Advertise on podcast: The Elevated Equestrian

There's more horse information at your fingertips than ever, and somehow owners are more anxious than ever. Fran of The Honest Equine wants to help you become a better observer of your horse without becoming an anxious one. Fran is an equine musculoskeletal and rehabilitation practitioner based in the north of England. She spent years in racing and racehorse retraining before studying equine therapy and rehabilitation at university, and her work now spans functional assessment, hands-on treatment, rehab, prehab, and owner education. She's built her practice around knowing her scope, working as part of a team with vets, farriers, saddle fitters, and trainers, and being honest with owners about what their horse is actually telling them. We get into what "evidence-based" really means (it's not finding one study that agrees with you), why sometimes the most evidence-informed answer is "we don't know yet," and why a horse with horrendous X-rays can be going beautifully. We talk about prehab as building the capacity your horse needs before it becomes the thing holding them back, why variety in surfaces, terrain, and work matters, and how long lining or watching someone else ride your horse shows you what you can't feel from the saddle. Then we walk through the rehab path for a kissing spines horse: what injections and mesotherapy actually do (they don't create space between the spinous processes, they buy you a window), why groundwork comes before the rider, and why Fran works within the limits of the horse, not the rider. We also talk about serviceably sound horses, Sue Dyson's Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, and why not every behavior is a diagnosis. If you've ever scrolled past a post and thought "oh no, my horse does that," this one's for you. Follow The Elevated Equestrian so you never miss an episode, and if this one lands, send it to a horse owner who's drowning in information.

Every horse professional has been told there's no money in horses. Colton Woods thinks that belief is exactly what's keeping you broke. Colton spent a decade training hunters, jumpers, and dressage horses in Lexington, Kentucky before pivoting to what he does now: helping established horse professionals build businesses that actually pay them. He and his wife Meredith run Horse Business Builders out of North Texas, and in this episode he walks through his own story, from starting with $3,000 and a two-door Acura full of tack, to a half-empty barn at $800 a month full training, to the mentor phone call that changed everything. The people who wanted to send him horses weren't holding back because he was too expensive. They were holding back because he was too cheap to take proper care of their horse. He raised his prices 50% and had a waitlist within 90 days. We get into why marketing is an act of service and not a sales pitch, his CVC framework for getting clear on your calling, your vehicle, and your client, why a decision literally means cutting everything else away, and the question his wife uses to keep him honest: does this take your face, your voice, your skills, or your talent? If not, why are you the one doing it? We also talk about what "sustainable" actually means when you're mentally, physically, and financially drained, why mindset is most of the coaching he does, and the single most powerful question he asks every professional he works with: if you could do your very best work with the right horse and the right client, what would that look like, and what would have to be true to make it possible? If your business feels more like a cage than a vehicle, this one's for you. Follow The Elevated Equestrian so you never miss an episode, and if this one lands, send it to a horse professional who needs to hear it.

What if you worked out your hourly rate and it came to six pence? That's exactly what happened to one barn owner — and it's more common than you think. In this episode, Samantha Baer sits down with Cheryl Johns, founder of LiveryList (the UK's leading livery yard directory) and the Yard Owner Hub, to talk about the business side of the horse world nobody wants to discuss: why barn owners consistently undervalue their time, why cheap yards stay full while high-quality barns struggle to fill stalls, the guilt culture around raising board prices, and how unregulated the livery industry really is. Cheryl shares how she built LiveryList from a literal dream in 2010 into a 15-year business with 800+ yards, plus the organizational systems that let her run it all solo. Whether you run a barn, board a horse, or dream of doing either, this conversation will change how you think about what horse care is actually worth. Follow The Elevated Equestrian wherever you listen, and find everything Samantha is up to at samanthabaer.com.

