The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

In this horse-centred podcast now in it’s sixth 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

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

Whole Horse | Wisdom of the water element + habits to restore balance with Susan Tenney of Elemental Acupressure 08/24/2023

Whole Horse | Perspectives on compassion fatigue + a chat about spines with Dr. Tracy Rainwaters 08/10/2023

Whole Horse | Perspectives on compassion fatigue + a chat about spines with Dr. Tracy Rainwaters It was so great to have Dr. Tracy Rainwaters back on the podcast this week. Tracy reached out to me after listening to my last episode - Unpacking the impact of burnout and adrenaline poisoning in horses and humans with Lockie Phillips and Elsie Reford () - to express how much that conversation landed for her. As the two of us got to talking, it became clear that she and I have been on a parallel path as of late, navigating serious health events and discovering how to find more sustainable ways forward in our professional lives. We delved into the compassion fatigue and grief that can often accompany us in our role as equine care providers, and how learning to hold space for the hard moments rather than working to “fix” them is an ongoing journey. I was grateful for Tracy’s vulnerability in continuing this important discussion, and delighted that we also managed to keep our promise to finally talk about spines! Mid-way through this podcast we switched gears and Tracy shared how she has come to appreciate the spine as a gateway for health and well-being. It was fascinating to hear how she has woven her shamanic, energetic and spiritual lens into her scientific and chiropractic understanding of this incredibly important structure. I hope this episode is both as supportive and interesting for you as it was for me! Dr. Tracy Rainwaters is a human and equine chiropractor with over 16 years of experience in helping animals and their humans thrive. Tracy brings a whole-being approach to healing by looking at a being from the perspective of the energetic/spiritual & the mental/ emotional in order to bring harmony & vitality to the physical body. Tracy uses her skills as an intuitive channel to anchor in the wisdom & healing from the highest aspect of a being, along with her shamanic healing techniques to provide a powerful healing container for animals and their humans. Tracy obtained her Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology. She obtained her Doctorate in chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic, West and her animal chiropractic certification from Options for Animals where she was on the teaching faculty for 6 years. Tracy’s equine practice quickly revealed her animal intuitive abilities as animals started showing her what was occurring energetically and spiritually with themselves and their humans. Horses have been Tracy’s greatest teachers and have ushered down her spiritual path. She spent 2 years training in shamanic energy healing with The Four Winds Society. The shamanic healing practices have profoundly influenced and enhanced how she helps animals and humans heal. Tracy offers classes on intuition development & animal communication, 1:1 healing sessions for people & their animals as well as healing workshops on her farm in western Washington that focuses on allowing the horses to be our guides through a journey of transformation using shamanic medicine wheel as the foundation. Website: Instagram: @dr.rainwaters /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/27713778

Whole Horse | Unpacking the impact of burnout and adrenaline poisoning in horses and humans with Lockie Phillips and Elsie Reford 07/27/2023

Whole Horse | Unpacking the impact of burnout and adrenaline poisoning in horses and humans with Lockie Phillips and Elsie Reford I was delighted to welcome Lockie Phillips back for his third appearance on the podcast to unpack his recent Emotional Horsemanship clinic tour. Joining our conversation was long-time Whole Horse Apprenticeship student, and my new assistant, Elsie Reford, who hosted Lockie for a two-day clinic in her home town of Ottawa, ON and later attended the Whole Horse Clinic that Lockie, Elisse Miki and I hosted in Langley, BC. Together, the three of us reflect on the unique and surprising elements that unfolded during the clinics, including my very real encounter with the alarming consequences of burnout at the end of the first day of the Whole Horse Clinic. This prompted a much wider, and much needed discussion on the pervasive hustle-and-grind culture amongst equine professionals. We shared honestly about the need to fundamentally revise our mindset around productivity and worth, prioritize rest, and turn towards support and collaboration as medicine for moving forward healthily in our demanding horsey careers. I hope this episode reminds you to take good care of yourself and ask for help when you need it. I promise that you, your horses and your clients will all be better for it! Lockie Phillips is an Australian horse trainer, instructor and coach living in Spain. A former professional dancer, Lockie focuses on the emotional well being of horses and humans in his business, Emotional Horsemanship. Learn more at Elsie Reford is a passionate writer and horsewoman, and Alexa's newly appointed virtual assistant! She is currently offering herself as a creative consultant for equine professionals who could use support in managing administrative tasks, writing copy, creating and publishing content and generating ideas, so that they have more time and energy to focus on doing the work they love. Follow along and reach out on Instagram @farout_and_about You can also find her work online at and in the co-authored book Unlocking the Wisdom of Horses Within You available at /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/27583482

