Horse Conversations

19/09/2025

What more can I say … my spirit crumbles everytime I see this. And I see this a lot - this one just got unlucky in catching me unprepared this morning, so I had to share.

At this point, my heart just wishes that somehow, someday, all animals will be safe from us. Whatever that means for us.

Obvious cruelty, meat industry, shipping, unaliving, is one thing - but putting this under a blanket of “love for the horses, industry, sport, training, profession” just doesn’t go down with me. Dishonesty is known to weigh deeper for humans than the actually wrong doing. In these cases it’s both.

I don’t even have to do the trend of 10 things I would say if I was brutally honest and weren’t afraid to hurt someone’s feelings (including mine because of the probable backlash) because too many horses are getting hurt in the first place. I’m okay with hurting feelings of so called trainers and horse lovers.
The world is hurting, you know.

And this is just one drop on the stone.

17/09/2025

Reading this, again, as so often with dissection stories, I am so happy my magic work with horses is not making them complying, perform tricks or get rid of problem behavior fast - it’s reading them. Seeing all those micro expressions.
Knowing how my horse is feeling at every moment. Not missing the signals, communicating with everything we do.
A real conversation.

16/09/2025

If your are not allowing a “but” in the housing discussion you are not ready for it.
And I’ve been there. On both sides, before I owned a horse and after - before I studied ethology and after. And my opinion changed, from a rigorous “all horses must be 24/7 outside to be happy and healthy” to “it depends”. And it depends.

Most people say “it depends on the horse” - which is true, but most importantly it depends on the “outside”, because, oh boy, have I seen places.

Be careful with your opinion and judgment when you have the perfect outside in your area, in your state, in your country, your continent even - because it depends.

Of course a good 24/7 should be possible everywhere - and it can be … but that depends. Mostly on the owner of the place.

And we can discuss the ethics and morals of even owning horses if we can’t all afford a huge parcel and the perfect set up.

Or we can educate each other and change the industry by asking critical question, discuss beyond our preferences of how we feel, stay open minded and demand better by educating each other.

If want 24/7 be actually better than the old stalling concepts we have to manage the outside well - because we are very much restricted in it.

Wholeheartedly, I hope such posts inspire you to look deeper, find help if your set up is not providing, and never give up investing in yourself for your horses - from owner to stable manager.

10/09/2025

There are a lot of things you can do yourself. And should.
For example, I emphasize that owners and trainers do know a lot about all systems of the horse - the hooves, the guts, the biomechanics, the learning theories and psychology, than just what they need to do on a daily basis. And it’s great if you get into it yourself, like trimming, saddle fit or massage. Because it can only help your horse to become and stay healthy.

But horse welfare is a complex topic. And it’s okay and logical that you can’t do and know it all. That’s what professionals are for. That there are people behind your back giving a second opinion, looking out for things you might not see.

That there’s someone checking on your horse and you for the sake of credibility of all of us.

It’s good to be critical also towards professionals. In fact I think it’s mandatory.

Finding the right people that not only agree with you but also challenge you to look further and deeper is necessary in the equestrian world.

Keeping and sustaining healthy and happy horses is a village task.
A group of people, farriers, vets, physio therapist, bodyworkers, dietitians, behaviorist, trainers and of course friends to share with are a strong basis not only for your horse but also for you.

There are equestrians that trust professionals blindly and the ones trusting no one. I believe the truth lies - as always - in the middle.
Trusting yourself for judgment of those and the thousand opinions is requirement.

And of course trusting and listening to your horse.

If you feel like there’s no one around you to support your village make sure to reach out. That doesn’t need to be locally, there are plenty of good professionals available online, too.
Build your village of people that have a professional background and experience. That fall in line with your vision but also challenge you. Make it diverse and broad.

Here’s a place to start 🙌🏻

I offer private 1:1 sessions for everything you carry with you. As a professional horse behavior consultant and certified coach I see my mission in helping you become the best person - for yourself and your horse. My door is always open 🐴💕

Click the link in bio.

07/09/2025

We have a responsibility - not a right. There’s a huge difference.
Before anyone comments “horses wouldn’t exist without the sport” let that sink in.