Not everyone with a deep passion for horses ends up making a living riding them. Some of them end up orbiting the sport instead — building the products, platforms, and services the rest of us depend on. That's what this new series is about. First up: Laura St. Clair, Hanoverian breeder and co-founder and CEO of ICONEQ, a sport horse platform people tend to describe as Zillow for sport horses. Every horse in one place, fully searchable, pedigrees hyperlinked, priced, located, and not buried under fifty Facebook groups. Laura's background is commercial real estate, and it shows — she came into this looking at how we present and market sport horses in this country and found most of it counterproductive. We talk about why the breeding market is struggling, why "inquire for price" is quietly costing sellers buyers, what actually makes a listing work, and how registry partnerships with the American Trakehner Association, KWPN-NA, and the American Hanoverian Society are changing where horses get discovered. We also get into Yards, ICONEQ's newer functionality that makes training services searchable by location, why recognizing young horse trainers matters, and how a technology company ends up trying to make this industry more human rather than less. Find Laura: iconEQ.com | ICONEQ Technologies on Facebook More from me: samanthabaer.com — training philosophy, blog, and Ride Along, my audio subscription that puts you in my pocket for real rides with real horses. Start with the 2 free lessons.

Why does your horse stand crooked — and what is it costing him? In this episode, Dr. Karen Gellman, veterinarian and research scientist behind Postural Rehabilitation, explains how neutral posture is the foundation of soundness, and why the most common lamenesses we treat trace back to a horse who simply can't stand up square. We cover the three factors driving abnormal compensatory posture — the hooves, the teeth, and the upper cervical spine — and why fixing only one of them means the horse reverts within weeks. Dr. Gellman breaks down how the TMJ is hardwired into postural control, why an untreated overjet or offset jaw changes where a horse loads his feet, and how negative palmar angles crush the navicular bone and cause navicular disease. We also get into hypermobility and ECVM, why instability presents as anxiety and spookiness, and what "up foot/down foot" really tells you about a horse's whole body. If this episode gave you something to look at differently, follow the show wherever you're listening — it genuinely helps more horse people find it. For training resources, ride-along lessons, and everything else I'm working on, head to samanthabaer.com

What does it take to keep the world's top horses sound — and what can everyday horse owners learn from it? In this episode, I sit down with Harry Spinks, a UK-based farrier who shoes everything from family ponies to international competition horses and served on the IOC farrier team at the Tokyo Olympics. Harry breaks down why the average hoof visibly grows out of balance in just three and a half weeks, why so many front end lamenesses actually start in the hind end, and what a truly healthy foot should look like. We dig into the barefoot debate with refreshing honesty, why your farrier, vet, and body worker need to work as a team, and what it's really like shoeing horses under Olympic pressure. Whether your horse lives in steel, glue-ons, or nothing at all, this conversation will change how you look at their feet. Follow The Elevated Equestrian Podcast so you never miss an episode, and find all the ways to connect at https://www.samanthabaer.com/links

What if your horse's mystery lameness, spooky behavior, or separation anxiety isn't a training problem — but stored trauma? In this episode, I sit down with Mandy McConechy, founder of The Neural Shift Method, to explore how the nervous system holds onto physical and emotional trauma in both horses and riders — and how releasing it at the root cause can change everything. Mandy is a former intermediate-level eventer whose career ended in burnout and chronic pain. After being told she'd have to live with a herniated disc, she discovered how suppressed emotions were physically reshaping her body — and that discovery led her to a method that works with horses and humans as one connected unit. We get into pain pathways and why horses stay lame no matter what the vet nerve blocks, how the brain creates compensation patterns from sound, sight, and past trauma, and why weaning shows up as a root cause in nearly 97% of the horses Mandy works with. We also dig into the horse-rider mirror — how your nervous system directly shapes your horse's body and behavior, and how releasing something in the rider can unlock a breakthrough in the horse overnight. Whether you're dealing with an unexplained lameness, a "difficult" horse, or your own riding anxiety, this conversation will change how you see your horse — and yourself. Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and visit samanthabaer.com for the blog, ride-alongs, and more.

