The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

In this horse-centred podcast now in it’s eighth season, author, facilitator, horse and human manual therapist, animal communicator, and horse lover Alexa Linton explores uncharted territory and newly discovered edges of the horse-human partnership with equine professionals. Together, we'll be shedding light on all the different ways of relating to and being with horses, learning how to cultivate optimal health for horses and their riders, uncovering the many facets of horse training, and sharing about the rather bumpy ride of becoming an advocate for horses in our current horse industry. Find all the resources mentioned in the episodes at www.wholehorse.ca! Find out more about Alexa at www.alexalinton.com or www.outsidetheboxequine.com

WH136 | Contact nutrition for the horse-human relationship with Carmen Spagnola 04/29/2025

WH136 | Contact nutrition for the horse-human relationship with Carmen Spagnola As we continue this season's mentorship series, this conversation with one of my current mentors was as potent as I had imagined. Carmen Spagnola has been a support, guide, teacher and esteemed colleague for over 12 years, and I have benefitted greatly from her depth of presence, attunement, clarity and nuance. She has spent time with my mares Diva and Raven, and has recently, and excitingly, become the steward of two geldings. Her love and care for horses (and humans) spills forth in this conversation and in her many offerings. In this conversation, we unpacked the concept of attachment theory, and specifically how secure attachment in any relationship can be facilitated by understanding and prioritizing contact nutrition, essentially nourishing ourselves and others through presence, attunement, co-regulation, safe touch, and empathy. How we interact with our horses, as fellow mammals, and their nervous systems, impacts the quality of our relational experince, and their sense of feeling safe, secure, and soothed. There are so many nuggets of goodness in this hour and it reminded me once again why I am so grateful to have Carmen in my life! Grab a tea, some chocolate, a shedding comb, or a manure fork, and enjoy this sweet chat. Carmen Spagnola is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef turned trauma recovery practitioner, clinical hypnotherapist and kitchen witch. Carmen has taught intuition development and earth-based spirituality to hundreds in her online mystery school, The Numinous School, from 2013 - 2021, as well as retreats and workshops. Carmen's work cross-pollinates themes of attachment, animism, myth and justice, supported by extensive training, certification, supervision and mentorship. Carmen has hosted The Numinous Podcast since 2014. She is author of Spells for the Apocalype: Practical Magic for Turbulent TImes (2025) and The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year (2022). Website: Instagram: TikTok: Podcast: /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/36315770

WH135 | What flowers have taught me about horses and healing with Sabina Pettitt of Pacific Essences 04/07/2025

WH135 | What flowers have taught me about horses and healing with Sabina Pettitt of Pacific Essences Welcome to the first of my mentorship series. where I have conversations with some of my most important mentors, allowing you to access some of the goodness and wisdom that I was so supported by on my journey. The first in this series is my teacher and friend Sabina Pettitt, who is the founder of Pacific Essences, a company here on the west coast of Vancouver Island that makes vibrational remedies. Many of us have heard of Rescue Remedy, which is the most commonly used flower remedy, but have perhaps not looked too much further into what it is and how it works. If you are curious about what a vibrational remedy is, how they work, and how they relate to horses, this is the episode for you! Sabina shares all about why she founded her company almost 40 years ago, how vibrational remedies work, why every being, including every horse, can benefit, and how she became the first person to make a sea essence. This is a true "teaching" episode, and I'm truly grateful that I met Sabina almost 20 years ago - she is a remarkable human and has dedicated her life and her work to supporting others. Hope you enjoy this chat and learn a thing or two! Sabina Pettitt is the founder of Pacific Essences® and a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. As well as introducing the first sea essences in the world Sabina has spent over 40 years building a system based on TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) that explains how essences work to the prevailing allopathic model. Essences balance and harmonize our energy anatomy and energy physiology and promote optimal well-being. She is committed to assisting humans to understand their deep and constant connection with Mother Nature, the energy template of their human form and how to work with energies to stay healthy, and the possibility that each of us came here with “a mission” and that essences can assist us to discover and fulfill that mission. Learn more at /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/36031160

WH134 | A whole horse perspective on veterinary care with Dr. Tomas Teskey 02/26/2025

WH134 | A whole horse perspective on veterinary care with Dr. Tomas Teskey This conversation with Dr. Tomas Teskey blew my mind in the best possible way, as he shared about what veterinary care looks like for him (and truly, what I would love to see much more of) - as he puts it, examining every square inch of a horse and what's impacting their health, including hooves, teeth, environment, feed, supplements and more. Tomas opens up about what a typical day looks like for him, why he started to focus on hoof care many years ago, and how shifting the environment has started to be one of the most important aspects of his care plan. Listen in to find out what simple changes he regularly recommends to his equine clients (spoiler alert: I loved his answer!). I also couldn't help but ask him about miniature horses and ponies and what they need to stay healthy, now that I've got a little in my world. Listen all the way to the end of the episode to hear about a very exciting life update for my herd and I, and how you can support to make my biggest dream come true. Thanks for listening and hope you enjoy this chat! Dr. Tomas Teskey is a human, native to Arizona and the second oldest of five siblings in a six-generation ranching family. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Botany from Northern Arizona University in 1991, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University in 1995. He has practiced large animal medicine and surgery in Arizona since graduation, with the majority of his work focusing on horses. Taking a special interest in equine podiatry since 2001, he became a passionate supporter or the barefoot performance horse, and published “The Unfettered Foot, A Paradigm Change for Equine Podiatry”, in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science in February, 2005. This sparked greater attention, discussion and interest within the veterinary community about the benefits of a more holistic and natural approach to hoof care versus the more antagonistic approaches of conventional farriery. Numerous other articles have continued to explore these not-so-new ideas. Tomas specializes in natural horse care, and hold Holistic health lectures world wide, providing professional veterinary support for individuals, horse clubs, families and communities seeking Real Answers about keeping horses healthy. More on Tomas and his work /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/35344595

