More freedom | More joy | More horse
By Tamara Nowlan Working with animals is one of the most enjoyable, soul-fulfilling activities for me. It is just me and my horse and my dog, and a crew of young people I have educated. We work together with theRead more
It’s interesting how many times the wisdom the horses share dovetails perfectly with what I’m learning, or something I’m currently in process with, in my own life. The very next day after I watched a video lecture from world-renowned medicalRead more
Did you know that Spring and Winter are the most common times for horses to get lice? Montaro got a lice infestation in his forelock and mane a couple years ago – then passed some of them to Jax andRead more
Have you ever wondered if your horse needs a winter blanket, a waterproof blanket, a fly sheet, or a fly mask? How do you determine what your horse wants versus your own idea, or fear? And if you’re in anRead more
If you’ve had anything to do with Equinisity, then you’ve heard about the documentary film made about 3 years ago during one of their retreats. The creator of the film, Stefan Morel, has just released the video publicly for aRead more
If you’ve been following the Empowered Mustang series, then you already know who Kaliah is: But what you may not know about Kaliah, is that her inspiration (for me) comes in the form of poetry! I’ve never been a massiveRead more
This winter on our farm in Northern BC, we are experiencing hay-feeding season (and the costs and labour associated with it) as something much more than a necessary means to an end (ie keeping everyone alive through the cold months).Read more
It’s now been over a month since Montaro, Jax and Juno climbed onto a trailer bound for the Kispiox Valley, and four weeks since we brought the two herds – my resident herd of five, and the three lads fromRead more
It took me forever, searching on YouTube, to figure out how to open my manure bin! I had texted the dumpster company and they told me to just ‘twist the handle’ – what?? If that wasn’t difficult enough, when IRead more
I am at that place in life – and Lord knows I’ve been here before – where I’m looking back on all the decisions I made that led me to this place. And I am asking myself: did I justRead more
What happens when the 3 Lads – Montaro, Jax and Juno – are ready to mix and mingle with Kesia’s resident herd of five horses? How does Kesia decide when and how to introduce them to each other, so thatRead more
KESIA’S HERD: Here are the 5 horses that live permanently with me in Northern BC, in the order they’ve come to me. Amalia or Molly – is a purebred Quarter Horse mare born in 1999. She is the eldest ofRead more
BIG changes here at Singing Horse Ranch and the previously unthinkable has just occurred… It all started back when Jax, Juno and Montaro escaped under the nose of my barn help, out onto the road, crossed 5 lanes of rushRead more
Big Mama Aude can barely put weight on her front left hoof. Her heel is HOT to the touch and it is probably an infection/abscess in the hoof. But is illness, injury, or disease JUST a physical phenomena? And ifRead more
A few weeks ago I was in Sitges, Spain and met a friend of a friend, named Fares, who teaches corporate teams and CEOs how to become aware of their energy – and use it more effectively – using birdsRead more
Oh YouTube… with your anonymous account holders, facilitating the most bottom-feeder comments of all the social media… I’ve actually been publishing videos on YouTube since 2008 for my health company, so trust me when I say I am well-acquainted withRead more
In the good old days (when I was a kid) hay bale twine was made of natural substances. We re-used it for all kinds of things – I once made an entire harness out of braided sisal hay bale strings,Read more
Did you know that people are booking experiences (not accommodation) on Airbnb that focus on hanging out, interacting, or simply hiking with animals? Horse owners have traditionally offered riding lessons, or trail riding to help defray the high costs ofRead more
Have you ever felt inadequate as a horse guardian? Did you ever wish you had more resources to care for your horses better? Have you ever felt despondent and discouraged about your horses’ living conditions? Personally, I can answer aRead more
One thing every vet will tell you, is that animals experience pain the same way humans do. So just because your animal doesn’t appear to be in pain, doesn’t mean they are not feeling pain. I understand what the vetRead more
Falcon was standing alone in the field, which in itself is not a strange thing as this particular thoughtful, dreamy horse often lets the herd drift away while he occupies his own little world. What was strange was that heRead more
Every now and then I remember to go muck around without with the beasts without any agenda. This time I brought my camera, and was treated to an intimate invitation into the birch grove where the cows and horses spendRead more
I am an absolute rookie when it comes to pasture and grass management. For years I couldn’t really conceive of it; I guess I took grass for granted. Being the ongoing steward of a small piece of the earth hasRead more
We are so lucky here at LTYH, because we get the best reader questions! And I know that if 1 person is asking, there’s at least 30 more wondering the same thing. We use initials to protect identity in cyberspace,Read more
In my last post on the topic of working with victim energy and the victim archetype, I told you how sore and painful my throat became as I vented and cried with the herd. Not just a sore throat typeRead more
