Nicole Chastain Training Stables

12/07/2025

Ugh! This is so rampant!!! Not as important, but huge pet peeve of mine, people posting horses on ISO ads that don’t fulfill the criteria at all! Like, ISO 16’3 confirmed, black, Iberian, gelding. And everyone is all “check out my 4 yr old grey mare”. Or questioning and commenting on something that is clearly stated in a post. Reading comprehension is a thing.

Context Blind Commentary. The Modern Epidemic of Not Reading Before Responding

There is a growing problem on social platforms. People are responding to complex educational posts without reading them fully, and without opening the linked article or wider body of work behind them. This behaviour is called context blind commentary.

Context blind commentary happens when a person reacts to a small fragment, a headline, or a single sentence, and then feels confident enough to disagree, correct, or criticise. The issue is not disagreement. The issue is that their response is disconnected from the actual information being shared.

Research in cognitive science explains why this is so common.

• The Illusion of Explanatory Depth
Rozenblit and Keil (2002) showed that people routinely believe they understand topics in far more detail than they actually do. This illusion makes them feel qualified to comment after only a quick skim.

• The Dunning Kruger Effect
First described by Kruger and Dunning (1999). People with limited knowledge often have inflated confidence. In online discussions this produces bold challenges to content they have not properly read.

• Shallow Processing and Digital Overload
Studies like Ophir et al. (2009) on media multitasking show that digital environments push people toward fast, surface level processing. The result is instant reactions rather than careful reading.

• Context Collapse
Marwick and boyd (2011) describe how online spaces compress multiple audiences and remove the cues that help people understand context. A single sentence gets treated as if it stands alone.

These patterns create a culture where snippets are judged as final statements, and educational posts are met with comments that address arguments nobody actually made.

Why full context matters

When a post contains a link to a full article, a research paper, or a long form breakdown, the post is not the full story. It is a doorway to the full context. Responding only to the doorway while ignoring the room behind it leads to misinterpretation, misinformation, and unnecessary conflict.

Reading the whole post, understanding the argument, and then checking the linked article is how online discourse becomes more accurate and more useful for everyone. It also respects the time and effort put into producing educational content.

The takeaway

Before commenting, pause. Read fully. Open the link. Engage with the entire argument rather than the surface.

Better discussions come from context, not reaction.

11/30/2025

I have such a heart for the retired horses. It is a huge financial sacrifice to support any horse but especially one you can’t ride. I have so much respect for people who own a horse and truly commit to that horse for life as they become unrideable. I was blessed to have my Mule, Maggie, from (approximately) 12-33 when we had to say goodbye until we meet again. It wasn’t always convenient or inexpensive but I was her guardian and I never thought twice about it. If you aren’t committed to take care of then for life you either need to sell them on while they are young enough to be a partner for someone or simply don’t own one in the first place. Because in the end, we don’t “own” them, we are their partners and guardians.

The horse industry and its attempt to rebrand irresponsible animal ownership as… something else.

Every year I see elderly and/or lame horses being offered for “free to good home” on the sales websites.

Every year, I see riders rehoming “heart horses” because they “can’t keep a horse that they can’t ride.”

The unrideable horse is often an unwanted horse.

Even the people who’ve had the horse for years and gotten to know their personality often still don’t have it in their hearts to keep them when something results in the horse no longer being suited to riding.

“Horses are expensive!”

“A lot of people can’t afford to pay for a horse that can’t be ridden and still get a riding horse.”

Excuses are made to downplay what it actually means for horses to be discarded at the rate that they are when they can no longer be ridden.

But no excuse changes the reality.

We already have an unwanted horse problem.

Too many horses, not enough homes.

Unrideable horses and horses in their senior years are even less “desirable” when they’re pawned off by the very people who should be caring for them at their most vulnerable.

It isn’t responsible animal ownership to discard animals when they no longer serve you and when they’re even harder to find long term homes for.

There are not enough willing retirement homes out there to accommodate the number of horses being discarded.

Yet, we see this continue to happen at a high rate because it’s easier for people to hang onto the illusion of giving a horse away to a better home than it is for them to make a final responsible decision and euthanize to ensure the horse doesn’t end up somewhere poor.

