# Curious Equestrian
> In-depth interviews and articles on horse health, behaviour, and training — for riders who want to understand, not just follow instructions. Subscribe free.
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Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [Are you a curious equestrian?](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/about.md) - You've done everything right. You've taken the lessons, read the books, watched the clinicians. You genuinely care about your horse. And yet something still feels off. Maybe it's a training method everyone swears by that leaves you quietly uneasy. Maybe it's advice from someone very confident that…
- [Field notes](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/field-notes.md) - Long reads that take one question and follow it into the research. Slower than the newsletter, and every source read in full rather than summarised.
- [A free newsletter for riders who want to understand what’s really going on with horses.](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/free-newsletter-for-curious-equestrians.md) - Always the same question underneath: what's actually going on here, and what does it mean for the horse.
- [How we are funded](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/how-we-are-funded.md) - Curious Equestrian is funded by the people who listen to it. Everything we make (the podcast, the newsletter, the After-Hours Tapes, the field notes) is free for everyone, and it stays that way. Each episode costs about £200 to produce the work you hear and see: the interview, the edit, the video.…
- [Your in the credits now.](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/you-are-in-the-credits-now.md)

## Posts
- [Breathing all wrong, and the other habits horses forgive](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-rider-fitness-ciara-glaisher.md) - Ciara Glaisher treats horses and their riders as one system. This week: the breathing habit most of us picked up at school, and what it does in the saddle.
- [Horse sleep: what the research shows, and where it runs out.](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/field-notes/horse-sleep.md) - The strongest signal in the research is a horse nobody has watched lie down. Four papers on what that means, and the number everyone quotes that has no source.
- [I learned to ride before I learned anything about horses](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/i-learned-to-ride-before-i-learned-anything-about-horses.md) - She asks the question most of us never think to ask: if the only reward on offer is the removal of something annoying, where is the horse's reason to actually enjoy the work?
- [Treated like kings, when all they want is to be horses](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-racing-welfare.md) - The deaths, she says, are the easiest thing to see and, oddly, among the easier things to fix; fewer runners, lower fences, a better start. What is harder, and far more common, is the ordinary life of a racehorse when no camera is pointed at it.
- [We don't have a throwaway problem, do we?](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/throw-away-horses-documentary-uk-interview.md) - This week Anna sat down with Theresa Demarest and Katherine Gregory to talk about Throw Away Horses, a new documentary on Amazon Prime and on Vimeo worldwide. Theresa is the filmmaker (she made Keiko: The Untold Story before this); Katherine runs Colorado Horse Rescue, a roughly two-million-dollar-…
- [13 owners and not one came forward](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/what-horse-rescue-really-costs.md) - One arrived with a microchip logging 13 registered owners. Billy contacted every single one. Not one was interested.
- [Free lessons, funded by followers: is this what saves British riding schools?](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/is-this-what-saves-british-riding-schools.md) - What Chloe has built is not a charity. It is a third economic model. The content funds the sessions; the sessions generate more content; the community grows and the riding school fills with paying clients who found her through the algorithm.
- [The supplier was almost embarrassed to charge what he had to](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/the-supplier-was-almost-embarrassed-to-charge-what-he-had-to.md) - The hay in your horse's net tonight may have crossed three borders. Someone lost sleep making sure it got here.
- [The wrong question we ask about horse-human partnership](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-human-partnership-right-question.md) - Communication in this tradition is less about training methods that produce compliance and more about building the kind of trust and mutual understanding where the horse can actually choose to participate.
- [What your horse's "ticklishness" is actually telling you](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/what-your-horses-ticklishness-is-actually-telling-you.md) - The conversation covers horse massage as a practical tool for owners, not just professionals. Three checks you can do every week (grooming reactions, carrot stretches in both directions, a tight circle on both reins) that build up a picture of what's normal, so you notice when something changes.
- [She's helped horses in 26 countries with tape](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/shes-helped-horses-in-26-countries-with-tape.md) - The Woman Rewriting Equine Rehabilitation 30 Years, 26 Countries, & Rolls of Tape.
