Horsefriends international

In this episode, we explore how emotions take shape in the body – in humans and in horses alike.
What we call a “gut feeling” is actually measurable through breathing, posture, and muscle tone.

📎 Key research mentioned:

Hausberger et al. (2021): Detecting Welfare in a Non-Verbal Species: Social/Cultural Biases and Difficulties in Horse Welfare Assessment

Additional recent research: ScienceDirect article

💡 Takeaways:

Emotions aren’t just in the mind – they show up in the body.

The horse’s body speaks first – we often listen too late.

What we perceive as “normal” may already signal compromised welfare.

Awareness + training...

Emotions aren’t moods or attitudes – they are biology in action. In this episode of Science & Soulfulness for Equestrians, we dive deep into the neurobiology of feeling: What happens inside your horse when it reacts? How do hormones like cortisol, dopamine, and oxytocin shape its behavior? And why is emotional safety the foundation for all real learning?

Two people, one horse – and two completely different interpretations.
“He’s scared.” – “No, he’s just being stubborn.”
Both convinced they’re right.

This episode dives into why perception isn’t the same as truth, how our brains constantly predict what we see, and why that means we often misread our horses.

Celina explores what science really says about emotions in horses – from Cathrynne Henshall to Karen Merkies and Wathan & McComb – and why “excitement” doesn’t automatically mean “joy.”
You’ll also learn how to read your horse more accurately and empathetically, without falling for the traps of projection, bias, or...

“If people start listening to you, there’ll be no horses left for classical training.”
Seriously?

In this episode, we take a closer look at why statements like this still appear in the horse world –
and what they reveal about our relationship with knowledge, responsibility, and change.

🔍 What it’s about
In this episode, Celina Skogan openly addresses a topic many in the horse industry prefer to avoid:
the fear of knowledge – and the business model that has grown from it.

We talk about:
- Why not knowing can be frightening – and why that’s exactly where real progress...