WH133 | Sacred contracts with horses and how to recognize them with Brittany Ashworth 02/05/2025

WH133 | Sacred contracts with horses and how to recognize them with Brittany Ashworth Season 8 of the Whole Horse podcast is here! To start us off right, I chatted with my friend and colleague Brittany Ashworth of Sacred Echos and we headed right into some wild and wonderful territory. Rewinding back almost 12 years, Brittany shared about how she met her horse Duke, after never being a horse person, and how his presence and his story changed her path in a potent way. We reflected on their powerful and immediate connection starting her in the direction of her life's work, animal communication. Throughout our chat, Brittany shares in depth about the fascinating topic of soul contracts between horses and humans and we finish up by discussing her learning and work with the Akashic records (and what they are!). I love edge-pushing and thought-provoking conversations, and this is definitely in that category! Brittany Ashworth is an Animal Communicator, Akashic Records Reader, Horse Medicine Leadership faculty member, and dedicated Educator. With a profound passion for bridging the gap between humans and animals, Brittany is committed to fostering understanding, communication, and genuine partnership across species. Her practice is deeply rooted in her intuitive connection, the guidance of animals, and passion for educating others. Brittany’s work blends physical and spiritual approaches, creating transformative experiences for both humans and animals. Her practice is deeply intertwined with the guidance of animals, her intuition, and her passion for educating others. In her work, she strives to support both humans and animals along their journey in a way that's authentic to each being, bringing both the physical and spiritual worlds together. As a lifelong learner, Brittany is dedicated to her craft and the evolution of people's understandings and partnerships with themselves and their animals. Through each exchange, she hopes to support and empower positive change and growth in the lives of both humans and animals. Whether working one-on-one or in group settings, Brittany’s goal is to inspire positive shifts that enrich lives on both sides of the human-animal partnership. Learn more about Brittany’s work at /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/35078020

WH132 | Understanding equine postural mechanisms with Dr. Karen Gellman 12/02/2024

WH132 | Understanding equine postural mechanisms with Dr. Karen Gellman In this episode, marking the end of season seven of the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Karen Gellman. What an incredible journey she has been on, culminating in her dedicating her life and veterinary practice to the study of equine health as it relates specifically to postural mechanisms, as well as sharing this body of knowledge with others. During our conversation she shares some of the keys to supports horses to live well in gravity, how to support your horse to be healthier and happier through simple changes to their inner and outer environments, what postural rehabiliation is all about, and some of the physiology playing out when postural mechanisms become a problem. She is indeed a wealth of knowledge. I hope you enjoy our chat! Access to a PDF for Whole Horse listeners Dr. Karen Gellman is a graduate of Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, and has a doctorate from Cornell in animal locomotion biomechanics. She has advanced training and certification in veterinary acupuncture and veterinary chiropractic, and has practiced these and other modalities since 1995. She is the educational director of DVM Detective, which offers the Postural Rehabilitation training course for veterinarians and other equine professionals. She is also Research Director of Maximum Horsepower Research, and principal investigator on a study on equine posture funded by the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation. Dr. Karen Gellman holds DVM and PhD degrees from Cornell University in animal locomotion biomechanics. She has advanced training and certification in veterinary acupuncture and veterinary chiropractic, and has practiced these and other holistic modalities since 1995. Dr. Gellman has taught in multiple professional CE venues, lecturing on posture, biomechanics, and holistic therapies to veterinarians in North America and Europe. She has been a featured speaker at annual conferences for AHVMA (2014), AVCA (2021), IVCA (2015), IVAS (2012), Danish Veterinary Chiropractic Association (2013-2014), Wild West Veterinary Conference (2010), Norwegian Veterinary Chiropractic Association (2020), Hawaiian State Veterinary Association (2022), New York State Veterinary Medical Society and more. With Dr. Judith Shoemaker and Elizabeth Reese, she founded “Postural Rehabilitation”, a professional education venue. Her lectures are featured on The Equine Documentalist, Centaur Biomechanics and Equidemia. Dr. Gellman’s company DVM Detective offers professional training in equine posture to horse professionals, in online and in-person formats, and provides a world wide directory of professionals trained in restoring equine neutral posture. Learn more about the or head to /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/34116496

