Podcasts, Anyone?

I confess. I am more of a reader than a listener. But I do like to hear podcasts from time to time. Like during last month’s polar vortex, when I spent more time inside than usual, in between my suiting up in 47 layers to venture outside and perform horse care duties, of course!

I appreciate a good sense of humor and enjoy podcasts that are funny or fluffy. Just for their pure entertainment value. But I also appreciate podcasts that make me really think about the topic at hand.

Maybe about, for example, a subject not often addressed in the horse community. Say, the equine veterinary pathology episode I write about later in this post. What a great opportunity to learn something totally new to me!

Or maybe about a “different from what I normally hear” perspective. Like with the Best Horse Practices or Dressage Naturally episodes I link to below. With those types of podcasts, I like the opportunity to really take in what’s being said, reflect on my own reactions and decide what I want to take away from the discussion or the suggestions offered.

And sometimes, I just like listening to a podcast because the author’s journey somehow mirrors my own. Like with the “Senior Horses and The Non-Ridden Equine” episode. These last few years of my horse life have been full of senior horses and/or retired-from-riding horses so I can easily relate to that subject.

I thought all four of these podcasts that I just mentioned were quite interesting and engaging, whether simply for their subject matter or in the way they ended up providing me food for thought. I found myself mulling over their content long after I finished listening.

I’ve listed the links and a bit of info about each episode below. They all have a running time of 44 minutes or less. They are all free to listen to (beyond the price of your internet access, of course). No membership or subscription required.

How about you? Have you heard an equestrian podcast that you really enjoyed? Let me know in the comments section. I’m looking for more listening material before the next wicked weather event comes my way!

Equine Innovators: Pathology Is More Than Just Necropsies
From The Equine Innovators podcast episodes on TheHorse.Com website
Running Time: 44 minutes
Description from The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Healthcare website: “Dr. Uneeda Bryant, DVM describes how veterinary pathologists safeguard horse populations, determine causes of death, and protect the human-animal bond.”

Dream-Observe-Root-Play
Episode 110 of The Dressage Naturally Podcast with Karen Rohlf
Running Time: 37 minutes
Description from the Dressage Naturally website: “In this episode, I’ll share a summary of a recent 4-part Video Series where I give 4 valuable lessons on how to improve how your horse moves, and each lesson has an exercise. I’ll lead you through a process of dreaming, observing, going back to determine the root of any issues, then explain how to use playfulness to improve your horse’s posture and way of moving.”

Coaches Corner with Amy Skinner
Season 3: Episode 12 of The Best Horse Practices Podcast with Jec Ballou and Amy Skinner
Running Time: 28 minutes
Description from the Best Horse Practices website: “Jec and Amy continue a thread that we have recently introduced to our podcast. It’s a pushback from what we see as a trend toward the warm and fuzzies in horse circles. By warm and fuzzies, we mean attending to methods, promotions of hacks, and proclamations that may indeed serve the human and her need to feel connected and in a relationship, but, in fact, don’t serve the horse one bit. Or, even worse, they confuse or neglect the horse . . . I’m starting to form theories around how we in the horse community got to this place. It’s a pendulum thing, for sure, away from a dominance-based approach. But it’s also a result of the pandemic and how very hard that has been for us.”

Senior Horses And The Non-Ridden Equine
Season 4: Episode 65 of The Willing Equine Podcast with Adele Shaw, CHBC
Running Time: 40 minutes
Description from The Willing Equine website: “This episode is dedicated to my gelding Cash, who passed away recently. I share his story and how he was a shining example of just how valuable a non-ridden horse can be.”