The Thinking Horse and Rider: Unlocking Magnetic Equestrian Partnerships with Anna Fox

Equus Enlightened
  • 5.0 (4)
  • PETS & ANIMALS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Hey horse fiend. What if your rides were more magic than mystery? What if your relationship with your horse was more magnetic than electric? This podcast isn't about training harder, riding better, or drilling more. Here, we explore what happens when you choose allowing over controlling. It’s about what unfolds when you soften, listen, and let your horse want you back. Between power and patience lies a place your horse is waiting to meet you. This is where your story begins and your partnership grows.

  1. 4D AGO

    55. The Missing Piece in Most Horse-Human Partnerships

    Many riders spend years trying to perfect their aids — better hands, better leg, better timing. But there’s one piece of the conversation with your horse that often gets missed. Awareness. Before your horse ever feels pressure or responds to a cue, they experience you — your posture, your breath, your emotional tone, and the energy you bring into the interaction. In this episode, I’m sharing a clip from my Awareness Workshop where we explore three subtle but powerful parts of horse-human communication: • The energy you bring when you ask a question • The timing of your release • Why showing joy at the reward helps horses understand they got it right Through a simple example — putting a fly mask on a horse — we look at how small shifts in awareness can completely change the conversation and create curiosity instead of resistance. If this resonates with you, the full workshop (including the Q&A and additional “aha” moments) is available inside my community The Happy Horse & Rider Lab. Because sometimes the biggest breakthroughs with horses come from the smallest changes in how we show up. Get the FREE Awareness workshop www.equusenlightened.com Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.   Join the Horse and Rider Lab on Skool. It’s free!  https://www.skool.com/equus-enlightened-8966/about You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube under Come Ride with Me Riding Videos. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart  https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild-horse-human-partnership   Email me at Anna@equusenlightened.net Happy Riding!

    35 min

  2. MAR 3

    54. Seeing the World Through Your Horse’s Eyes

    What if your horse isn’t being difficult… What if you’re just seeing the situation from the wrong point of view? In this episode, I sit down with former competitive dressage rider turned animal communicator Angie Morin to talk about what it really means to see the world through your horse’s eyes. We explore: • Why horses start with whispers — not “bad behavior” • The difference between correcting and communicating • How tension, spooking, and resistance may be missed signals • Why animals communicate with love — even when setting boundaries • And why “softer and slower” might be the message your horse has been trying to send all along If you’ve ever felt stuck in cycles of correction, frustration, or confusion with your horse… this conversation might shift how you approach everything from daily chores to riding under saddle. Because communication isn’t mystical. It’s presence. It’s perspective. And it starts by asking one simple question: What does this look like from my horse’s point of view? Get the FREE Awareness workshop www.equusenlightened.com Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.   Join the Horse and Rider Lab on Skool. It’s free!  https://www.skool.com/equus-enlightened-8966/about You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube under Come Ride with Me Riding Videos. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart  https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild-horse-human-partnership Learn more about Angie at www.angiemorin.com Email Angie at angie@angiemorin.com Check her out on Facebook @ Angie Morin, Animal Communicator   Email me at anna@equusenlightened.net Happy Riding!

    51 min

  3. FEB 25

    53. Why Your Horse Isn’t Progressing: The Missing Piece of Awareness

    If your horse isn’t progressing, it might not be a training problem. In this episode, I’m joined by dressage trainer Elaine Hayes of Partnership Dressage to explore why true Awareness is the foundation of sustainable performance. We talk about what we’re actually taught in the horse world — and what we’re not — including how behavior can be a clue, how pain and discomfort are often misinterpreted, and how domestic horse-keeping impacts training outcomes. This conversation kicks off Seed 1: Awareness from Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart — because before you fix anything, you have to see clearly. If you’ve ever felt like something wasn’t adding up in your riding, this episode is for you. Find Elaine here: https://partnershipdressage.com Find the ECVM support group here: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1aUFBfdUpK/ Get the FREE Awareness workshop www.equusenlightened.com Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.   Join the Horse and Rider Lab on Skool. It’s free!  https://www.skool.com/equus-enlightened-8966/about You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube under Come Ride with Me Riding Videos. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart  https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild-horse-human-partnership   Email me at anna@equusenlightened.com Happy Riding!

    1h 12m

  4. FEB 15

    52. What Riding Lessons Don’t Teach You (But Your Horse Needs Most)

    What are the most important horsemanship skills that riding lessons never teach you? In this powerful conversation, Anna Fox of Equus Enlightened is joined by lifelong friend and former professional groom Ellen Peebles to explore the seven missing pieces in traditional riding instruction. From awareness and energy to relational consistency, autonomy, and leadership in flow, they unpack what truly shapes horse behavior and partnership—beyond technique, ribbons, and perfect distances. Ellen shares her experience working in high-level competition barns, internationally as an exercise rider, and behind the scenes as a groom—where she witnessed firsthand how pressure, ego, and performance culture impact horses’ nervous systems. Together, they discuss horse communication, emotional regulation, energy awareness, and why slowing down can actually accelerate learning. If you’ve ever felt like something was missing in your riding lessons, or you want to build a deeper, more ethical partnership with your horse, this episode will open your eyes. Plus: a simple experiment you can try this week to develop awareness and autonomy with your horse. Perfect for riders interested in: • Horse behavior and nervous system regulation • Ethical horse training and horsemanship • Improving riding through feel and energy awareness • Developing true horse–human partnership Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.   Join our Facebook group titled Horse-First Dressage: Compassionate Training and Connection or join the community and the Dressage Naturally Video Classroom at www.patreon.com/equusenlightened. You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild Find more about Tad Coffin's work at https://www.tadcoffinsaddles.com Email me at anna@equusenlightened.com Happy Riding!

