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Heal Your Horse: Daily Summaries Delivered
by nika vorster
Owning, training and working with yours can be a lonely road. In this podcast I share real stories and my years of experience as an animal chiropractor to inspire you to keep asking questions and enjoy and ups and downs of horses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 6 days ago25 min
When Back Pain Isn't Just Back Pain: The Clinical Thinking Behind Treating a Performance Horse
What happens when a performance horse keeps struggling with back pain even after veterinary treatment, spinal injections and changes to his management? In this episode of The Horse Listener, I take you through a real endurance horse case, following the clinical reasoning behind my gait assessment, the spinal and muscular findings, a conservative chiropractic approach and the questions I took back to the referring vet, including why the multifidus might be part of the missing picture. This is a case about asking better questions, recognising the limits of our findings and bringing different professionals together to support the horse. The case is ongoing, and the clinical hypotheses discussed are not confirmed diagnoses. If you're a qualified equine practitioner and you'd like to learn how we reason through cases like this one, comment PRACTITIONER'S EYE and I'll send you the details of our January programme. #TheHorseListener #EquineChiropractic #EquineBiomechanics #HorsePerformance #EquineRehabilitation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago47 min
Women in Horses: Have you noticed a change in your confidence? More anxiety?
What if your riding confidence is not just about mindset?In this episode, I explore why nutrition matters for equestrian women, not for weight loss or restriction, but for energy, focus, nervous system support, recovery and confidence in the saddle.Because your horse doesn’t just feel your aids. They feel your breath, your tension, your timing, your hesitation and the version of you that gets on.This is Fed, Focused and Confident, a different conversation about nutrition for the woman who rides the horse.Comment NUTRITION if you would like my simple guide for equestrian women who want more energy, focus and confidence in the saddle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 29, 202626 min
Perimenopause and Horse Riding: Why Does Riding Feel Different? Nika Vorster
Has riding started to feel different? Perhaps your confidence has changed, you’re exhausted before you get on, or you’ve quietly stopped doing things you used to enjoy.In this episode, I walk through a study of 1,629 female equestrians who shared their experiences of perimenopause and menopause. We look at what riders reported about physical symptoms, confidence, competition and coaching—and where the research has limits.I also share three questions you can use after your next ride:What felt different in my body?What did I change or avoid in my riding?What support would help me stay involved?A change in your riding deserves curiosity, not self-criticism. You and your horse can find a way forward together.The research: Bradley, S. & Mills, C. (2026), Breaking the silence: the unexplored impact of perimenopause and menopause symptoms of female equestrians. https://doi.org/10.1080/20533691.2026.2629210What, if anything, has changed for you in the saddle? I’d love to hear your experience in the comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 24, 20261h 23m
The Lifetime Horse: Reading Your Horse at Every Stage of Life
Every stage of a horse's life speaks a different language. In this full recording of The Lifetime Horse, Nika Vorster and Bradley Whale show you how to read the one in front of you, and how to catch the small signs before they become permanent.From birth to the veteran years, a horse's body is always changing, building itself, reaching its peak, then reorganising, and each stage needs something completely different from you. In this live session we walk through all three stages of the horse's biomechanical life and give you practical, everyday ways to read and support your own horse at home.In this webinar you will learn: ✓ Why the developing, mature and veteran horse each process load completely differently ✓ The early warning signs that a horse is carrying more than it can absorb, and how to spot them at home ✓ Why fatigue, not the exercise itself, is what wires problems in for life ✓ Simple, stage-specific changes you can make this week ✓ How to look at your own horse with more confidence and far less second-guessingChapters 00:00 Welcome and house rules 00:00 Meet your speakers 00:00 What you will learn tonight 00:00 The force chain, how the whole body works as one 00:00 The three stages of a horse's life 00:00 Stage 1, the developing horse (0 to 10) 00:00 Stage 2, the mature horse (10 to 20) 00:00 Stage 3, the veteran horse (20 and over) 00:00 The diagnostic blueprint, early warning signs 00:00 System drift, how a small problem becomes permanent 00:00 Your action plan, three changes to make this week 00:00 Recap and where to go next(Drop your real timestamps in once you've watched it back. Chapters really help watch time and search.)About your presenters Nika Vorster MSc is an equestrian performance and biomechanics specialist with over thirty years working with horses at the highest level, and the founder of The Female Rider Code. Bradley Whale B.Ost is an osteopath, educator, researcher and author with over twenty years across human and equine healthcare, who has worked with Olympic competitors, Formula One personnel and elite athletes.Get the Assessment Toolkit Scan the QR code on screen to get The Lifetime Horse Assessment Toolkit, a simple, do-it-yourself workbook that helps you read your own horse in an afternoon, matched to its stage of life. If this helped you see your horse a little differently, subscribe to The Horse Listener for more, and tell us in the comments which stage your horse is in right now.#TheHorseListener #EquineBiomechanics #HorseHealth #YoungHorse #HorseTraining #HorseWelfare #Dressage #KissingSpines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 10, 20261h 6m
Aggression Is a Symptom in Horses: What Ella Taught Alex Geudon About Horse Health