WH131 | Shifting how we think about breathing with Holly Barnett 10/28/2024

WH131 | Shifting how we think about breathing with Holly Barnett In this episode with Holly Barnett, I learned all about the new style of breathwork she created called InteroBreath, which is a way of working with the breath that focusses on our sixth sense, interoception. Holly walks us through the definition of this breathing practice, including what interoception is, how she developed it, why it's so powerful for our health and well-being, and the impact practicing it can have on our horses' well-being! We also discussed Holly's top not-so-secret secrets as a bodyworker and saddle fitter of over 20 years' experience, and what she's noticed as being the keys to real results in the industry. Holly is a professional Breathwork Facilitator with a background in Applied Neuroscience. When faced with a sudden surgery she used her knowledge to create a modality to reduce stress, manage her emotions and regulate her nervous system. This method prepared her for a major surgery which resulted in the ideal internal environment for healing. Interoception is the ability to sense, interpret and integrate signals from your body. It is well researched as a fundamental aspect to physical and mental well-being. This practice activates your body's innate healing capabilities and is foundational for self-awareness, self-regulation and self-trust. Breathwork is the conscious awareness and manipulation of your breathing patterns that promote physical, mental and emotional well-being. InteroBreath combines the profound healing and regulating properties of Interoception & Breathwork. Each session is unique, and participants report feeling deeply peaceful post session. Holly leads InteroBreath Club which offers live sessions twice a week. Members (many of whom joined back in January) include equestrians, equine veterinarian, farrier, bodyworker and all report a deeper connection with equine companions and clients through InteroBreath. Holly’s mission is to empower people around the world to find inner peace and power by connecting them to their breath and inner state. Equestrians have the added advantage of cultivating even deeper relationships with their equine partners during co-regulation and shared heart space. Holly resides in Puslinch, ON (just west of Toronto, Canada) with her shepherd Jazz, Siamese Cliff and her horses Whiskey & George. Catch up with Holly on her socials, or sign up for her breath club via her website: /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/32872702

WH130 | Horses as muses, teachers, and guides with artist Kim McElroy 10/09/2024

WH130 | Horses as muses, teachers, and guides with artist Kim McElroy As we wrap up season 7, I was honoured to sit down for a conversation with the artist Kim McElroy. As you'll hear in this episode, I met Kim in 2007 through a series of synchronistic events, and was struck by her presence even then. I then had the opportunity to be inspired by her art as I regularly pulled cards from the Way of the Horse, her collaborative deck with Linda Kohanov. In this episode, timed for the release of her newest collaboration with one of my mentors Sandra Wallin, the Council of Horses Oracle deck, you'll learn about the almost 20 year journey from first inspiration for this deck to this moment, how Kim and Sandra chose which mythical and modern-day horses to include, what it meant to create a lasting legacy for many of the horses and herds included in this deck, and how art can be the deepest expression of essence, energy and emotion. Kim also unveils one of her original works of arts included in the deck, the Mythic Horse, which I've shared on my main podcast page. This chat was a walk through the past as it caught up with our present, and it was a chance for reflection on what a journey it has been for both of us! Definitely one of my favourite conversations to date, and as you can hear, I love the perks of this job, like being gifted a gorgeous horse oracle deck created by two women I hold very dear. I love the way this deck doesn't tip toe around the tough stuff - and the way Kim continues to be a fierce advocate for the horse. Kim McElroy has been drawn to horses since childhood, and as soon as she could hold a crayon, this manifested as her art. For more than thirty years, she has been known for her intuitive understanding of the sentient nature of horses and her ability to infuse her art with their spiritual energy. She distills this energy into expressions of the horses' quintessential essence in ways that transcend how they are traditionally defined. Through her incredible mastery of pastels, and her talent in writing about her visionary insights, she conveys the power and beauty of the horse’s form—yet more than that, she offers us a timeless glimpse of its soul. Kim is the co-author and illustrator of The Council of Horses, illustrator and co-creator of Way of the Horse: Equine Archetypes for Self-Discovery deck and guidebook by Linda Kohanov, the author and illustrator of the Way of the Horse Journal, and From Heart to Art: A Chronicle of the Experiences, Philosophies, and Inspirations behind the Artwork of Kim McElroy In 2000, Kim and her husband, Rod, created SkyeLandeSea sanctuary in Washington State, where they provided loving forever homes to rescued horses and a menagerie of other animals. Now that their beloved horses have joined the Council, their sanctuary is home to a resident herd of wild but well-fed deer, and two capricious housecats. Kim offers studio tours by appointment. Visit her website at spiritofhorse.com.and her eCards website spiritofhorsecards.com Facebook: Spirit of Horse Gallery https://www.facebook.com/SpiritOfHorseGallery/ Instagram: spiritofhorse https://www.instagram.com/spiritofhorse/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spiritofhorsegallery /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/33343332

WH129 | Unmasking sensitivity to be better (horse) people with Lori Halliday 09/24/2024

WH128 | Becoming nervous system navigators with Wired 4 Connection author Lucie Klaassen 09/01/2024

WH127 | Speaking the language of horses with Belinda Bolsenbroek 08/16/2024

WH127 | Speaking the language of horses with Belinda Bolsenbroek In this episode I was joined by classical horse trainer Belinda Bolsenbroek for an amazing conversation about the way she merges scientific study with historical, artful ways of partnering with horses. I had the pleasure of auditing a clinic of Belinda’s awhile ago, and it was great to be able to sit down together to talk about her latest work doing equine dissections and the wealth of knowledge she has accrued over her years of being a rider, trainer and horsewoman. Much of our discussion centred around the many subtle ways in which horses communicate with us, and how by improving our understanding of the nature of these creatures, we can offer them the life they deserve and partner with them in a way that is mutually fulfilling and beneficial. Belinda Bolsenbroek is an internationally respected coach and a leading figure in classical equitation. With over two decades of experience, she has devoted her life to the art and science of horsemanship, guiding countless individuals toward healthy and meaningful connections with their equine companions. Belinda's philosophy incorporates a lifetime of exploration, research, training, and experience, melding the long-established principles of the old masters with the more recent discoveries of science. This scope of education enables her to provide valuable perspectives and enriching discussions on the vast range of topics that present to the conscientious rider. Belinda's dedication, expertise, and passion for improving the welfare of our equine partners are shared both nationally and internationally through her Academy. Based in Australia, the Academy fosters a supportive international community that brings together industry professionals and amateur riders alike, all sharing the common goal of improving the welfare of horses worldwide. You can learn more about Belinda and the Academy at Register for my signature program, the Whole Horse Apprenticeship, at /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/32378712

