In this episode of Saddle Talk, hosts Cara and Sandy dive into the real-life mental and physical challenges of horse ownership—from recovering from injuries and navigating rider anxiety to understanding key horse behavior. Sandy shares updates on her broken pelvis recovery and her milestone transition into menopause, while Cara opens up about her personal tendency to “perseverate” on training goals with her horse, Armani.
The hosts then break down the concept of the “lick and chew” response. Learn how horses release jaw tension and switch from panic/flight mode back to their “thinking brain”—and why humans need to apply this exact same self-regulation technique when stress strikes around horses.
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Key Topics Covered in This Episode:
- Injury Recovery & Reality for Equestrians: Navigating physical therapy, broken bones, and the struggle of taking rest when you have horses to care for.
- Decoding Horse Body Language: What the “lick and chew” reflex means biologically, how adrenaline causes dry mouth in horses, and why jaw-clenching happens during stress.
- Overcoming Rider Anxiety & Traumatic Scenarios: Strategies for handling worst-case scenario thinking during trailer loading, groundwork, and riding sessions.
- Proactive Safety & Body Positioning: Essential safety tips for saddling (facing the rear vs. the head), grabbing cinches with your left hand, using fly boots, and avoiding dangerous kick and bite zones.
- Preventing Food Aggression: How walking away while a horse pins its ears at feed time can unintentionally teach resource guarding—and how to set clear boundaries using a carrot stick.
Whether you are starting a young horse, preparing for trailer loading, or managing your own anxiety in the barn, this episode offers practical horsemanship advice, safety tips, and insightful perspective. Tune in to discover how positioning, patience, and giving yourself grace can change your relationship with your horse!
Keywords: Horsemanship, Horse Body Language, Equestrian Podcast, Rider Anxiety, Lick and Chew Horse, Horse Safety Tips, Trailer Loading Horses, Horse Training Hacks, Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Equine Safety, Menopause and Riding.
