Podcasts about Jec

Jec was raised in a horse training family in Vermont, studied dressage throughout Europe, and eventually settled in California. About 15 years ago, she realized that most of the problems riders struggled with stemmed from their horses not using their bodies well. They lacked strength or coordination, they had muscle imbalances, they were stiff, and so on. Meanwhile, horse training had become too specialized and way too complicated. We needed simple, straightforward tools to help horses use their bodies optimally. This prompted her to write her first book in 2005, 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse and Rider, which was endorsed by the United States Dressage Federation as critical for every rider to own. Three other books followed, all of which have been translated into foreign languages and are widely trusted around the world for helping horses regain freedom of movement, enjoyment of exercise, and strong bodies. Today, she works with students and their equine partners across the globe through publications, customized fitness plans, online courses, and in-person clinics.

Jec was raised in a horse training family in Vermont, studied dressage throughout Europe, and eventually settled in California. About 15 years ago, she realized that most of the problems riders struggled with stemmed from their horses not using their bodies well. They lacked strength or coordination, they had muscle imbalances, they were stiff, and so on. Meanwhile, horse training had become too specialized and way too complicated. We needed simple, straightforward tools to help horses use their bodies optimally. This prompted her to write her first book in 2005, 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse and Rider, which was endorsed by the United States Dressage Federation as critical for every rider to own. Three other books followed, all of which have been translated into foreign languages and are widely trusted around the world for helping horses regain freedom of movement, enjoyment of exercise, and strong bodies. Today, she works with students and their equine partners across the globe through publications, customized fitness plans, online courses, and in-person clinics.

From Defense to Deep Tech: A Mission-Driven PivotSam's professional path began in defense and humanitarian operations, where she witnessed firsthand the enormous waste created by high-tech, mission-critical gear—aircraft components, body armor, and more. Frustrated by the environmental impact and economic loss of disposal, she teamed up with Jamie Meighan, a former RAF officer, to co-found Uplift360: a company that chemically recycles advanced materials like Kevlar and carbon fiber composites, turning waste into high-value resources.Building Uplift360: Science First, Then Everything ElseFounded in 2021 in the UK and now headquartered in Luxembourg, Uplift360 has grown to 16 team members—mostly scientists focused on R&D in materials, chemistry, and engineering. Their Series A launch was announced live on stage at JEC. Until recently, the company operated with no dedicated marketing team, a common thread in the composites industry. That changed with the arrival of an intern named Trisha, who helped reshape their brand presence, website, and press strategy—proving marketing matters, even in deep tech.Dissolving the Indestructible: Breakthrough with KevlarAt JEC, Sam unveiled a major milestone: Uplift360 successfully dissolved and respun para-aramid fibers (known commercially as Kevlar and Twaron) using a proprietary chemical process. These materials, once considered unrecyclable, can now be transformed into new high-performance fibers. With a price tag of nearly €100/kg, this isn't just a sustainability win—it's an economic one.“Kevlar is 80 times more expensive than steel—and we're turning it from a waste burden into a circular asset.”Scaling Impact Across IndustriesWhile Uplift360's first use case is defense, the applications are expanding into aerospace, mass transit, and even outdoor gear—industries previously wary of para-aramid's carbon footprint. Uplift's regenerated fibers offer up to 75% less CO₂ impact compared to virgin materials, making circularity a business case, not just a moral one.The Power of Circular EconomicsSam emphasizes that sustainability alone isn't enough to drive industrial change. What works is circular innovation that aligns with business incentives. Uplift360's pitch: transform waste into supply chain independence and margin growth. In a world increasingly focused on strategic autonomy, especially in Europe, that message is resonating—especially with defense and aerospace leaders.Regulation, Resilience, and European AdvantageUplift360's growth is partly enabled by Europe's progressive stance on waste regulation, green R&D funding, and climate goals. Being based in Luxembourg gives them access to EU-level policy and markets, and Sam sees the region as both a testing ground and a launchpad for global expansion.“Europe may not be sitting on mountains of fossil fuels—but we're sitting on mountains of waste. That's our strategic resource.”Learn MoreUplift360 – Pioneering material regenerationJEC World – The leading international composites show Be sure to follow Sesamers on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for more cool stories from the people we catch during the best Tech events!

Jec was raised in a horse training family in Vermont, studied dressage throughout Europe, and eventually settled in California. About 15 years ago, she realized that most of the problems riders struggled with stemmed from their horses not using their bodies well. They lacked strength or coordination, they had muscle imbalances, they were stiff, and so on. Meanwhile, horse training had become too specialized and way too complicated. We needed simple, straightforward tools to help horses use their bodies optimally. This prompted her to write her first book in 2005, 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse and Rider, which was endorsed by the United States Dressage Federation as critical for every rider to own. Three other books followed, all of which have been translated into foreign languages and are widely trusted around the world for helping horses regain freedom of movement, enjoyment of exercise, and strong bodies. Today, she works with students and their equine partners across the globe through publications, customized fitness plans, online courses, and in-person clinics.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 8 of Season 5 and in it, Jec interviews Cody Harrison, a horseman specializing in classical dressage and based near Denver. Jec and Cody talk specifics on spurs. It's a really interesting conversation and one I think you will enjoy. Hey, before I get to sponsors, I want to remind you to register for the mini Best Horse Practices Summit, coming up in April in Santa Fe. Visit here for info on the presenters and presentations. Act now and we'll give you a 100 dollar credit at our trade show which has Patagonia WorkWear and Stanley drinkware. Pretty cool! Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com We also would like to welcome Renegade Hoof Boots to the show. The team at Renegade has been crafting hoof boots for years and has an excellent customer service reputation. Renegade is the official hoof boot of the Tevis Cup, the renowned 100-mile race in California. You may find that Renegade boots are the perfect pairing with barefoot trimming and many miles.  Speaking of spurs...I think Western spurs can be deceiving. They look severe, but as Cody mentioned, when the rowel has many, many points, the feel of them is actually more gentle than one pointy English spur. Just try rolling them on your hand or leg. The difference is clear. I think I'd rather be a horse feeling a dull, many pointed rowel than a solitary ball or knob.  Thanks to Redmond Equine for generously sponsoring our show. I'm finding two of my horses really, really love the Rock on a Rope this winter. They are going through it enthusiastically. Considering hanging one on the fence or in the stall. We think they'll love it. Order a box at Redmond equine dot com. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y'all.

Good morning and welcome back to the stretch run of the 2024-2025 Winter Sports Season. Straight ahead on this edition of the JM in the AM Sports Update, a ton of movement in the postseason brackets. We'll let you know who is in, who is out, and what to look for in the upcoming last week of all regular seasons. All that and more, good Morning, I'm Elliot Weiselberg. We'll start in Varsity Basketball where HAFTR after going 2-5 in the first half of the season has worked their way back to clinch a playoff spot after a 22 point mashing of Rambam last night. The Rambam loss eliminates the Ravens and sets up the bottom of the East bracket as #6 HAFTR and #5 YDE will go on the road. DRS will earn the #1 seed with North Shore as the front-runner in the 2 spot and Magen David and Flatbush hosting first round contests after their losses last night, seeding to be determined. Out West, TABC and MTA are virtual locks for the byes while SAR and Hillel will host first round contests against either Ramaz who has an edge following their win over SAR while we were all away and Frisch and Heschel who will be facing each other to end the regular season, with 1 of those 3 not making the postseason. JV Basketball had one contest thus far, a major one in the West as SAR upset Frisch 66-53 Monday night behind a brilliant 40-point, 10-rebound night from Max Weiss. Frisch has now lost their last 2 contests and potentially fallen out of a first-round bye. The Cougars now 7-3 will need to wait and see whether Ramaz or TABC, both at 7-2, slip up against MTA and JEC respectively. Wins by both will relegate Frisch to the 3 seed where their opponent will be #6 Hillel. On the other end of that contest, SAR now jumps from the 6 spot into a first-round matchup with JEC in the 4-5 contest. The host will be determined by JEC's contest with TABC tomorrow night. In the East, no results so far, but by this time next week, we will know which of DRS, HANC and Magen David, all at 7-2 will join Flatbush with a first-round bye and which will be hosting first round home games against #5 YDE and #6 North Shore. Action has already started in varsity hockey where SAR barely outlasted Kushner 6-5 Monday night. The win gives SAR the advantage in the race for the West #2 seed with only a game against Ramaz up ahead. Frisch has the tiebreaker with SAR, but to get there, will need to face HAFTR and DRS. Kushner needed last night to hope to keep ahead of MTA to host a first-round contest, but, MTA is 2 points behind Kushner with only Ohr Yisroel and Hillel to go, while Kushner will need to beat TABC to maintain their advantage. Regardless, Kushner-MTA will be the West 4-5 contest, while Ramaz will be the 6 seed and take on the loser of the Frisch-SAR race for the 2 seed. Meanwhile, out East, behind DRS, it's a mad scramble for the 2nd seed involving HAFTR, HANC and Flatbush. Right now, the HAFTR has the edge with 18 points, but right with them is Flatbush who defeated Rambam last night to move into a tie with HAFTR at 18 points and a contest with YDE remaining tomorrow night. A Flatbush win would put the pressure on HANC and HAFTR. HAFTR would need a win over either HANC or Frisch to end the season in order to overtake the Falcons while HANC would need wins over both HAFTR and TABC to do the same. Three games remain in the JV Hockey season, with only two making a difference. Frisch and DRS have won their divisions but will do battle on Saturday night to see which team will get the #1 seed going into the postseason. The loser of the contest will host #3 SAR while the winner will find out Monday night whether they play HAFTR or TABC. The Storm can clinch a playoff berth with a win over winless Rambam in Teaneck. Otherwise, the 4th spot will go to HAFTR. And that was your JM in the AM Sports Update, I'm Elliot Weiselberg

James is Founder/CEO of James Emmett & Company also known as JEC. It is one of the most recognizable brands in the field of disability inclusion and is a global leader in the implementation of disability inclusion initiatives with essential businesses. James has worked with companies like Advance Auto Parts, Walgreens, Lowe's, Best Buy, and Office Depot to help plan & execute initiatives that have resulted in over 100,000 jobs for people with disabilities and has received numerous awards for innovation related to company-owned disability inclusion. 

