All episodes

Horse Domestication, Genetic Selection and Structural Change in Modern Breeding

Domestication is not a closed chapter in history.
It continues to shape modern horses — influencing temperament, stress physiology, locomotion and skeletal structure.

In this episode, we explore the scientific foundations behind modern breeding trends:

- the two domestication waves of the horse

- the DOM2 expansion and large-scale genetic turnover around 2200 BCE

- selection for rideability, locomotion and reduced aggression

- the Silver Fox Domestication Experiment as a model for behavioral genetic selection

- genetic bottlenecks and inbreeding using the Isle Royale wolves as a biological case study...

Domestication is not a closed chapter in history.
It is still active today – in the bodies, nervous systems, and resilience of our horses.

In this episode, Celina Skogan explores:

why domestication is biologically different from taming

how it reshapes populations across generations

why modern horses are deeply shaped by selective breeding and genetic bottlenecks

and why training, management, and welfare cannot be understood without genetic context

Because before we talk about training,
we need to understand what kind of bodies we are actually training.

At the core of this episode lies a personal turning point:
the realization that doing...

Why Inside the Horse’s Mind?

In this solo episode, I explain why horse training needs to be thought from its origin — not from methods, but from biology and neurophysiology.

We talk about why learning, emotion, and behavior are not training issues, but biological processes, why behavior is always the end point of what happens inside the nervous system, and why understanding neurobiology fundamentally changes the decisions we make with horses.

Inside the Horse’s Mind is a curated knowledge summit that connects neurobiology, learning, emotion, and training practice — not as isolated topics, but as parts of one system.

What if horses are not showing problem behaviour at all?

What if what we label as conflict, resistance, or dysfunction
is actually normal behaviour expressed under abnormal conditions?

In this episode, Celina Skogan, trainer, osteopath and founder of Equidemia, explores how our perception of “normal” horse behaviour may be shaped by environments that are anything but normal.

Drawing from equine welfare science, human trauma research, and personal observations after relocating to Norway, this episode challenges the idea that calm, compliant behaviour automatically equals wellbeing.

In this episode, we explore what gait analysis actually means and why it matters.

We cover:

- Veterinary gait analysis – classic “lame or not lame” approach

- Objective gait analysis – tech tools & AI measurement

- Subjective analysis – what the eye perceives

- Riding instructor perspective – influenced by training philosophy

- Functional gait analysis – understanding load limits & movement units

Plus a practical exercise using markers and video review — perfect for a Christmas learning project. And finally, a note about our free Compass Call for personal support.

Key Take-aways
⭐ Gait analysis is more...

In this episode, Celina Skogan from Equidemia speaks with Alissa Mayer BSc (Equine), EHSE-C, director of the Equine Hanna Somatics® Professional Training & Certification Program, about how Hanna Somatics principles can be applied to horses — why chronic tension isn’t just a mechanical issue, how the nervous system learns and unlearns movement, and what this means for prehab, rehab and training.

This conversation bridges neuroscience, motor learning, pain science and equine performance, offering a fresh perspective on posture, comfort and movement quality — and reframing persistent muscle tension as a neurophysiological learning pattern that can be retrained, not just worked...

In this episode, I talk about cognitive dissonance in the horse world: why we do what we know we shouldn’t – and how to move from maybe to integrity. We revisit Festinger’s theory, real barn-life examples, and research showing how humans often adjust perception when they don’t want to change behaviour. Pop-culture bridge: Fettes Brot – “Jein”. The perfect anthem for ambivalence.

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...