What do you do when your horse is aggressive, clearly in pain and completely normal on paper? In this episode I am joined by equine therapist Alex Geudon, an old friend from my Oxfordshire days, whose whole-horse approach to balance and health began long before her qualifications, growing up in Germany with a grandfather who treated everything with folk medicine and taught her that a symptom is information, not the problem itself.Alex shares the story of Ella, the mare she has known since before she was born, whose slipping stifles, refusal to turn right and escalating aggression were dismissed as young horse quirks until one vet suggested putting her to sleep. X-rays, bloods and a full workup found nothing, her ovaries were removed on the best advice available, and every symptom returned within three months. That heartbreak sent Alex down a path of hindgut microbiome testing, traditional Chinese herbs and years of research that finally gave Ella her life back, and it changed the direction of Alex's own.We talk about why the foal's microbiome is set in the first few months of life and can only be managed after that, what modern feed and imported sport horses mean for the metabolic problems now showing up everywhere, why detoxing the liver first is the wrong way round, what chronic pain does to a horse's nervous system, and the questions every owner should ask before agreeing to remove a mare's ovaries. Alex also shares the story of Jubilee, the starved youngster whose recovery came down to one breakthrough, and why making the nervous system feel safe is where the real healing begins.If you have a horse with mysterious intermittent lameness, unexplained aggression or a diagnosis that never quite fits, this conversation will give you a new set of questions to ask.Connect with Alex Geudon: Facebook: Alex Geudon Equine Therapist https://www.facebook.com/p/Alex-Geudon-Equine-Therapist-61581668819620/ Website: https://www.equicircle.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jul 27, 20261h 9m
Your Horse Isn't Difficult: Confidence, Fear and Intention with Scott Purdum
A horse can be obedient and still not feel safe, and it can be labelled difficult when it is really confused, afraid, physically uncomfortable or simply unprepared for what is being asked. In this episode I am joined by Scott Purdum, horse behaviourist and rider confidence coach at Advantage Horsemanship, who has spent more than 20 years helping riders understand what their horse's behaviour is actually trying to communicate.Scott shares the story of the young horse that bucked him off twice in fifteen minutes, turned his anger into fear, and changed the direction of his career, and how buying that horse and spending a year rebuilding the relationship taught him what no amount of ego ever could. We dig into why preparation replaces fear, how to build a plan that stacks wins your brain recognises as evidence, why you should stop riding for a feeling and start riding with a plan, and what neuroplasticity teaches us about habits in both horses and humans, because a habit is never broken, only replaced.We also unpack the language we use around horses, why Scott refuses to call a horse disrespectful, what a pushy horse is really responding to, how intention and energy decide whether your horse believes you, and why trust comes down to one thing, which is the consistency of how you show up, mentally and physically, every single time.Whether you have lost your confidence, inherited a horse with an ingrained pattern, or simply want to understand the why behind your horse's behaviour, this conversation will change how you see the label "difficult".Connect with Scott Purdum: Website: https://www.advantagehorsemanship.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/advantagehorsemanship Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advantagehorsemanship YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AdvantageHorseman TikTok: search Advantage Horsemanship Confident Accelerator programme: via the website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jul 13, 20261h 10m
Nobody Warned Us: Riding Through Perimenopause with Mia Palles-Clark & Nika Vorster
What happens to us as female equestrians when our bodies start changing and nobody has warned us what to look for? In this episode I sit down with international showjumping coach Mia Palles-Clark, who has coached riders around the world for over 25 years, worked with the England Pony Teams since 2017, coaches the British Army Show Jumping Team and is now Head of Equestrian Sports at Millfield School.Mia shares the knee injury that made no sense until she understood what perimenopause does to ligaments, how HRT changed everything within a month, and the moment her body forced her to walk away from the perfect yard and into the biggest role of her career. We talk about coaching men versus women, why you cannot buy feel, what teenagers and their horses teach each other about emotional regulation, why Mia caps her coaching days at six hours, and the conversations most riders are too embarrassed to start, from breeches colour and period pants to bra fit and saddle comfort.Whether you are riding through your cycle, wondering why your body suddenly feels different in the saddle, or coaching riders who are, this conversation is the honest, practical chat the industry has needed for a long time, because horses read what we bring to them, and understanding ourselves is part of understanding them.Connect with Mia Palles-Clark: Website: https://www.coach-mia.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miapallesclark Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miapallesclarkshowjumping Millfield School Equestrian: https://www.millfieldschool.com/senior-13-16/sport/sports-a-z/equestrian British Showjumping: https://www.britishshowjumping.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 1, 20261h 0m
Why “Girthy” Horses Are Trying to Tell Us Something | Linda Hauck
What if the “difficult” horse is not being difficult at all… but simply trying to communicate discomfort in the only way they know how?In this episode of the Heal Your Horse podcast, I sit down with Linda Hauck, founder of Tapestry Equine Products, to explore what horses have taught her through decades of eventing, Thoroughbred racing, coaching, and product innovation.From training racehorses and competing at Advanced level, to inventing the patented Spursuader and Tapestry Comfort Girth, Linda shares how her products were not created from marketing ideas, but from years of observing horses brace, hollow, react, and attempt to communicate discomfort.We dive into:• Why “girthy” horses are often misunderstood• The hidden impact tack can have on movement and behaviour• What sensitive horses taught Linda about communication• Why observation is one of the most important skills horse owners can develop• How comfort changes performanceThis conversation is a reminder that horses are constantly giving us information through movement, posture, behaviour, tension, and reaction. The question is whether we are willing to slow down enough to listen.If you enjoy deeper conversations around horse behaviour, biomechanics, performance, and connection, make sure to subscribe to the channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About Heal Your Horse
Owning, training and working with yours can be a lonely road. In this podcast I share real stories and my years of experience as an animal chiropractor to inspire you to keep asking questions and enjoy and ups and downs of horses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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