But they do exist. And we have to care, now. Care. Not use. Care.

And maybe stop this over-proportioned breeding of “potential”. A potential coming with the cost of longevity and soundness - from the genes to the management. An excuse to cultivate egoistic needs for one species only. Packed under a soft blanked of “love for the horses”.

And I’m not saying “do not use horses anymore for anything and any kind of purpose” I am just saying “don’t make their lives miserable while knowing better”.

Because we do know better. There are ways. There is kindness. There is softness. There is achievement. But it’s on another corner than most are used to.

But I know, the spotlight is changing. Let’s make sure it’s seen.

05/09/2025

What do waves on the hoof wall, a biting pony and traditional stalling have in common?

In this case, laminitis. And a systematic problem many horse owners, trainers and especially barn managers choose to ignore.

It’s not that we don’t know how to keep horses healthy - we choose ignorance instead. Or the guilt trip of “training must compensate for the lack of appropriate living conditions”.

One very common and frustrating guilt trip has to do with the weight of the horses. Take it into the direction you may like because it’s a complex topic with lots of personal experiences and emotions.

But to make a general statement I can be hanged by: the training of the horse should not compensate the failure in the husbandry.

It’s for one not fair towards yourself or your boardes - whichever situation you are in - because we just can’t cope with that. We can’t mimic natural movement in the few hours we’re at the barn. Or give the gut system enough fibre with just one portion of hay.

And secondly - if problems arise and you try to train it away - you might make it worse.

Putting all the effort in the little time we have is the opposite of balance. And balance is what horses need in their day to day life.

I can already smell the changing season. And what that means is more confinement for a lot of horses. More stored energy and sour hooves. More time spend lunged endlessly in circles putting strain on tendons and joints. More calling out names and scolding for behavior changes due to this man made imbalance.

We need a systematic upgrade - beyond magic sticks and sparkling liberty training. We need education from the bottom up to the top. We need awareness and attention on the topics that matter. We need effort and investment on the change that is needed.

Husbandry is not a boring topic only for barn owners and schools. It’s the basic of who our horses are and what they need. And we need to speak up, demand better and do better - every single one of us.

So where do you start?
Education is right here at your disposal.

31/08/2025

There’s an event taking place this weekend that’s measuring time and skill for performance on a certain group of horses with an interesting past. That’s all I can say - because I don’t want to start and discussion on that certain group of horses. That’s not the topic for today.

But rather ask uncomfortable questions about our practice to measure time and skill.

For this event, trainers had 120 days to train a horse with a traumatic past, they show off what they’ve taught them and then the horses get auctioned off (okay I’ll guess now you know 😄).

And I was genuinely wondering how one can achieve anything with such a horse in such a short time - took me a few years to have Sol this far. So. Am I less skilled? Or is my horse ‚slow‘?

The answer is: Neither. I CHOOSE time.

Time is the best training method.

Can you achieve more in a shorter period?
Yes, a lot is possible but all has a price.

A price I am not willing to pay (because the horse is the one paying). And I am curious, who else.

Again, my statements are in place: not all that glitters is gold. And just because it’s liberty doesn’t mean it’s liberating.

There are many complex sides to arguments towards this show. But my message here is:

Time doesn’t equal skill, time doesn’t equal worth. But the opposite is deeply rooted in our culture.

Horses still must perform to be worth anything. And so do we. It’s an uncomfortable reflection we must face - in so many facets of the horse industry.

So stay aware and ask (uncomfortable) questions. For the horses sake and our own.

30/08/2025

✨ Big news - Horse Conversations has a new home! ✨
For those who don’t know me yet:
I’m Carolina - a certified horse behavior consultant and trainer. My mission is simple (but not always easy): to change the way we look at horses.