WH126 | What horses can teach us about healthy boundaries with Kim Hallin 08/02/2024

WH126 | What horses can teach us about healthy boundaries with Kim Hallin What a deep and necessary conversation I had the pleasure of sharing with Kim Hallin, owner of Unbridled LLC. Kim’s tagline is “Stay true to yourself so you can stay true to your horse” and this is exactly the road we went down in this episode, exploring the world of boundaries in ourselves, in our horses and in the equine industry at large. It was so insightful to hear Kim’s experience and perspective on why boundaries are the foundation of the work she offers, and to get to chat about some areas where I see this edge coming up in my own life and in my communities. We rounded off the episode with some thoughts as to how this all pertains to horse-keeping, and I even teased a bit of information on my soon-to-be launched new business (listeners of the podcast will be the first to know when it is ready!), Outside the Box Equine. Kim Hallin is the founder and equine-inspired soul guide at Unbridled, LLC in Charleston, SC and the author of Horse Wisdom: Life Lessons for Humanity. A compassionate horsewoman who upholds the integrity of the horse, she loves facilitating transformational healing experiences between humans and equines. She specializes in teaching the subject of boundaries based in nature’s model of a healthy herd community. Kim is a naturally gifted mentor and guide who nurtures supportive learning environments that shift perspectives while ensuring all participants (two legged and four legged) feel safe, honored and supported. In 2017, Kim left a 20-year career in higher education management and fundraising to focus her full-time energies on launching Unbridled. The driving motivation behind Kim’s work is her own personal experience of partnering with horses to discover (and remember) what it means to look to Mother Nature for our answers. Find out more about her self-paced and full-support options for her course Finding Freedom Through Boundaries here: I hope our conversation leaves you with some food for thought; stay tuned for more! To register for my signature program, the Whole Horse Apprenticeship, go to /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/32250977

WH125 | Taking a 3Fs approach to providing good horse care with Lauren Fraser 07/17/2024

WH125 | Taking a 3Fs approach to providing good horse care with Lauren Fraser This week on the podcast I spoke with equine behaviour specialist Lauren Fraser, the woman behind the 3 Fs (Friends, Forage, Freedom) framework for species-appropriate horse management. As you might imagine, I was excited to pick her brain on the intersection between equine life-styles and environments and their behaviour. Our conversation ranged into many interesting territories, such as the direct links between deficits in the 3Fs and the problem behaviour we may encounter as a result, the negative effects our human mindsets can have when it comes to providing appropriate lifestyles for our horses, and a few notes at the end around co-operative care and the benefit of taking enough time to train our horses so we can prevent fear and trauma rather than rehabilitate it. Lauren Fraser is an experienced horsewoman, who has worked professionally with horses since 2006. Prior to her current specialisation, Lauren taught riding and horsemanship, and trained horses. Lauren provides horse behaviour consultations remotely worldwide. She also teaches others about horse behaviour, regularly guest lecturing for several universities, and delivering educational courses through the Understand Horses website. Lauren also mentors horse trainers who are interested in better understanding and addressing horse behaviour problems. Lauren holds an equine science certificate from the University of Guelph, and obtained her MSc in clinical animal behaviour through the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. Lauren's dissertation research examined the behaviour of horses subjected to ‘laying down’ during training. Lauren was the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultant’s (IAABC) horse division chair from 2013-2021 and was an IAABC application review committee member from 2012-2023. She is an International Society of Equitation Science practitioner member, as well as a Fear Free® Certified Professional. Lauren currently has three horses: an Andalusian, an Arabian, and an Arabian/Quarter horse. She has tried her hand at many things with her horses over the years, including limited distance endurance riding, bridleless riding and liberty work, as well as working cattle and progressing her horses from the hackamore, into the two-rein. Lauren particularly enjoys training cooperative care behaviours, and teaching ‘clean slates’: giving young horses solid foundations. When not with her horses, Lauren can be found mountain biking, taking her dogs to dock diving competitions, or playing the ukulele, poorly. You can explore Lauren's work at or find her on TikTok @horsebehaviourtok /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/30943548

WH124 | Releasing Tension to build trust with Jim Masterson 07/01/2024

WH124 | Releasing Tension to build trust with Jim Masterson In this episode with reknowned equine body worker Jim Masterson, I got to know the origin story behind the Masterson Method and ask Jim about his perspective on a wide range of important topics including consent, pain and environment for our horses. One of my favourite take-aways from our conversation is the simple yet profound power of observation. Jim is skilled in mindful observation when it comes to attuning to horses and helping them release tension, and this is a skill that anyone can learn. We chatted about how, over time, this visual awareness begins to translate into a felt sense and improved palpatory skills, and how ultimately working on our horses' physical bodies becomes a relationship and trust building activity. If you've yet to try Jim's cornerstone technique, the Bladder Meridian, head over to or to learn how, and be sure to let us know how your horse responds! Jim Masterson is the founder of The Masterson Method – a breakthrough form of equine bodywork which helps enhance performance, suppleness, mobility, and comfort whilst developing the relationship and bond of trust between the horse and owner. He began his career in 2000, working on horses competing in U.S. Show Jumping events, before going on to become the Equine Bodywork Therapist for the USEF Endurance Team from 2006, through 2014. Since then, Jim’s worked on thousands of equine athletes, competing in events such as the FEI World Cup, Pan American and World Equestrian Games competitions. He's the author of Beyond Horse Massage and Dressage Movements Revealed, and last year he paired up with Dr. Robin Robinett, DVM to release a new book, Beyond Dog Massage which applies the same intuitive and hands-on approach to help relieve soreness and achieve connection. Since 2006, over 10,000 people have attended Masterson Method Weekend Courses, and Jim and his instructors have trained over 500 Certified Practitioners in 20 countries. Jim’s vision is to have every horse on the planet experience the Bladder Meridian Technique at least once, and to empower owners, carers, competitors or professionals with the means to deeply connect with their horse or dog. /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/30994923

