26/01/2026
Two months ago, Albany and I attended Engaged Equines Master Classes with Katrina - and it opened my eyes in the biggest way.
Albany showed me just how much anxiety he had been bottling up. When things felt overwhelming, he didn’t react outwardly… he shut down. Completely checked out. He would go into “LaLa land” for up to 30 minutes at a time, briefly come back, then disappear again. This cycle went on for two hours. Even something small, like my flag flapping in the wind, was enough to push him over his emotional threshold.
That was his coping mechanism.
Fast forward to now, and I truly feel like I have a different horse 💛
With the support, guidance and education from Katrina, Albany is no longer needing to mentally check out as much when things feel hard. He still does sometimes — because horses will always have moments where they feel overwhelmed — but now he comes back to me much quicker and is able to stay present for much, much longer.
And that’s the goal.
Not to eliminate the shutdown completely, but to help them return to us sooner and remain present for longer periods of time.
He’s more relaxed, but still aware. He can now notice what’s happening around him, process it, and release the tension and anxiety instead of storing it.
This is what emotional regulation looks like in horses.
Now we’re working on the next stage — self-regulation.
Instead of needing to co-regulate with me (licking my hands or seeking my space for comfort), he’s learning how to release that anxiety on his own.
I’m so proud of his progress, and so grateful for the knowledge and tools we’ve gained. This work isn’t about suppressing behaviour — it’s about understanding the why and helping horses feel safe enough to stay present.
And that changes everything 🤍🐴
