The Equestrian Connection

Jenny Gott, CMTA, is an animal wellness practitioner and the founder of Animal Intuition in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, where she has worked with cats, dogs and horses since 2005. A Reiki Master and Certified Massage Therapist for Animals, she offers animal communication, bodywork and holistic support alongside an animal’s veterinary care. She founded Emily’s Path, a pet hospice program named for her...

Connie Flores is an Independent Equine Nutrition Consultant and the owner of 17 Hand Equine Nutrition. She lives in Denver, Colorado and consults in-person across the front range of Colorado and has virtual clients all over the country. Connie specializes in hard keepers, horses with digestive issues, competition horses, and metabolic equines. Using a no-nonsense, scientific-based approach, she lo...

During her competitive career, Monica Theodorescu won three Olympic gold medals and claimed World and European Championship titles with the German team. She has served as the national dressage coach since 2012. For her, it is a dream job: although she sometimes misses competing herself, she finds it incredibly rewarding to work with the country's top riders and to guide young horses as they make t...

Shortly before wehorse trainer Jessica von Bredow-Werndl won the World Cup Freestyle in Germany with a sensational score of 89.64% back in 2020, she appeared as a guest on the wehorse podcast with wehorse CEO Christian Kroeber. In this classic and translated episode, the personable dressage rider from Germany discusses the secret to her success, her journey to the top level of the sport, and the t...

Ellie Pukehika is an accomplished horse trainer based in Rotorua, New Zealand. She brings together her knowledge from the English disciplines of Show Jumping and Dressage, as well as Horsemanship, to merge the art of working with the horse and understanding the psychology of how they think and learn. Ellie has been a clinician at the 2018 Equidays, 2020 Equifest, and 2022 Equifest. These days, Ell...

The concept of "contact" is something that stays with many riders throughout almost their entire riding lives. Unfortunately, beginners are often taught it inadequately—after all, just because the horse’s head is down doesn’t mean there is correct contact. And even once you’ve mastered it, a different horse might present new challenges by leaning on the bit, curling behind the vertical, or hollowi...

Maddie Houser is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist with her now retired Dutch Warmblood mare, Leah, and since 2021 has been focused on helping shed light on the versatility of the Quarter Horse and their place in the dressage ring. Maddie’s instagram account, The Blonde & The Bay, showcases her training progressions, the ups and downs of horse and farm ownership, equestrian fashion, and more. This...

Anna Buffini is a professional dressage rider with accomplishments such as being a 2x World Cup finalist, 4x Senior Nations Cup Team member, 2016 U25 National Champion, and the 2014 US Young Rider Champion. Anna is such an inspiration to many riders and a role model for equestrians of all ages. This is our second podcast interview together and in this episode, we’re catching up to see what she’s u...

Veronika von Rohrscheid is the creator of biotensegrative training. Her goal is to teach the horse health-promoting movement patterns and thus help it develop a competent body. In conversation with Sonja Kriegel, Veronika clarifies that she does not want to create a new riding or training method. She wants to convey an understanding of the horse's body and its movement patterns, so that every hors...

From the Arabian horse circuit to hunter/jumper to dressage and exercising race horses, Shelby’s practical experience with different kinds of horses has made her a well rounded horse person. On top of her practical experience, Shelby has also taken several Equine Science based courses through Guelph to work towards her Certificate of Equine Science, choosing to emphasize her studies and education...

Susan Tenney is the founder of Elemental Acupressure, where she has trained animal professionals in Five Element Acupressure and EnergyWork™ for over three decades. Originally certified in shiatsu and acupressure at the Shiatsu Institute of San Francisco, Susan built her equine practice in Northern California before expanding into an international career that blends Classical East Asian Medicine w...

Kelly Wendorf is the founder & CEO of EQUUS, an executive and personal coach, published author, spiritual mentor, and socially responsible entrepreneur. Her early experiences were vitally and deeply shaped by the natural and ancient world around her where she learned a way of listening to forces within people, nature and moments. Throughout her life she has lived and worked around the world, study...