We’re BAAAAACK! New Episode! (with loads more to come!) In this episode, Jec Ballou joins to discuss developing a fitness plan for your horse.  Find out more about Jec and her books, programs, and services at jecballou.com, Facebook at facebook.com/JecAristotleBallou and YouTube at youtube.com/user/jecballou The book we were talking about in this episode is 33 Strength and Fitness Workouts […] The post Ep # 57: Jec Ballou, TALKING ABOUT HORSES appeared first on Patrick King Horsemanship.

Thanks Nachum! We are more than halfway through the month of November and already some major matchups have sent shockwaves through the early season. Straight ahead on the JM in the AM Sports Update, HAFTR throws JV Hockey into a storm, Varsity hockey's West is breaking into playoff form already and Frisch varsity basketball looks to end November on a better note than it began. All that and more, good morning, I'm Elliot Weiselberg. Starting out in Varsity Hockey where a divide is working itself out in the West. TABC, SAR, Frisch, MTA and Kushner have all established themselves ahead of the pack. The five teams have a combined 3 losses and have gone 6-1 over the last week, including MTA taking two wins over Flatbush and Magen David and TABC taking two wins over Hillel and JEC. The only one of the teams to take a loss on the week was Kushner, a 5-2 defeat to HAFTR, who is in the running at the top of the East. Contrast that with the remaining 4 teams in the West who all have 4 losses each. Given that 5 teams make the playoffs, the West berths may be clinched before the middle of December. Out in the East, DRS, HAFTR and North Shore have created a gap. All 3 have at least 4 wins, with DRS taking wins over Rambam and Solomon Schechter and HAFTR also taking care of Flatbush last night. North Shore's resurgence has been a breath of fresh air after a few down years. The Lions took 3 wins on the week, are now 4-0 and have a schedule that will give them a chance to return to the varsity postseason for the first time since the 2019-2020 league. Moving out to JV where HAFTR bounced back from their overtime loss in Frisch last week with a major 3-2 win over TABC. Tied at 2-2 midway through the 3rd, Drake Spodek gave HAFTR the upper hand and Sam Spira shut the door for the Hawks and handing TABC their first loss of the season. TABC would rebound with a win over MTA on Sunday but will truly have the chance to show that they've turned the page when they take on undefeated SAR on Thursday with a chance to climb back into the top of the division. Over in varsity Basketball YDE has kept pace the top of the East, taking another win to push a 3-0 start. The Thunder join DRS, also 3-0 following a narrow 37-35 escape over fellow contender Frisch last Tuesday night. The Wildcats will take on another challenge on Sunday with a mid-afternoon battle in Flatbush. The Falcons are looking to rebound from their first loss on the season to TABC 79-55, which dropped Flatbush to 3-1. Out West, a major double-battle this week as Ramaz and Frisch will play a home and home starting tomorrow night in Frisch and Sunday in Ramaz. Frisch will then follow that up with a game next Tuesday night against SAR. If Frisch plays their cards right, Thanksgiving break could be a chance to rest, relax and revel in a position atop the West heading into December. Finally in JV Basketball, DRS and HANC both improved their standing this week, each taking two wins. The Wildcats knocked off Rambam and Westchester to improve to 3-0 while the Hurricanes locked up victories over YDE and Magen David. The two are barreling toward a showdown next Tuesday in DRS with each having one game in between, but with the halfway point extremely close, that game will be the opportunity for one team to break away towards the top of the division. And that was your JM in the AM Sports Update, I'm Elliot Weiselberg.

Thanks Nachum! Welcome back everyone to another season of the Tuesday Morning JM in the AM Sports Update! The 2024-2025 season is off and rolling and we'll break down the first two weeks of November straight ahead. Good Morning, back for yet another yeshiva league season with you, I'm Elliot Weiselberg. We'll start out in Varsity Hockey and nothing like a good "Route 4 Rivalry" matchup to kick things off in the early season, unless you're a Frisch fan. The TABC Storm opened up what they hope is a rebound season, coming off of a defeat in last year's final with a 5-1 victory over the Cougars, Senior Aiden Rauzman with the hat trick for the Stom. TABC is currently 2-0 and in a tie with Kushner and SAR. The Sting took a key victory last night at home over HANC 3-1 to keep clean in the loss column. Scoreless into the 3rd period the two teams traded quick goals in the period and remained tied until Senior Bennett Burgida put home the game winner for SAR. The early season has not been kind to HANC at the moment, having dropped their 2nd in three nights after a 6-3 loss to DRS on Motzai Shabbos. DRS opened a 4-0 lead and although HANC was able to bring the game to within 1, DRS popped home two goals in the third to improve to 3-0. In JV Hockey 7 of the 8 teams have kicked off their season. Out West, Frisch and SAR are 3-0 and 2-0, respectively, after knocking off Eastern conference teams. Frisch and HAFTR went to overtime Saturday night in Paramus with Charlie Butler ending the contest for the 3-2 Cougar victory and then continuing with another home win over YDE, and in a statement win, SAR went into DRS last night and doubled-up the home team Wildcats 4-2. The last team to get into the mix this season will be TABC who kick off their season tomorrow night in HAFTR. Varsity Basketball has some unfamiliar teams at the top in the early goings. The East sees Rambam at 2-0 after home wins over Magen Abraham and Kushner. Their schedule will get a bit tougher, though, starting this week with a Thursday night contest in Flatbush. Out West, MTA is 2-0 after wins over Kushner and JEC. They'll get to revel in their current position for a bit as West teams have a fairly light schedule over the next week, but the inter-division contests are powerful ones as tonight sees Frisch travel to DRS and HAFTR host SAR and Monday night, Flatbush and TABC will tangle with one team being excused from the ranks of the undefeated. Finally in JV Basketball, most teams have opened up their season with no team playing more than 2 games. Barkai, DRS and Magen David are all 1-0 in the East, while JEC out West is 2-0 with dominating wins over MTA and Heschel, followed by TABC and Ramaz at 1-0. With 14 contests between tonight and our next update, there should be plenty of movement around the leaderboards. And that was your Tuesday Morning JM in the AM Sports Update, I'm Elliot Weiselberg.

Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses, and for getting work done.  We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 6 of Season 5 and in it, Jec interviews Gillian Higgins, an expert in horse anatomy and biomechanics. She's known internationally for her painting of horses' muscles and skeletal system on the outside of horses. Her programs are called Horses Inside Out and she has a huge amount of online offerings. Oh, and just a heads up if you're not inclined to do the kilo / pound conversion: Gillian mentions a 500-kilo horse. That's an 1,100-pound horse. Check out this short interview with Gillian by the BBC Visit Gillian's website. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com We also would like to welcome Renegade Hoof Boots to the show. The team at Renegade has been crafting hoof boots for years and has an excellent customer service reputation. Renegade is the official hoof boot of the Tevis Cup, the renowned 100-mile race in California. You may find that Renegade boots are the perfect pairing with barefoot trimming and many miles.  My favorite takeaways: that the canter is a good sit-up type of exercise for your horse and that a canter improves the trot for free. Also, that we can be blinded by what we know, an idea which has a lot in common with what we know as confirmation bias.  Thanks to Redmond Equine for generously sponsoring our show. With the turn of the season, make sure to have Redmond's salt available free choice for your horses. We think they'll love it. Order a whole box! And welcome back to Pharm Aloe, the gut and immune support supplement. Did you know that Pharm Aloe products all come from a USDA certified organic farm in Texas? Check out the pellets for horses. They have aloe options for dogs and people, too.  Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. I hope you can check out their long sleeved waffle tee. It is the perfect swap out for a short sleeved t shirt as the weather gets cooler. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win a free Patagonia WorkWear item that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y'all.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 5 of Season 5 and in it, we welcome back my colleague, Jec Ballou, for her first show of our fifth season. Yay! We've heard from several folks who have suggested discussions on gaited horses and people with expertise around gaited horses, so Jec has done a great interview with Carl Bledsoe, from Talking Rock, Georgia. I was really excited to produce this interview as it's clear Carl has been on a journey, from show ring to clinician, and has the horses' best interests in mind, and isn't afraid to call out less than best practices so that we can get to better places with our equine partners. I think you'll enjoy the talk, regardless of your discipline or horse type. Find Carl Bledsoe Horsemanship here. Check out anatomy of thoracic sling. Before it starts, just one note about something they discuss which is the thoracic sling – that's the group of muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia that connect the front legs to the chest and support the weight between the front legs. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com Thanks to Redmond Equine for generously sponsoring our show. With the warm weather and the turn of the season, make sure to have Redmond's salt available free choice for your horses. We think they'll love it. You can hang the Rock on a Rope on a fence or in the stall. Order a box full at Redmond equine dot com. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. I hope you can check out their hemp full zip sweatshirt. It's probably the softest, yummiest sweatshirt I've ever owned. And it comes in a buttery yellow that makes me smile. Also, check out the tough hemp canvas vest – extremely handy for all seasons but especially fall. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win a free Patagonia WorkWear item that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y'all.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 1 of Season 5.  For this show, I'm speaking on behalf or maybe I should say as half. Half of the interview crew for this podcast. Jec and I have had a hiatus and Jec is still doing her thing and enjoying summer. She'll be back later this season.  I thought I'd make this a short episode to let you know what I've been up to and to ask you what you've been up to. As I mentioned, we love hearing from listeners and, as always, folks who get in touch with us with feedback or suggestions for guests and topics are in the running for freebies. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com Also, a shout out to a clothing company that's putting a trot in our steps lately: Dovetail, a women-owned maker of tough, very horse-rider friendly pants. Try the bootcut jeans – stretchy, durable, and they look good.  Since our last episode for Season 4, I've been working on several projects. I have been day working for a rancher here in Montezuma County. That means I do a bit of everything. Lately, there has been a lot of fencing and moving cows. My go-to gelding, Ray, has an injury, so my younger, greener horse, Table, has been relied on quite a bit. There is a silver lining in Ray's injury, I try to tell myself, because really, as a young horse in training, Table should be ridden a lot.  We have had our circus moments, but mostly I'm very pleased with his progress. He's becoming more patient and confident. And he's able to do more, like open gates, side pass, move through thick brush without freaking out, and ride away from buddies without freaking out. We took a spill the other day when, in the midst of trotting a big circle, we went down in a big gopher hole. I hurt my cheek (it looked like I got into a bar fight) but anyway, I was really pleased that Table trotted a few steps and then waited for me to collect myself. Way better than a few months ago, when I think he would have bolted and headed for the next county. So, even though it was painful and unfortunate, I counted that moment as a win! Table has been behind cows several times and while he's not “cow-y” (like cow-bred quarter horses who pin their ears and love to boss around cattle), he's engaged with what's going on and, surprisingly, is not flustered by the process of moving cows, fetching cows, and all the things you tend to do when handling cattle in open spaces and then smaller confines, like pens and corrals. He does get more stressed and more excited when other horse and rider pairs are involved. I think some of that can be attributed to me getting more amped when there are other horse and rider pairs. You know how that goes, right? Many of us horse owners are also dog owners, so I'll let you know that I'm also bringing up a young dog this year. His name is Chuck. He's mostly border collie and he's eight months old. He's seeing some cows and has come along when we're working them a few times. He knows down. He comes when he's called. And he's pretty excited about the cattle. I've been watching Chuck as he watches my adult dogs work. It's pretty cool to see and be part of this on-the-job training. My job, as I see it, is to keep him safe and give him a long leash, figuratively speaking. That is, to not scold him too much when he does something wrong and to really praise him when he does something right, like staying in a down position even when he'd rather be getting after cows or moving a cow correctly and not overdoing it.   How has your summer been going? As I've returned to podcasting responsibilities, I've been thinking about its title. Best Horse Practices. Do you have any best horse practices that are top of mind lately? Do you have any worst horse practices that are top of mind lately? I'm laughing here because I think very few of us are perfect all the time. I think, in fact, that many of us advocate for best practices, for being safe rather than sorry, for taking our time and doing it right, for being deliberate and intentional. But, at the end of the day, or sometimes, in the middle of the day, when rain has started and you're tired from a fitful night, or stressed by too many things to do, well, we can slump toward worst horse practices. We might cut a corner or do something in haste, something we know better not to do, like tying a horse to something insecure (that would not stay put if the horse pulled back) or, like leaving a gate open because we're coming right back. 9 times out of 10, we get away with it. But then there is always that time when you don't. I mentioned this to my friend, Jessica Munn, who helped me start Table and who I've mentioned before on this show. She had some great ones, which I'll share here as a primer to get you thinking about these oops-y elements of your horse time: - Inappropriate riding attire – like riding in Crocs.  - Riding alone without telling anyone where you're going, when you should be back, or sharing your location. - Using poor tack. Like cheap gear or gear that's been weakened by overuse or weather. This kind of gear will fail you when a wreck unfolds or it might be the reason a wreck unfolds.  - Using treats.  - Tying knots that tighten when they get pulled on. That's what “quick release” slip knots do. Instead, learn how to tie a bowline knot.  - Not training a horse to stand tied for long periods of time.  - Tying a horse by the reins.  - Getting in the trailer when loading a horse, instead of sending him in.  - Drinking alcohol and riding.  - Not putting enough time and practice into a horse and its work and then expecting things to go well.  - Having horses encroach on your personal space.  Thanks for these, Jess! What are your worst horse practices? Send them my way.   Part of my summer this year has been busy with work as producer on Confluence: DogHorseCowHuman. That's the working title of a short film project directed by Beau Gaughran (who, by the way, has filmed all the Best Horse Practices Summit presentations). Confluence tells the story of these four species and their intertwining lives on the range.  It will be a 10-12 minutes short film and we'll be entering it in film festivals this fall. So stay tuned for more news around that.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our show. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y'all.   

