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You’ve probably heard people say, “Horses can read you,” but what does that actually mean when mental health treatment is on the line? We’re joined by Daria Williams, a lifetime horseperson who ran a boarding barn for years and now works in a clinical setting. She just completed EAGALA training as an equine specialist, and she breaks down what equine assisted psychotherapy looks like when it’s done with a real framework, real roles, and real responsibility.

We get specific about the EAGALA model: why sessions happen on the ground, how the equine specialist partners with a licensed mental health professional, and how the horses become co-facilitators instead of tools. Daria shares what surprised her most watching animals respond to different clients, and why experienced horse people sometimes have to “do less” to let meaningful moments surface. We also talk about safety in a field with loose horses, goats, and donkeys, and how the team keeps clients safe without escalating fear or shutting down the process.

Then we zoom out to the practical side of building an equine assisted mental health program: finding the right animals, navigating insurance and liability, staffing challenges, marketing, and what typical session pricing can look like. If you’re curious about trauma-informed care, experiential therapy, and how horses can help people step out of the office and back into their bodies, this conversation will give you a grounded, honest starting point. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a horse friend or a therapist, and leave us a review with the question you want answered next.

https://www.eagala.org/

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7

Send us Fan Mail

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down with dressage judge and Mindset Equestrian founder Karen Fulcher to unpack the “20% rule,” plus-size rider stigma, and what horse welfare actually looks like in day-to-day training. We also get practical about inclusive riding clothing, building a functional seat, and walking into the show ring with a clearer understanding of how judging works.
• why the 20% rule gets applied unevenly and often weaponized
• focusing on tack fit, comfort, and signs of tension instead of optics
• plus-size equestrian clothing brands that are expanding sizing and listening to riders
• riding for function over silhouette, including when uneven stirrups make sense
• learning to be dynamic in the saddle and adapt to a moving, unbalanced horse
• asking “why” in lessons and advocating for yourself and your horse
• treating the horse as an individual partner and documenting what helps them stay below threshold
• what judges can and cannot do, and why tempo and fluidity matter so much
• how virtual coaching and video feedback help riders actually see their habits
• the unglamorous truth about making money in online equestrian business
You can sign up on my website for it, or you can message me about it.

https://www.mindsetequestrian.com/

Plus sized clothing reviews by Karen Fulcher

https://youtu.be/Tbmw8sReS4I?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/MbX8cLvlsig?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/fczNXTHFvRI?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/VyGdpHi5TKM?feature=shared

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7