Whole Horse | The wisdom of nature and the body with Julie Anne Lee, DCH 06/04/2024

Whole Horse | The wisdom of nature and the body with Julie Anne Lee, DCH This episode with holistic practitioner and classically trained homeopath Julie Anne Lee is absolutely jam packed with digestible, insightful information about the often-mysterious practice of homeopathy and some super helpful facts about remedy usage. Additionally, we chat about feeding medicinal mushrooms to horses, and how the wisdom of mushrooms matches up beautifully with horses, and Julie shares the intention behind her signature equine-specific probiotic, one of my personal favourtie products. Whether you’ve dabbled in using homeopathic remedies with your horses or have never ventured into this healing method, I can guarantee you’ll walk away from this discussion with an improved understanding as to how this medicine functions as well as tips for using it effectively. I'm so grateful for Julie's perspective, and to be a proud representative of her brand! Julie Anne Lee, DCH, RCSHom, has been the owner and practitioner of some of the busiest and long-standing holistic veterinary hospitals and clinics in North America. Graduating from the Vancouver Academy of Homeopathy’s 4 year Homeopathic Medicine Program, she has studied with some of the world's leading veterinary homeopaths, including UK veterinarians, Dr. Sue Armstrong, Dr. Mark Elliot, Dr. Peter Gregory and Dr. John Saxton. She then completed a four year program with the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons, BAHVS, where she is now an Associate Member. She also co-founded and taught a three-year post-graduate program to veterinarians in Canada with Dr Sue Armstrong to help bridge the gap between human and animal homeopathic medicine. Julie is now the founder and co-owner of the Adored Beast Apothecary, where she formulates holistic pet care products. She is also a pioneer in studying the animal microbiome and developing protocols for optimizing gut health - all part of a rapidly expanding picture and understanding of the crucial role the microbiome plays in the health of all our animals and ourselves. She's also part of a research and development team examining, producing, and formulating unique, first-in-the-industry species-specific probiotics and functional prebiotics for animals. Currently, Julie is in her fifth year of an extensive research project on canine cancer at Dalhousie University. The research has already led to the filing of a patent on a new manufacturing process and formulation and the publication of two peer-reviewed original research articles. Julie is also doing research and development within her medical mushroom forest, Myco-Biome, in Nova Scotia, Canada. Julie lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, on her rescue farm, Joseph's Field. Learn more about Julie Anne and order her products at (and Alexa is now a distributor for anyone living on Vancouver Island!). /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/30994808

Whole Horse | Making the hardest choice with Diana Waters 04/01/2024

Whole Horse | Making the hardest choice with Diana Waters In this moving episode I am joined by horse trainer Diana Waters of Responsive Equine. We begin with an overview of some of Diana's formative equestrian experiences, including her passion for training at the walk and its many benefits to the equine-human partnership, and then head into a vulnerable conversation about her journey rescuing a horse whom she diligently and compassionately attempted to rehabilitate, only to ultimately make the incredibly difficult choice to end his life. I am very grateful for Diana’s courage to share the story of her time with this young gelding, Forrest, and for all the moments of wisdom and humanity throughout our discussion. Choosing to lay our animals to rest, especially when they are young and/or struggling with mysterious ailments is often the hardest, most fraught time in our shared lives, and I hope this episode serves as a portal to navigating those spaces with increased self trust and grace. Diana Waters is a qualified riding coach, ethics teacher and equine-assisted psychotherapist. She is passionate about the benefits of walk work with horses, finding a magical place where deep connection and profound changes happen. Inspired by her experiences with the French classical technique of 'School Walk', and after witnessing the incredible benefits of walk work on her own horses, Diana recently created the live online course, , which builds on a foundation of deep connection with gentle classical exercises, utilising the regulated nervous system to bring about long term change. Diana also facilitates a course for other equine-assisted psychotherapists, where they explore how they can further enhance horse-human relationships in their practice. Diana would like to live in a world where horses and humans connect authentically and find joy together. She is on a lifelong journey of learning from the horse and is always looking for ways to better the lives of domesticated horses and to enrich the horse-human relationship. She currently lives in NSW Australia, but dreams of returning to the UK for a simple life of long trail rides in the beautiful countryside. You can visit Diana's website to learn more about her work. /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/30633733

Whole Horse | Allowing room for Emergence in our relationships with our horses and their habitats with Shannon Beahen 03/05/2024

Whole Horse | A call for collaboration to support horses with Dr. Rachel Heart Bellini 03/03/2024

