What does good actually look like for horses?

Not the version we’ve inherited. Not the version that’s easiest to manage. The version that actually meets their needs. It's tricky,

In this episode, Jen and Barbara dig into enrichment for horses.

We’re talking ethology. What horses are built for. What they’re missing. Why that matters more than any system label, plus how you can find the gaps and fill them Because this isn’t just “track vs traditional livery.” It’s about whether the life we’re offering lines up with the animal in front of us. The individual needs of your animal.

We pull in lessons from other industries, zoological collections/gardens (also caled zoos), cattle systems, places where thinking around individual needs and population-level welfare has moved on.

And then we bring it back to real life. Our horses. Our setups. Very different environments, where we all struggle to find that balance. And how we each tweak, adapt, and work with what we’ve got, by understanding what needs are being met… and what still needs filling.

Because there’s no perfect system. But there is better thinking for us as humans.

Got a situation you’re trying to figure out? Send us a voice note. Your horse. Your question. And we’ll work through it in a future episode.

Real cases. Real answers.

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923

In this episode, Jen and Barbara revisit a conversation that’s come back into the spotlight, one that clearly still needs to be had. We’ve reimagined our original pilot episode and asked the big question again: does positive reinforcement lead to biting in horses?

While the original pilot is still available, this episode takes the discussion further. We dive much deeper into what actually causes biting in horses, unpacking the difference between correlation and causation, and clarifying why positive reinforcement itself isn’t the culprit it’s often made out to be.

This reimagined pilot is packed with new insights, updated perspectives, and fresh examples. You can absolutely listen to the original pilot and this episode together, they complement each other beautifully and offer plenty of new and interesting takeaways.

Enjoy the conversation.

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923

This was our very first episode back in September 2023, and I’m reposting it here because it’s super relevant to our newest episode!

In this podcast, we try something a little different: a debate! If you’re familiar with debate club rules, one person must defend the topic and one must oppose it. We did this using the current research in the field and went head-to-head to hash it out.

There are points involved, plus some hidden secret words we have to sneak in to earn bonus points!

Debating topics in horse care and equitation is valuable. Jen and I do this for fun and learning, and we still love each other afterwards. Good learning comes from respectful debate and from exploring different ideas and research within the field.

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923

We’re back! Jen had the audacity to go and get married, and now I’m here editing this and complaining about her selfish behaviour… prioritising love over the podcast (how dare she!) 🤣

It took us two hours to talk about this because it’s been way too long since we’ve recorded, so the chaos here is high and I refuse to edit more then I need to.

Will these episodes get shorter? Maybe, Hopefully?

Will they actually? Probably not. We just can’t stop.

Enjoy the madness. References below. I definitely recommend “Tea and Consent”.

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

References:

“But my horse is well cared for”

Can’t jump, won’t jump

Tea and Consent

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923

In this episode, we take a closer look at the role of foraging in equine wellbeing. Horses are hard-wired to graze for many hours a day, so what happens when we limit or disrupt this natural behaviour?

Barbara and Jen discuss their research, practical ways to support natural foraging, and how it links to emotional regulation, behavioural health, and performance. A must-listen for anyone wanting to support their horse’s welfare from the ground up.

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923

In this episode we dive into the controversial and widely debated topic of dominance theory. Is it still relevant, or has modern behavioural science moved on? We chat about what dominance theory actually is, how it came to influence horse training, and why it continues to spark disagreement today.

Join us as we explore what the latest research says, how dominance-based approaches compare with evidence-based, ethical training methods, and the real impact this has on horse welfare and human–horse relationships. As always, it’s an open conversation grounded in science, compassion and curiosity.

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923

We’re back from our summer break and kicking off a brand new season! 🎉

In this episode, we catch up on what we’ve been up to, what’s coming next for the podcast, and some of the things we’ve been reflecting on over the break.

Our main topic this week is language both the words we use when we talk about horses, and the “language” horses use to communicate with us.

We explore:

• How the language we use shapes our mindset, expectations, and welfare decisions
• The difference between describing behaviour vs. labelling the horse
• How horses communicate emotional states through posture, movement, and subtle expression
• Ways to shift from judgement to curiosity
• And how a more thoughtful vocabulary can lead to better understanding and kinder training

This is a reflective, gentle, conversation-based episode a thoughtful place to start the new season together.

We’re happy to be back. 💛

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923

Welcome to a powerful and timely special episode of our podcast. In this edition, we tackle the investigation by RTÉ that uncovered shocking systems of animal-welfare abuse and food-safety failures in the horse-slaughter industry.

We’ll unpack:

• How hundreds of horses declared unfit for human consumption ended up in slaughterhouses.
• The Abuse that took place in the slaughter house, uncovered by RTÉ documentary.
• The mechanics of identity fraud and traceability failures in the equine food chain.
• First-hand interviews from protesters outside the slaughterhouse site and what it means for horse care, regulation, and public trust.

For the first time on our show, we dive deep into the uncomfortable side of the industry, exploring why these failures matter for us as equine professionals, and how we as behaviourists and caretakers can respond.

Join us as we listen, learn, challenge, and think about what real welfare, transparency and ethical oversight should look like in horse care.

Voice note your questions on WhatsApp to +353 85 143 8688 to have your questions answered on the Podcast.

Meet Your Hosts

Barbara Hardman (Bright Horse Equiation)
www.brighthorse.ie

📧barbara.j.hardman@brighthorse.ie ☎️+353 85 143 8688

Jen Nash (The Equine Method)
www.theequinemethod.co.uk

📧 Info@TheEquineMethod.co.uk ☎️+44 7902920923