Congressman David Schweikert (R), representing Arizona's 1st District, on putting campaign signs in peoples' yards, the United States Joint Economic Committee's (JEC) response to President Biden's proposed 2025 budget, and more! The Beach Boys, sermons, and illegal immigration. An Ecuadorian illegal immigrant has been arraigned in Queens, New York after allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting two minors. Unfortunately, we must brace ourselves to see more news like this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to another episode of The Jews Next Dor! Rav Chaim Marcus. It is an absolute pleasure to be sitting with Rabbi Chaim Marcus who currently serves as the Rabbi of Congregation Israel in Springfield, NJ, The Director of Yeshivat Reishit's American Office, and Rebbe at Bruriah High School for girls and Camp Kaylie. Previously, Rabbi Marcus was the S'gan Mashgiach at Yeshiva University and a Rebbe at JEC and Camp Mesorah. He is well known for inspiring his audiences (adults, teens, and children alike) to be the very best Jews that they can be. In this episode, we discuss various parenting topics and strategies for raising children with strong Jewish values and connections to Tefillah, Shabbat, and Hashem through open communication, modeling behaviors, and finding meaningful ways to engage at different ages. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:57 Rav Chaim Marcus's background and family 06:13 How does Rav Chaim parent his children? 08:06 Helping kids connect to Hashem 10:26 How to talk to children about Hashem 15:02 Reasonable expectations from children 18:39 Rav Chamim's goal as a shul rabbi 24:05 How to make shul exciting for kids? 27:13 Most common parenting issues 32:38 The advice to parents 35:59 The importance of Tefillah --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/yair-menchel/message

This podcast episode was recorded onsite at JEC World.The Chemistry of Composites: Driving Industry EvolutionChris Skinner's transformation from a chemist to a visionary leader in strategic marketing at Owens Corning is a tale of the composites industry's evolution."We're at the forefront of merging material science with market demands, a testament to our dedication to innovation in composite materials," he states.This integration of science into commercial success embodies the progress and adaptability at the heart of the composites industry.Collaborative Innovation: Revolutionizing R&D in the Composites IndustryThe research and development landscape in the composite industry is undergoing a significant transformation. "The era of solo achievements is evolving into a time of collaborative efforts," Chris Skinner notes.He emphasizes that in this industry, success hinges on merging diverse talents to drive innovation. This evolution highlights a crucial trend: teamwork is becoming increasingly indispensable for advancing composite technology trends and material conversion strategies.The Startup Booster: Igniting Innovation in Composite MaterialsThe Startup Booster Competition in JEC world stands as a testament to Owens Corning's commitment to innovation. It's not merely a contest; it's a visionary platform where emerging technologies gain momentum."We're crafting an ecosystem ripe for transformation," Skinner asserts, "where cutting-edge ideas meet opportunity and scalable solutions emerge."The Pink Panther Effect: Strategic Branding in Composite MaterialsOpting to color Owens Corning's fiberglass pink and aligning it with the Pink Panther wasn't just about looks.Skinner explains, “We've crafted a story that changes how customers interact with our products. This move has made them not only noticeable but also more engaging and memorable.”He highlights how this approach isn't just branding ; it's storytelling that resonates emotionally with users, adding a unique and lasting impact.This strategy shows the effective use of narrative in creating a deep, lasting connection with customers.Effective Branding in the Composite Industry: The Power of NowSkinner highlights a crucial shift in marketing philosophy—focusing on the present benefits that resonate with consumers."We're living in a time when the immediate application and advantage of a product take precedence," he says. Skinner encourages a marketing approach that emphasizes instant satisfaction, thus fostering an immediate connection between the product and its user.Want more from Sesamers&Jec?2 more podcast episodes from JEC World with startup founders and other industry experts: Blanca Garro, Stephan SavareseJEC World 2024 RecapJEC Startup Booster: the premier startup competition at JEC World, where 20 finalists gather in the Startup Booster Village to showcase their innovations, network, and engage with potential investors over three dynamic days.Be sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to be the first to listen to the new episodes.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 27 of Season 4. In it, Jec and I have a fun On the Fence conversation in which we talk some about identity and, mmm, maybe a bit of barn politics and shenanigans that we sometimes see in horse communities. The topic came up when I was listening to an interview that Ezra Klein did with Agnes Callard, a professor at the University of Chicago. Oh, and we also give a nod, or maybe a shake of the head, to the cover art for Beyonce's new country album, which has, of course, a horse on it. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens.  Also, a shout out to two clothing companies who are putting a trot in our steps lately: Kuhl and Dovetail. We're trying out a stretchy jean jacket as well as a fleece-lined vest from Kuhl. And we are absolutely loving the boot cut jeans from Dovetail.  It's been a good season! We're one of the top horse podcasts and we consistently rank well in the natural sciences category of podcast. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm, for recommending us to friends, and for being in touch. Jec and I really love the many connections we've made with listeners and appreciate what we see as two-way conversations. Thank you! Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. 

Episode 151 (2/25/2024 - 3/9/2024) of Apt EVs focusing on the following: Aptera – February 2024 Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0xsEkP-rQg&pp=ygUGYXB0ZXJh Aptera – Battery Management System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h4mxk2kB-Y Passivlife - Aptera Binc at JEC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_NxFvCubzo Please send questions or feedback to aptevspodcast@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter at @apt_evspodcast. For $30 off your refundable $100 reservation, you can use my Aptera referral code: https://lz953.isrefer.com/go/preorder/HLDVvgJQ

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 24 of Season 4. In it, I interview KD Bryant and Joseph Prekup, the two therapists who anchored the development and facilitation of Buck the Trend, the mental health forum held recently in southwestern Colorado. BTT got its start thanks to a generous grant from the LOR Foundation and with the support of Patagonia WorkWear. Donations have been extremely helpful, too. Big thanks to all who contributed. Buck the Trend is a two-and-a-half day, all expenses paid workshop focused on skill-building and elevating the mental health conversation in our community. It's an opportunity to focus on ourselves for a moment, so that we can enhance and improve what's around us, specifically, the well-being of those close to us, humans and non-humans alike, as well as the greater horse community.  Let's give a nod to our sponsors. We welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs the show. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. These folks are centered around helping athletes do great things. Hoka shoes help with the outside, with the best running shoes and Skratch Labs helps with the inside with hydration drinks and trail snacks. Check them out at hoka.com and skratchlabs.com Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com If you're interested in learning more about Buck the Trend, getting involved, coming to the next one, supporting BTT, or joining the conversation, head here.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y'all.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 23 of Season 4. In it, I interview Dan Flitner in one of several new episodes about Buck the Trend, the mental health forum held recently in southwestern Colorado. Buck the Trend, operated under the auspices of the Best Horse Practices Summit, attempts to address the following issues: -- Our work can be isolating and demanding and there are cultural, logistical, economic, and social impediments to getting help and being well. -- Our mental health and wellness impact not just us, but those around us, including family, friends, coworkers, and, of course, the animals. -- Horses may be “therapeutic.” They can make us feel better. But they can't necessarily help us build skills to navigate interpersonal relationships and feel better about ourselves. Buck the Trend is focused on skill-building and elevating the mental health conversation in our community. It's an opportunity to focus on ourselves for a moment, so that we can enhance and improve what's around us, specifically, the well-being of those close to us, humans and non-humans alike, as well as the greater horse community.   Dan is a rancher in Oregon. He hails from Wyoming and has ranched all his life. Dan got involved in BTT several months ago as a supporter and consultant. His nephew, Luke Bell, a cowboy and rising star in country music, had serious mental health concerns and was found dead in Tuscon, Arizona, about 18 months ago. Mental health has been on his mind and on the minds of his family for some time.  Let's first give a nod to our sponsors. We welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs the show. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe a horse was lost, for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they're not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas. Also, did you know that Skratch labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts. Or whatever you want. Check these new show supporters out at hoka.com and skratch labs .com Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com I'll be featuring a few more interviews from Buck the Trend. Next up, KD Bryant and Joseph Prekup, the two therapists at BTT. Stay tuned for that next week.  If you're interested in getting involved or supporting this effort, head here.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 22 of Season 4. In it, Jec interviews Katrin Silva for a Coaches' Corner. It's always fun when these two get together because they know so much. A bit humbling sometimes because their depth of knowledge is vast. Katrin is an accomplished teacher and trainer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In this conversation, Jec asks Katrin about book learning and how it weaves into riders' sensibilities. An informative and inspiring talk. We will link to the several books mentioned in the show notes. Also, we welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs to our family of sponsors. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe a horse was lost, for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they're not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas. Also, did you know that Skratch Labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts. Or whatever you want. Check these new show supporters out at hoka.com and skratch labs .com Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com Jec and Katrin mention: A Horseman's Notes, Eric Herbermann Riding Logic, Wilhelm Museler The Way to Perfect Horsemanship, Udo Burger Dressage for All of Us, Katrin Silva Ride with Feel, Katrin Silva Books by Jec Ballou Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all.

Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done.  We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 21 of Season 4. In it, I interview Ben Longwell, who runs True West Horsemanship. This will make a third visit for Ben on the show. In past interviews, he's had great insight to bitless options as well as nervous horse help. Here, we talk about the evolution of horsemanship and different directions people are taking the horse-rider partnership. He often sees the extreme ends of a spectrum but notices a lot of interesting developments in the middle. It's a really nice interview we hope you'll enjoy.   Thanks very much to the folks who have donated to Buck the Trend, the pilot mental health forum I'm directing next week. It is a two-day, all expenses paid learning opportunity specifically for those in our horse community. We have working cowboys, clinicians, ranchers, farriers, and others coming from Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and elsewhere. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here. Also, we welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs to our family of sponsors. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe a horse was lost, for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they're not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas. Also, did you know that Skratch labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts. Or whatever you want. Check these new show supporters out at hoka.com and skratch labs .com Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. 

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 20 of Season 4. In it, Jec interviews Julie Goodnight. I feel like this interview has been a long time coming. Jec has admired Julie for years and it took quite a bit of effort to finally coordinate the online meet up. I remember watching Julie at the Equine Affaire in Massachusetts, back in maybe 2008? Julie has an incredible wealth of experience and also perspective as she's been in the midst of educating humans for so long. We're so happy to have her on the show. A few other notes: Thanks very much to the folks who have donated to Buck the Trend, the pilot mental health forum I'm directing next week. Next week! It is a two-day, all expenses paid learning opportunity specifically for those in our horse community. We have working cowboys, clinicians, ranchers, farriers, and others coming from Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and elsewhere. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here. Also, we welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs to our family of sponsors. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe...for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they're not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas. Jec loves the Speedgoats and I wear the Mufate. Also, did you know that Skratch labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts.  Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 19 of Season 4. In it, Jec interviews Daniel Dauphin, an accomplished horseman from Louisiana and someone who is steadily gaining a reputation for being the expert on bits, how they function, as well as horse mouth anatomy. He gave two excellent presentations at the Best Horse Practices Summit.  He's developed a new bit course. Watch his Summit video. Free class sign-up here.  We'd also like to direct your attention to our fundraising for Buck the Trend, a mental health forum for those in our horse community. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.  A few more nods – one to Skratch Labs, a Colorado-based company making hydration drinks, recovery drinks – I especially love their chocolate milk with probiotics – and energy bars.  Jec and I are on a campaign to get you to start acknowledging that you all are athletes, too. Jec and I both add running to our list of activity loves. What do you do aside from riding? The company, Hoka, has a shoe for it, we're guessing. Check them out.  Aside from the specific bit-related advice shared here, I found myself nodding to the best practices they mentioned about showing your horse different environments and different experiences. I know this not only makes for a healthy and versatile horse, but it also gives her confidence, I think, for handling and being a good partner regardless of the situation. Last weekend, I finally got back to the gym. I warmed up with some running, then did weights, then went swimming. I usually use a Garmin watch, but forgot it. Back home, I entered the workout manually and called it a Magical Mystery Tour. And I thought, geez, I should be doing something like that with my horses, too! What do you do to shake things up? How do you keep the partnership growing and your horse's experiences fresh? Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all.

We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 18 of Season 4 and it's an On the Fence episode in which Jec and I talk about some upcoming goals as well as potential podcast discussions, like horse rescues and social media concerns. We also enumerate some of our favorite past episodes including: Coaches' Corners with Amy Skinner The Large Animal Vet Crisis with Dr. Doug Thal Interview with Molly Gloss Interview with Lee McLean Interview with Lynn Acton Interview with Ann Firestone of Save Your Ass rescue Interview with Alicia Harlov As you all know, Jec and I are athletes and would love to hear that you consider yourself an athlete, too. In that vein, this week, we're giving proper due to Kahtoola, an Arizona-based company that makes traction gear, specifically nano spikes that slip over your boots or running shoes. Excellent if you don't feel like wiping out again on the ice or packed snow.  Also, Best Horse Practices Summit presenter Daniel Dauphin is an expert on bits and horse mouth anatomy and we're lucky that he's developed a new bit course. Watch his Summit video. In the meantime, here is a little bit, so to speak, on the new course:  It's tiresome to sift through all the dogma, misinformation, and people giving unqualified advice. We're all looking to learn so we can execute with best practices for our horses. In this murky world of bits, bit-shaped objects, gimmicks, strong opinions, contradictions, and propaganda put out by bit companies trying to increase sales, how can you trust any of the information? Daniel Dauphin has been on the bit-truth-train for over a decade. He's done his research and consulted people more knowledgeable than himself. His "Bit Video” has been accepted as a teaching resource in the Equine Sciences programs of over 25 universities, including Texas A&M and Colorado State. In his new course, you'll learn about the anatomy affected by bits like the tongue and hyoid apparatus, and about using your hands more effectively. It is not discipline or experience level specific.  Daniel's goal is to empower you to make better choices for your own situation. It includes weekly zoom calls for questions and guest experts.   Free class sign-up here.  We'd also like to direct your attention to our fundraising for Buck the Trend, a mental health forum for those in our horse community. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all.  

 Welcome to Best Horse Practices with Jec Ballou. My name is Maddy Butcher and I produce this podcast. Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done.  We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 17 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews author, teacher, and horsewoman Jenn Currie. She offers clinics which she calls Brain-Centered Horsemanship and has a book for middle school teachers. She is blending what she knows about her teaching experiences with horse behavior in a pretty compelling program.  Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.  I bet we all know some really good horsemen who are just not effective teachers. I think that most people in the horse world start giving lessons or offering clinics because of their successes with horses. And yet, it's so important to connect well with the human – this means, as Jec and Jen concurred – having the student feel relaxed and safe yet engaged. As Jen said, learning is at its heart is emotional because learning is a journey of discovery. It's precious territory. I worked at the local sale barn last week, riding the pens. First time I'd done something like that. It was fast-paced and involved a lot of opening and closing gates, working cows, calves and bulls, listening to the radio for pen assignments, and moving my horse with agility and quietness. I was lucky and honored to have a few folks, good riders and good humans, bringing me up to speed on how things go there with patience and calm. If it wasn't for them, my horse and I would not have done well. So thank you kindly to AJ and Sheldonna. It takes a lot of investment of time, thought, and energy to become a good teacher and I really love celebrating horsemen and women who excel at both horse and human connections. Sounds like Jen is one of those people. Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all. 

 Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done. We love to hear from listeners, we think this might be an episode that fosters a lot of conversation, and contacting us is easy through the contact button on best horse practices dot com. We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 16 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews author Mary Ann Simonds. This is a good one because I am at odds with some of what they talk about, which is a good thing. I love that we can have folks on the show that Jec embraces and I don't. Or vice versa. Mary Ann has spent years studying horse behavior and horse-human interaction in competitive show barns and has worked with many clinicians. So, I understand that she comes from a very different world than me.  I think it's important to steer clear of language that attempts to give horses human inclinations. She says, for instance, that horses like to create drama and that horses can be on the autism spectrum. Those are anthropomorphic assessments that give me pause. Mary Ann talks about love and care for our horses as if that were a clear idea. Love and care for someone who keeps her horse in a stall at a boarding facility looks a lot different than how a Wyoming rancher may consider love and care.  Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.  We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. Order yours and have it for the spring riding season. You will look sharp! Considering love and care and how we make progress with our horses. Wow, what a tough subject. Just like the greater American social world, I can here all kinds of judgment from the recreational or sport community towards the working community or from suburban to rural, from dressage to rodeo on what it means to love, care and make progress with our horses. Years ago, I ran a business taking care of other people's horses in Maine. I was taking care of a woman's horses for a week and she apologized for practicing what she called “affectionate neglect.”  She felt a bit ashamed that her horse routine was so simple. They had the run of the pasture. They were together. They didn't get blankets or stalls or grain. They basically had space and were kept together. My response was, "this is terrific! what are you ashamed of?" Temple Grandin, who has come in and out of fashion over her many years, has been extremely helpful to me. Language, she has said, can get in the way. Even the word “humane” means different things to different people. The assessments that Mary Ann is developing for horses' mental health will be interesting to learn more about.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all.

Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done.  We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 15 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews Dana Schultz, a therapist at Medicine Horse, a therapeutic facility in Longmont, Colorado. So, yes, this episode is a bit out of our purview. But then again, we have been talking about mental health lately and Medicine Horse in particular seems to be an outfit that connects good science with good horse work. So there ya go. Also, if this is the season of gratitude, then this episode is perhaps a good reminder of what we owe our horses. With all the busyness of the season, we could, you know, just stop for an extra minute, or maybe even an extra hour, to just BE with them and perhaps connect in a way that says, ‘thanks.' Also, thanks to you, dear listeners, for buying books and donating to our cause. There is still time to order books from us. Visit Jec Ballou and Cayuse Communications for many fun options. At Cayuse, you can get a free book with every order. I'm recording this on December 15 and there is still time to get books to you by Christmas.  Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.  We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. Order yours and have it for the spring riding season. You will look sharp! Sounds like Medicine Horse is doing good work and that their horses have good lives. I've always been interested in the impact therapy sessions have on the horses. We know that cortisol, commonly called the stress hormone, is lowered for humans in horse-human interactions. But what about the horses? It's my understanding, from talking with equine therapy folks as well as canine therapy workers, that the animals can only handle a certain amount of this kind of work each day. My mom trained her dogs for therapy work. When 9/11 happened, she told me about the dogs who were called in to work at the centers set up for families to pick up death certificates of those who died in the towers. She said the dogs could only handle an hour before they needed a break. Read this article on a WSU study of kids and equine facilitated therapy.  All to say, it's so good to give our animals jobs, but let's be careful. Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.   

We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 14 of Season 4 and it's a short one. Why? To be blunt and to speak in general terms, I'd say life and death are having their ways with us.  I'm sorry to let you know that Jec lost her mother last month. As you might imagine, that's been pretty trying for her. I lost my mom just over a year ago. While our mother-daughter relationships were very different, we both owe it partly to our mothers for what we do now. Horses would not be so much of our lives or so much of our identity, if it weren't for our moms. That, I think makes the remembering and the grieving process a bit more in-your-face than it might be otherwise. They say there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. You've probably heard of them. Here at the Best Horse Practices podcast, we are dealing with some of them, or maybe none of them, but with feelings that are related. Or mixtures of them. It's a process. And as one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Del Barber, would say: "there is no straight path." I think the holidays, the shorter days and longer nights can be challenging, too. It can be harder to get out and ride when it's 15 degrees and dark is just an hour away. A cup of hot cocoa or a glass of wine can seem like a much better idea. What are your challenges? How do you make the most of winter riding? What are some winter hacks you have for dealing with ice, snow, cold, and short days? We would love to hear from you! Also, I want to remind you about the mental health initiative that the Best Horse Practices Summit is developing. Thanks in part to a grant from the LOR Foundation, there will be a mental health forum called Buck the Trend taking place here in southwestern Colorado in mid-February, 2024. You can learn more about that here. and help us vote on the logo, too! This is a bit about Buck the Trend that I shared recently: Buck the Trend is a forum for working cowboys, trainers, farriers, clinicians and others in the horse community. It is a pilot project to address the mental health challenges specific to our community. It is founded on the idea that a small, peer-focused group, hosted in a safe, relaxed setting, and led by experienced mental health professionals, is an effective way to nurture conversations, build skills, and affect positive change. A little bit about the why and the how: Many of us have acknowledged that our work can be isolating and demanding and that there are cultural, logistical, economic, and social impediments to getting help and being well. Our mental health and wellness impact not just us, but those around us, including family, friends, coworkers, and, of course, the animals. Horses may be “therapeutic.” They can make us feel better. But they can't necessarily help us build skills to navigate interpersonal relationships and feel better about ourselves. The solution: This forum is focused on skill-building and elevating the mental health conversation in our community. It's an opportunity to focus on ourselves for a moment, so that we can enhance and improve what's around us (specifically, the well-being of those close to us, humans and non-humans alike, as well as the greater horse community). If you would like more information or would like to support Buck the Trend, please contact us. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta, and is taking custom orders now. Hey, just a heads up that Jec and I have some great books for your Christmas shopping. Check out Jec's website and Cayuse Communications. Please consider supporting us with a few book buying clicks. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 13 of Season 4 in which Jec and I have an On the Fence segment.  We are returning to a little theme that has been running through our shows, in which we ask the question (and take stabs at answering it) how are we doing? How is the horse industry doing? How are the trainers and other horse professionals doing? Our hunch is that burnout is real and financial struggles are real and that any alleviation of these difficulties is elusive. We're turning to our listeners for answers, too, and everyone who reaches out is in the running for Patagonia WorkWear. Heck, we're also throwing in stickers, Redmond Equine products and a complimentary book from Cayuse Communications. So let us hear from you! Jec mentions Karen Rohlf and her show interview.  I mention mental health challenges and the mental health forum, taking place here in southwestern Colorado in mid-February, 2024. Learn more about that here and here.  Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.   Also, check out Chill Angel for luxurious superfine merino wool loungewear. We love their stargazer and reverie tops.  We are really looking forward to hearing from you to bolster this conversation with your experiences. Our colleague Katrin Silva is having a related conversation around what's wrong in the dressage world and the show world. We know it's not just the judges. We know it's not just the trainers. Is it a systemic problem? If so, how can we best address it? Do we all need to be a little bit more knowledgeable and accountable? Sometimes the horse industry seems a bit like a freighter. Very hard to correct its course.  We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. I received a new sage green cowboy hat with a dark green bound edge last month and it's been on my noggin for several rides already. Check out the best horse practices blog post for this show to see pictures. Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. 

We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 12 of Season 4 in which Jec interviews Wendy Murdoch, creator of the Murdoch Method and author of several books. Check out her online Whole Rider course here. Before this marvelous interview, I thought I'd share a few bits on my work with two young horses. It's a departure of sorts, but I hope you enjoy it. We love to hear from listeners. Contact us here. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.   Because writing and talking helps me to better synthesize and appreciate experiences (and progress and hiccups and trepidations and failures and successes), I wanted to share some words on my time starting two youngish horses, Tuesday and Table. Tuesday is four or five. She came to me as a free-to-a-good-home, dark buckskin, club-footed quarter horse. Table, who was called Lorenzo until this nickname overpowered me, is a five-year old mustang from the Devil's Garden herd management area in northern California. I acquired him from a gal who seemed afraid to handle him and before that he was with a man who mistreated him, or at least that's what I was told and, based on Table's behavior, I'd say is accurate. Both had been handled very little, had never been ridden, and were overweight. That's where the similarities end. Tuesday had a disrespect for my personal space and was pretty klingy to her herdmates. With work, like creating clear boundaries, testing them, letting her make a mistake and learning from it, those elements of her behavior are improving nicely. She's a sweet horse and I think it can be tempting to invite her in for some rubs and loving. But for now, it's more important for her to learn she can be happy with boundaries. She was unsafe in how she encroached, and it would be easy to make her unsafe again. Table tends to be wary of everything, from a phone that suddenly plays music to me wearing a cowboy hat instead of a baseball hat. And even after lots of good work around tying, he still has a tendency to set back.  While I am a competent rider and have helped several horses who have come from bad situations, I have never started a horse from the ground up. As luck would have it, my friend, Jessica Munn, came to visit for a month. Jess is a colt starter, with a background in dressage as well as cowboying. It hadn't been our plan to dedicate so much time to Table and Tuesday, but I'm so grateful that we were both able to commit to this focused work. Her help has been fundamental to our progress and I am deeply indebted to Jess for the knowledge and encouragement she brought to the pen. Oh, and she relearned me on the bowline knot, which I learned as a kid but had a hard time tying it as a horse-tying knot. If you have a horse that might set back, a bowline is a better knot to tie than a quick release knot.  Over several weeks, we worked every day to get both of them more comfortable with many aspects of this horse-human thing. Like, for instance, being tied for decent periods of time (20 minutes or more), being hobbled, being led, being tacked up, having feet handled and trimmed, and being away from herdmates. That's a broad brush and it's tempting to think this checklist was ticked off in an afternoon. Far from it. Getting these horses to be better citizens was a road full of frost heaves and potholes. We worked every day, for one or two hours with each horse. We built on the previous days' work and almost always revisited what we'd done in days past. There is a great deal of repetition in good horse work. We do this so the horse knows what to expect in the form of boundaries and performance: when I apply pressure, you move away from it. When I tie you, you get to chill. When the other horses go out to pasture, you get to stay here, pay attention, and have fun.  Jess helped me with essential groundwork, which has included lunging and driving, as well as important techniques for riding horses who'd never been ridden, like being able to have them flex when I step up into the saddle. Stepping into the saddle is done from both sides, by the way. There was some learning for me around how to carry the reins more safely and how to sit better on a young horse. She has encouraged me to take time to do everything well. As I have helped the horses become more patient, she has taught me the value of fence-sitting and taking more time with, well, everything. “It's not time-consuming,” Jess reminded me. “It's patience-building.” I have learned some hacks for making progress and being less fearful. Singing, playing ridiculous music, and talking to my horses has helped shake off the brace and elevate my confidence. Taking videos has helped me see my penchant for leaning forward. When it feels like I'm leaning back, I'm actually pretty erect in the saddle. Jess has reminded me to be a confident leader. But what does that look like and how can I relate this to you all, who have different pictures in their heads about what confidence looks like? I see the best results when I am decisive and clear. But being clear means knowing what you're doing, so I have needed help with technique. Being clear is also wound up in confidence and mental habits, too. It's easy to say, “work with confidence and clarity,” but it's harder to do it in a way that is effective for the horses. “Black and white makes light. Be sparingly demanding.” says Jess. Whether with groundwork or riding, it is an everyday challenge to be clear, not vague, to ask succinctly, and not to nag. Our work together, these daily sessions over a month, along with the sitting around, talking about what worked and didn't have helped me a lot in this vein. Now that I'm doing the daily work on my own, I find I have to commit even more diligently: to get out there every day and to stay focused and intentional. Of course, there has been unintentional nagging. Of course, I can beat myself up over tough afternoons. It's all part of the process. We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. You can order one today and have it by the holidays! Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. 

