He hasn't lain down. Or you haven't seen him.
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.
Latest
I learned to ride before I learned anything about horses
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
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?
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-a-
13 owners and not one came forward
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?
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
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
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
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
The Woman Rewriting Equine Rehabilitation 30 Years, 26 Countries, & Rolls of Tape.
Wild horse behaviour: what 20 years of research reveals about domestic horses.
When Bonny Mealand first started working with wild horses, everything she thought she knew fell apart. Anna Louise asked how that felt. Bonny paused. "It was devastating, actually." She'd grown up like most of us, believing horses existed for our purposes. To ride, to compete, to
Swapping hay? Horse nutritionist explains why it takes 7-10 days
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.
guest post
The motivation equation
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
Episodes
Give Them Choice. Why Track Systems Work.
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.
Episodes
Paramedic Advice for Horse Riders
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
horse welfare
Horse euthanasia, grief, and the guilt nobody warns you about
This covers the practical and emotional realities of horse loss, including euthanasia. Challenging content, but essential preparation.
human stories
From Medieval Jousting to Modern Horsemanship
interview with Johnny Browne, Professional Horseman & Former Royal Armouries Rider Interpreter
dressage
Classical vs Modern Dressage - Finding the Lost Connection
Why the art of horsemanship is reclaiming its soul—and what it means for every rider
the-evidence
Keeping Cool. The Science Behind Equine Heat Management
Why traditional cooling methods fail when temperatures soar and what actually works when every minute counts.
horse welfare
How Amateur Owners Are Spotting Pain in Horses Like Experts (Using This Tool)
Harmonious Horsemanship Review: The 24-Point Scientific Checklist That's Changing Everything
alternative approaches
What If Your Horse Is Hiding Trauma? The Truth Behind the Calm
Why "quiet, obedient" horses might actually be shut down and struggling
the-evidence
Understanding the true nature of horses through trust and choice
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.
human stories
The Race to Document America's Disappearing Wild Horses
Documenting wild horses across the American West
human stories
The Horse That Chose Me
Sometimes the most broken horse becomes your greatest teacher.