Stall and Stable: Ideas for Happy Horsekeeping

We're just poppin in to your earbuds to talk about horse welfare and behavior from a birdseye view. Why is it important, how science has delivered important knowledge about behavior to the equine industry, and Helena's notes from her graduate studies at Penn. Listen in!

There are six primary behavior motivators for horses: 1) Food 2) Water 3) Safety 4) Comfort 5) Companionship 6) Reproduction To understand why a horse does something (good, bad, or indifferent), it is important to first think of the behavior as belonging to one of these six categories. When you identify which of the six motivators are influencing your horse in any given moment, it becomes much, mu...

Helena is back for a very quick recap and update on her evolving role in the equine industry. As she completes year one of her master's program at PennVet, rest assured that her passion for making the world a better place for horses has not waned–not one, single bit.  For new listeners, this episode provides a brief background on Helena's career before horses, during horses, and today, which curre...

In this final episode of the Stall and Stable Show, Helena shares her purpose for wrapping up the podcast with a reading of her graduate school application essay, lots of thank yous, and one last interesting conversation with Stacy from Triple Crown Nutrition.  Remember, all of the previous Stall and Stable episodes will remain available for download - some for free, others through the Stall and S...

Wendy Murdoch comes back to the show to talk about how equine behavior, environment, and biomechanics work to settle an anxious horse. How does gravity play a role in a confident horse? And what would you do if you were dragged to a bougie party and then dumped by your date? Listen in to this super interesting discussion with one of the industry's most knowledgeable and experienced professionals i...

We are back with our regular Triple Crown Nutrition Spotlight, answering listener questions with Triple Crown Feed specialist, Stacy Andersen. This month features the answer to a query submitted by Shannon, who had a follow-up question to our discussion about feeding the insulin resistant horse. There is a lot to keep track of when you're keeping a horse with a chronic health condition. Your veter...

Are you interested in ways to keep your horse mentally and emotionally healthy? If your horse spends more than an hour or two in a stall, you will be interested in learning about today's guest: Marlow Morrison, inventor of the Snuffle Pasture, a unique product for stabled horses that creates relaxation and supports emotional wellness in equines of all kinds. Listen in!   This episode is brought to...

Temple Grandin is a world-renowned animal behaviorist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She blazed many trails toward the humane treatment of livestock, and is the author of more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. Dr. Grandin also has autism, and has done as much for neurodivergent people as she has for animal welfare. There's a brand new, inspirational docum...

It's another Triple Crown Nutrition Spotlight episode, and this time, Helena and Stacy talk about how to choose a feed for those easy keepers, horses with metabolic issues, and other situations where low sugar / low starch diets are necessary for healthy horsekeeping. Plus, Helena shares an update on what's happening at Hoo Too! There's a brand new barn being built, the Hoo Crew is adapting to "su...

When I put out a call on Faceblast for a freelance professional to come out and give me a hand with my horses, Maria Falgione and her husband Ral Ayers came rollin up my driveway. I looked at Buck and said, "Well, you never know what you're gonna get, but you gotta keep tryin'". And from the minute Maria and Ral said "hello", the four of us were instant friends. Funny how that works. What I was no...

We are back with another Triple Crown Nutrition episode. Today we answer three listener questions about equine nutrition: 1) What's the most exciting research happening in equine nutrition right now, 2) How can owners best manage feed times and exercise in sport horses, and 3) Once a horse is in good weight (or overweight), how do we manage the change in feed to accomodate their new weight.  This...

Wendy Murdoch joins Helena in this episode to talk about the biomechanics of the horse and rider partnership, her scientific background, the Feldenkrais Method that she employs to help riders find their best balance, and much more. Listen in! This episode is brought to you by: AMERICAN STALLS , makers of premium stall components and barn accessories. 

If you're running a boarding or training business and struggling to stay afloat, you need to listen to this episode.  If you're a professional competitor, you need to listen to this episode. If you're an equine chiropractor, hoofcare provider, veterinarian, or hauler, you need to listen to this episode.  If you are NOT a business person but you are in the equine industry, this episode will inspire...

