Stall and Stable: Advice for Barn and Business

In this final episode of the Stall and Stable Show, Helena shares her purpose for wrapping up the podcast with a reading of her graduate school application essay, lots of thank yous, and one last interesting conversation with Stacy from Triple Crown Nutrition.  Remember, all of the previous Stall and Stable episodes will remain available for download - some for free, others through the Stall and Stable FULL BOARD subscription on Apple Podcasts.  Many thanks to our wonderful sponsor, AMERICAN STALLS, for making this show possible, and for leading the way in quality and service in the equine industry!

Wendy Murdoch comes back to the show to talk about how equine behavior, environment, and biomechanics work to settle an anxious horse. How does gravity play a role in a confident horse? And what would you do if you were dragged to a bougie party and then dumped by your date? Listen in to this super interesting discussion with one of the industry's most knowledgeable and experienced professionals in biomechanics and behavior! This episode is brought to you by AMERICAN STALLS, makers of luxury stall components and accessories.

We are back with our regular Triple Crown Nutrition Spotlight, answering listener questions with Triple Crown Feed specialist, Stacy Andersen. This month features the answer to a query submitted by Shannon, who had a follow-up question to our discussion about feeding the insulin resistant horse. There is a lot to keep track of when you’re keeping a horse with a chronic health condition. Your veterinarian should always be the first place you go for advice, but with some insight from the folks at Triple Crown Nutrition, you’ll have more information to work with as you partner with your vet on a plan to keep your horse healthy. Listen in!   

Are you interested in ways to keep your horse mentally and emotionally healthy? If your horse spends more than an hour or two in a stall, you will be interested in learning about today's guest: Marlow Morrison, inventor of the Snuffle Pasture, a unique product for stabled horses that creates relaxation and supports emotional wellness in equines of all kinds. Listen in!   This episode is brought to you by: AMERICAN STALLS, makers of luxury stall components and accessories. From beautiful European stallfronts, to brick paver, brass bridle hooks, and much more.

Temple Grandin is a world-renowned animal behaviorist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She blazed many trails toward the humane treatment of livestock, and is the author of more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. Dr. Grandin also has autism, and has done as much for neurodivergent people as she has for animal welfare. There’s a brand new, inspirational documentary about her that was created by today’s guests: John Festervand, Development Director at Colorado State, and John Barnhardt, Emmy Award-winning cinematographer. In this episode they discuss the making of the documentary, called "An Open Door", and offer a sneak peak into the life and work of an incredible woman. LISTEN IN!  

It's another Triple Crown Nutrition Spotlight episode, and this time, Helena and Stacy talk about how to choose a feed for those easy keepers, horses with metabolic issues, and other situations where low sugar / low starch diets are necessary for healthy horsekeeping. Plus, Helena shares an update on what's happening at Hoo Too! There's a brand new barn being built, the Hoo Crew is adapting to "summer in the South", and Helena prepares for graduate school at UPenn. What?! Lots to digest here, people, so listen in! (Pun very much intended!) This episode is made possible with the help of American Stalls, makers of premium quality barn components and accessories.

When I put out a call on Faceblast for a freelance professional to come out and give me a hand with my horses, Maria Falgione and her husband Ral Ayers came rollin up my driveway. I looked at Buck and said, “Well, you never know what you’re gonna get, but you gotta keep tryin’”. And from the minute Maria and Ral said “hello”, the four of us were instant friends. Funny how that works. What I was not prepared for, was just how talented, kind, and genuine these two people were, and how much fun they brought to our new adventure in Aiken. And so, in this episode, I introduce you to my new co-host… Maria. To get a really good idea of what she brings to our show, Maria shares a funny story about how she used Facebook to get her first ride at the race track, and then how she and Ral eventually landed in Aiken. There’s always something new at Stall and Stable, and this episode is no different… so listen in! This episode is brought to you by American Stalls, makers of premium quality stable components and acessories.

We are back with another Triple Crown Nutrition episode. Today we answer three listener questions about equine nutrition: 1) What's the most exciting research happening in equine nutrition right now, 2) How can owners best manage feed times and exercise in sport horses, and 3) Once a horse is in good weight (or overweight), how do we manage the change in feed to accomodate their new weight.  This episode is brought to you by AMERICAN STALLS, makers of premium quality stable components and accessories. 

Wendy Murdoch joins Helena in this episode to talk about the biomechanics of the horse and rider partnership, her scientific background, the Feldenkrais Method that she employs to help riders find their best balance, and much more. Listen in! This episode is brought to you by: AMERICAN STALLS, makers of premium stall components and barn accessories. 

If you're running a boarding or training business and struggling to stay afloat, you need to listen to this episode.  If you're a professional competitor, you need to listen to this episode. If you're an equine chiropractor, hoofcare provider, veterinarian, or hauler, you need to listen to this episode.  If you are NOT a business person but you are in the equine industry, this episode will inspire you to make a change and get the kind of help that can turn a tough job into a much, much easier one. Horse people have a unique skillset that does not typically include business planning or crunching numbers, that's why a bookkeeper who understands your profession can lead to the way to your salvation. For real! Listen in... This episode is brought to you by AMERICAN STALLS, makers of fine quality stable components and accessories.

We have a powerhouse episode this week, featuring our monthly Triple Crown Nutrition Spotlight, where we answer questions submitted by listeners about how to best feed their horses. Plus, an exclusive audio excerpt from the life-changing book, HORSE BRAIN, HUMAN BRAIN-The Neuroscience of Horsemanship, by Janet Jones, PhD.  Yes, listeners, feeding your horse can be fun! And, if you have ever asked yourself, "Why does my horse do that?", you will be so relieved to know that science has some very helpful answers for you... so listen in!  This episode is possible with the support of AMERICAN STALLS, makers of premium quality stall accessories and components. 

