Over two decades ago, Amber started a successful business focused on helping performance horses with behavioral issues. However, she soon realized that a major part of the horses' problems stemmed from the humans, and at that time, no one was addressing how to support the human side of things. While Amber knew there was a disconnect, she wasn't sure what to do about it, so she continued to train horses to be safe for humans instead of also working towards making humans safe for horses. Years lat...
Sep 29, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 61
Lauren Maas is the executive director of Canter California and Canter USA, non-profit organizations providing retiring Thoroughbred racehorses with opportunities for new careers by helping to place, rehabilitate, and retrain these amazing athletes. It began leasing her first love, a 1985 OTTB gelding named Sunny, just before her eleventh birthday. Lauren’s love of thoroughbreds has continued and grown ever since. After holding multiple volunteer positions throughout the years, Lauren became the ...
Sep 15, 2024•50 min•Ep. 60
*Important to note: This podcast episode was originally recorded in June 2024 in German for the wehorse podcast. We used translation software to dub the episode for our English podcast, The Equestrian Connection. Please excuse any imperfections in the conversation as a result. Richard Vogel is a German rider who started riding horses at the age of four, following in the footsteps of his family who have always had a strong passion for horses. He began competing at the age of seven and since then ...
Sep 01, 2024•38 min•Ep. 59
The purpose of EquUSCAN is to engage equestrians (specifically in the US and Canada, though everyone is welcome) in social justice work and global activism. EquUSCAN is a resource hub, highlighting and amplifying important humanitarian causes around the world and providing actionable avenues through which you can get involved and contribute to making a difference, help those who need it most, and reduce harm and suffering for vulnerable and targeted populations. EquUSCAN believes that your voice...
Aug 18, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 58
Rebekka Klubien graduated from Roskilde University in 2021 and started working at the public broadcast tv station TV2 in 2022. Currently, she holds the position as a TV producer in the investigative journalism department. In 2023, Rebekka went undercover as a groom to see firsthand the daily operations at the Danish base of Helgstrand Dressage, which also has locations in Germany and Florida. Inside the barn, Rebekka found horses with welts from whips, mouth sores that were not given time to hea...
Aug 04, 2024•43 min•Ep. 57
Connie Flores is a certified Equine Nutrition Advisor and the owner of 17 Hand Equine Nutrition. Her goal is to help horse owners understand the purpose behind every ingredient in their horse’s diet and to help develop a personalized feed program specific to the horse as a unique individual. Connie works independently of any feed company and provides unbiased feedback and recommendations, as well as keeps the owner’s goals in mind. On this episode, we discuss Connie’s why behind empowering owner...
Jul 21, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 56
Mary Ann Simonds has worked as a researcher, educator, coach and consultant for over 40 years in the fields of human and animal behavior, communication, consciousness and ethology. Lecturing and consulting nationally and internationally primarily on horse-human interactions, her work blends the application of science with intuition integrating cultural issues and finding solutions for the well-being of people and animal. She has produced numerous educational materials including videos and books ...
Jul 07, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 55
Miah O’Cain is an equine sports massage therapist and the owner of Highland 3:5 Equine Services. She has a vast knowledge of additional supportive techniques and modalities - many of which we’ll discuss today. This includes redlight therapies, Tuning Forks, Bemer, and cryotherapy. Her ultimate goal is to find the root cause of pain and dysfunction and then fix the problem at the core, not mask it. She does this by bringing body, mind, and soul back into alignment. On this episode, we discuss the...
Jun 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 54
MD Equestrians is a company that designs and sells bitless bridles and accessories, as well as their new bareback pads. With products available in sizes from miniature to extra-large, the mission is to make this way of working with horses accessible for everyone. The founder, Marloes Blok, is a young entrepreneur who had the idea of starting this company after going on her own bitless journey when her horse was showing signs that he didn’t want to wear a bit. On this episode, we discuss what it’...
Jun 09, 2024•55 min•Ep. 53
Kerri’s early awareness included a natural ability to communicate with animals and all of life in subtle realms of consciousness, through energy and presence. With wisdom, guidance and communication from many teachers (human and non-human), she assists to help you recognize your capacity to experience connection and communication through presence, through the heart. Without dependence on a modality or system, Kerri has blazed a new trail on the road to freedom from limitations and conditioning. ...
May 26, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 52
Jenn Savage is an equine bodyworker and educator with the mission to help educate and empower horse owners who want what’s best for their horses above all else. She believes in the importance of giving back as much as we can to our equine athletes, especially when we ask big jobs of them. So, she’s on a mission to empower others with knowledge and resources to help prehab their horse while training like a Savage. In this episode, we discuss signs your horse may need body work, what your warm-up ...
May 12, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 51
