Inside Equine Minds by EqPI

Babylon is known as much for his boisterous personality as his talent in the hunter ring. In addition to collecting tricolors in the small junior hunters and performance hunter ring, "Crumbles" can be heard announcing himself in the morning on the way to the warmup ring and can be found pulling the fly masks and blankets off of his neighboring stall buddies. John French joins me to discuss how he's taken steps to ensure that Crumbles stays the happy, mischievous ham that he is while still achieving the massive success that he has experienced.

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At the highest level, the best cutting horses don't just like to do their job - they need to do it. Kat Play is one of these special horses, and Monty Buntin, NCHA Hall of Fame trainer, understands how to support Kat Play's personality to maximize his instinct to separate the cow from the herd. As so many of the super successful horses do, Kat Play has his quirks, such as being claustrophobic and being particular about his routine and his people, but when he knows what to expect and when he has his support team around him, Kat Play regularly finds himself among the best in the world.

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Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse.
Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.

We’ve all heard of stories of amazing horses who achieve success against all odds. Take Seabiscuit as an example. He lost his first 17 races. In fact, he was described as laid back, lazy and lethargic. He was only 15 hands tall and had short legs with knobby, crooked knees. Does that sound like a famous racehorse to you? And yet, Seabiscuit was the top money winning racehorse in the 1930’s, even setting a record!
The physical nature and training of a horse is just one component of success. There is also a mental component that has a big impact. Great horse people understand that they must meet both the physical and mental needs of a horse in order for them to reach their full potential. Seabiscuit’s trainer, Tom Smith, took the time to figure out these mental needs for Seabiscuit, which ultimately lead him to a famous and memorable racing career.

While the physical requirements of the top equine athletes are much better understood, information about the mental aspect remains vague and mysterious at best. Join me, Kaitlin Hendry, as I meet with trainers, riders and grooms to dive deep inside the equine minds of the most successful horses in various disciplines. My new podcast, Inside Equine Minds, takes you behind-the-scenes from the horse’s perspective, to learn about how they are trained and managed in a way that strengthens their mental game and fuels their success.

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Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse.
Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.

You read that right.... BRIDLELESS. Brendan Wise and his gelding Villanueva Conrad (aka Lyric) are determined to do what many have deemed impossible. They're making a name for themselves for showing in the jumper ring with only a neck rein... And not just any jumper class, but the Grand Prix classes! What makes Lyric a good candidate for bridleless work? Are there personality prerequisites to do bridleless work? How does Brendan prepare Lyric to show in these "fish bowl" environments? These are all questions that we dive into to get a peek inside the mind of Lyric, the bridleless Grand Prix jumper.

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Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse.
Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.

When you think of a champion reiner, the words "chill, sweet, and forgiving" are probably not at the top of the list to describe them, but that's exactly what "Romeo" is! He is the perfect blend of talent and temperament to juggle his non-pro owner Bevin Zimmerman and Open trainer Jesse Gentile without batting an eye. As the "picture of 'willingly guided,'" Romeo does exactly what he's told and nothing more, but as Bevin has learned, that has its challenges for someone who is learning! But when things click, magic happens and Romeo shines.

Support the show

Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse.
Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.