The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

This episode with artist Nica Quinn was a long while in the making, as you'll hear in this chat when we both share our stories of synchronisities and, quite frankly, miraculous happenings and path crossings. We've never met in person, but it always fascinates me when one path impacts another profoundly, and creates a new reality altogether. Isn't that so often the way with horses, especially, as we talk about in this episode, our more challenging horses? In this inspiring conversation, Nica shares about her creative journey, how horses brought her art to life, how trust in the process has changed everything and why she thinks being creative and making time for art might just be the key to moving through our current world in a good way. I share a harrowing tale that drove home the power of community, support and reaching across divides, and we both unpack why we love collaboration and why the "collective" experience feels so critical right now in the horse world and beyond. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Nica Quinn is an intuitive artist and designer based in Scotland, whose mission is to inspire creativity and deeper connections with ourselves, nature and horses. FInd out more about Nica and her creations at www.nicadrawsnature.com

Is there a better way to start a brand new season then a chat with the amazing Elsa Sinclair? I think not! We start season 9 with this rich conversation, broaching the big hot topic of pressure - what is it, how do we apply it (consiously or not) with our horses, how can we do "pressure" well, and where does not wanting to use it actually ironically mean more of it - how getting older and wiser is a very good thing (and doesn't mean we've lost our skill or courage), and exploring the concept of the beautiful in the mundane, every day moments with our horses. As always with Elsa, this chat had me pausing mid-sentence to chew on powerful new ideas and process aha's. Her way of thinking about horses and training has this way of helping us see something in a totally different way. Would love to hear about any aha's you had while listening! What is Freedom Based Training? Perhaps the best way to explain it is to break it down: Training is the art of developing toward an end goal. Freedom is the ability to make the right choices for you in any given situation. Freedom Based Training embraces the paradox of these two ideas – freedom and training. To do this we develop depth of relationship and width of skill in a balance, using passive leadership instead of dominant leadership. Elsa Sinclair is a professional horse trainer and instructor who brings to the horse world a unique and powerful perspective. Gathering together awareness from a variety of equine disciplines, Elsa has an enthusiasm for developing human ~ equine partnerships to fully enjoy the process of learning and growing in the direction of their goals. Elsa draws on a long and diverse history with horses as she travels now through her latest adventure of Taming Wild. What if horses were given a choice? Would they let us ride them? Without force or tools to control and without bribes to lure them? Elsa asked the questions, embarked on a project to find out and ultimately filmed a movie about the process. What started as simple questions, birthed the movie Taming Wild, an online course for those interested in learning Freedom Based Training, and a following of people who seek their own answers in what it takes to work more collaboratively with horses. Find out more about Elsa and her work at www.tamingwild.com. Elsa's Book: Taming Wild

What a perfect way to finish off season 8! This episode with Dr. Barbara Parks was fun, fascinating and fully geeky - my fave. We turned over a lot of stones, discussing clicker training - why many people think it doesn't work, what can go wrong and how to move into a place of understanding and success with this very helpful tool, especially in the realm of body work and other care practices, getting into many of my burning questions about equine body work, from how to set a boundary with a client, to when to have a hard conversation with an owner, to what to do when your treatments aren't feeling like they are working. We traveled far in this conversation and it was a treat! This is definitely a must-listen episode if you are an equine manual therapist or if you have a body worker for your horse(s). After this episode we're taking a breather as I launch the Whole Horse Collective, my new communuty membership, based on nine years of the Whole Horse Apprenticeship. Keep your eyes peeled for more details! I'll be back for the start of season 9 in late November 2025 - more awesome horsey guests and mind and heart-opening conversations to come. See you then! Dr. Barbara Parks is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Equine Rehabilitation Practitioner who has built her practice around the intersection of evidence-based rehabilitation and whole-horse wellness. Barbara holds multiple certifications, including NBCAAM-certified Equine Massage Therapist and PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and has completed extensive continuing education in equine biomechanics, orthopedic assessment, hoof care, nutrition, and behavior. Her approach to equine rehabilitation is integrative and guided by a deep respect for the horse's physical and emotional experience. She specializes in using positive reinforcement training as both a therapeutic tool and a way to improve equine body awareness, movement, and emotional regulation during rehab. Based in the greater Nashville, Tennessee area, Barbara offers in-person therapy for horse and rider, virtual consultations, online educational courses, and rehab boarding on a track system designed to support natural movement and healing. Whether she's working with a high-level performance horse or helping a backyard companion recover from injury, Barbara's mission is the same: to support long-term soundness and whole-horse wellness through compassionate, informed care. https://www.drbarbaraparks.com/

We're finishing out this seasons mentorship series with one of my most essential mentors, the one, the only, Dave Collins. Founder of the BC College of Equine Therapy and so much more. 22 years ago, almost to the day, I arrived at the BC College of Equine Therapy as a student thinking I knew it all. Well, that illusion was about to be lovingly shattered by Dave and the work that he was pioneering in the horse world. And I'm grateful for those two years every single day, even though, as you'll hear in this episode, they were rough! Two months into school I met Diva, my mare of almost 22 years, and two years later I had a business in Equine Sport Therapy I am still proud of, that has gone on to become so much more. Heck, this podcast probably wouldn't even be a thing without Dave helping me get into my "meat suit", and opening me up to a world of possibilities beyond the tangible. So sit down, grab a cup of tea, and listen in. Dave is something special and this is his first ever podcast - in fact it's rare these days to track this fellow down. To me, he is embodying what it means to be an elder, something you'll hear in our conversation. I'm grateful to know him and grateful he's continuing to learn, grow, teach and help horses (and humans) along the way. May everyone have a Dave in their world. Enjoy!

There's a good reason why I asked hoofcare professional Nicole Jory to contribute her online course Hoof Care Fundamentals to Outside the Box Equine - she knows her stuff! Nicole is my main hoofcare support for my herd and has been an invaluable resource for myself and my equine community for over a decade and I'm so pleased to be able to introduce you all to her in this episode! We cover a lot of territory in one hour: from trimming, to the three main issues she sees with hooves and how to help, to feeding for hoof health, to how to read a hay analysis. Nicole is a wealth of up-to-date information and is one of my favourite humans to geek out with. This chat is a goodie with lots of gems! Born and raised on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, Nicole Jory been a lifetime horse owner and equine nerd. She's spent years learning the intricacies of their health, with a special focus on their hooves. She became a Hoof Care Professional in 2002, and for over 2 decades has worked with countless equines and their owners, specializing in a holistic approach to hoof care. She is passionate about empowering equine owners to take an active role in the well-being of their equine partners. Find her online course Hoof Care Fundamentals at https://outsidetheboxequine.com/hoof-course/ Follow Nicole on IG @the.hoof.fairy or on FB at Nicole Jory - Hoof Care Practitioner