Whole Horse | A call for collaboration to support horses with Dr. Rachel Heart Bellini This week on the podcast I was joined by holistic veterinarian Dr. Rachel Heart Bellini for her perspective and experience of the scope of vet med and the ways in which she’s supplemented her education over the years in order to be of better service to horses. We had a really interesting conversation about the gap and, at times, inconsistencies between body workers and veterinarians, and discussed possible solutions for bridging these professions in a way that optimizes care and treatment for our equines. Whether you’re an equine care provider or a horse owner, this episode will leave you with food for thought on the horse health and wellness industry, and hopefully some new ideas about assessing where to start when it comes to helping the horses in your life feel their best. Heart Equine is owned by Rachel Heart Bellini DVM CVSMT CVA CVBM. Rachel is a holistic sports medicine veterinarian who uses her broad based education, years of experience and MOST importantly a large NETWORK to provide you with the absolute best whole horse solutions available. Rachel began her career on the racetrack, travelling the country with access to the best horses, trainers and veterinarians in the industry. That was followed up by a lengthy stint doing referral sport horse medicine clinic working for an industry pioneer in imaging and treatment of the cervical spine. She had access to the most up to date conventional diagnostic and treatment resources. After hitting a plateau in what she could offer she embarked on what has now been a fifteen year deep dive into multiple non conventional modalities. She has since acquired certifications in both traditional and balance method veterinary acupuncture and veterinary spinal manipulation therapy. Other certifications and trainings include many advanced manual therapy techniques, applied kinesiology, advanced neurology, human classical homeopathy, spiritual and anthroposophical medicine, postural rehabilitation, multiple ISELP courses and canine rehabilitation. Most recently her interests have turned to training techniques doing multiple clinics with industry leaders like Manolo Mendez, Mark Rashid and Celeste Lazaris. What she brings to her clients is a melding of all things with the goal of treating each partnership where they currently are and providing the guidance, support and therapies for long term health and soundness of our equine athletes. Follow Rachel on her FB page, , and visit her website to learn more /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/30209583

Whole Horse | All about track systems for horses with Amy Dell 02/15/2024

Whole Horse | Leading with relationship with Jodine Buydens 02/02/2024

Whole Horse | Restoring functional movement through fascial chains + rib sling work with Christy DiColla 02/01/2024

Whole Horse | Restoring functional movement through fascial chains + rib sling work with Christy DiColla Tune in to this episode with equine sports therapist Christy DiColla for a great chat about her latest work and area of research: rib entrapment and fascial chains. Christy filled me in on how she was seeing common patterns of posture and muscular appearance in her equine clients and how these dysfunctional presentations were chronically affecting movement and performance. She then shared how, through her human bodywork training, she discovered that working with the ribs - due to the nature of their attachments - provided release of these patterns in a number of horses. This has since become a curiosity and passion of hers, and it was lovely to spend the hour talking fascia, highlighting the need for as much movement as possible in our horses, and exploring kinetic lines. I hope our discussion leaves you with a better understanding of what’s going on beneath your horse’s skin, and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of all the body’s systems. Christy is an FEI approved equine sports therapist that travels the U.S. working on everything from Kentucky Derby racehorses, Dressage & Jumpers up to Olympic level, to 5 Star Eventers. She has over 20 years experience in the equine wellness industry. Her equine education began at the University of Georgia Pre-Vet and Animal Science Programs, and from there she has become certified in a variety of equine & human bodywork modalities. Christy specializes in a wide range of bodywork modalities including myofascial kinetic line balancing, neurovascular conditioning, electo-fascial stim, PEMF therapy, joint mobilization, and her unique RIB ENTRAPMENT balancing technique. Christy has been a student of the kinetic myofascial lines since 2017, and has worked ever since finding techniques on how to alleviate neurovascular entrapments along these lines. She is also a Master Reiki practitioner and a Balanced Body Movement Specialist for people. You can learn more about her work at: /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/29756208

Whole Horse | Centring the horse in our horse keeping and training with Lockie Phillips 01/10/2024

Whole Horse | Healthy Land, Healthy Horses with Jane Myers of Equiculture 01/02/2024

Whole Horse | Holistic + horse-first hoofcare with Kendra Skorstad 12/23/2023

Whole Horse | Geek out with Alexa and Elisse: Senior Horse Care + The Rule of the Artery 12/17/2023

Whole Horse | Geek out with Alexa and Elisse: Senior Horse Care + The Rule of the Artery Today’s conversation with Elisse Miki is a special edition podcast episode that we are affectionately dubbing a ‘geek out’, and we want to hear what you think! This episode is the first of what will be a four-part series together over the next year, and could eventually turn into its very own show if people like you are curious and hungry to listen to more in-depth anatomy and physiology-based discussions. If getting nerdy is your jam, you may even want to start with our previously recorded chats before hitting play on this latest one! We opened up this episode with a look at senior horse management and the crucial role of mobility in maintaining health well into the golden years. Elisse, who’s herd ranges in age from 22 up to 37, shared about the track system she’s set up at her farm and the focus she puts on enrichment and flow in her horses’ environment. This led us beautifully into a discussion on the role of circulation and fluid flow as the underpinnings of a vital body, and why assessing for and restoring vitality from a bodywork perspective is such an important (and yet often overlooked) starting point for treatment. I shared around what is known in osteopathy as the Rule of the Artery, and how understanding that the body prioritizes the function and protection of vessels (arteries, veins and nerves) begins to illuminate why we see certain bracing patterns show up as well as avenues through which we can successfully help unwind them. We round out our chat with a look at the three diaphragms, and invite you to join us in an upcoming webinar where we’ll be sharing two vitality techniques. We would also love to see you in our 2024 Cranial Therapy Certification program - applications are now open: You can register for the equine cranial webinar with Elisse and Alexa at Find out more about how to register for the intro webinar and Q&A at And please send me an email at or shoot me a message on social media if you’d like to hear more episodes like this one! As a human and equine therapist with over 15 years of experience working with clients in a therapeutic setting, Elisse brings a wide variety of modalities into her practice. She began her career working as an Exercise Physiologist having completed her Bachelors in Kinesiology then went on to obtain her Registered Massage Therapy Licence. She has since gone on to complete Diplomas in Equine Therapy, Equine Craniosacral, and is currently in the process of completing both her Human and Equine Osteopathy Diplomas concurrently. Elisse is also an Instructor of RMT at the West Coast College of Massage Therapy and a Certified Equine Assisted Learning Instructor. Some of her clients include the Langley Equestrian Academy, Cloverdale Rodeo, and the International Professional Rugby 7s teams. Her current focus lies in research and development of current standards of practice in the equine industry. Website – Email – Facebook Personal – Facebook Business Page – Equilibria Therapeutics – /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/29112078