We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 11 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews Dr. Doug Thal, owner of Thal Equine, a veterinary practice and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Doug was tapped to present a great topic at the Best Horse Practices Summit one year ago, but came down with Covid just prior to our event. He and I have had a lot of conversations around what vets need to know, especially around horsemanship, and, what horse owners need to know to be better owners and to be able to communicate best with their vets. I was so looking forward to his presentation but here, in this interview about the vet shortage crisis, Doug gets into this a bit. Check out his app, Horse Side Vet Guide. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.  Check them out at lucernefarms.com. Also, thanks to Skratch Labs, makers of hydration drinks and snacks for athletes. I especially like their chocolate milk, which is great after a hard, long ride. Yes, heat it up and make hot cocoa, by all means. Use besthorse25 for 25 percent off your order.  Whenever I see horses on TV, handled by newbies, most in the Netflix show Sex Education, I cringe. But then I think about the enormous learning curve that people have coming to horse work, horsemanship. And there is always more to learn. When I think of how little I knew when I was riding and taking care of horses as a girl, I'm astonished more bad stuff didn't happen. In working with my young horses now, I'm astonished at how much more I need to learn and be confident about. Do you have stuff in your truck? Have you had moments of steep learning curves? Tips for fellow horse owners? We would love to hear from you. Here are articles to check out: Ownership First Aid Essentials First Response Tips We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. I am extremely excited to receive a hat I ordered a few months ago. It's sage green, has a three and a half inch brim trimmed out with dark green bound edge. When I get it, I'll post pics. You can order one today and have it by the holidays.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Patagonia just came out with a hemp tool bag that is awesome for tack and barn stuff, from hoof picks to brushes, sprays, and hobbles. It is reversable so the many pockets can live on the inside or outside. The hemp was grown in the US and the bag was sewn in the US. AND...we are giving away two of them! Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. 

This is Episode 10 of Season 4 and in it, Jec holds a Coaches' Corner with our frequent and friendly guest, Amy Skinner. The two horsewomen discuss body work and as well as other services that can be hired and provided to your horses.  What do you think? We've had Jim Masterson, founder of the Masterson Method, present at the Best Horse Practices Summit twice. The evidence is certainly strong for this kind of body work helping horses. And Jim is a wonderful, generous presenter who has put hands on thousands of horses and mentored scores of Masterson Method providers. BHPS 2022 presentation. BHPS 2021 Presentation.  But Jec and Amy are on to something when they talk about the possible red flags or, say, caution flags, when it comes to body work, chiropractic work, acupunture, as well as supplements, and other extra-care type elements of horse ownership. Are they worth it? Is there another reason you might be subscribing to it? I was listening to a podcast about self-care. Actually, it was about the industry of self-care, of all the stuff you can buy to care for yourself, of music to listen to, of essential oils to smell, of chairs and sunglasses, and, well, stuff! When really, though, self-care isn't about stuff at all.  Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.  Check them out at lucernefarms.com. Also, thanks to Skratch Labs, makers of hydration drinks and snacks for athletes. I especially like their chocolate milk, which is great after a hard, long ride. Yes, heat it up and make hot cocoa, by all means. Check them out at skratch labs com Use besthorse25 for 25 percent off your order.  Dr. Sherry King, in an article for Best Horse Practices, wrote that horses may not want or need the stuff Amy and Jec mentioned. She said: When we misinterpret our relationship with our horse, when we move beyond the role of caring steward to treating the horse like an extension of ourselves and our family, we err to the detriment of the horse. We end up loving it badly. The next time you catch yourself doing “something special” for your horse, stop. Think. Are you really doing this for your horse, or are you doing it for you? If it is really for you, is it also good for the horse? Beware false prophets of equine welfare – what they preach may actually be bad for horse's health. This is not a clarion call to stop all the extra stuff you're doing for your horses. But maybe cast a critical eye on it? Oh, I mentioned the podcast on self-care: The two women kind of dissected the self-care industry as appealing to our consumerist nature, that if we can just buy something that someone assures us is comforting and soothing, then we will be comforted and soothed. But, they pointed out, the ultimate comfort comes from turning inward not outward. It is doing the things that don't cost anything but time and effort. Like maybe meditation or really thinking about life priorities and then consciously shifting your days to better represent what you want and what you need. Like maybe riding more or giving your horses' more exercise since we know that's almost always of great benefit to the horses. We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. You can order one today and have it by the holidays.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Patagonia just came out with a hemp tool bag that is awesome for tack and barn stuff, from hoof picks to brushes, sprays, and hobbles. It is reversable so the many pockets can live on the inside or outside. The hemp was grown in the US and the bag was sewn in the US. AND...we are giving away two of them! Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.   

We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 9 of Season 4 and in it, Jec welcomes back Lee McLean to our show. It's a great interview in which the two horsewomen discuss observations around domestic versus wild horse lives and the possible management practices around them. They get into their observations, which are insightful, as well as weighing in on the sometimes problematic online side-taking around this issue. This is a compelling topic. At the Best Horse Practices Summit, the board and I talked a lot about how best to cultivate best practices – and by that we mean practices that are in the best interest of the horse -- through Summit presentations. Horsekeeping involves making decisions around space, diet, hoof care, your horse's socialization, riding. As Jec and Lee mention, we can get pretty tribal about what we think is best – that's a shame because in my observation, the tribalism is often distinct from horses' actual experiences. After listening to Jec and Lee, maybe you can take a critical look at how you keep your horses and what improvements might be made for their sake. We'd love to hear from you.    Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.   Also, thanks to Chill Angel, a Colorado company that makes luxurious superfine merino wool sleepwear, perfect for these cooler nights.  It's true – horses in the wild can appear to be doing just fine and we should remember that humans have done a great job of wrecking horses' feet, nervous systems, temperments and confirmation as we have domesticated them for our purposes. Of course, we have elevated their lives, too. As Lee mentions, wild horses have tough lives and a lot of the not-so-pretty events are never witnessed. Also, the various governments and agencies charged with managing wild horses have not done a stellar job here, nor have they used science to roll out optimal policy. It's a political mess, also known as, yep, tribalism. If we zoom out, we see that the swing from wild to domestic can be smooth or startling, depending on what lens we look through, what year, what culture, what eduation, what motivation folks have. A lot of people, especially on properties with more acreage (especially, on acreage with diverse topography), keep their horses naturally (air quotes here) with great success. People with less space have gotten creative with hacks to improve their horses' mental  and physical well-being – I'm thinking of pasture design and footing as well as group housing. Here are articles: Wild Horse topics Dr. King: Horses want fewer gifts, better care Care  Ownership Last week, after 15 years and 700 newsletters, I suspended the Cayuse Communications newsletter. It was a good stretch and thanks to all those who subscribed. While a page has turned, you can still find great articles on the Cayuse Communications sites, which include HorseHead, NickerNews, BestHorsePractices, and HighCountryOutsider. And, as ever, we have great books available at the Cayuse Communications library. We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works, for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. You can order one today and have it by the holidays.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!  

We love to hear from listeners and this week would especially love to hear about your horse work journeys, your comfort zones and stretching of them. Contacting us is easy through the contact button on best horse practices dot com.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 8 of Season 4. It's an On the Fence show and in it, Jec and I talk about what it means to be an expert, the need for a beginner's mind and the benefits of expanding the aforementioned comfort zones. Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends.  They also make Koop Clean chicken bedding. Check them out at lucernefarms.com. Also, thanks to Chill Angel, a woman-owned, Colorado company that makes luxurious superfine merino wool sleepwear, perfect for combatting hot flashes.  Jec mentions Kevin Haussler of Colorado State University.  A related website is here. She also mentions Adam Till. In a Facebook post, he writes: "So many people just care about how good a horse is to ride and barely make an effort to make sure training holes are filled....Make sure a six year old kid you don't know can handle your horse." I'm reminded of something Randy Rieman told me years ago: If you're not expanding your comfort zones, you're shrinking them. That's true for humans and horses alike. In the newsletter this week, we have a great guest column about the Pony Express Re-Ride, a relay event that covers all 1,800 + miles of the historic trail. And, as ever, we have great books available at the Cayuse Communications library. We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for their generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. You can order one today and have it by the holidays. That's at prairie wind hat works.com Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!  

We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 7 of Season 4, and in it, Jec talks with Trish Lemke, a Colorado horsewoman who leads amazing horse-riding trips across the globe and is a certified Equine Interactional Professional in Education and certified Martha Beck Life Coach. Find her website here and her Facebook page here.  This conversation is a great one to wedge into a series of episodes in which we're talking about, not just mental health, but our comfort zones, expanding our comfort zones, and being aware of our place in horse-rider partnerships. Expanding comfort zones can mean all kinds of things, whether its skills or geography, new horses or new disciplines. Here, as Jec and Trish discuss, it often comes back to the ‘why.'  What is your intention? And speaking of horses and mental health...Many of you already know that our horse vets are facing a real crisis. It is a stressful job and there's a vet shortage, especially in rural areas. Vets have high suicide rates. Daniel Dauphin aired a lengthy interview with Dr. Mallory Preston about all this which you can listen to here.  And we are teaming with Patagonia WorkWear to show our support. If you know of a vet who could use a lift, contact us here.  Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds. Those bales of alfalfa and timothy and other blends are great for taking with you on comfort-expanding horse camping trips, by the way. Also, thanks to Chill Angel, a Colorado company that makes luxurious superfine merino wool sleepwear. Use Cayuse20 for a 20 percent discount. And thanks to Skratch Labs, which makes fantastic drinks and snacks for our athletic endeavors. Use BestHorse25 for a 25 percent discount.  We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for their generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. Design your perfect hat and place your order to have it on your head before the holidays.   Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  Hey – Fall is in the air here in Colorado. The geese are gathering and setting up, it seems, for their long migrations south. What are your fall plans? We'd love to hear from you. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!  