My equine chiropractor/bodyworker Ainsley Beauchamp (who has owned 21 geldings) came out to show me a super easy, no-water-needed way to clean my geldings’ sheaths and remove the hardened smegma bean (which can press against the urethra). BUT keep reading,Read more
One of the wild mustangs, Cobra, doesn’t want his hooves trimmed – by anyone! He has a massive crack up the middle of his right front hoof; nearly splitting it in half. And he still doesn’t want any help. He’sRead more
Contract goat grazing is a new niche business that assists horse and cattle owners with pasture management. It is also utilized by cities to manage vacant lots, creek bed areas, or other public lands that need to be maintained withoutRead more
The significance of the exchange shown in this video, was the fact that a month earlier, Juno, Jax and Montaro had escaped and ran down a busy highway, then got stuck in a bog (halfway up their belly) and hadRead more
I had a full-blown, snot-dripping, throat-aching meltdown at the barn. I was hissing with anger, stomping my feet and swiping the air with my fists, as I punctuated my tirade. The horses stood where they were when I began myRead more
I went to the barn the day after a big healing session… why do most of the horses want nothing to do with me? I processed some deep childhood stuff during the session with my friend Jenny Andrews (EFT, MatrixRead more
The largest non-human genome project has just been completed and guess which other earthling species they focused on? Horses! My brother is a medical geneticist so he shot me this study the moment it crossed his desk. He titled hisRead more
Have you ever watched guys working on your ranch or farm and wished you knew how to operate that machinery? Every year when a guy comes to dig out the manure pit, or spread gravel, I wish I knew howRead more
Last week, I spent the afternoon with my 18-month-old nephew, Ren, while he watched horse footage I’d shot on my iPhone. It was very interesting to see which scenes he was drawn to, and also how long his attention spanRead more
You have probably seen at least 20 different Facebook and blog posts where people talk about a study from the HeartMath Institute, showing that a human’s heart will sync or entrain to the heart rhythm of a horse’s heart –Read more
Some of you may remember the rather brilliant DIY scratching post I came up with a few years ago. Unfortunately, in my sodden climate, it only lasted a year before the horses had pushed the post (machine-pounded 3′ deep) rightRead more
Many readers have asked for a quick-reference ‘glossary’ of all the horses in my herd that I write about. What?? Is it difficult to keep all the details of 11 horses you’ve never met (in person) straight in your mind?Read more
I invite the horses to join me for a playtime in the woods… let’s see who wants to come and what happens! Rather than ‘training’ my horses to come when I ask, or do things on command, what really thrillsRead more
If you live in a rainy climate, then you already know how horses’ hooves can get infected with thrush. Parts of the frog can appear mushy, very soft, with a dark discharge, and just flake off with very little pressure.Read more
A reader once asked me: “If you can communicate through energy (telepathically) to your horses, why do you need to use body language, force or pressure etc. to get them to do what you want, and why do they sometimesRead more
The herd and I had a lovely time hanging out with a couple of horse listeners from Chicago and Cambodia – Christina and Maddalena – when they came to visit one afternoon. After spending time with them, they were struckRead more
Here’s a video of the simple pleasures hanging out with horses as winter comes to a close. My dog Kumba is only 18 months old in this video, so still needs to learn how to control his impulses around theRead more
We occasionally get questions from readers who love learning about this more intimate, spiritual way of being with horses, but they find it very challenging to try and have a similar experience – or even exploration – because they don’tRead more
In my herd of 11 horses, it’s relatively peaceful while the top 2 or 3 powerful horses are receiving their feed – because no one would dare push in on them, or challenge them. But after that, it can turnRead more
Trailer play with the 3 adventure lads together! Jax (white Arab/Belgian), Montaro (Lineback dun) and Juno escaped a couple weeks ago when my barn help left a gate ajar for a few minutes. This video is part of the trailerRead more
Guest Post by Melissa Bishop In 2011 there was a terrible drought, the worst in Texas history. After several years without rain, the trees of the piney woods were dying. They were as flammable as gasoline. Then came a hurricaneRead more
The whole herd (except for Xadaa) is either sleeping or meditating. At the beginning of this livestream video (below), we just catch the tail end of Aude, Kaliah and Zorra’s nap. They all went into deep sleep, leaving me toRead more
Three of my horses escaped last week, after my barn help left a gate unlatched. They galloped down a city road, then onto a highway and then ran up someone’s driveway, into their field and got stuck in a bogRead more
The idea I’ve evolved to with my Livestream videos is to simply let the horses speak, or show what they want. My role is supposed to be to just hold the camera. However, I’ve yet to be able to stickRead more
Scientists have long been trying to figure out why Zebras have stripes. There’s been a lot of speculation/testing of theories related to confusing predators, social purpose, or heat regulation, but none of those have really panned out. Then a studyRead more