In this episode of The Elevated Equestrian Podcast, host Samantha Baer sits down with equine conditioning expert and best-selling author Jec Ballou for a deep dive into training horses for longevity and soundness. Drawing on her background in equine exercise physiology and classical dressage, Jec breaks down why fitness is protective — and why pulling your horse out of work the moment something goes wrong often does more harm than good. You'll learn the difference between the small postural muscles that stabilize your horse and the big gymnastic muscles that tend to take over, how to make your lunging genuinely productive instead of just drilling circles, why cantering is one of the best ways to build a true top line, and how stress and shut-down behavior physically block your horse from absorbing the work you put in. Whether you ride dressage, event, trail, or just want a sounder, happier horse, this conversation will change how you think about conditioning, groundwork, and what it really means to train for the long haul. Find more at samanthabaer.com — and hit follow so you never miss an episode.

Follow The Elevated Equestrian so you never miss an episode—and if this one shifts something for you, share it with a riding friend who needs to hear it. What if the way you ride—your busy hands, your collapsing core, the leg that just won't stay quiet—isn't a habit you need to drill away, but a pattern your body has been building for decades? In this episode, I sit down with rider biomechanics coach Suzanne Galdun, one of only a handful of people in the world certified at her level in Mary Wanless's Ride With Your Mind method. We get deep into the physics, anatomy, and neuroscience of how you actually sit on a horse—and why your nervous system, your fascia, and even an ankle you sprained 25 years ago are showing up in every ride. We talk about mirror neurons and how horses feel your anxiety before you do, why "sit up straight" almost never works (and what sensory-specific language to use instead), why a horse can't be in self-carriage until the rider is, and how the patterns in your body off the horse—how you hold a steering wheel, how you walk, how you sit at your desk—follow you straight into the saddle. We also get into the stuff most riding instruction skips entirely: pain, the pelvic floor, mind-body connection, and the fact that you can rewire all of it, no matter your age. If you've ever had a magical ride you couldn't explain or repeat, this one's for you.

Most horses aren't born with the core strength to carry us — and the ones that are tend to sell for a fortune. Everyone else? We have to build it, deliberately and patiently. In this episode, Samantha sits down with classically trained European rider Simon Cocozza, author of Core Conditioning for Horses. After years of buying and producing high-level horses across Germany and Holland, Simon kept hitting the same hidden wall: backs that weren't functioning, and horses quietly coping with pain they're hardwired to disguise. He shares the research that reframed his entire approach — including a study finding that 91% of sales x-rays showed some form of bone-to-bone contact in the back — and the method he developed to rebuild the spine from the ground up. We get into the signs your horse's back isn't optimal (asymmetry, girthiness, "flat tires" in the downward transitions), why the spine — not the legs — is almost always the missing piece, how to actually stretch your horse so it does something, and why Simon does up to 50% of his work in hand even with finished competition horses. There's also an honest conversation about drilling, "karmic debt," and what it really means to make a horse 1% better every day. Find Simon's book and his Core Conditioning audio warm-ups at coreconditioningforhorses.com. Enjoyed this one? Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and head to samanthabaer.com for the blog, ride-alongs, and more.

That "training problem" might not be a training problem at all. In this episode, Samantha Baer sits down with Julia Alebrand, a certified equine and saddle ergonomist with Saddle Fit 4 Life, to unpack how saddle fit issues hide in plain sight — masquerading as behavioral quirks, performance plateaus, ulcers, or "just how my horse goes." Julia explains why saddle fit is never a one-time event (your horse's back changes with season, training, nutrition, and age), how to read the behavioral cues your horse is already giving you, and the self-checks every owner can do before they ride: wither clearance on top and the sides, the two-to-three finger rule, finding the 18th rib, saddle balance, billet alignment, and matching the tree to your horse's shoulder angle. We also get into the stuff riders argue about online — wool vs. foam flocking, treed vs. treeless, adjustable gullet plates and what they actually adjust — plus why the half pad is not the fix you think it is, and how to tell a qualified, brand-independent fitter from a rep who's there to sell a saddle. And because it's never just about the horse: Julia breaks down why a saddle has to fit you too, and how the wrong one can sabotage your position no matter how hard you work off the horse. If you've ever wondered whether it's the saddle, the training, the feet, or the ulcers — this one gives you the tools to find out. Enjoying The Elevated Equestrian? Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode — and if this one helped, share it with a barnmate who needs to hear it.