We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 6 of Season 4, and in it, Jec talks with Kerry O'Brien, a Colorado trainer who is competing in the Meeker Mustang Makeover. Kerry has been on the show before in which she talks about using positive reinforcement as a training method. We're glad to have her back! First, thanks to many of you who connected with us to offer feedback from last week's show and the mental health initiatives we are talking about. Second, thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, Maine producers of quality forage feeds.  But did you also know that they make chicken bedding. It's called Coop Klean and it's not your everyday chicken bedding. Also, thanks to Chill Angel, a Colorado company that makes luxurious superfine merino wool sleepwear, perfect for combatting hot flashes. I was really glad to hear about the Meeker Makeover. Some of you who follow Best Horse Practices or get the Cayuse Communications newsletter, might have heard WiseAssWallace talk about colt starting competitions. A lot of times, Wallace says, it is not set up for the success of the horse. And that's a shame. Seems like Meeker and Kerry have the horses' best interests at heart. So good to hear! We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for their generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. Here he is talking about some regional distinctions. He starts when I ask him to consider with Alberta and hat preferences there. But then he expands on the preferences of certain parts of the US. I'm coming to know that what's true with horses is also true with hats: the more you learn, the more you realize there's a lot to learn. Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done. We love to hear from listeners and often incorporate listener questions or suggestions for topics and guests into our podcast. So, let us hear from you. Contacting us is easy. We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 5 of Season 4, and it's a good one. We have Jec and Amy talking about trail-riding preparation in their Coaches' Corner. When I saw this topic, I was doubtful. I mean, What's to know? What's to prepare? Out here in rural Colorado, where the closest arena is 20 miles away, my horses and I would definitely experience more trepidation heading to the fairgrounds and an arena, than heading out on National Forest. There, we travel on gravel roads and dirt paths. We often bushwhack across country. We meet bikers, hikers, trucks, cars, dogs, and other horses. Last weekend, as I was ponying my young horse, we rode through cows and stopped to cool off at a pond. But Jec and Amy's conversation gave me a whole new insight to what's involved in successful trail rides. It pointed out some holes in my training and areas where I could definitely make improvements. Regardless of your riding routines, I think you will love it. Check out Amy's Six Weeks to Calm, Forward, and Straight. First, though, I'm following up on last week's mention of mental health and horse work. Recently, the LOR Foundation, a philanthropic organization serving the mountain west with an office here in Cortez, awarded the Best Horse Practices Summit a small grant to help with a two-day mental health forum for working cowboys and horse professionals. This project has been on my mind for a few years. I've been wanting to organize a gathering like this and am excited that the LOR Foundation recognized the purpose and the niche need. Being awarded the grant is a huge step forward. We hope to offer this forum, (all expenses paid to attendees thanks to LOR!) to a small group of working horse professionals  this winter. Interested? Contact us here. For some thoughts on how horses, horse work, best practices, and mental health weave together, read more here. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  It's hay season, the rain has let up for a while, and the James family is busy in the fields of northern Maine. That's where they're cutting, tedding, and baling alfalfa and timothy. The forage, wrapped tightly in plastic, is perfect for traveling to competitions or horse camping vacations. Thanks to Chill Angel, maker of superfine merino loungewear and sleepwear. Love their jammies! We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for their generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. In our next show, we'll talk more with Sampson about the finer points of ordering and, for him, making a custom felt hat. We'll talk about regional preferences for hat wearers, brim size and shape, crowns and creases. Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.

We love to hear from listeners and often incorporate listener questions or suggestions for topics and guests into our podcast. So, let us hear from you. Contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. Hey, it's hot out there and I wanted to direct your attention to an article I wrote about dogs, horses, and us managing heat. How to help. What to be aware of. With comments from a Harvard dog expert and an accomplished endurance rider. Read more.   This is Episode 3 of Season 4, and in it, Jec talks with Lynn Acton, author of “What Horses Really Want.” Lynn and Jec discuss the behavioral and physical consequences of weaning early and how healthy weaning should go. Even if you don't have or aren't thinking of acquiring a young horse, I think this show will still interest you. We try to steer clear of any anthropomorphizing, but you'll hear that sometimes Lynn and Jec refer to horses in a human-y manner, which makes the topic more approachable without being romantic or inaccurate. Weaning how-to's are closely associated with an article I wrote on imprinting. That's a technique that some misguided professionals, including Dr. Robert Miller and Clinton Anderson, performed and advocated in what I sincerely hope are gone-bye days.  After that segment, we hear from Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works, as he discusses the finer details of crafting a custom hat. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  It's hay season, the rain has let up for a while, and the James family is busy in the fields of northern Maine. That's where they're cutting, tedding, and baling alfalfa and timothy. The forage, wrapped tightly in plastic, is perfect for traveling to competitions or horse camping vacations. I have written a lot about the power of a good start and the hazards and pitfalls of a bad start. Mostly, I've talked about my experiences with restarting horses who have been in bad homes or with neglectful or abusive owners or trainers. But this weaning conversation gives us a whole new perspective on what good and bad starts can mean. Dr. Sheryl King, professor emeritus at Southern Illinois University and a perenial favorite Best Horse Practices Summit presenter oversaw many weanings and had this to say: “At the University we weaned at about four or five months and did so by removing one mare from the mare/foal pasture at a time until there were finally no adults in with the foals. After trying a number of weaning methods, this seemed to be the one that worked best for us and created the least stress for the foals." Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

Rosana Laviada comenta cómo el PSOE pide a la desesperada a la JEC recontar el voto nulo tras perder un escaño con el voto CERA.

This is Episode 2 of Season 4, and in it, Jec and I reconnect after some time off and have an On the Fence chat in which we talk about some summer projects, those of our listeners, and personal pet peeves, specific to our horse worlds: "analysis paralysis", group rides, not having rider etiquette, and underestimating our equine partners, for examples. (Oh, but we have more ;) Did you know? Jec has a great shop here, where you can find the fantastic exercise and conditioning books she's written.  Cayuse Communications has a library full of great books, too, by Yours Truly as well as Amy Skinner, Katrin Silva, as well as a terrific, horse-y mystery series by Mark Stevens.  Check out listener summer plans and projects here.  After that segment, we hear from Sampson Moss and Prairie Wind Hat Works. In upcoming episodes, we'll feature snippets from an interview I did with Sampson and you can learn about all the many aspects of hat making and what goes into crafting the perfect custom hat. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  It's hay season, the rain has let up for a while, and the James family is busy in the fields of northern Maine. That's where they cut alfalfa and timothy for their products. The bales, wrapped tightly in plastic, are perfect for traveling to competitions or horse camping vacations.  And thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

In this episode I am joined by equine fitness expert, Jec Ballou. We talk about how to bring a horse back into foundational fitness after a break. You'll get lots of valuable information you can use. Everyone is going to need this information at some point in their horse journey.About the Guest: Jec A Ballou's business is Jec Ballou Equine Fitness and Performance She is a horse trainer and top-selling author of multiple books that have become pillars of the equine industry (such as 101 Dressage Exercises For Horse and Rider)... Combining expertise in equine exercise physiology and classical dressage, her methods lead riders to measurable success by relying on simple straightforward instructions focusing on proper biomechanics and athleticism. You can learn more about Jec and what she offers at: https://www.jecballou.com/About the Host:Karen Rohlf, author and creator of Dressage Naturally, is an internationally recognized clinician who is changing the equestrian educational paradigm. She teaches students of all disciplines and levels from around the world in her clinics and the Dressage Naturally virtual programs.Karen is well known for training horses with a priority on partnership, a student-empowering approach to teaching, and a positive and balanced point of view. She believes in getting to the heart of our mental, emotional, and physical partnership with our horses by bringing together the best of the worlds of dressage and partnership-based training. Karen's passion for teaching extends beyond horse training. Her For The Love Of The Horse: Transform Your Business Seminar and Mastermind/Mentorship programs are a result of her commitment to helping heart-centered equine professionals thrive so that horses may have a happier life in this industry.Resource Links:▪ Jec A Ballou's website: https://www.jecballou.com/▪ The Dressage Naturally VIDEO CLASSROOM: https://dnc.dressagenaturally.net/▪ Transform Your Horse Business Success Kit: https://inbound.dressagenaturally.net/transform-your-business-success-kit▪ See all of Karen Rohlf's Online Programs here: https://dressagenaturally.net/online-programs/▪ The Dressage Naturally Book: https://shop.dressagenaturally.net/collections/home-page-featured/products/book-dvd▪ Get 3 free training videos: https://dressagenaturally.net/free-dressage-training-videos/▪ Take the Happy Athlete Quiz: https://inbound.dressagenaturally.net/happy-athlete-quiz-start▪ Course: Habits For Excellent Horsemanship: https://inbound.dressagenaturally.net/heh▪ Join the conversation in our Dressage Naturally Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DressageNaturallyLand Thanks so much for listening to our...

L'Angelines s'imagina la pel·lícula apocalíptica a Barcelona (spoiler: la protagonitza la Shakira). Truquem a la JEC per saber més detalls dels drets electorals de Junts i el PDECAT: ens atén Zoraida. En Mohamed s'imagina com serà el videojoc català que prepara la CCMA.

Jec interviews Lee McLean from Alberta Canada. Lee likes to approach horse work with an eye on common sense, pragmatism, and fun.  She grew up in a ranching family, but is savvy in side saddle, dressage, and other disciplines. While there was probably no end to topics for Jec and Lee, they picked one that I think we can all relate to, that is, how to nurture well-being for our horses in a holistic way, in a way that conjures athleticism and good movement without the snootiness and specificity that folks say is plaguing our circles. Can you ride and do yoga and play tennis or soccer? Well, your horse could and should be versatile like that, too. I really love the idea of mixing it up with our horses. Trying new things. Asking them to do something, as Lee says, outside the box. Especially outside the sandbox of an arena. You know, for me, the arena is actually the novel space. So, this interview reminded me to get our butts down to the fairgrounds for some exploratory time there. And, yes, Lee, I will make it fun! Check out her NickerNews guest columns here: 10 Hard Truths and Riding as We Get Older. Visit her website or Facebook page. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  It's hay season and the James family is busy in the fields of Aroostock County, Maine. That's where they cut alfalfa and timothy for their products. The bales, wrapped tightly in plastic, are perfect for traveling to competitions or horse camping vacations. Oh, before signing off for a few weeks, I want to remind you to check out the links in the show notes for discounts on Chill Angel, Bobo's, and for reviews on Duckworth, Patagonia, Hoka, Helle and Kershaw knives, and more. Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. Enjoy your summer! We hope to hear from you. Stay tuned for Season Four in a few weeks.