One of our fellow horse listeners in California asked me to shoot some video of the horses in the snow. When I arrived, all 11 horses were in the barn – waiting for my barn help to finish clearing theRead more
In early January, my mom and I spent 3 days traveling a 5 hour round trip to spend time supporting land defenders at the police blockade on the way up to Unist’ot’en Camp, where members of our neighbouring First Nation,Read more
If you’ve ever wondered where I get some of the crazy ideas I write about here on Listen To Your Horse… Or perhaps you’ve watched my non-training videos and wondered what made me approach things that way…? Then this podcastRead more
I talk a lot on here about listening to my horses – and pretty much doing what they say, because they usually have better ideas, or greater wisdom than I do. But just as we have both spiritual and physicalRead more
By Ainsley Beauchamp The first recorded chiropractic manipulation was in 2650 BC, in China. I only mention it because contrary to some beliefs, chiropractic care is not a new age, new fangled, placebo-esque treatment. Recently a LTYH reader wrote onRead more
Cobra is one of our wild mustangs who doesn’t like to be touched by humans. However, if you respect him and understand how to position your body and contain your energy, then he likes to explore YOU. My friend CarlottaRead more
She’s been asking for weeks to go with me beyond the fence. There is always a reason not to, and usually I can argue the legitimacy of those reasons. The days are short. I haven’t been well. I have toRead more
I can now tell you with some confidence what the temperature is outside by looking at the light; before coming here, how could I have known the seemingly endless variations of light on snow? Here we sit at a perfectlyRead more
She turns suddenly from my outstretched hands, the plea in them hanging, unanswered, between us. I can feel the hard light of the summer sun arrowing through the dappled shade. The back of my neck is moist – like myRead more
If you’ve ever wanted a way to explain to laypeople or skeptics how you listen to your horse; or what that looks/feels like, then just show them this video! What’s brilliant about it, is the story is told by someoneRead more
When we’re dealing with difficult situations with our horses; whether they’re health issues, behavioural issues, or environmental issues, it can be really helpful (and quick and cheap!) to use a deck of oracle cards, or medicine cards, to give usRead more
I received a most fascinating email from a reader (let’s call her Jill) whose horse is now attacking her after she tried the Trust Technique and Reiki with him. And while her email is unique, at the same time sheRead more
Here is my curated list of wonderful horse-themed gifts for this Christmas (or any time of year for the horse lover!). Some of these come beautifully gift-wrapped and all support artisans from countries around the world. If you haven’t heardRead more
By Mary Walby Rehabilitating the senior horse is a bit of science, with a whole lot of art (and heart!) thrown in the mix. But these same protocols of training, communicating and healing, can work incredibly well with all horsesRead more
By Mary Walby I first began feeding soaked hay pellets when I received a senior horse for rehab who suffered from chronic diarrhea. The equine dentist told me that his teeth were completely worn out and incapable of chewing hay.Read more
Note: This is Part 9 in the Series, click here to start at the beginning. You know how when you follow spirit, your intuition, guidance, the divine… even though it’s difficult, or crazy, or scary… But Source says to you,Read more
I invite the herd to go into the back 20 acres at dusk – just before the coyote pack gets active. Audelina comes along, but doesn’t think that’s a good idea! And guess what happens…? Let’s take another journey intoRead more
Kesia Nagata plays and sings selections from her album, Looking For Horses, as part of a Hot Yoga fundraiser for Fire relief. She also does some some Cover songs and some brand new songs. Hope y’all enjoy this as muchRead more
One of our horse listeners, Capucine, shared a photo of this sculpture in our Facebook group and I was SO taken with it! Not just the majesty of it, but HOW did artist Claudia Fontes create this startling, ginormous sculptureRead more
It’s been roughly a million years since I sat down to write about life on the edge of the wild. What can I say? There is not a lot of time to spend pondering, when you reside primarily in theRead more
In this video, my big Belgian mare Audelina gives me an experience of what it’s like to receive LOVE from Divine Mother energy. Aude invites me to join her in meditation and then tells me I have a ‘mother wound’.Read more
Here is an excerpt from an astounding book, Eclipse of The Heart, by fellow horse listener, Adam Adrian Crown. My review of the book follows afterwards: I call her Corazon. Her actual name, in the record books is Cora’s Own.Read more
Join me for a stimulating discussion with animal communicator and life coach, Alecia Evans, about the essential lessons she’s learned from working with dogs, horses and wolves. Things like: What’s wrong with treat training or clicker training, based on ChineseRead more
Have you noticed changes in your horse after being gelded? Perhaps he moves differently, or urinates differently. If you ride, perhaps there are now bucking or behavioral issues that weren’t there before? Gelding Scars & Performance One of our HorseRead more
Well, since my last video showing herd dynamics and negotiation (in slow motion) had such an enthusiastic response, I was encouraged to do another one for y’all! This one focuses on Makah-Mahpee (Earth-Sky in Sioux) before his castration, interacting withRead more
