Ballou and Butcher on Episode 4

For just our fourth episode on the increasingly popular Best Horse Practices podcast with Jec Ballou, the interviewer turns the microphone on producer Maddy Butcher. LISTEN HERE Don’t forget: During the month of September, you can enter to win a Patagonia WorkWear item by simply […]

Dr. Peters on BHP Podcast

In our third episode, we welcome Dr. Steve Peters, a retired neuropsychologist and co-author of Evidence-Based Horsemanship, for some great insights into how learning brain science can improve our horse work. Maddy Butcher consulted Peters for the first chapter of her book, Horse Head: Brain […]

Horses flourish when humans get the science

If you’ve ever sought a second medical opinion or gotten more than one estimate for a home repair, you know that each vested party has a different take on things. Working with horses, every trainer has a distinctive manner of looking at the horse, of […]

The Brain’s “Low Road” and “High Road”

Mechanics know that one big problem – smoke under the hood – is often caused by tiny, less visible issues. To solve the big problem, you need to understand finer points and foundational concepts. The more you know, the more effective you can be in […]

Confidence in Evidence-Based Horsemanship Terms

How to build self-confidence in a horse? It’s a concept to be discussed at next month’s Evidence-Based Horsemanship Seminar, led by Martin Black and Dr. Steve Peters. Peters said giving horses repeated exposure to novel experiences is a great way to down-regulate their fear component […]

For Lent, can you give up being human for a while?

Our piece on the Death of Natural Horsemanship was one of the most circulated pages ever for BestHorsePractices. It invigorated many lengthy online conversations on the state of today’s horsemanship, which brand of horsemanship is best, and what it all means. Absent in the conversation, […]

Life-long Learning, Part II

Read Part I I just finished reading The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd. The story takes place in South Carolina nearly 200 years ago, when the acquisition of knowledge for women and slaves was risky business. Books and educational resources were coveted treasures […]

Alberta conference low on bling, high on benefits

Of all the expositions and conferences out there, the Alberta Horse Owners and Breeders Conference stands hands above all. It’s a serious affair, run by the Horse Industry Association of Alberta to strengthen their community “through advocacy, education and research,” according to its mission. The […]

Exploring Evidence-Based Horsemanship DVD is here

Over the course of several months, Dr. Steve Peters and Martin Black worked with Emily Kitching, president of Eclectic Horseman Communications, to develop an insightful debut DVD. The new release serves as a welcome compliment to the book, Evidence-Based Horsemanship, which was published two years […]

Eclectic Horseman for your continuing education

For 13 years, Eclectic Horseman Communications has brought us regular, vital doses of straight talk and continuing education. Eclectic Horseman, the magazine, has some 3,000 subscribers, including several hundred in Australia, United Kingdom, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The Horseman’s Gazette, an adjunct DVD subscription […]