western riding

West Taylor is a very interesting and entertaining guy to talk with. He and his wife own the Wild West Mustang Ranch in Utah. He has been working with mustangs almost exclusively for about 15 years and has been heavily influenced by Dr. Steve Peters' teachings on the equine nervous systems and neuroscience.

West makes his primary purpose getting as many dopamine releases as possible. We have a very candid and fun conversation and I think you'd be hard pressed not to find West engaging. He will very soon be doing a virtual seminar with Dr. Steve Peters, and just recently gave a TEDx talk in Utah. You can find West through his social media links below


https://westtaylor.net/
https://www.instagram.com/wildwest_taylor/
https://www.instagram.com/wildwestmustangranch/
https://www.youtube.com/@OutlawRides
https://linktr.ee/wildwesttaylor
https://www.facebook.com/wildwestmustangranch

It's my privilege to talk with the incomparable Jec Ballou, whose motto is "fitness is the focus". Jec is the author of multiple books, including "101 Dressage Exercises for Horse and Rider", which is endorsed by the US Dressage Federation as a critical for everyone to own book.
Few people have the understanding of equine fitness, biomechanics, and rehabilitation that Jec possesses and I learned a lot through the course of this interview. She has several very highly reviewed books to her credit and offers online courses, clinics, and customized programs. She is also the host of the Best Horse Practices Podcast. Please enjoy this chat, and find the links to Jec's stuff below.
 https://www.jecballou.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jecaristotleballou/
https://www.youtube.com/@jecballou
https://www.facebook.com/JecAristotleBallou
https://besthorsepractices.com/podcast/

Our guest this time should need no introduction. Jim Masterson has devised the Masterson Method and founded The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork. He's been all over the world teaching people how to help their horses release tension and it was my pleasure to watch him do his thing at The Best Horse Practices Summit this past October. Jim's also quick witted and funny and is the most humble person he knows. We had a great time and I find his approach very effective, easy to learn, and thought provoking. Please enjoy our chat.

https://mastersonmethod.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MastersonMethod
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krSx3Kz2BW4

This time we talk to Josh Nichol of Josh Nichol Relational Horsemanship. Josh and I will both be presenters at the Best Horse Practices Summit in October, so I thought it'd be nice to chat with him prior.
Much of Josh’s life has been spent developing his understanding and knowledge of horsemanship. Under the guidance of world-class mentors, Josh quickly learned his life’s calling: continually seeking and developing better methods of creating long-lasting relationships with one of God’s most fascinating and beautiful creatures. Driven by a passion for connecting with, and understanding the needs of horses, Josh has created a transformative approach to horsemanship: Relational Horsemanship.

Relational Horsemanship is built on a foundation of forming a deep connection with our horses by striving to understand their needs and empowering them to perform at peak capacity rather than dominating them. Refined over two decades of experience working with clients from across Canada and across multiple disciplines, Josh’s method has rapidly gained an international following among horse owners and equine professionals alike.

https://joshnichol.com/

In this episode we talk with someone from the dark side. She feeds treats! Adele Shaw is an internationally recognized mentor and trainer focused on creating a positive relationship between horse and human through science-based training and care practices. Adele is a Certified Horse Behaviour Consultant with the IAABC and an endorsed trainer with the World Bitless Association. She trains utilizing choice and control, positive reinforcement, behavioral science, the humane hierarchy, LIMA, and so much more with horses. Adele’s mission is to make this information accessible and achievable for the average horse owner out there through The Willing Equine. 
I really enjoyed our chat. We discuss all aspects of Operant Conditioning and the pros and cons as we see them. This is a very candid conversation and I sure got a lot off of my chest. It is cordial as well and it will be evident that while we have some differing views, we actually agree on way more than we disagree. Enjoy!
Adele can be found at the following links:
https://www.thewillingequine.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thewillingequine/
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWillingEquine
https://www.facebook.com/thewillingequine