In this episode of The Elevated Equestrian, Samantha sits down with Jessica Howell — a licensed Thoroughbred trainer who is quietly rewriting the rules of racehorse development from the inside out.

Jessica didn’t come up through the traditional racing pipeline. She came from eventing, classical dressage, and a background in producing sound, educated horses. And when she stepped into the racetrack world, she brought all of that with her — heart-rate-based conditioning, periodized programming, biomechanics, turnout, mental health days, and a level of horsemanship most people don’t associate with racing.

Together, we dive into how racehorses are actually trained, why so many break down, and what a more thoughtful, horse-centric approach could look like. Jessica explains the structure of racehorse conditioning, the hidden costs of claiming races, the difference between American and European systems, and how classical principles can transform a horse coming off (or preparing for) the track.

This conversation challenges assumptions, opens doors into a closed world, and paints a picture of what’s possible when responsibility, science, and real horsemanship drive the training process — even in a high-speed, high-pressure sport.

If you care about soundness, welfare, and the future of the Thoroughbred, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

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