Jen and Barbara

Dangerous at Both Ends, Tricky in the Middle

Science EN ↓ 30 episodes

Welcome to Dangerous at Both Ends, Tricky in the Middle. In the world of equine behaviour and training, there's a vast sea of information, research, and opinions that can sometimes make your head spin. It can be challenging to sift through it all and distinguish fact from fiction. So, how do we navigate this? Well, we've decided to tackle it head-on through candid, informative chats. We dive deep into the critical topics, exploring different perspectives in an effort to reach well-informed conclusions. Our podcast is your guide to understanding and dissecting tricky, and potentially dangerous...

Author

Jen and Barbara

Episodes

"How Can I Train My Reindeer for Santa?" 18.12.2023 1:01:59

In this festive episode, we share the story of the time we were hired by Santa Claus himself to help with some behavioural modification for one of his reindeer! This particular reindeer was having feelings about pulling the sleigh and when you’re part of a global overnight gift-delivery team, that’s kind of a big deal. With Santa’s permission (he was very generous and fully consented to the case...

“How Can I Tell if it’s Normal or Abnormal Behaviour?” 06.11.2023 1:40:37

In this episode, we take a closer look at how to recognise what’s normal horse behaviour and what may be a sign that something is off. We talk about how horses communicate stress, comfort, curiosity, pain, and emotional wellbeing and why context is everything. From subtle posture changes to bigger behavioural patterns, we explore how to observe horses with curiosity rather than judgement. Understa...

“What is Learning Theory?” 06.10.2023 55:00

In this episode, we break down Learning Theory, what it is, why it matters, and how it shows up every day in our interactions with horses (whether we realise it or not). We explore the core principles behind how animals learn, including reinforcement, punishment, shaping behaviour, and emotional associations. Most importantly, we talk about how understanding these concepts can make us clearer, kin...

"How Can I Set My Horse Up for Success?" 29.09.2023 59:18

In this episode, we dive into one of the most important questions in horse training: How can we set our horses up for success? We talk about what “success” actually means from the horse’s perspective, how environment and emotional state shape behaviour, and the small training adjustments that make a big difference. From clear communication to thoughtful reinforcement, we share practical ways to su...

The Pilot - Does Positive Reinforcement Lead to Biting Horses? 26.09.2023 1:10:47

Welcome to our very first episode! The audio is a little rough around the edges (we were still finding our sea legs), but the conversation is a good one. In this episode, we explore a big question in the horse training world: Does positive reinforcement lead to biting? We dig into what the research says, where the concern comes from, and how training approach, timing, and clarity can shape behavio...