Canter Therapy

Many off-the-track Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds are talented, athletic, and willing horses, yet too many struggle in their second careers.In this episode of the Canter Therapy Podcast, Kathryn Christieson sits down with Dr Shelley Appleton and Isabelle Chandler to explore the often-overlooked gap between life on the racetrack and life as a riding horse.Drawing on Isabelle's extensive experience in the racing industry and retraining off-the-track horses, alongside Shelley's expertise helping owners when things go wrong after rehoming, they discuss why so many horses are misunderstood, how racing associations influence behaviour, the role of pain and physical stress, and why educating the person is just as important as retraining the horse.They also share insights from their new program, Racehorse to Riding Horse: The Off-the-Track Reboot, designed to help owners create safer, more successful transitions for these remarkable horses.Whether you own a Thoroughbred, Standardbred, retrain horses professionally, or simply want to better understand the challenges of life after racing, this episode is packed with practical insights and fresh perspectives.To find out more about Racehorse to Riding Horse: The Off-the-Track Reboot Program visit the website:https://www.racehorsetoridinghorse.com.auTo find out more about Racehorse to Riding Horse's - Racehorse Reboot 8-Week Intensive visit this link:https://www.racehorsetoridinghorse.com.au/events2/racehorse-reboot-8-week-intensiveTo find out more about Canter Therapy Podcast and the hosts - Dr Shelley Appleton and Kathryn Christieson and support the show, visit the website:https://www.cantertherapy.com.au

What if stress is affecting your mare far more deeply than you realise?In this powerful episode, Dr Chris Mortensen shares research into how stress impacts mares, reproduction, hormones, blood flow, embryo quality, and behaviour.Shelley and Kat dive into:Exercise-induced stress and fertilityHormone disruption and cyclingGut health and stressLaminitis and metabolic issuesThe role of blood flow in reproductionWhy stressed plants may contribute to metabolic diseasePractical strategies for mare managementThis is an eye-opening conversation about the interconnectedness of stress, physiology, and horse welfare.Dr Chris Mortensen is an equine nutritionist and researcher with expertise in equine reproduction, stress physiology, gut health, and performance nutrition. He completed his PhD at Texas A&M University researching the impact of stress and exercise on mare fertility and embryo quality, and now works with Poseidon Animal Health focusing on evidence-based equine health and nutrition.Dr. Chris Mortensen, PhDHead of Education, Poseidon Animal HealthWebsite: 🇺🇸 poseidonanimalhealth.comWebsite: 🇦🇺 poseidonanimalhealth.com.auWebsite: 🇳🇿 poseidonanimalhealth.co.nzResearch referred to in this episode:Here are the citations formatted for your show notes:1. Mortensen, C.J., Choi, Y.H., Hinrichs, K., Ing, N.H., Kraemer, D.C., Vogelsang, S.G., & Vogelsang, M.M. (2009). Embryo recovery from exercised mares* Animal Reproduction Science, 110(3-4), 237-244. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2008.01.015] 2. Smith, R.L., Vernon, K.L., Kelley, D.E., Gibbons, J.R., & Mortensen, C.J. (2012). Impact of moderate exercise on ovarian blood flow and early embryonic outcomes in mares. Journal of Animal Science, 90(10), 3770-3777. [https://doi.org/10.2527/jas2011-4713]Special for Podcast Listeners!Use coupon code: SHELLEYAPPLETON at the checkout of Poseidon Animal Health products to receive a discount.Support Canter Therapy Podcast:To find out more about Dr Shelley Appleton and Kathryn Christieson check out the Canter Therapy Podcast website: www.cantertherapy.com.au

Ian Leighton returns to Canter Therapy for his third appearance and, once again, delivers the kind of practical wisdom that’s hard to argue with. We dig into why nothing we ask of horses is natural, and what that means for training young horses, building trail confidence, and handling “won’t go past that” moments without accidentally rewarding the stop or turning work into punishment.Ian breaks down how to get forward in a way that doesn’t blow horses up, why you can only truly change one thing at a time, and why the best work often happens when nobody’s watching. We also talk coaching humans, including fear, ego, and learning differences, and how riders unknowingly create the very problems they blame on the horse.If you want a clearer horse, a calmer ride, and fewer arguments, this one’s for you.Support Our Episode Sponsors & Learn MoreThis episode of Canter Therapy is proudly supported by the people behind it.If you value thoughtful, experience-based horsemanship conversations, you can support the podcast by supporting our sponsors.You can learn more about Ian Leighton, his clinics, events, and horsemanship philosophy at www.ianleightonhorsemanship.com. If you’ve ever considered attending a multi-day clinic, keep an eye on his event calendar. They tend to fill quickly, and they are genuinely transformative for riders who want depth, not gimmicks.To learn more about Shelley’s programs, courses, books, and the Calm Willing Confident Horses membership society, visit www.calmwillingconfidenthorses.com.au.For evidence-based hoof care support and educational resources from Kat Christieson, visit www.firenzapark.com.au.And if you’d like to directly support the Canter Therapy Podcast, you can find more episodes and merchandise at www.cantertherapy.com.au. Every share, follow, subscription, and hoodie purchase helps us continue bringing experienced voices and grounded ideas to the horse world.Thank you for being part of the Canter Therapy community.