- [Wild horse behaviour: what 20 years of research reveals about domestic horses.](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/wild-horse-behaviour-what-20-years-of-research-reveals-about-domestic-horses.md)
- [Swapping hay? Horse nutritionist explains why it takes 7-10 days](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/swapping-hay-horse-nutritionist-explains-why-it-takes-7-10-days.md) - But Claire’s advice was practical. She calls it the "Overlap Strategy." It means keeping just three or four bales of the old batch back, specifically to mix in when the new load arrives. It is a tiny logistical change that protects the gastric health we spend a fortune trying to fix.
- [The native ponies we are losing](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/the-native-ponies-we-are-losing.md) - The rare breed ponies Britain is losing — and what disappears with them
- [The motivation equation](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/the-motivation-equation.md) - There is more than one way up a mountain with horses, and doggedly sticking to one method is not always in your horse's best interests. Doing what works for your horse in a given moment of its life can help create an unbreakable bond
- [Give Them Choice. Why Track Systems Work.](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/give-them-choice-why-track-systems-work.md) - I've always known track systems were about movement and forage and hoof health. I hadn't properly understood they were about giving horses back their choices.
- [Paramedic Advice for Horse Riders](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/paramedic-advice-horse-riders.md) - This week’s episode is perhaps one of the most important safety conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast. Anna Louise is joined by Mike Elkins from the South Central Ambulance Service to discuss the reality of horse riding accidents and, crucially, how to prepare for them. Mike is the force behi…
- [Horse euthanasia, grief, and the guilt nobody warns you about](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-euthanasia-grief-sophie-cookson-king.md) - This covers the practical and emotional realities of horse loss, including euthanasia. Challenging content, but essential preparation.
- [From Medieval Jousting to Modern Horsemanship](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/simple-good-horsemanship-jonny-brown.md) - interview with Johnny Browne, Professional Horseman & Former Royal Armouries Rider Interpreter
- [Classical vs Modern Dressage - Finding the Lost Connection](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/classical-vs-modern-dressage.md) - Why the art of horsemanship is reclaiming its soul—and what it means for every rider
- [Keeping Cool. The Science Behind Equine Heat Management](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/the-science-equine-cooling.md) - Why traditional cooling methods fail when temperatures soar and what actually works when every minute counts.
- [How Amateur Owners Are Spotting Pain in Horses Like Experts (Using This Tool)](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/how-amateur-owners-are-spotting-pain.md) - Harmonious Horsemanship Review: The 24-Point Scientific Checklist That's Changing Everything
- [What If Your Horse Is Hiding Trauma? The Truth Behind the Calm](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/what-if-your-horse-is-hiding-trauma.md) - Why "quiet, obedient" horses might actually be shut down and struggling
- [Understanding the true nature of horses through trust and choice](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/discovering-the-true-nature-of-horses.md) - Perhaps the most radical idea in this episode is that horses should have agency in their interactions with humans. Dr Keeson's research methodology demonstrates that when horses are given genuine choices about participation, they often choose to engage – but on their terms.
- [The Race to Document America's Disappearing Wild Horses](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/americas-wild-horse-crisis.md) - Documenting wild horses across the American West
- [The Horse That Chose Me](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/the-horse-that-chose-me.md) - Sometimes the most broken horse becomes your greatest teacher.
- [The Science Behind Your Horse's Comfort: Why Most of Us Are Getting Saddle Fitting Wrong](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/saddle-fitting-for-horse-health.md) - We've been placing saddles incorrectly for generations – and our horses are paying the price.
- [When Strangers Hold Your Horse's Life in Their Hands](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/stop-feeding-our-horses.md) - The Stop Feeding Campaign That's Saving Lives
- [Finding Freedom Through the Lens](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/wild-horse-photography.md) - How Wild Horses Taught One Photographer to Heal
- [Why Horses Make Better Therapists Than Humans: Kate Nelligan's Curious Journey](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/why-horses-make-better-therapists.md) - What happens when a television executive trades corporate burnout for a grey Arabian mare with trust issues?
- [Why a successful lawyer gave up a six figure salary for ranch life](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/why-a-successful-lawyer-gave-up-a-six-figure-salary-for-ranch-life.md) - Amy Cullen's career change reveals uncomfortable truths about modern horse ownership. Then a wildfire tested everything she'd learned about what really matters.