This is Episode 29 of Season 3 and in it, Jec interviews Donna-Maria Flood of DMventions. Donna Maria has scores of simple fixes and DIY projects for your horse spaces and equipment. Most are inexpensive and don't require a year-long carpentry apprenticeship. Make it in 10 minutes, for less than 10 bucks is more like it. This episode may require you to do some visualization, and, if you're interested. Check out Donna-Maria's website for instructions and videos on many of the projects. We also have a few DIY projects on NickerNews, for saddle racks and headstall hangers. Oh, one more thing: This is a busy time of year for trying out gear and getting more active. For instance, Jec and I are trying out some new styles of Hoka running shoes. The best brand, in our humble, for trail running. Also, Duckworth and Chill Angel are two fantastic brands using fine wool and making clothing in the US. We like wool because it's more durable and a whole lot less body odor-y than other fabrics. I'm wearing Duckworth's hooded henley in spruce green. Like Chill Angel's sleepwear, it is warm when I need it to be and cool when I need it to be. Kind of magical. Head here for giveaways and discounts. Also, I want to mention Helle knives, made in Norway and perfect for your horse camping or glamping set up. Oh, and stay tuned after Jec's interview for another poem by Sampson Moss, our Canadian friend, working cowboy, and occasional rodeo competitor who runs Prairie Wind Hat Works in Alberta, Canada. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  Forage is chopped, packaged hay. Sometimes it's alfalfa, sometimes timothy, sometimes blended, and sometimes with a touch of molasses. Always scrumptious. After hay and grass, it's pretty much the best alternative and a great way to supplement feed for your hard keeper. And thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse's feed and Redmond's Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

This is Episode 28 of Season 3 and in it, Jec interviews Amy Skinner for another Coaches' Corner. This interview concerns the use of round pens and I found it very insightful. Like many of you, I have used round pens for working my horses. It was especially a go-to place years ago. I feel like I knew less and had images of several roundpen-using clinicians in my head. So I was, like, yeah, of course, I'm headed to the round pen to do some fundamental ground work. Like ya do. Turns out, like so many things, what you do in a round pen and even IF you use a round pen, needs much more consideration. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  Forage is chopped, packaged hay. Sometimes it's alfalfa, sometimes timothy, sometimes blended, and sometimes with a touch of molasses. Always scrumptious. After hay and grass, it's pretty much the best alternative and a great way to supplement feed for your hard keeper. We have a new sponsor in Chill Angel! Chill Angel is a Colorado-based company that makes luscious, super-fine merino wool sleepwear and loungewear. Jec's trying out the Essential Tank and says it's super comfortable, “like I'm wearing a soft, little cloud.” More on Chill Angel in upcoming shows. Big thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets and Redmond's Rock on a Rope. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Check out the all season vest or the light and soft but tough ranch jacket – two great tops for this time of year. Both are made of hemp which has an already-broken in feel while also being super durable. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

This is Episode 26 of Season 3 and in it, Jec and I talk with Dr. Sheree King about science, specifically equine research. But it's also a conversation of how to consider science in today's world of scholarly access, social media, and, quite frankly, the troubling politics around scientific information. For most of my life, I have embraced science, research, the power of the scientific method, putting ideas out there and testing them. I've conducted research and I've assisted others with research projects. In case you were noodling on just what science is --  it is the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained. I am happy to approach my horse work with a critical eye nurtured, I think, by my science-y background. Do you consider your horse work like this? We would love to hear from you. Dr. King is a founding board member and a keynote presenter at the Best Horse Practices Summit. We wanted to chat with her about how horse studies can influence riders and horse owners, how equine research can inform or, unfortunately, mislead folks, and how as information consumers, we really need to have an open mind and a critical eye towards horse studies. We talk specifically about a Equine Guelph study involving 20 ponies and their ability to "read facial expressions" of humans. Here is the study and here is a YouTube video with the studies' author, Dr. Katrina Merkies. We also talk about how to tell good science from, well, less good science. Check out some Best Horse Practices articles calling out sketchy science here and here. A few notes from sponsors: We have several discounts and reviews on our web pages, so head to this page  to grab the codes and check out reviews on some great new products: Bobo's oat bars area made here in Colorado. They are gluten free and use non-GMO ingredients. Also, Zealios makes makes sunscreen, anti-chafe, and shower products especially for athletes. Chill Angel makes deee-lightful sleep and loungewear and Camelbak has outstanding options for saddle bags and road trips. Check 'em all out here. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  Forage is chopped, packaged hay. Sometimes it's alfalfa, sometimes timothy, sometimes blended, and sometimes with a touch of molasses. Always scrumptious. After hay and grass, it's pretty much the best alternative and a great way to supplement feed for your hard keeper. Big thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets and Redmond's Rock on a Rope. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Check out the all season vest or the light and soft but tough ranch jacket – two great tops for this time of year. Both are made of hemp which has an already-broken in feel while also being super durable. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.

Welcome to Best Horse Practices with Jec Ballou. My name is Maddy Butcher. I produce this podcast and I would love to know what you think of our intro: Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover ways to better connect with their horses. Plus, we like to feel safe and have fun. Fitness, of mind and body, the ability to think critically about our horse work as well as embracing a beginner's mind, are all parts of this lucky equine equation that Jec and I hold dear.  So, yes, let me know what you think. We offer these shows for free. If you think it's worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 25 of Season 3 and in it, Jec and I have an On the Fence discussion around a number of topics, including a great question sent in by a listener. We talk about breed bias and the stories we tell ourselves, we talk about best practices within a barn's lesson program, and more. As always, reach out if you would like a question answered or to give us feedback. A few notes from sponsors: We welcome Bobo's Bars to the show. Bobo's are oat bars, made here in Colorado. They are gluten free and use non-GMO ingredients. My fav is peach, but consider stashing peanut butter chocolate chip or cranberry orange in your saddle bag or glove compartment. Use “BESTHORSEVIP” for 20 percent off your order at EatBobos. Speaking of good items for your saddle bag or glove compartment, Jec and I will be reviewing products from Zealios soon. Zealios makes sunscreen, recovery, anti-chafe, and shower products, especially for athletes. They have zinc sunscreen without the white, chalky mess. Check them out at TeamZealios and use the code ‘besthorsepractices' for 20 percent off.  Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  Forage is chopped, packaged hay. Sometimes it's alfalfa, sometimes timothy, sometimes blended, and sometimes with a touch of molasses. Always scrumptious. After hay and grass, it's pretty much the best alternative and a great way to supplement feed for your hard keeper. Here's the Washington Post op-ed.  An important point that Jec has brought up is exercise and how, really, that should be prescribed more than drugs or injections or whatever. If you need more convincing, check out her books here. I have several books, too, and you can find them here.  Big thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets and Redmond's Rock on a Rope. We think you'll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Check out the vest or the ranch jacket – two great tops for this time of year. Both are made of hemp which is soft and already broken in while also being super tough. Barbed wire resisant! Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

This is Episode 24 of Season 3 and in it, Jec interviews Daniel Dauphin of Dauphin Horsemanship. He was also a 2022 Best Horse Practices Summit presenter. It's a great conversation, in part, because in their work Jec and Daniel are not seeing the same clients or the same horses. At all. Jec is in California and works with dressage and endurance riders. Daniel is in Louisiana and his students are mostly Western riders.  They talk about pain – what it means to the horse and what it means to the horse owner. As it happens, I've written about pain and thought a lot about how we interpret or fail to interpret representations of pain in our animals. For generations, I feel like many owners did a pretty good job of ignoring signs of pain in their horses. Now, especially in quarters dominated by women, the trend is toward being overattentive around pain. Injections, supplements, even blankets and body massage appointments are all efforts to limit or avoid possible pain for our beloved equines. We can be guilty of killing horses with overcare, overkindness – that is, treating them with things when what they really need is movement and a herd, forage, and more movement. Both Daniel and Jec cite examples of horses' problems being solved with more movement. Motion is lotion. We will link to several articles on Horse Head and Best Horse Practices. There's an article on the grimace scale, an attempt by a team of international researchers to delineate pain through facial expressions. And there is an article about components of pain for us humans – like anticipation, distraction, and how pain becomes chronic. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  Forage is chopped, packaged hay. Sometimes it's alfalfa, sometimes timothy, sometimes blended, and sometimes with a touch of molasses. Always scrumptious. After hay and grass, it's pretty much the best alternative and a great way to supplement your winter feeding. Check them out here or at your local feed store. I imagine that you have reactions around this interview and the points Jec and Daniel hit upon and I would be happy to hear them. It just so happens that I have been thinking a lot about how different people, with different backgrounds, effect change for horses. Daniel brought up the legislation around soring and how, because of the crafted language, it had the potential to bring into question every aspect of horse keeping – right down to whether or not we should be riding. This spring, here in Colorado, we had a state legislative effort around horse slaughter. You might be thinking – horse slaughter is bad, any legislation around horse slaughter is a good thing. But I read the legislation. It was absurd and had the potential, I think, to have the opposite impact that the authors intended. More suffering, instead of less. Consider the horse Daniel inherited as a total loss, after spending years isolated and in a stall. And how his stiffles healed with turnout. I was thinking about this on my drive to town, during which I drive past a horse, who has been wearing a blanket the entire winter. That horse has had a blanket on since November, in zero degrees and on this day, 50 degrees and sunny. Its human, I'm sure, feels she's doing good. But I don't know. I felt really bad for this horse. Certainly, I think, we need to acquire and use as much knowledge around horse behavior, horse anatomy, horse physiology to take care of them well. But we also need be extra mindful of killing them with kindness. Overfeeding, overindulging, and basically replacing their simple needs with our more complicated, material, and immediate-gratification oriented mindsets. Read more about the Care Continuum.  Read Dr. Sheryl King's articel on Care. Big thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe's aloe pellets and Redmond's Rock on a Rope. We think you'll love ‘em. We want to introduce Bobo's Bars to our show. Bobo's are oat bars with simple ingredients – chocolate chip, apple, coconut, dark chocolate, sea salt and almond, and my favorite, peach. Use the code BestHorseVIP to get 20 percent off your first order. Just head to here and drop in that code. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Comment, suggest a topic or guest, let us know how we're doing, or make a donation and you'll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Also, don't forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. Also, everyone who donates is automatically entered to win our monthly Patagonia Workwear giveaway. We give away two items – jackets, shirts, vests, pants – every month to folk who engage with our podcast. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.  That's it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y'all!

We discuss Trump's latest rally in Michigan. The National Archives says there are still Trump docs missing. AOC says her office receives daily death threats. Updates on the Brazilian election. Co-Host: Francesca Fiorentini (@franifio)Become a TDR YouTube Member: http://www.youtube.com/thedamagereport/join Follow The Damage Report on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDamageReportTYT/Help build the Home of the Progressives http://tyt.com/JOINSubscribe to The Damage Report YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/thedamagereport?sub_confirmation=1Follow The Damage Report on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedamagereport?lang=enFollow The Damage Report on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thedamagereport/ Follow The Damage Report on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDamageReportTrump RAGES At Mitch McConnell In Blistering Threats - https://youtu.be/7hP6cNmz0_YHerschel Walker Gives RUTHLESS Response During Interview - https://youtu.be/UMMhtbTdKZ4Trump ABANDONED By His Own Supporters At Rally - https://youtu.be/SwaOS9PLBewKim Kardashian BUSTED In Massive Scam - https://youtu.be/JEc_wwq7-rkMarjorie Greene Opens Her Mouth, Gets Fact-Checked - https://youtu.be/STpFBZF0Up8Right-Wingers Desperately Try To Twist Bolsonaro Election - https://youtu.be/Ly-JFaVqBs0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.