The Whole Horse Podcast with Alexa Linton

After meeting on a horse track tour and realizing that we shared a common passion and vision, I couldn't wait to chat with Katrina Chapman of Lovas Equestrian about her work, her saddles and what drew her to thinking outside of the box about equine environments and more.
Katrina is a trailblazer, as you'll hear, starting as a saddle fitter and moving into creating her own custom saddles after seeing some major gaps in the industry. But, Katrina's a horse lover first and foremost, and in this conversation she shares some of her frustration when it comes to being a saddle fitter, when the issue is clearly not the saddle, how she navigates tricky conversations with clients about needed changes, her fave easy addition to support with topline and comfort and what changes she sees in horses that have their basic habitat needs met (hint: they are often easier to fit).  
Katrina Chapman's journey towards founding Lovas Equestrian was fueled by a deep frustration born out of a love for horses and a desire to ensure their well-being. As a passionate horse lover and dedicated saddle fitter, she witnessed firsthand the unfortunate consequences of ill-fitting saddles and tack on both horses and riders. Katrina realized that there were limited options available in the market that truly addressed this crucial issue. The lack of well-fitting and affordable alternatives compelled her to take matters into her own hands. Determined to make a difference, she embarked on a mission to develop innovative and accessible options that would provide optimal comfort and performance without breaking the bank. It was the frustrations she experienced that inspired Katrina to create Lovas Equestrian, with the goal of revolutionizing the saddlery industry and offering equestrians the quality and affordability they deserve.
Learn more at https://lovasequestrian.com

Celebrating our 150th episode with this awesome chat with Dr. Lizzie of Empowered Equine! I happened upon her work recenty and was so grateful to find someone laying out emergency preparedness for horses in the online space. Ever since moving further out of town I have felt the need to upgrade my "tool-kit" and make sure I am up to date with my knowledge and skills and I think many horse owners are feeling the same way.
In this episode we get into how the vet shortage is affecting horse communities worldwide and how to be prepared despite it, some of the important skills and equipment to have to track your horses baseline and detect issues before they become a big deal, what to look for with reading a digital pulse (this one was for Reykur!) and much much more. This conversation with Lizzie is full of nuggets of wisdom and skill-building gems and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 
Dr. Lizzie McCready, BVetMed (Hon) CVA is an equine veterinarian and founder of Empowering Equine Education. After treating hundreds of emergencies, she noticed a pattern: most horse owners struggle to recognize health issues early or respond confidently in a crisis. This gap inspired her to create The Equine Emergency Training (EET). The growing EET community now includes over 1,100 students worldwide and is empowering owners with the skills, knowledge and confidence to deliver the best care to their horses.
 
Here's the link to the Free Masterclass mentioned at the end of the podcast, where you can learn more: 
Free Emergencies + First Aid Masterclass: https://www.empoweringequineeducation.com/gwmc
Empowering Equine Education Website: https://www.empoweringequineeducation.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empoweringequineeducation

In this illuminating episode we're back with Elisha Edwards to shine more light on the often confusing topic of metabolic disorder, laminitis and hyperinsulinemia. As I share, I'm usually a pretty quick study but this stuff gets my brain all twisted in knots - and am I ever grateful to have someone like Elisha to break it down for me.
As many of you know, the topic of insulin as it relates to disease has been top of mind for me since my gelding Reykur's recent laminitic episode where his levels of insulin were off the charts despite trying to do all the right things. I've been doing my best to sift through all the information out there and it felt like the perfect time to have a deep dive conversation about this with someone who really gets it and is looking at this topic from many angles. 
In this chat we discuss why insulin goes up, why it stays up, and how we can help it to come down and stay down, the very real impact of hormones, stress and cortisol, the pros and cons of medicating, the real struggles of watching our horses deal with pain and how the emotional states of our horses can influence this disease. I know this conversation helped me greatly on my horse-keeping journey, and I hope it helps you too! 
Elisha Edwards is a long-time horse lover who holds both a Bachelor of Science in organic chemistry and an MBA from the University of Alberta. Elisha is the Director of Education at Riva's Remedies and she is also the developer and instructor of the online course Healing Horses Their Way. She teaches horse owners all over the world how to use holistic health care to promote good health for their horses and how to restore good health in unwell horses. She believes that through education and awareness of natural horse health we can drastically improve their quality of life and longevity. Elisha also regularly facilitates workshops and seminars on natural horse health care across the country.
Learn more about Elisha at https://elishaedwards.com/
Online course: Resolving Equine Metabolic Syndrome Naturally
New free Masterclass mentioned at end of episode
Hair tissue mineral analysis (Riva's Remedies)

Season 9 just wouldn't be complete without an epic conversation with Shannon Beahen of Humminghorse, this time about the rollercoaster ride that is recovery from a significant health event in our horses. Both Shannon and I come to this conversation with very real and personal experience of this rocky road in our own bodies, and with members of our herds. As you'll hear, I've been in the stressful beginnings of this walk with my new gelding Reykur, and Shannon at the (hopefully) end stages with her gelding Ivan, and this chat felt like an important one to share our experiences and support others that might be going through something similar.
We get right into the big stuff as we unpack the very real issue of caregiver fatigue, the guilt/shame/isolation that so often accompanies caring for an unwell horse, how to be with wanting it to be different, and what to do when you don't know what to do. Shannon also outlines her process of observing nuances in condition, vitality and movement as a way to track progress and change, how she knew that Ivan wanted to stick around even when he was struggling and how she went from questioning her life decisions to feeling a sense of deep privilege to care for and learn from her herd. I share some of my main take-aways from my journey with Reykur and how his health event is actually changing our connection for the better, as challenging as it's been. This is one of those conversations packed with goodness and wisdom and hard truths and I truly hope you take the opportunity to listen. 
If you haven't listened to my previous conversations with Shannon, check out episodes 121, 92 and 81 of the Whole Horse Podcast, or dive right in to today's episode. 
Shannon Beahen is an alternative horse trainer, online educator, academic and writer. She specializes in teaching her own "high vibration" approach to natural dressage and liberty as well as the creation of species-appropriate habitats that promote dynamic movement and sovereign equine lifestyles. She is passionate about exploring and articulating the ethics of embodied horse-human relationships. Her hope is that through teaching a deeper awareness of human-animal and human-environment relations, equestrian education ceases to be a privileged pastime; and instead may just provide some of the seeds to birth a new earth.
Learn more about Shannon and her work at www.humminghorse.com

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