- [What horses offer when you choose never to ride them](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/what-horses-offer-when-you-choose-never-to-ride.md) - What horses truly offer when we meet them on the ground
- [The Forever Home Myth](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-breeding.md) - Why Good Intentions Aren't Enough
- [Your horse reaching for that 'poisonous' plant might know something you don't](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-self-medication-cindy-engel.md) - Dr Cindy Engel will completely change how you think about your horse's natural instincts
- [How Horse and Human Brains See the World Differently](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/brain-based-horsemanship-janet-jones-book-review.md) - Dr Jones explained her revolutionary insight during our interview: "Humans tend to rely very strongly on vision. Our brains are actually specialised for vision. Horses' brains are specialised for smell." This fundamental difference creates countless training misunderstandings.
- [The Long Ride Home: The Continuing Story Of A Father's Quest To Heal His Son Rowan](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/long-ride-home-rupert-isaacson-autism-therapy-book-review.md) - When Healing Requires Another Journey
- [What Makes a Horseman a Great Leader](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-trainer-california-vaquero-bridle-horse-techniques.md) - Ben Longwell Interview
- [From Despair to Hope Through Horses](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-boy-rupert-isaacson-autism-equine-therapy-review.md) - The Book That Revolutionized Autism Therapy with One Journey to Mongolia
- [See Your Horse Like Never Before](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/gillian-higgins-horse-anatomy-painted-horses-review.md) - The Book That Paints Anatomy Directly Onto Living Horses
- [The Book That Actually Explains Horse Color Genetics](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/equine-colour-genetics.md) - Lessons from a life of horse breeding
- [The Book That Changes Everything: Why Every Horse Owner Needs "Language Signs and Calming Signals of Horses"](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/the-book-that-changes-everything.md) - Rachaël Draaisma, the Dutch behaviour consultant who revolutionised our understanding of horse communication
- [A Workshop in Horse-Centered Horsemanship](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/a-workshop-in-horse-centered-horsemanship.md) - Training video from Jack and Paula Curtis shows how to create real partnerships by getting curious
- [Jack and Paula Curtis on Modern Horsemanship Challenges](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/building-true-connection-in-horsemanship-with-jack-paula-curtis.md) - The couple receives identical questions from riders worldwide, regardless of skill level: feeding time chaos, pushy horses, separation anxiety, and behind-the-leg issues. Their diagnosis? All these problems stem from the same root cause - lack of genuine connection.
- [Looking Through Their Ears Again: Aisling Byrne's Remarkable Journey Back to the Saddle](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/aisling-byrne-horse-accident-recovery-showjumping.md) - From 'You'll Never Walk Again' to International Show Jumping: An Equestrian's Extraordinary Comeback Story
- [Riding with Confidence: What Your Horse Needs First](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/building-confidence-for-stress-free-horse-riding.md) - With the right mindset, preparation, and training approach, you can cultivate a calm, connected partnership with your horse, even in the face of unpredictable environments.
- [Dressage In Hand](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/josefa-guillaume-redefining-dressage-horses-as-companions.md) - What Horses Want You to Know
- [The Surprising Connection Between Nature and Horse Happiness](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/sustainable-land-management-horse-health-happiness.md) - Could the secret to your horse's happiness be right under their hooves?
- [Professional Sheath Cleaning: The Essential Horse Care Service You're Overlooking](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/professional-horse-sheath-cleaning.md) - Why this often-neglected aspect of equine care could be the key to your horse's comfort and wellbeing
- [Training Horses with Kindness](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/clicker-training-horses.md) - "The more you do it, the more you discover that you can develop this beautiful two-way communication with the horse." - Sandra Poppema on the evolving nature of positive reinforcement training
- [Training Horses with Kindness](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/training-horses-with-kindness.md) - Guest: Sandra Poppema, Founder of HippoLogic & creator of The Confident Clicker Trainer method
- [Connection Before Action: From Riding School to Horse Haven](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/riding-school-reimagined.md) - Rethinking the Riding School Model
- [Natural hoof care: what healthy hooves actually look like](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/natural-hoof-care-what-healthy-hooves-look-like.md) - Natural hoof care expert Louise Backholler on why domestic horses struggle with hoof issues wild horses never face.
- [Why Your Horse Needs Mental Stimulation as Much as Physical Exercise](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/why-your-horse-needs-mental-stimulation.md) - We often focus intensely on our horses' physical development, building muscle, improving fitness, and perfecting technical skills. But what about mental stimulation? What about play?