We have a powerhouse episode this week, featuring our monthly Triple Crown Nutrition Spotlight , where we answer questions submitted by listeners about how to best feed their horses. Plus, an exclusive audio excerpt from the life-changing book, HORSE BRAIN, HUMAN BRAIN-The Neuroscience of Horsemanship , by Janet Jones, PhD.  Yes, listeners, feeding your horse can be fun! And, if you have ever aske...

In this episode, Helena shares some big news from Hoo Too in South Carolina, and we welcome back equine nutrition specialist from Triple Crown , Stacy Andersen, to answer listener questions about flax allergies, anti-inflammatory ingredients, healthy versus unhealthy manure, and much more. Do your horse a big favor today and listen in! This episode is made possible with the support of our sponsor,...

In this second episode of our new Triple Crown Nutrition Series , Helena is joined by Dr. Clair Thunes, a Ph. D. and equine nutrition expert, to answer questions submitted by our listeners. Deciding what to feed our horses can be daunting. Some horse owners rely on their trainers for guidance, others rely on the barn manager, or even random tidbits from the Internet. Thankfully, there are people a...

This episode features an in-depth, personal conversation with Tik Maynard, an elite-level eventer, trainer, clinician, and author. Tik's balanced and artful approach to horsemanship is changing the way trainers prepare sport horses for their work, in many different disciplines. His first book, "IN THE MIDDLE ARE THE HORSEMEN", is a favorite among horse owners across the globe. In this episode, Tik...

Deciding what to feed our horses can be daunting. Some horse owners rely on their trainers for guidance, others rely on the barn manager, or even random tidbits from the Internet. Thankfully, there are people and companies for whom equine nutrition is a speciality. In this first episode of our new Triple Crown Nutrition Series, Helena is joined by Stacy Andersen, Nutrition Consultant with Triple C...

Understanding is the key to success and contentment with horses, no matter what you do with them. If you're a backyarder who treasures the minutiae of horsekeeping, or a champion reiner, understanding the nature of all horses, as well as the unique temperament and experiences of the individual horse, makes a huge difference in how well a horse feels and performs in our care. In this episode, Helen...

Wowie! We are finally here, in our southern home for the winter. Helena, Buck, Siouxsie, Brody, Clarabelle, Jack, Lola, and Cheeto. We drove 18 hours with a trailer full of hay and a truck full of cats to land safely at our farm in Aiken, South Carolina. Well, technically, we are in Windsor, a little hamlet within the Aiken community. It took a lot of planning to get here, and there are already so...

In this episode, brought to you by our friends at American Stalls , Helena chats with Hannah Ely, proprietor of the Cornish Ranch Track Livery in Cornwall, England. The Cornish Ranch has an interesting track system that includes lots and lots of hay, water buckets that are full of delightful suprises, and an approach to horsekeeping that honors the horses's freedom of choice, as well as their deep...

A new, totally tricked out software program for barn owners that's unlike anything else on the market today. EC Pro put out a press release, and it piqued Helena's interest. After digging in to the features of the program, a lightbulb went off in her mind as she realized the potential of this platform to revolutionize the boarding business. EC Pro isn't just an app that tracks horses, vaccines, an...

This episode is brought to you by:  AMERICAN STALLS , makers of premium quality stall components and barn accessories. Do you know how much water your horse drinks each day? Can you be sure they are getting enough? One of the primary causes of equine colic is an insufficiently hydrated digestive system. What if we could monitor exactly how much water our horses drink and ensure they always have fr...

In search of something that can help keep your horses cool during extreme heat events, but that isn't quite as dramatic as installing an A/C unit in your barn? Consider a mist cooling system! This episode's guest is Bashil Patel with Mistcooling, Inc., a Texas-based manufacturer of a product that can drop the ambient air temperature by 10-20 degrees - in or out of your barn. This is a system that...

No part of a horse barn is arbitrary. At least, it shouldn't be. Every square inch of the space in which you keep your horses has a purpose, including the spaces where nothing exists - like doors. In this episode, Helena covers some of American Stalls' most frequently asked questions about barn entry doors, and shares some key installation tips so these big, beautiful doors function as well as the...