Kate and Kathleen - A podcast about humans and horses

Kate & Kathleen. Season 2, Episode 5. Good horsemanship and Good biomechanics? Part 1 This week we talk about the link between good horsemanship and good biomechanics (or healthy movement, or biotensegrity, or whatever you want to call it). What did we both have to do to further our knowledge about this subject and what do we see our students and their horses struggle with most often? This is just...

In this episode we chatter on (distinctly different from nattering) about the concept of 'What did you first stub your toe on'. Kathleen doesn't know where she first heard this, but she is claiming it now! And for so many people it is such a useful way to think about where to start and how to 'plan' your ride.  We hope there will be something in this episode  for you! You can find us here  Kathlee...

Kate and Kathleen - Series 2, Episode 3.  April 19th 2026 In this episode Kate asks Kathleen a question about her new horse. He has some serious concerns about things in his blind spot. Together they dicuss what might be going on for him,  and ideas to explore which could help him better. Many horses have worries about their blind spots, and when they are left unaddressed this can cause a lot of p...

In this episode, as we dream of spring and summer, we talk about some things you might want to consider when it comes to sigining up for or attending clinics.  Clinics in the USA look quite different to those in the UK, but a lot of things we need to prepare for are similar.   How do you choose which ones to go to?  What can you do to set yourself and your horse up for success? What small detail d...

In this episode we discuss the many naunces of imposter syndrome - something often dicussed on the internet, but usually with a 'one size fits all' solution.  We both believe that there are many varied and indivuial reasons why we might come to believe that "I'm about to get found out' Or, "I shouldn't really be here' - whether we we are a professional or have horses just for fun (!). We also exlp...

Dec 4th 2025 In this episode we update you about our two new (now not so new) horses, Rural and Sunshine.  We hope you enjoy hearing more about what we have learned about them and where we think we might be headed next... You can find us here  Kathleen www.ethosequine.com Kate www.softandsound.org  

Kate & Kathleen - Episode 21. Rules...? In this epsiode we talk about the few 'rules' that we have (for now) when it comes to being with horses.  These are things that for now we don't negotiate or compromise on - we try to uphold them. We discuss what has brought us to this decision and how we keep sense checking them. Who knows, the next time we talk we may have found good enough reasons not to...

This week we talk about the ethical dilemmas we 'should' all face as horse owners. - regarding what we want our horses to do for us.   It is a truth (which can be hard to face) that our horses are in our lives because we made choices for them. And  then continue to decide many things about how they live and who they live with. There should be an ongoing dialgue for any horse steward as to what I a...

Kate and Kathleen. Episode 19; living with horses with health conditions, Part 2. In this epsiode we talk about our personal experiences of diagnosing and supporting horses with chronic health conditions. This includes Kathleens horses with PSSM and hormonal issues, and Kate's with complex phsyical issues. We discuss our own ethical paradigms for what we we will continue to ask of a horse, and whe...

In this episode Kate and Kathleen talk to a very interesting question from a listener - Is my horse just quiet or is she shut down? As ever, the conversation  goes where it goes, with some rambling side roads and interesting diversions.  If you have a question for us, please do get in touch. You can find us here Kathleen - www.ethoseqiune.org Kate - www.softandsound.org  

In this episode we begin to answer a listeners question, one which i am sure is familiar to many of us - my horses has a long term health condition, how do I manage that? This is part 1, where we discuss our experiences of discovering and then managing significant health challlenges in our horses.  How can we balance optimim with realism, hope with pragmatism.  We will return to this very soon as...

In this episode we talk about the arrival of our respective new horses-  Sunshine and Rural.  We discuss their integration, how they landed and what we have learned about them in the few weeks they have been with us. Hopefully this episode will be interesting to you even if you have had your horse in your life for a longer time. It's always interesting to view them afresh! You can find us on  Kath...