Some natural horsemanship instructors talk about body language, and energetic communication with horses. But it’s usually with one horse at a time, either haltered or confined to an arena. So what happens when there are 11 horses loose in aRead more
Watch what happens when my friend Ken flies his camera drone through the barn… and then out in the field over the horses: It was fascinating to me how some of the horses did not care about this drone atRead more
Heart Breathing is a technique that Linda Kohanov created together with her horse Indigo Moon. You may remember Indi is the horse I had a powerful, yet puzzling encounter with at Linda’s ranch. Linda says, “This horse, Karlo, was oneRead more
Posa’s mother is Siyone – one of the wild mustangs culled from the herd north of Vernon, BC. A month after her capture, Siyone birthed Posa in captivity at the rescue ranch. So although Posa has grown up in captivityRead more
My lovely friend Ken Berentzen is visiting and brought his cameras to the barn – where he caught this amazing sequence in slow motion. I give you the chance to watch the clip first, on your own, to form yourRead more
When Jax (Arab/Belgian) got a ginormous matted tangle in the middle of his tail, I posted a picture on Facebook and asked if anyone knew of a natural product that could untangle the mess. People told me about ShowSheen (notRead more
Stud piles are mounds of manure left by rival stallions in the wild. Poo is used to mark territory and so when rivals come along – just as you see dogs doing with urine – they poo on top ofRead more
Need a forest cleared of underbrush and great trails for hiking, biking, or riding? Just turn a herd of horses loose for a month or two! Forests are wonderful, stimulating environments for horses – much better than just a flatRead more
Note: This is Part 8 in the Series, click here to start at the beginning. If your horse injured his leg so badly he could barely walk, and you suspect he has cracked a rib, dislocated his shoulder and sprainedRead more
Here’s the story of my very first horse trailer purchase and our very first haul, picking up our wildie, Siyone, and her filly, Posa. And what Siyone thought about my choice! It took me two full years to decide whichRead more
Note: This is Part 7 in the Series, click here to start at the beginning. The interesting thing about Cobra is that he comes from the same range land my other wildies are from. Perhaps they knew each other andRead more
Note: This is Part 6 in the Series, click here to start at the beginning. Makah’s castration story starts back at the rescue, when he was separated from his herd after Kaliah and Siyone gave birth. Understandably, I did notRead more
So I have a confession: my horses work for a living. Or I make them work for a living. Or they choose to work for me so that I can continue to buy them hay. Or we co-create experiences forRead more
Carrying on from Part 4 of this saga… On April 5th the first pregnant mustang, Kaliah, birthed her foal. I drove up four days later to see Kaliah and her new filly Xadaa (Zayda) and was startled to discover thatRead more
Jess Belair Campmans is an experienced horsewoman, whose horses and body (pain, malfunction) pretty much forced her into recognizing and then developing her psychic/intuitive abilities: “My pivotal point was turning 33: with a husband, 4 kids and a dairy farmRead more
You may have heard the advice, over and over again, to allow your pasture grasses to reach 6-8 inches in height before you let your horses graze. And then you’re also advised to pull them off when those grasses areRead more
I haven’t written in ages. At first it felt like there was nothing to say. The long snowy winter was gentle, monotonous; a much needed break from the insane pace of the last year. With all the seasons under ourRead more
Guest post by Jocelyn Grey – How an Ontario rider met the horse of her dreams on an Alberta trail riding trip, brought him home – and discovered he had other ideas… In September of 2008, a group of middleRead more
When you want to give your confined (non-pastured) horse a more natural experience of eating, or, you want to continue their natural grazing during the winter months, or, when they’ve eaten down their pastures – slow feeding is the solution.Read more
In the last installment, the herd sent me a very clear message that they needed to stay together. That it was not okay for just Kaliah to come with me. So now what? I honestly did not see how IRead more
I came across this sweet video of such authenticity and peace. I just couldn’t wait to share it with you: Whatever your views on whether horses should or should not be ridden, look beyond those beliefs to the relationship portrayedRead more
I decided to tell you this story in video form. Because you really need to see-hear-feel how ridiculously out-of-connection I am with Montaro as we set out for the day’s adventure! Giving this story a title was equally difficult; becauseRead more
Note: This is Part 3 in the Series, click here to start at the beginning. For this visit to my new mustang mare, Kaliah, I took my daughter Zara with me. Zara apprenticed with energy healer and Reiki Master, JenRead more
As we are all waiting eagerly for winter to end, I was watching video footage of the summer Juno was born. At only 2 weeks old, this 3/4 Belgian, 1/4 Fjord colt is huge! And so much palomino cuteness IRead more
My son, Hugo, has a freestyle football channel on YouTube and he thought it would be fun to do some footie tricks around the horses. Here’s his vid of the afternoon – there are some funny parts in it, andRead more