In this episode, Sam sits down with Shawna Karrasch — who spent a decade as a marine mammal trainer at SeaWorld before bringing positive reinforcement to Grand Prix show jumping at Beezie and John Madden's barn — along with trainer Jessie, who made the leap from traditional methods after one dangerous horse changed everything. Together they break down the science most riders were never taught: why pressure-and-release lights up the fight-or-flight system while positive reinforcement activates the "seeking system," how to build relaxation and self-regulation into every behavior, and why autonomy and choice transform a fearful horse into a confident partner. You'll hear the story of Addie's trauma rehabilitation, how to introduce clicker training without going "all in," and practical ways to prepare a horse for the show ring so they actually enjoy competing. Whether you ride for fun or have serious competition goals, this conversation will change how you see what's happening inside your horse's brain — and you won't be able to unsee it.

In this conversation, Samantha Baer and Emmie Speckens, co-founder of Equithink dig into learning theory and positive reinforcement training, puzzle design and environmental enrichment, and why agency and choice are quietly some of the most important pieces of equine welfare. They talk through the difference between compliance and a true yes, how curiosity transforms not just enrichment time but ridden work and confidence under saddle, why mares absolutely do play (despite what you've been told), and what it looks like to build a "smart stable" where horses can turn on their own lights or even their own nebulizer when they need it. They also get into the bigger question underneath it all: what happens to a thinking, problem-solving animal when we make every decision for them — and what becomes possible when we stop. Whether you're a competitive rider, a positive reinforcement curious horse owner, or someone rethinking traditional stable management and horse keeping, this episode will give you a new lens on the horses in your life. If this conversation resonates, follow The Elevated Equestrian Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen — new episodes drop weekly, and your follow helps more horse people find the show.

If your horse's back pain, lameness, or behavior issues keep coming back no matter what you try, this conversation is for you. Equine and human osteopath Elisse Miki of Equilibria Therapeutics joins Sam to unpack what osteopathy actually is — and why it's so much more than massage or fascial work. Elise breaks down why structure governs function, the science of spinal facilitation and how gut inflammation drives chronic back pain, why "tight" doesn't always mean "short," and why fluid flow is the foundation of healing. We also get into when to call an osteopath and the environmental shifts — track systems, free-flow hay, herd turnout — that can resolve issues no bodywork ever will. Follow The Elevated Equestrian so you never miss a conversation that helps you ride and train with more clarity, curiosity, and care.

What if the way your horse stands in the cross-ties is telling you everything? What if the "good" horse in the show ring is actually the most dysfunctional one? Sam sits down with Tara Osborne of Long Drove Holistic Horse Training for a conversation that will change how you watch horses move. They cover Tara's assessment process for spotting compensation, the seesaw of front-to-back balance and why every horse she assesses has a balance problem, and why the thoracic sling is the linchpin connecting the back end to the front end. The conversation goes deep on hypermobility — the explosion of hyper-loose horses in modern sport, why they need Pilates-style stability work instead of more mobility, and how that instability is reshaping how riders are forced to ride. Tara also shares her go-to groundwork exercises (thoracic sling lifts, pole work, podiums, balance pads, incline work), how to recover a horse after a competition weekend, and what she'd push for if she could change one thing about how sport horses are produced today. If this episode hits, follow The Elevated Equestrian Podcast wherever you listen so you never miss a conversation — and share it with the rider in your life who's ready to start looking closer.