In this episode, Helena shares some big news from Hoo Too in South Carolina, and we welcome back equine nutrition specialist from Triple Crown, Stacy Andersen, to answer listener questions about flax allergies, anti-inflammatory ingredients, healthy versus unhealthy manure, and much more. Do your horse a big favor today and listen in! This episode is made possible with the support of our sponsor, American Stalls.

A few key elements are necessary to call oneself a professional. Those are: education, experience, and wisdom. And possibly one more: enthusiasm. Today's guest is a horse professional, entrepreneur, and host of The Equestrian Entrepreneur podcast. Samantha Baer is based in the Aiken horse community, develops lovely performance horses, and makes horse and rider matches that are appropriate and long-lasting. Her “next-generation” view of horsemanship, business, and sustainability in our industry is refreshing. Her enthusiasm for supporting her profession is what prompted her to launch the podcast and bring thoughtful discussion to those who need it most. We may not have all the answers in this episode, but we do bring up key questions all equine professionals need to consider these days… so listen in!  This episode is brought to you by AMERICAN STALLS.

In this second episode of our new Triple Crown Nutrition Series, Helena is joined by Dr. Clair Thunes, a Ph.D. and equine nutrition expert, to answer questions submitted by our listeners. Deciding what to feed our horses can be daunting. Some horse owners rely on their trainers for guidance, others rely on the barn manager, or even random tidbits from the Internet. Thankfully, there are people and companies for whom equine nutrition is a speciality. In this episode we discuss feed bag labels and how to interpret them, which supplements are necessary in winter, why salt is important, and more. LISTEN IN! This episode is made possible with the support of American Stalls and Triple Crown Nutrition.

This episode features an in-depth, personal conversation with Tik Maynard, an elite-level eventer, trainer, clinician, and author. Tik's balanced and artful approach to horsemanship is changing the way trainers prepare sport horses for their work, in many different disciplines. His first book, "IN THE MIDDLE ARE THE HORSEMEN", is a favorite among horse owners across the globe. In this episode, Tik talks with Helena about competing in this year’s Road to the Horse colt-starting contest (a somewhat unusual goal for an eventer), what he expects to get out of the experience, his competitive career, his horses, the growth of Liberty training, and how all of it will fit into the pages of his next book. Listen in!  This episode is brought to you by: AMERICAN STALLS Feature photo credit: Shannon Brinkman

Deciding what to feed our horses can be daunting. Some horse owners rely on their trainers for guidance, others rely on the barn manager, or even random tidbits from the Internet. Thankfully, there are people and companies for whom equine nutrition is a speciality. In this first episode of our new Triple Crown Nutrition Series, Helena is joined by Stacy Andersen, Nutrition Consultant with Triple Crown, to answer some key questions about feeding forage. It’s a Q&A session that can help make those feed decisions a lot easier for everyone, so listen in!

Understanding is the key to success and contentment with horses, no matter what you do with them. If you're a backyarder who treasures the minutiae of horsekeeping, or a champion reiner, understanding the nature of all horses, as well as the unique temperament and experiences of the individual horse, makes a huge difference in how well a horse feels and performs in our care. In this episode, Helena shares some insights from her first 30 days at Hoo Too with Brody, Clarabelle, and Siouxsie. There's also an interesting discussion with horse behaviorist and author, Mary Ann Simonds, whose new book, A Horse By Nature: Managing Emotional and Mental Stress in Horses for Improved Welfare, offers insight to the everyday behaviors of domestic horses that can help us enjoy their company while ensuring that their welfare remains front and center. There's some really good stuff in this episode, so listen in! This episode is brought to you by: AMERICAN STALLS

Wowie! We are finally here, in our southern home for the winter. Helena, Buck, Siouxsie, Brody, Clarabelle, Jack, Lola, and Cheeto. We drove 18 hours with a trailer full of hay and a truck full of cats to land safely at our farm in Aiken, South Carolina. Well, technically, we are in Windsor, a little hamlet within the Aiken community. It took a lot of planning to get here, and there are already so many interesting observations, so listen in! This episode is brought to you by: AMERICAN STALLS - premium quality stable components and accessories.

In this episode, brought to you by our friends at American Stalls, Helena chats with Hannah Ely, proprietor of the Cornish Ranch Track Livery in Cornwall, England. The Cornish Ranch has an interesting track system that includes lots and lots of hay, water buckets that are full of delightful suprises, and an approach to horsekeeping that honors the horses's freedom of choice, as well as their deep-seated nomadic tendencies. This is one conversation that may open your mind and inspire you to try something new for your herd. Listen in! 

A new, totally tricked out software program for barn owners that's unlike anything else on the market today. EC Pro put out a press release, and it piqued Helena's interest. After digging in to the features of the program, a lightbulb went off in her mind as she realized the potential of this platform to revolutionize the boarding business. EC Pro isn't just an app that tracks horses, vaccines, and tasks, instead it is an enterprise-wide customer relationship management (CRM) tool that can digitize a ton of administrative work in every barn across America.  If you are serious about running a boarding, training, or other equine service business, you'll be interested to hear this episode's discussion with the folks at EC Pro. Listen in! This episode is sponsored by AMERICAN STALLS, makers of exceptional quality barn components and accessories.