March 2025 This week with Kathleen and Kate is a very special guest-  Jane Pike!  She of Confident Rider fame, and a passionate advocate for embodied practices for humans who share their lives with horses.  Well all humans everywhere really. We were asked a question by a listener about rider fitness - how 'fit' do we need to be to ride a horse, and how do the other tasks we do in relation to horse...

In this episode Kate and Kathleen talk about the challenge that horsepeople  can face when they see the gurus or masters working at the most subtle or 'black belt' level of horsemanship, without always being explicit abou the years of practical interactions with horses which have got them to this stage.  We hope this episode helps you feel better about 'where you are now' and recognise that being...

Well, this is some epsiode!  Kathleen and Kate chat to Lee Mclean of Keystone Equine about a life with horses, and specifically how she cares for herself, her family and her community. Lee has been working in the online/social media space for quite a while, and she has learned some things about self-care and boundaries in this new world over the years . She now has a huge following and has had to...

In this episode Kate and Kathkeen talk about something which is on both their minds at the moment - buying a new horse.  They have both aquired  many horses between them over the years and along the way have honed some of the 'Must haves'  and 'Must not haves'. This is a fund discussion but also a very serious one! If you find yourself in the position of buying a new horse, maybe this episode will...

In this episode Kate and Kathleen respond to a question from a listener, who wanted to know our thoughts about single horse ownership vs multiple horses. We talk about the pros and cons of both situations, our personal experiences of that,  and things any horse owner might want to think about.  If you have a question you would like us to answer, please do get in touch. You can find us here: Kathle...

In this episode we talk with Liana Upton about her experiences of having children and running an equestrian business.  She candidly shares the many challenges, and we talk about how women manage their lives as self employed horse trainers whilst giving birth,  breast feeding, and looking after children.  We take our collective hats off to Liana and all other women who manage this quite extraordina...

if you would like to find us you can join Kathleen at  https://www.ethosequine.com Or Kate at www.softandsound.org In this episode  we continue our conversation about women and horses, but this time with a focus on working in the equestrian industry.  Is it still true that we have to work twice as hard, be twice as good and earn half as much?  Why might we still so so many men at the 'top', while...

if you would like to find us you can join Kathleen at  https://www.ethosequine.com Or Kate at www.softandsound.org In this episode  we begin a huge topic, which we  both feel pretty passionate about - women and horses.  Whether you're making your living with horses, competing, or just enjoying them in your life, what does it mean to do this from the female perspective? What are our strengths and w...

Episode 7 if you would like to find us you can join Kathleen at  https://www.ethosequine.com Or Kate at www.softandsound.org In this episode we talk about the all important topic of Attention and Awareness, can you request it, keep it and direct it? How does your horse feel about paying you attention and are you practicing it?

Episode 6 if you would like to find us you can join Kathleen at  https://www.ethosequine.com Or Kate at www.softandsound.org In this episode we continue our chat about the basics. It turns out we could talk about this for a very long time... This time we discuss what a horse needs to be asked to be ridden - and feel really good about that. How we can contribute to that in our day to day handling?...

if you would like to find us you can join Kathleen at https://www.ethosequine.com Or Kate at www.softandsound.org We were asked a question about 'the basics'.  What are they? How do we go about teaching them?   How do we know when a horse has had them missed out of his education? We talk about the difference between principles and practical tools, and where do we start with a young untouched horse...

if you would like to find us you can join Kathleen at https://www.ethosequine.com Or Kate at www.softandsound.org In this episode we talk about all the things we love about a life filled with horse. Where do we find fun and joy in this sometimes challenging pursuit?  I am sure we will return to this topic over and over, as really it is this which keeps us hooked...

In this episode we talk about something which is really at the nub of so many issues horses experience with humans.   How can we work out whether a horse has a physical problem, a training problem, a lifsetyle problem, an equipment problem...?  How do I start tracking where things might be going awry with my horse, and what is a symptom and what is a primary issue? if you would like to find us you...