Whole Horse | Integrating our shadow selves + experiencing love with our horses with Emily Frost of Kiros Way 07/13/2023

Whole Horse | Beyond equine rehab + finding neutrality with Betsy Vonda 06/22/2023

Whole Horse | Gracefully navigating transitions with our horses with Dr. Tracy Rainwaters 05/23/2023

Whole Horse | Gracefully navigating transitions with our horses with Dr. Tracy Rainwaters What a pleasure to connect with Dr. Tracy Rainwaters! I had goosebumps most of this poignant episode, as there was so much resonance and so many affirmations of my own path and work. We explored more deeply how to navigate death and dying in a healthy and even sacred way, how to more fully listen to horses in all moments and interactions, how to support them in a concrete way through all the transitions they may face, how to wean foals in a more mindful and communicative way, and how to gracefully listen to and receive a no from the horses in our world. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Dr. Tracy Rainwaters is a human and equine chiropractor with over 16 years of experience in helping animals and their humans thrive. Tracy brings a whole-being approach to healing by looking at a being from the perspective of the energetic/spiritual & the mental/ emotional in order to bring harmony & vitality to the physical body. Tracy uses her skills as an intuitive channel to anchor in the wisdom & healing from the highest aspect of a being, along with her shamanic healing techniques to provide a powerful healing container for animals and their humans. Tracy obtained her Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology. She obtained her Doctorate in chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic, West and her animal chiropractic certification from Options for Animals where she was on the teaching faculty for 6 years. Tracy’s equine practice quickly revealed her animal intuitive abilities as animals started showing her what was occurring energetically and spiritually with themselves and their humans. Horses have been Tracy’s greatest teachers and have ushered down her spiritual path. She spent 2 years training in shamanic energy healing with The Four Winds Society. The shamanic healing practices have profoundly influenced and enhanced how she helps animals and humans heal. Tracy offers classes on intuition development & animal communication, 1:1 healing sessions for people & their animals as well as healing workshops on her farm in western Washington that focuses on allowing the horses to be our guides through a journey of transformation using shamanic medicine wheel as the foundation. Website: /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/26933958

Whole Horse | 100th episode + Densensitization Practices that support your horse with Felicity Davies 04/24/2023

Whole Horse | The foundational mechanisms, anatomy and physiology behind cranial work with Elisse Miki 03/23/2023

Whole Horse | The Balance through Movement Method Masterclass Explained with Celeste Lazaris 03/18/2023

Whole Horse | Understanding the history + finding the harmony in our relationship with saddle fit with Claire Marshall 02/01/2023

Whole Horse | Understanding the history + finding the harmony in our relationship with saddle fit with Claire Marshall An archeologist turned saddle fitter? It's the recipe for a completely fascinating conversation, as I found out recently in this episode with Claire Marshall of Plateau Holistic Equine. She had me on the edge of my seat (pardon the saddle pun!) with her in-depth knowledge of saddles and tack through the age, sharing how tack has not come very far at it's essence, how saddles are still a ways off from that elusive "perfect" fit and what we can do to support our horses to find what works for them, why bridging might not be the terrible thing you once thought, what padding has to do with it, and her thoughts on treeless vs treed saddles. If saddles both fascinate and frustrate you, this is a must listen! Claire Marshall of Plateau Holstic Equine; Archaeologist turned saddle fitter and whole horse integration professional. Love of horses in the past and living history education led me to pursue an academic interest in combining, initially; history, archaeology and the role of horses in the past. From being around horses since the age of 11, to providing educational clinics and problem solving the trickiest of fitting horses. The work has evolved over the past 10 years to incorporate specific makers of saddles, from baroque to English, Iberian and historical examples for museums and living historians. Work has evolved from influences as diverse as Mary Wanless, centred riding by Sally Swift, Alexander technique and Science of Motion. This and the respect for how the saddle has developed over time has made for a unique approach to saddle fitting. Working closely with other professionals has proved essential in signposting clients and their horses to other professionals prior to fitting saddles and also thinking more about the technical aspects of fitting the riders and their individual seats to saddles too. Find more about Claire's work at https://plateauholisticequine.com /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/25792758