In this episode, Shelley sits down with horseman and educator Peter Cowell, the “man of a thousand sayings” who quietly delivers some of the most grounded, practical horsemanship insight you’ll hear.Peter shares how he found his way into horses (yes, it started with a girl), the three formative mentors who set his standards early, and why real learning is built in layers rather than slogans. The conversation explores what Peter calls the “ragged edge” of practice: handling weanlings year after year in the same facilities, with the same bloodlines, and refining timing, feel, and risk management through relentless repetition.You’ll hear honest discussion about trade-offs (there are no complete solutions), why context matters more than certainty, and how skilled horse people can unintentionally skip teaching because they do not realise how much they are doing in the micro-moments. Peter also explains how his use of a flag evolved from driving horses to helping them think forward, and why “that’s a goal, not a method” should probably be written on half the walls in the horse industry.Peter will be returning for a part two. Homework has been assigned.​How early mentors shape standards and decision-making​Practical expertise versus simplified “science flag” thinking, and why long-term patterns matter​Weanling handling as a real-world laboratory for repetition, refinement, and risk reduction​Timing, including “rewarding the thought” and recognising the earliest onset of behaviour​“No complete solutions, only trade-offs” applied to tying, handling, and training​The missing middle ground in the horse world, and why it is where most people actually liveYou can find out more about Peter Cowell here:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConundrumHorseHandlingEmail: conundrumhorse@hotmail.comTo learn more about the Canter Therapy Podcast, suggest an episode idea, or support the show, visit:www.cantertherapy.com.auTo find out more about Dr Shelley Appleton and support her work, visit:www.calmwillingconfidenthorses.com.auTo find out more about Kathryn Christieson and support her work, visit:www.firenzapark.com.auIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast and share it with friends. It helps us bring thoughtful, skilled voices to the forefront of the equestrian world.

Kat has just come back from a three-day equine dissection in Wagga hosted by Dr Heidi McGraw and led by Dr Raquel Butler (with nods to pioneer Sharon May-Davis). We unpack what anatomy really looks like (spoiler: nothing like the textbook), why fascia and “everything’s connected” matters, how X-rays can miss early change, mares’ ovaries, the ethics/wicked-problem of riding, and Shelley’s new tech toys—from the Lami-Tag for digital pulses (laminitis) to Equestric Saddle Clip for gait/HR tracking - plus what’s coming up in Shelley’s “Teaching People How to Work with Horses” course and "Whole-Horse" workshops and more!Episode Information:Find Shelley's Clinics and Workshop Information here: https://www.calmwillingconfidenthorses.com.au/clinicsFor Information on Shelley's "Teaching People How to Work With Horses" click here:https://calmwillingandconfidenthorses.thinkific.com/bundles/teaching-people-how-to-work-with-horses-the-human-side-of-equestrian-learningFor information on the Equestric Saddle Clip (use coupon code SHELLEYAPPLETON15 to get 15% discount) click here:https://www.equestic.com/ref/45/?apply_coupon=SHELLEYAPPLETON15For information on the Lami-Tag (IMPORTANT: Shelley is still testing and has not yet confirmed the benefit or accuracy of this device) click here: https://www.lami-tag.comTo find out more about Shelley, her teachings, resources and how to learn from her, click here:https://www.calmwillingconfidenthorses.com.au/To find out more about Kat and her services, courses and workshops, click here:https://firenzapark.com.auTo find out more about Canter Therapy Podcast and put in suggestions for episode topics, click here:https://www.cantertherapy.com.au

Horseman and educator Steve Halfpenny (Light Hands Equitation, SA) joins Canter Therapy to talk being a “horse’s lawyer,” why the mind comes before the body, building trust without force, connection and feel, and why balance comes first. We cover permission in coaching, awareness over labels, matching horses to humans, and practical ways to avoid triggering prey instincts while creating willing movement.

In this episode we wrap up 2024 with a look back at the highlights of the year, including our experiences at Equitana and the incredible visit from Tami Elkayam. We reflect on what we’ve learned, the connections we’ve made, and how these experiences are shaping our plans for 2025. Plus, we share some exciting goals for the new year and discuss our favorite book recommendations.

In this episode we talk to the lovely Carol Layton from Balanced Equine. Carol had brought mineral supplementation into the everyday horse owners repertoire. We talk about the importance of specific minerals and their place in our horses diets as well as how to put together a basic diet that suits the average horse.If you want to find out more about Carol Layton or the products she has available, her website is balancedequine.com.au

In this episode Shelley explains two terms she wishes to bring into the vehicular of the equestrian world. "New Home Syndrome" to bring attention to what horse's can experience when they are moved to a new home. And, "New Horse Syndrome", which is to bring attention to what happens to people when they get a new horse and how the unfamiliarity of the new horse can set the scene for distrust to occur.

In this episode Kerry talks about his visit to Australia and the Herd Dynamics Seminar he will be appearing at on the 25-26 March 2023 at Sutton Forrest, New South Wales.   If you are interested in attending this event please see website for more information: https://www.calmwillingconfidenthorses.com.au/blogs/herd-dynamics-seminar