Because euthanizing the unrideable horse is a far clearer admittance that the person would rather end a life so they can get a rideable horse than pay for the retirement.

It feels a lot more icky.

But, it’s a more responsible decision than giving your vulnerable horse away.

Because if you don’t have it in your heart to retire and care for the horse you already know, the odds of a stranger doing it are slim.

And these types of horses are most “valuable” when sold at auction. Often for meat.

This attitude isn’t justified or accepted with virtually any other animal.

If I tried to give my dog away when hits her senior years and said that it was because I couldn’t have two dogs and that I wanted a young puppy who could do more, people would lose it.

And rightfully so.

Ironically, many of the people who would see an issue with that are the same who may defend the same actions when seen with horses.

There’s a disconnect between how horse people perceive actions relating to horses, simply because “they’re expensive.”

But we need to have this discussion.

Because, ultimately, if many horse people care more about riding than they do the horses that they have, they’re better suited leasing or taking lessons than they are owning.

You shouldn’t take on a horse to own if you aren’t prepared to pay for the horse into retirement or euthanize them if you refuse to care for them when they’re vulnerable.

Few people may find the miracle retirement home when giving these horses away but there are not enough of these homes and any rescues that frequent auctions can attest to that.

So, examine what your actions say about you.

You knew the expense of the horse when you got it.

No longer being rideable often does nothing to change the cost.

The only thing that’s changed is the use of the horse.

If their value depletes to the point where you no longer want to pay for their care, simply because you cannot ride them…

Well, that does expose where priorities lie.

And it shows a greater love for riding than it does for the horse.

If hearing that makes you feel angry and you don’t feel it represents you, reexamine your actions if you’re still defending this type of behaviour.

11/26/2025

Important Update on EHM EHV 1

𝐄𝐇𝐕-𝟏 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐇𝐌 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

𝟏𝟏/𝟐𝟓/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝟏𝟎:𝟒𝟎𝐚𝐦

The current EHV-1 case total associated with the Waco, TX outbreak is 32, 26 of which are the EHM/neurologic form. Affected states at this time include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Washington state. There are not reported numbers of mortalities to present.

What do we predict will happen over the next few weeks? Dr. Buchanan at Brazos Valley Equine has put together a great explanation of what we can expect as far as timeline, waves of the virus and how exposure is defined. This is why we will still expect to see new fevers and new cases, and why continued monitoring and biosecurity practices remain crucial so we can mitigate disease spread. Rather than continue to panic and cause distress, this is an expected flow of EHV and we can continue to all slow spread and identify cases to the best of our ability.

The total cases reported at this time do appear to skew the numbers and make it seem like there is a significant amount of horses with EHM over the respiratory form of EHV-1, however we know that the majority of exposed horses will not develop neurologic disease. Additionally, cases are likely under-reported and all exposed horses may not be getting tested.

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐚 (𝟏𝟏/𝟏𝟗)

- Entry permits required until January 1, 2026
- 21 day rule applies (has not been at a premise where a confirmed case of EHV-1 has been in the last 21 days)
- Health Certificates/CVI’s are valid for 30 days from date of issuance, though it needs to be sent with supporting documentation to obtain an entry permit
- Supplemental statements required on CVIs

𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐚 (𝟏𝟏/𝟏𝟗)

- Health Certificates/CVIs for horses coming from a state with a confirmed case of EHV-1 (TX, OK, LA, SD, CO, NM, AZ, WA) in the last 30 days are only valid for 5 days
- Non-positive origin states: 30 day health certificates accepted
- Supplemental statements required on CVIs

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚 (𝟏𝟏/𝟐𝟏)

- CVIs/health certificates must be issued no earlier than 72 hours prior to travel in MT
- Horses potentially exposed to EHV-1 within 14 days of inspection are not eligible for import/travel into MT
- Horses displaying clinical signs of EHV-1 or EHM are not eligible for import/travel into MT

𝐎𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐧 (𝟏𝟏/𝟏𝟗)

- No current restrictions, but event producers need to register their event with the OR Dept. of Ag. 20 days prior to event, collect records of attendees and horses present and have a designated isolation area available at events.