Whole Horse | How empathy creates safer spaces for humans and horses with Michele Arana 12/01/2023

Whole Horse | Restoring the care, beauty and grace of dressage with Karen Rohlf 11/17/2023

Whole Horse | Building calm, connection, and communication with calming signals and equine scent work with Rachaël Draaisma 11/02/2023

Whole Horse | Building calm, connection, and communication with calming signals and equine scent work with Rachaël Draaisma Every year at the beginning of the Whole Horse Apprenticeship, I ask participants what they are most interested in learning or exploring during our six months inside the program together. This year, several people wanted to delve into the nuances of equine body language in order to refine their skills and knowledge when it comes to assessing and responding to their horse's communication signals, so I was excited to connect with Rachaël Draaisma, author of Language Signs and Calming Signals of Horses, for this episode all about her areas of expertise! Not only did we get into a few practical examples of reading facial expressions to gauge tension levels in horses, Rachaël also shared about using Scent Work as a tool for cultivating more emotional balance in our horses. She noted the importance of observing the amount, as well as the sequence, of calming signals and displacement behaviours shown, and how it can often feel like solving a puzzle when it comes to putting it all together to get a clear sense of the horse's inner experience. She also shared some simple ways to begin doing scent work with your own horses as a way to build curiousity and regulation. Alas, this never-ending learning is all part of the fun and what fuels us as horse people. I hope our conversation peaks your curiousity to take a closer look at all the ways in which horses communicate, and if you're interested in deepening that communication stay tuned for two special announcements at the end of this episode! Behaviour consultant Rachaël Draaisma is well known for her large-scale research on Calming Signals in horses. Under the mentorship of Turid Rugaas, she started to firstly map the horses’ levels of tension in response to a variety of everyday stimuli in a livery environment. Secondly, she started to investigate if horses use relationship-managing signals in response to stimuli in their environment that they want to appease to avert conflict and maintain social relationships - they have chosen the term Calming Signals to refer to these signals. Thirdly, she investigated how tension relates to possible Calming Signals. Video footage forms the basis of the study. Hundreds of videos of domesticated horses of various breeds in interaction with humans, or with humans in proximity of twenty meters, were analysed. The study led to the description of 20 calming signals horses use to appease each other and calm themselves to keep a positive social climate and avoid negative escalations. It also led to the description of ten communication ladders that represent ways a horse may interact to stimuli around them. Every step on the ladder represents a tension level and gives features and behaviours, which makes them a valuable tool to assess your horse. And to see if possible tension is declining or rising. This study led to the book Language signs and calming signals of horses and is published by CRC press in 2017. It has been translated to several languages, of which Dutch, French, Chinese, Czech and Polish language are a few to mention. This study is ongoing. And Rachael keeps working on studying communicative signals of horses, with an emphasis on the calming signals of horses. Another pilar of Rachaël’s working life with horses evolves around equine mental stimulation and scentwork. Rachaël developed an extensive method to do scent tracking with horses. Where she teaches horses to follow a footstep track, so they can find lost persons, or food bags. Tracking has enormous advantages for horses, on their behaviour, their brain and body. But scent tracking with horses is also enriching for humans and can be seen as a new tool in enriching the human equine relationship. Rachaël develops tracking to a level that she uses it as a sole (primary) activity for horses. Rachaël is founder in offering mental stimulation and scent work activities as a method in her work with horses who have behavioural challenges. Rachaël’s second book ‘Scentwork for Horses’ is published in English and Dutch in 2021. Rachaël travels throughout Europe and the globe to lecture or give workshops about Calming signals of horses, and equine mental stimulation and scentwork. Many Universities and educations are interested in her work. China, Denmark, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Slovak, France, Sweden, The UK, the United States of America, The Netherlands, are only a few countries she has visited. Rachaël has developed an online course on Calming signals of horses. The English version will be available from 26th of October 2023 and on. The online course on Equine mental stimulation & Scentwork will be offered online in the beginning of 2024. For more information: or /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/28500644

Whole Horse | How ritual can support accessibility and connection in horsemanship with Kathryn Hofstetter of Open Heart Horsemanship 10/19/2023