Whole Horse | The many facets of honouring our horses with Tara Davis of Unbridled Goddess 01/12/2023

Whole Horse | What element is your horse + how knowing can support you both with Susan Tenney 12/19/2022

Whole Horse | What element is your horse + how knowing can support you both with Susan Tenney Ever since Equine Therapy school I was fascinated with the Element theory from Traditional Chinese Medicine and how it provided a lens to understand horses and their health better, as well as understanding myself. Now, many years later, Susan Tenney of Elemental Acupressure re-kindled this fascination for me and I'm so excited to share this super helpful and interesting understanding with you! In this episode we chatted about how to identify the main element of your horse, the behvioural and personality patterns related, the health implications of their key element and how you can help them to be their most healthy, and how you and your horse's main element combine in the most supportive way. Enjoy! Susan’s students and clients say that she positively shines when she works. Her love of animals comes through in everything she does. To illustrate her ideas, Susan can be theatrical – making an idea come alive by panting like a happy dog or drooping her head and sighing like a horse relaxing into a massage. These images stay with students, helping them integrate ancient Chinese Medical concepts into their modern day lives. To Susan, Five Element acupressure for animals is so insightful and powerful that it seems wondrous. She passes on that sense of wonder to her students, clients, and readers. Susan feels strongly that massage and acupressure are for everyone – not just the “experts". This you- can-do-it attitude carries over into her classes where she delights in demystifying Chinese Medicine and Five Element theory. Her deep experience and gentle touch makes her very popular with her students and readers as well as her four-legged clients! Susan teaches the Shiatsu, acupressure and Five Element theory courses. She is the co-founder of Elemental Acupressure along with her husband, Jonathan Cohn. For more information about Susan head to /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/25374279

Whole Horse | Collaborative care + unpacking food rewards with Heather Nelson 12/05/2022

Whole Horse | Homeopathy and gut health with Animal Synergist Sarah Griffiths, DCH 09/28/2022

Whole Horse | Homeopathy and gut health with Animal Synergist Sarah Griffiths, DCH After having incredible success with homeopathy and the products of Adored Beast, I was very excited to sit down for a chat with Sarah Griffiths DCH, and to learn more. Sarah shares about her journey to become a homeopath, how homeopathy works (so cool!), how to administer them for horses, and how to support your horses gut health with homeopathy, probiotics, supplements and more. A conversation packed with helpful and supportive guidance and information, and such a joy to meet and learn from Sarah. Enjoy! Sarah is a partner to the Adored Beast Apothecary and the creator of two companies: The Animal Synergist and Equus Soap Co., located in Langley, BC, Canada. A horse trainer, feline and canine nutritionist, and a classical homeopath, she started her journey into animal wellness as an equestrian and a zookeeper. She has even worked as a commercial falconer. With over 20 years of education and field/clinical experience feeding and caring for wild and domestic animals of a variety of species, Sarah consults with clients and companies across Canada to help them with species-appropriate approaches to animal nutrition. Sarah's unique and deeply caring approach to animal care focuses on providing synergistic wellness planning services and safe, non-toxic grooming options for animals. She’s a strong believer that less is more when it comes to our ever-increasingly toxic environment. We can’t control a lot of things but we can surely control what we feed our animals and what we put on them topically. Sarah holds a Diploma in Classical Homeopathy (DCH) from the Vancouver Homeopathic Academy, a certificate in exotic feline husbandry and is currently completing a 500 hour Clinical Pet Nutritionist program from the Academy of Natural Sciences (CPN Certification) and 100 hour CEN (Clinical Equine Nutritionist). Her mission is to empower as many animal guardians as possible to choose preventative options for their pets without fear or guilt. There is a lot of information out there these days and she believes in providing you with the tools you need to give your animals the best life possible. For more information on Sarah’s companies, visit www.theanimalsynergist.com and www.equussoapco.com /episode/index/show/wholehorse/id/24523212

The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

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