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚 (𝟏𝟏/𝟐𝟓)

- No current restrictions, but horses returning from exposed events/facilities are recommended to be isolated for 21 days with twice daily temperature monitoring and increased biosecurity.

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨

- Supplemental statements required on CVIs/health certificates
- No current restrictions

*not all states have posted restrictions, even those with positive cases - these are the only valid restrictions/reccomendations I was able to find*

The majority of states are not accepting 6-month passports (Extended Equine Certificates of Veterinary Inspection/EECVI) at this time. Shorter term health certificates (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection/CVI) are still being accepted and can be issued by your veterinarian for travel. If you are traveling, you and your veterinarian should contact the destination state for the most current regulations.

Additional states may require supplemental statements on CVIs/health certificates - it is recommended to contact the destination state when traveling to find out the most current regulations.

- Dr. Cooper

NV recommendations, supplemental statements and updates can be found here: https://agri.nv.gov/Animals/Animal_Disease/Import_Requirements/

AZ recommendations, supplemental statements and updates can be found here:https://agriculture.az.gov/sites/default/files/Letterhead%20Color-NEW%20LOGO-MOVEMENT%20RESTRICTIONS-SIGNED.pdf

MT recommendations and updates can be found here: https://news.mt.gov/Department-of-Livestock/Equine-Import-Alert

OR recommendations and updates can be found here: https://www.oregonvma.org/news/oda-implements-rules-to-help-prevent-the-spread-of-equine-herpesvirus

CA recommendations and updates can be found here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_herpes_virus.html

CO recommendations and supplemental statements can be found here: https://ag.colorado.gov/animal-health/reportable-diseases/equine-neurologic-disease/equine-herpes-virus-outbreakey o

11/14/2025

Think they ripped of Working Equitation much? Oh well, they probably are actually offering prize money and it doesn’t look judged on much more than time.

11/14/2025

11/09/2025

Worth the read. I believe everyone can learn these techniques but it explains why some people seem to have the “magic”

Mind Melding: Can Brain-to-Brain Coupling Happen Between Horses and Humans?

When we talk about “connection” with a horse, we often describe it through feel:

• We were in sync.

• He breathed with me.

• She softened as soon as I softened.

• We moved like one.

For many horse people, this is not metaphor — it’s experience.

Science is beginning to validate what horse-human relationships have demonstrated for centuries: nervous systems can synchronize across species.

This phenomenon, known in neuroscience as brain-to-brain coupling, describes when two brains begin to align in activity, timing, attention, and emotional state.

Although most research examines human-to-human interactions, the biological principles extend beautifully to the horse-human relationship.

In the equine world, we’ve long used other terms for the same thing:

• Co-regulation

• Attunement

• Somatic communication

• Energetic matching

• Partnership physiology

Different vocabulary — same mechanism.

What Is Brain-to-Brain Coupling?

Brain-to-brain coupling refers to a dynamic process where two nervous systems begin to:

• Synchronize electrical and oscillatory activity

• Mirror emotional states

• Share attentional focus

• Coordinate timing and movement

• Predict each other’s responses

In plain terms:

Two brains begin tuning to the same channel.

In humans, it happens during empathy, music, conversation, and collaborative movement.

In horse-human interaction, it occurs through body language, breath, stillness, rhythm, and mutual awareness.

When safety and presence are established, both nervous systems “listen” and adjust until they find resonance.

Can Horses and Humans Synchronize This Way?

Yes — and research supports it.

Heart-Rate Synchronization

Studies show that human and equine heart rhythms can entrain — meaning their heart-rate variability patterns align — during moments of calm interaction, grooming, bodywork, or rhythmic movement.

This alignment is associated with increased parasympathetic tone, the physiological state of rest, safety, and social connection.

Breath Entrainment

Horses often begin breathing in synchrony with calm, steady human breathing. The opposite can also happen — an anxious human’s shallow breath can increase the horse’s vigilance.

Autonomic Co-Regulation

Both species share similar autonomic mechanisms for safety and social engagement.

When one nervous system slows and softens, the other often follows — a living feedback loop of calm.

Mirror Neuron Activity

Mirror neurons allow mammals to map another’s movement or emotion internally — “feeling into” what they see.

