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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

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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

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A brideless horse show sounds like an instant win for horse welfare, but the reality is messier and more interesting. We start with that headline making UK event and use it to ask a bigger question: is the show horse industry built in a way that rewards calm partnership, or does it quietly reward control no matter what’s on the horse’s head?

We talk about what we actually see when tack disappears: softer rounds, less wrestling, and spectators paying attention to behavior and communication. Then we dig into the uncomfortable side, including how “light” performances can be manufactured at home with harsh methods, and why equipment debates can distract from the real moral issue: training, pressure, and what we choose to reward. From there we get practical about safety in jumping, fairness across riders with different aids, and how judges and judging criteria shape the entire culture, especially in dressage.

We also widen the lens to the welfare realities around the show environment itself, from stressful stabling and heat to horses that simply do not enjoy traveling. And we get candid about lesson programs, the way shows become the only motivator for students, and the disconnect between professional horsemanship and consumer expectations. We close with a grounded look at starting young horses, breed maturity, conditioning, and why “exercise and training” does not have to mean riding in circles. If this conversation challenges you, share it with a horse friend, subscribe, and leave a review so more riders can rethink what good competition should look like.

Image of tack neck strap
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?

UK competition
https://youtu.be/t3ksAJgtc64?is=tffNVDNGqtcXFNwy

Bridleless Wyatt
http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/2014/04/08/bridleless-wyatt-is-a-racetrack-wonder/

Brendan Wise Horse Radio Network podcast
https://youtu.be/SzFxEAtDO5w?is=e_lmz2X1bNnv01Ej

Unbridled Wings

https://youtu.be/WWZae7C4peg?is=OQyaH1FssvMdeU19

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

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

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We talk with Vivian about her winter internship at Friesians of Majesty in Vermont and how a promised training opportunity turned into isolation, unsafe work, and constant pressure to push through. We compare her memories with Emma’s similar experience and pull out practical red flags young horse people and parents can use before committing to a barn.

• the farm’s public image versus day-to-day reality for interns
• recruitment hype and exaggerated praise used to hook eager riders
• isolation without transportation, limited phone service, and dorm-style housing
• unsafe horse handling “tests” and being put in danger early
• overcrowding signs, back pasture concerns, and uneven care
• sleigh rides in brutal weather and risk normalization
• injuries followed by blame and public shaming
• missing lessons, minimal riding, and training promises that never happen
• low stipends, late pay, and staff turnover
• how to research an internship and what parents should verify

https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/06/fourth-seizure-of-horses-from-townshend-farm-highlights-animal-welfare-systems-ongoing-gaps/

https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/dozens-of-horses-seized-from-friesians-of-majesty-in-townshend/article_e74021b5-e197-4f4a-894e-612c4a5f5030.html

https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-09-26/legal-troubles-continue-for-townshend-horse-breeder

https://equiery.com/gentle-giants-draft-horse-rescue-takes-in-31-friesians-seized-in-vermont/

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

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

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Hauling at dawn, juggling ring times, and watching fees stack up used to feel like the only route to a real scorecard. We sat down with Alexandra of Thistle Run Equestrian Events to unpack a smarter path: online horse shows that keep the thrill of competition while stripping out the barriers of time, travel, and cost. From para riders who need extra hands to millennial riders with careers and kids, this conversation maps a practical way to stay in the game and keep improving.

Alexandra shares why a personal health challenge sparked her move from in-person organizing to a full virtual series, and how that pivot elevated the learning experience. Judges can pause and rewind rides, deliver line-by-line comments, and bring cross-credential expertise from WDAA and USEF pathways that riders rarely access at schooling shows. We talk arena logistics that actually work—cones and buckets for letters, measured spaces without fancy setups—and how riders still qualify for online points while focusing on skill-building at home.

We also dig into the emotional side: privacy settings for nervous adults and protective parents, the reality that multiple takes still reflect true ability, and the joy of big, beautiful ribbons that keep motivation high. With a clear calendar—April through September monthly shows and festive winter events—entries are simple, recognition runs deep, and the on-ramp to in-person showing gets smoother. Most of all, this is a story about gratitude and access: honoring the mentors who opened doors by opening more of them, for more people.

If you care about equestrian sport staying vibrant and inclusive, you’ll love this one. Listen, share it with a barn friend, and tell us what’s your biggest barrier to showing today. And if this helped you, subscribe and leave a quick review so others can find it.

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

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

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A rescue Palomino named Santiago helps a rider rebuild trust after a traumatic fall while Gabriella Madeiros shares how to run a lesson program that protects school horses first. We dig into nutrition, workload caps, heat strategies, farrier pivots, and frugal supplements that work.

• Santiago’s temperament turning fear into confidence
• Rescue to reliable lesson horse care path
• Firing a farrier and shoeing thin soles with pads
• Workload limits and two consecutive rest days
• Heat and humidity scheduling, hosing, and fans
• Forage-first feeding with quality hay and wet feeds
• Electrolytes and salt year-round for hydration
• Saddle fit, dentals, fascia massage, and bodywork
• Cost-effective HA, beta-glucan, aloe, and herbs
• Ulcer and respiratory protocols without rebound
• Adapting programs during washouts and slow seasons
• Services at Cadillera Equine and how to reach us

Cavalier Equine, where spirit and sport intertwine. Gabrielle Menieros is located in Warren, Texas. She teaches in-person lessons on school horses or with your horse at her ranch or at yours. She also has clinics available and virtual instruction. And we will link her website below. Please reach out to us if you'd like to be on the podcast.

https://cataliraequine.wixsite.com/catalira-equine

If you have any ideas on how to help a school horse or you help school horses yourself, like Gabby, you can contact us by emailing us at emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

or at the contact section below

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

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

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We dive into how Jessica Cardillo built a sustainable, beginner-focused lesson barn by teaching full horsemanship, empowering teen volunteers, and setting firm business boundaries that protect horses and people. Clear systems, patient school horses, and themed lesson plans keep riders progressing without breaking the barn.

• therapeutic riding roots shaping step-by-step teaching
• beginners learning grooming, tacking, safety, and etiquette
• lunge-line starts and criteria for joining groups
• teen volunteer pipeline with incentives and expectations
• sourcing quiet school horses across disciplines
• turnout scheduling and pasture rotation for soundness
• realistic limits on jumping and competition goals
• auto-billing, unmounted makeups, and 30-day notice
• monthly themes to streamline lesson planning

https://www.facebook.com/foundationseq?

https://www.foundationseq.com/?fbclid=IwVERDUAN3DaxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHrWlSOCoimvald7FbdQSDYxrkgf3tP_w9GXsJagMUCS0tfkItly7IDyUH8sc_aem_CIEz7lIfXml-CXscsdkOoA

https://horsesenselearninglevels.com/learning-levels/the-levels-curriculum/

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

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