    34 min

  5. 12/26/2025

    51. Why Horses Don’t Compete: Rethinking Leadership in Horse Training

    Do horses understand competition—or is “don’t let them win” a human projection? In this episode of The Thinking Horse and Rider, Anna explores Leadership in Flow and why dominance-based ideas about leadership don’t align with how horses actually think and learn. Drawing from equine behavior science and real-world riding examples, this conversation challenges the myth that horses are trying to win or take control. Instead, horses respond to safety, comfort, clarity, and emotional steadiness—not power struggles. Inspired by Seed 7 of Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart, this episode invites riders to rethink leadership as shared direction rather than control, and to explore what becomes possible when leadership feels like. Take the Are You a Perfectionist Quiz? at www.equusenlightened.com Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.  Join our Facebook group titled Horse-First Dressage: Compassionate Training and Connection or join the community and the Dressage Naturally Video Classroom at www.patreon.com/equusenlightened. You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild Email me at anna@equusenlightened.net Happy Riding!

    23 min

  6. 12/16/2025

    50. How Autonomy Builds Self-Carriage, Confidence, and Safer Horses

    What if autonomy is the very thing that makes horses safer, more confident, and more capable of true self-carriage? In this episode, we dive into the concept of autonomy through both lived experience and research—specifically a study exploring the relationship between horse welfare, rider safety, and rider satisfaction. What surprised me most was discovering that what researchers often call “control” actually aligns closely with what I teach as supported autonomy: clarity, predictability, choice, and mutual influence. We’ll unpack: What autonomy really means for horses (and riders) Why mammals thrive when they feel they have influence over their environment How clear communication increases safety without domination How to build autonomy step-by-step from the ground into the saddle Why “advanced” movements are simply the basics, taught in thoughtful pieces and then brought together like a puzzle If you’ve ever felt stuck, over-controlling, or confused about how to progress without shutting your horse down, this episode offers a different lens—one rooted in understanding, empathy, and leadership as a flow state. Take the Are You a Perfectionist Quiz? at www.equusenlightened.com Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.  Join our Facebook group titled Horse-First Dressage: Compassionate Training and Connection or join the community and the Dressage Naturally Video Classroom at www.patreon.com/equusenlightened. You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild Email me at anna@equusenlightened.net Happy Riding!

    40 min

  7. 11/25/2025

    49. Creating Thinking Horses and Riders with Teresa Pilegaard

    In this episode, Anna sits down with biomechanics and adaptive riding instructor Teresa Pilegaard to explore how riders can move beyond the old obedience-based training model and build true partnership with their horses. Teresa shares insights on rider biomechanics, nervous system regulation, groundwork, and why so many riders get pushed past their experience level. Together, they break down how to create safer, more confident, and more connected rides by focusing on awareness, observation, and communication — not force. If you’ve ever struggled with fear, tension, or feeling “stuck” in your riding, this conversation will help you rethink your approach and reconnect with your horse on a deeper level. Take the Are You a Perfectionist Quiz? at www.equusenlightened.com Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.  Join our Facebook group titled Horse-First Dressage: Compassionate Training and Connection or join the community and the Dressage Naturally Video Classroom at www.patreon.com/equusenlightened. You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild Find Teresa Pilegaard, Dorato Performance Horse, and North Star Stables NOVA https://doratoperformancehorses.com/ Join the Everyday Equestrian https://doratoperformancehorses.com/everyday-equestrian Email me at anna@equusenlightened.net Happy Riding!

    1h 16m

  8. 11/13/2025

    48. Your goal is to make your basics better and better.

    What if the simplest thing your horse can do—stand still—was actually the foundation of everything you’ll ever teach them? In this episode, Anna dives into how true self-carriage begins with the simplest asks and why the classical masters (and the best modern trainers) all agree: advanced work is just the basics, done better. You’ll learn why returning to fundamentals isn’t regression, it’s refinement—and how every new level of dressage is just a deeper version of the same conversation. Anna also introduces the next Seed of Partnership: Relational Consistency—and how it bridges the gap between your horse’s physical balance and emotional trust. Stay tuned to the end for this week’s Ten Minute Tuesday experiment—your invitation to rediscover precision, presence, and partnership in the simplest moments. Take the Are You a Perfectionist Quiz? at www.equusenlightened.com Find me on social media as @equusenlightened.  Join our Facebook group titled Horse-First Dressage: Compassionate Training and Connection or join the community and the Dressage Naturally Video Classroom at www.patreon.com/equusenlightened. You can also view videos of the riding episodes or listen to all of them on YouTube. My channel is https://www.youtube.com/@equusenlightened Read blogs or find more links @ https://linktr.ee/equusenlightened Find out more about Reconnect, Rebuild, and Ride with Heart https://equusenlightened.com/reconnect-rebuild   Email me at anna@equusenlightened.net Happy Riding

    43 min
See All (57)

Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Hey horse fiend. What if your rides were more magic than mystery? What if your relationship with your horse was more magnetic than electric? This podcast isn't about training harder, riding better, or drilling more. Here, we explore what happens when you choose allowing over controlling. It’s about what unfolds when you soften, listen, and let your horse want you back. Between power and patience lies a place your horse is waiting to meet you. This is where your story begins and your partnership grows.

Information