When a handler softens posture or releases tension, a horse perceives that change not only visually but somatically — often mirroring it in muscle tone and breath.

Social Safety Circuitry

The vagus nerve, facial muscles, voice tone, and eye contact form what Stephen Porges calls the social engagement system.
Soft eyes, gentle rhythm, and relaxed movement signal safety to both species’ nervous systems.

Together, these mechanisms create a multisystem resonance that functions like interspecies empathy — a physiological dialogue beneath words.

How It Feels in Real Life

You already know this experience:

• You soften → the horse softens

• Your breathing slows → theirs deepens

• You release tension → they sigh, lick, or chew

• Your focus clarifies → theirs steadies

It is not submission.

It is not control.

It is mutual regulation — the biology of safety and trust.

Connection is not magic.

It’s nervous system coherence.

Why It Matters in Bodywork and Training

For equine massage, myofascial, and somatic practitioners, this understanding reframes the entire process.

• Your nervous system becomes part of the therapeutic field.

• Presence regulates before any technique begins.

• Calm is more contagious than pressure.

• Breath, rhythm, and attention shape the horse’s sensory world.

• The horse mirrors your internal state, not your external plan.

In training:

• A tense human evokes defensive patterns.

• A regulated human invites curiosity and learning.

• Feel is not mechanical — it’s relational and neurological.

Connection isn’t metaphor.

It’s biology in synchrony.

Supporting Positive Synchrony

Cultivating interspecies resonance is a practice of awareness and self-regulation.

Try:

✅ Slow, diaphragmatic breathing before contact
✅ Grounding your feet and relaxing your jaw
✅ Offering quiet presence rather than forced stillness
✅ Matching rhythm — then softly leading change
✅ Allowing curiosity and space instead of command
✅ Treating emotional regulation as a shared skill

Presence is the prerequisite for partnership.

Why It Matters for Healing

In horses recovering from pain, trauma, or tension, co-regulation can reopen the door to safety.

A calm human nervous system acts as a template — a “borrowed regulator” — that helps the horse’s system downshift out of protection.

In myofascial or somatic bodywork, these shared states often precede tissue change.
When the horse’s nervous system perceives safety, fascial tone, respiration, and heart rhythm all begin to normalize — allowing physical and emotional release to occur.

This is how true connection heals.

The Takeaway

Yes — brain-to-brain coupling can occur between horses and humans.
Horses don’t just read our posture; they read our nervous systems.

When we bring calm, clarity, and presence, they don’t submit — they join.
What we call “feel” is the living physiology of trust, safety, rhythm, and empathy between species.

We don’t merely train or treat horses —
we co-regulate with them.

And in that shared coherence, learning, healing, and harmony emerge naturally.

The Energy Connection Between Horse and Human: Science and Sensation -
https://koperequine.com/the-energy-connection-between-horse-and-human-science-and-sensation/

11/04/2025

Amen.

“I kept my horse”
We rode many miles, won many shows, and we spent hundreds of hours side by side.
Now you’re old, you’re retired, and you’re my old man.

I kept my horse when he went lame- every damn time.
I kept my horse when I fell off - it wasn’t his fault anyways.
I kept my horse when I thought it shouldn’t be this hard- I didn’t know that’s how I would learn.

I kept my horse when he told me he couldn’t be ridden anymore - because I know compassion.
I kept my horse when I moved away for college and struggled with time- because he’s family.

I kept my horse when I was broke- because sometimes times are tough.
I kept my horse when he couldn’t jump high and run fast because I could see that he still would try if If I asked but he shouldn’t.

I kept my horse when I bought a new one- 3 actually, because he’s irreplaceable.
I kept my horse when I wished I had room for one that was sound- because I owe it to him.

I kept my horse when he was costing me more money to feed then any of my riding horses, because money isn’t everything.
When his legs had enough- and all he could bare to carry was his own weight, I still kept my horse.

When his career as a riding horse was over- I knew I had to keep my horse.
No one owes this horse a retirement except for me, and shame on anyone who selfishly convinces themselves otherwise. I owe him so much more for what he has done for me, but I plan to try and make it up to him when he has nothing more to offer me.

Because that’s how it should be be ❤️
photo credit: Missi Spiker