Whole Horse | How ritual can support accessibility and connection in horsemanship with Kathryn Hofstetter of Open Heart Horsemanship Kathryn is currently running a four-week class called Ritual Crafting for Barn and Stable, and I was excited to have a chat with her about how she weaves the practice of ritual into her life as a horsewoman and facilitator. Throughout our conversation, Kathryn offered insights and tools that horse-people far and wide can tap into to deepen their relationship with themselves and their horses. Kathryn shared that intention really is the golden thread that ties potency and power to our activities with our horses, and that developing rituals can be as simple and accessible as asking ourselves questions and doing the inner work to be able to hear and honour the answers — no extra supplies required. We also touched on some nuances surrounding the conversation of consent with our horses, especially as it pertains to introducing ritual to our interactions with them, and some tips on connecting to our heart centre so that we can craft clear and aligned intentions. We rounded off the episode with an important piece of awareness surrounding cultural appropriation, and I was so grateful to hear Kathryn’s thoughtful perspective. The changing of the seasons (especially here in the Northern Hemisphere as we move towards winter) is always a rich time to slow down and reflect on our journey with our horses, so I hope this episode inspired you to try new ways of connecting and relating with your equine loved-ones. Kathryn Hofstetter is an Equine Trauma Specialist, Holistic Horsemanship Mentor, Equine Herbalist, Usui and Equine Reiki Master Teacher, Shadow Work Doula, and practicing folkloric Green Witch with over twenty years of horsemanship experience and nearly fifteen years of experience as an educator in the equine industry. With her diverse combination of professional modalities and academic experiences, Kathryn brings an eclectic perspective to the ways we can bridge the gap between the practical and the mystical aspects of inner work and connection with horses. Check out Kathryn’s website and follow her on IG @openhearthorsemanship /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/28370537

Whole Horse | De-bunking dominance theory + how research can inform best practices with our horses with Shelby Dennis of Milestone Equestrian 10/17/2023

Whole Horse | De-bunking dominance theory + how research can inform best practices with our horses with Shelby Dennis of Milestone Equestrian Having seen Shelby's recent social media post titled circulating the internet, I knew I had to have her on the show for a conversation about this important, and often controversial, topic. After presenting the current research on dominance theory and de-bunking this long-standing perspective on horsemanship, we mused about why horse people are so committed to this alpha mindset despite what science has since proven on the social dynamics of horses. Shelby then offered her advice to folks who are on the path of overhauling their attitudes and actions when it comes to horsemanship and horse keeping, as someone who began that process herself almost 10 years ago. We rounded out the episode with a critical look at the typical weaning process, and how, ultimately, our practices surrounding this vulnerable time in our horses' lives mirrors the equestrian industry's grip on outdated, human-centric philosophies that do not place the horses welfare and wellness at the forefront of our decisions and activities. Oh, how we could go on! It was such a pleasure to have this fellow Pacific Northwesterner on for a matter-of-fact chat on these subjects, and I hope our discussion helps you continue to advocate for positive change in our horse world! Shelby Dennis is a 27 year old professional horse trainer and behaviour consultant based in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. Shelby has over 22 years of experience with horses. From the Arabian horse circuit to hunter/jumper to dressage and exercising race horses, Shelby’s practical experience with different kinds of horses has made her a well rounded horse person. On top of her practical experience, Shelby has also taken her post-secondary studies seriously, taking several Equine Science based courses through Guelph to work towards her Certificate of Equine Science, choosing to emphasize her studies and education on Equine Behaviour. In early 2021, Shelby received her Equine Behaviour Consultant certification from the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants. You can find out more about Shelby through her website /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/28271159

Whole Horse | Observing posture and behaviour to meet your horse where they are with Equine Physiotherapist Yasmin Stuart 09/21/2023

Whole Horse | Observing posture and behaviour to meet your horse where they are with Equine Physiotherapist Yasmin Stuart This week I was joined by Equine Physiotherapist Yasmin Stuart, who is also a BTMM apprentice trainer with Celeste Lazaris. As I recently enrolled in Celeste Lazaris’ self-study Nerve Release Technique course, it felt very aligned to connect with Yasmin for a chat about her work and the patterns she’s been noticing amongst her clients through the lens of posture and nerve impingement. She thoughtfully explained her findings on the relationship between posture and behaviour, and outlined the need to consider these two variables in tandem in order to make informed assessments about our horses’ suitability for being ridden. I have been delving into this work with my own girls for a little while now, so I was excited to hear Yasmin’s perspective on my observations and queries, such as the difference between conformation and posture. It was wonderful to discuss our mutual love for these important and nuanced aspects of health, welfare and wellness for horses. I hope our conversation leaves you feeling empowered to pick and choose methods and modalities that resonate for you and your horse, and to meet your horse where they are. Yasmin is an internationally sought-after practitioner and lecturer in Equine Physiotherapy, who has taught clinics in the USA, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Italy and Spain. Yasmin has been in practise as an Equine Physiotherapist for over 8 years and was the Programme Manager for Equine Physiotherapy at the Open College of Equine Studies, where she spent 3 years in charge of the training and development of the next generation of Equine Physiotherapists. Yasmin is passionate about welfare-led interactions with all animals and this is evidenced by her thirst for evidence-based practice which truly puts the horse’s perception of their experience first - not only during treatments but also through educating their owners to make well-informed choices which contribute to their horse’s overall emotional and physical wellbeing via their management and exercise. She firmly believes that there is a better way to do things for our horses. A humane way, that puts the needs of the horse firmly at its centre and she is excited about how the equine industry is beginning to change in light of this. Yasmin connected with Celeste-Leilani Lazaris - better known as the Travelling Horse Witch - and studied her Nerve Release Technique and has since become one of Celeste's apprentice trainers. Yasmin has recently released an online course - The Fundamentals of Horse Posture - which aims to educated horse owners and professionals alike on horse posture and how to identify presentations outside of the norm. /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/28108451

The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

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