Dr. Steve Peters is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and internationally recognized equine neuroscientist. With more than three decades of experience in brain research and clinical practice, he brings together human and equine neuroscience to support thoughtful, science-informed horsemanship. For more than a decade, Dr. Peters has presented neuroscience concepts to equestrian audiences...

Shannon Beahen specializes in teaching her own consent-based approach to natural dressage and liberty, equine care and co-living, as well as the creation of species-appropriate habitats that promote dynamic movement and autonomous equine lifestyles. She is passionate about exploring and articulating the ethics of embodied horse-human relationships. And her hope is that, through teaching a deeper a...

Elisa Walfish (also known as the Data-Driven Equestrian) is a biologist by training, host of the EquiScience Podcast, and a certified Equine Manual Therapy practitioner through Equineology (EEWB), specializing in Functional postural rehabilitation, Myofascial and nervous system relaxation and Equine sports massage. Elisa’s approach combines a scientific understanding of the body with targeted manu...

Franke Sloothaak is a true legend of show jumping: During his active career, he became World Champion and Olympic gold medalist, winning numerous major prizes. He trained and competed in top-level competition with more horses than almost anyone else. Today, he works behind the scenes, coaching students all over the world. In conversation with Christian Kroeber, he looks back on his career, recount...

Michelle Bannink is an equine behaviour and trauma specialist, operating internationally with horses and humans facing complex behavioural and emotional challenges, who are looking for ways to bring balance and joy back into their lives. In her work, Michelle became known for helping horses who were labeled as "difficult" or "dangerous" return to regulation, connection and trust. She helps horses...

Baylee Summer helps ethical horse trainers to create, launch, and sell online offers in just 4 months in her business mentorship program, “Ethical Trainer Alchemy, and she has helped dozens of trainers get their businesses off the ground and generate actual profit (instead of barely breaking even). Baylee has made it her mission to help them get booked out & well paid, so they can sustainably do t...

Dr. Ben Sykes is a world leading expert on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome and is actively changing the way we think, talk about, treat, prevent, and manage gastric ulcers in our horses. He has pioneered research on gastric ulcers with a focus on Equine Glandular Gastric Disease and is a well-recognised speaker at numerous conferences around the world on subjects relating to equine health and Equine...

Rebecca Haddock is a trailblazer in equine taping, with over 30 years of hands-on experience in the horse industry. She is the Owner and President of EquiTecs Equine Technologies Institue, a Certified EEKT and EEBT practitioner, and the author of Stick With Success – Equine Functional Taping Made Simple. Rebecca is known for blending science-based expertise with ranch-tested wisdom and humor, maki...

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has changed the so-called Blood Rule in show jumping – sparking debate throughout the equestrian world. This rule concerns how to handle situations in competitions where blood is detected on a participating horse before, during, or after a test. From the date the new regulation comes into force on January 1, 2026, horses will still be able to participa...

Sabrina Hidiroglou is a Grand Prix Dressage rider and yoga teacher, helping equestrians get supple, calm, and confident - in and out of the saddle. Sabrina’s love for horses began early, and by age 8, she was taking regular dressage lessons, drawn to the precision and partnership of the sport. In 2008, Zinté F came into her life—a fiery young KWPN stallion who became her partner through every phas...

Pernilla Nathan is a Sports Performance Consultant using neuropsychology and heart science to help equestrian clients get results quickly and effectively. Pernilla obtained her Master's in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2006 and continued to receive her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2010. Her expertise were in the area...

Bérénice Roussel is a professional rider, holding a Diplôme d'État de la Jeunesse, de l'Éducation Populaire et du Sport, a specialized state-recognized diploma in France for becoming an expert equestrian coach or trainer, offered at the IFCE's training center at the Cadre Noir in Saumur. The training focuses on developing high-level coaching skills, including training design, athlete development,...

Katherine Lowry is a Biomechanics Clinician and Founder of EQUILibrium Biomechanics. After suffering two traumatic spinal injuries and struggling with stress and anxiety around continuing to lose control of her body, Katherine Lowry decided to take back her power in her life and heal her body from the inside out. Now, she uses the same powerful techniques to help others find inner balance and thro...