- [Miniature Horses as Athletes: From Rescue to Adventure Races](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/miniature-horses-athletes.md) - Why are miniature horses so often overlooked in the equestrian world? Two remarkable women in New Zealand are changing that perception through an innovative charitable trust.
- [What your horse is telling you through ears, eyes and nose](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-communication-ears-eyes-nose.md) - Zoe Coade | Recognizing and interpreting a horse's sensory systems—from ear movements to nose behaviors—is the key to building trust, effective training, and meaningful communication.
- [Beyond Bridles: Understanding True Liberty Horsemanship with Zoë Coade](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/understanding-liberty-horse-training.md) - What if everything you thought you knew about horse training was limiting your connection? Join us as we explore True Liberty horsemanship with Zoë Coade, founder of Get Good With Horses.
- [Rupert Isaacson on Equine Assisted Therapy and the 'Horse Boy' Method](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/equine-therapy-autism-horse-boy-rupert-isaacson.md) - When journalist Rupert Isaacson's autistic son formed an unexpected bond with a horse, it sparked a journey from Texas to Mongolia and a revolutionary approach to therapeutic riding.
- [Painted Anatomy: How Gillian Higgins Reveals the Inner Workings of Horses](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horses-inside-out.md) - Through her innovative anatomical paintings on live horses, Gillian Higgins is transforming equine education and improving welfare by revealing what happens beneath the surface when horses move.
- [Rethinking the Traditional Riding School: How Think Like A Pony is Transforming Young Lives](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/rethinking-the-traditional-riding-school.md) - Could this Yorkshire riding school's approach transform how we teach young riders?
- [Horse Training the Evidence-Based Way with Lucy Butt](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/equine-behaviorist-lucy-butt.md) - Lucy Butt is quietly revolutionizing how we understand and train our horses, one scientific paper and one practical solution at a time.
- [Lessons from a Life in Horse Breeding](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/lessons-from-a-life-in-horse-breeding.md) - What 50 years of putting horses first can teach us
- [Horse Healing with Margrit Coates](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-healing-with-margrit-coates.md) - strip away the terminology, and what remains is a fundamental truth that any horse person can appreciate: our everyday rushing, agenda-driven interactions with horses often get in the way of truly seeing them.
- [RDA Success Story: How Therapeutic Riding Transformed One Rider's Life](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/rda-uk-therapeutic-riding-success-story.md) - A remarkable journey from RDA beginner to advocate
- [Nature's Answer to Sweet Itch](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/natures-answer-to-sweet-itch.md) - An Ethnobotanist's Perspective on This Common Equine Allergy
- [Rain Rot in Horses: A Complete Guide to Prevention, Treatment, and Management](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/rain-rot-in-horses-a-complete-guide.md) - Understanding and Treating This Common Equine Skin Condition
- [From Track to Hurricane: A Story of Equine Love and Survival](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-owner-hurricane-preparation-cammie-story.md) - Emergency, Innovation, and Love: A Florida Horse Owner's Story
- [The Art of Horse Whispering](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-whispering.md) - Demystifying Natural Horsemanship
- [Horse Lameness: A Revolutionary Approach to Detecting Pain in Horses](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/horse-lameness-a-revolutionary-approach.md) - Dr. Dyson's research gives us the tools to better understand and respond to our horses' needs.
- [Scent Work for Horse Enrichment](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/scent-work-for-horse-enrichment.md) - Satisfying, challenging, fun, and so much more…
- [Warwick Schiller Horse Training](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/warwick-schiller-horse-training-interview.md) - We talk with Warwick about his incredible journey with horses
- [Boys Ride Too](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/boys-ride-too.md) - The Think Like a Pony way demonstrates how looking through your pony's eyes can only take you from strength to strength.
- [Creating a Paddock Paradise: The Ultimate Guide to Natural Horse Keeping](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/creating-a-horse-paddock-paradise.md) - Creating turnout that encourages horses to move facilitates physical and mental wellbeing, writes Jill Willis.
- [Guide to Horse Rugs: When, What and; How Many](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/guide-to-horse-rugs-winter.md) - Ask the Vet: Nikki Pursey
- [Compassionate Mind, Compassionate Horsemanship](https://www.curiousequestrian.co.uk/compassionate-horse-training.md) - An introduction to the psychology of compassion

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