👉 Because let’s be honest. The horse world is full of opinions, methods, and quick fixes. But what’s often missing is real knowledge, ethics, and evidence-based understanding.
And without that foundation, it’s too easy to get stuck in frustration, doubt, or even conflict with the horse you love most.
That’s exactly why I created Horse Conversations.
It’s not just another training site - it’s a platform for:

📚 Free articles that ask the hard questions and give you clear answers

🎓 In-depth online courses on everything from clicker foundations to psychology, anatomy, and horse husbandry

💬 Professional 1:1 consultations where we look at your horse’s behavior, your challenges, and create a plan that works - based on science and empathy, not dominance or guesswork

💡 The advantage of this approach?
You stop chasing tips and start understanding the why behind your horse’s behavior. You gain clarity, confidence, and the skills to become the person your horse needs.

The new website is now live - and I’d love for you to take a look, explore, and maybe even share it with someone who’s ready for a new conversation with their horse.

👉 www.horseconversations.com

Here’s to more knowledge, more empathy, and more trust – one horse at a time. 🐴

25/08/2025

22/08/2025

Besides the point that a lot of “showing horse trainer skills” is still a performance made for humans on the back of the horse -

Okay, don’t get me wrong here. I don’t want to bash any trainer doing their best out there. It’s a profession, it’s often genuine, passionate and hard work. And all has a place.

These are just some thoughts from this week, seeing, again, words used to describe a profession that is not accurate, sending the wrong message to clients and viewers, putting trust in those words, with the risk of false information never leaving this industry (sorry, have to keep it vague).

But then, again, isn’t it a weird standard we hold here?

We are so far in our consciousness, accepting horses have feelings, emotions and rights, too.
Isn’t it time we stop treating the training as a mechanical option to alter behavior and see the psychological impact and side notes it has?

Shouldn’t we realize this asks for professionalism with higher standards in ethics and evidence based?

For THEM? Not for us.

To make THEIR lives better. Not ours (but could be an ultimate consequence hooray).

Looking back at history, you can easily see how we evolved in human psychology, how we treated each other and kids and how that changed into what we have now (and yes we’re still not there yet). I hope it’s inevitable that we make the same evolution in animals welfare as well. One day.

But TODAY you can demand more background knowledge, peer reviewed evidence and a level of standards that fit 2025.

16/08/2025

I got asked “how do you become an equine behaviorist?” quite often in recent times.
Study it is the short answer. But then I realized it’s a pretty privileged answer since I speak 3 languages fluently and can cherry pick the best study. In the Netherlands for example I couldn’t find any institution that fits professional requirements to call it a study.

And a study it is. You study animal psychology, the history of animals and humankind, biology, nutrition, ethology, animal learning, learning theories, neuroscience, genes, management and housing, ….

And it takes time, 3 years at least to work through. You read studies and research, discuss with other researchers, learn observation skills and how you can produce your own research.

That’s theoretical yes. But believe me, someone who’s THAT interested in horses to work through the dry stuff has “in the field” experiences with them, too, or at least is willing to go make them.

That’s a valid base. But a few days doing some practical exercise and theory lessons just can’t cover this.

And that’s totally okay, just be careful with the titles. And if your principles reflect them. If you can truly deliver what the words carry.

Forgive me, if these sentences here and on the image might not always hit the right tone - remember, 3 languages, and fully out of my head. Maybe a bit chaotic, but a sincere concern of mine.

Let’s keep the standard high. And it starts with you.

14/08/2025

Your horse is difficult? Here’s a pill 💊
Yes it’s that’s simple. No fancy tack, no guru, no school needed. Just you, being a human, accepting to live in a natural world, humble & kind.

Some days it’s hard for me to understand how one can not understand
- horses don’t naturally know how to be a ridden horse
- groundwork is necessary in all stages of the horses life
- problem behavior (under saddle) is always our fault
- that horses are not mean nor are they trying to set us up
- that they didn’t chose this life nor owe us and need to be of use
- all living beings are sentient and have emotions
- we do not have any right to exploit anything natural for that matter
- the way you interact with animals is a direct reflection of your emotional state
- the quality of the relationship with horses displays the quality of your life and vice versa
- empathy is the biggest strength in this world
- being kind will make you happier and has a butterfly effect

It’s not hard to swallow the pill that will bring you all the answers, serenity, peace and laughter in life. It’s a choice if you want it or not.

And it starts with how you treat the voiceless, right-less and ‘different from you’. And as an equestrian, that includes your horse.