Bringing Indigenous wisdom into horsemanship & the power of belonging

Ellie Pukehika is an accomplished horse trainer based in Rotorua, New Zealand. She brings together her knowledge from the English disciplines of Show Jumping and Dressage, as well as Horsemanship, to merge the art of working with the horse and understanding the psychology of how they think and learn. Ellie has been a clinician at the 2018 Equidays, 2020 Equifest, and 2022 Equifest.

These days, Ellie focuses on teaching women how to start their own horses with partnership instead of force, she’s the creator of the Atlas Massager, a Poll, TMJ, and Hyoid massager for horses using vibrational massage therapy, and she’s the host of Rongoā, a podcast on indigenous horsemanship.

Connect with Ellie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliepukehika/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ellieaobrien Atlas Massager website: https://atlasequinemassager.com/

Practical explanations and tips for an even softer and steadier connection between the rider's hand and the horse's mouth

The concept of "contact" is something that stays with many riders throughout almost their entire riding lives. Unfortunately, beginners are often taught it inadequately—after all, just because the horse’s head is down doesn’t mean there is correct contact. And even once you’ve mastered it, a different horse might present new challenges by leaning on the bit, curling behind the vertical, or hollowing its back and lifting its head.

In this podcast episode, Dr. Britta Schöffmann dispels common myths and clears up any confusion: she explains what the term actually means and what correct contact feels like. If you feel that the contact between you and your horse could be softer or more steady, you’ll also get plenty of tips that you can try out right away in your next riding session. Enjoy!

*Please note: This episode is a translated episode from The wehorse Podcast, originally aired July 2026.

Rebuilding confidence and redefining your version of success

Maddie Houser is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist with her now retired Dutch Warmblood mare, Leah, and since 2021 has been focused on helping shed light on the versatility of the Quarter Horse and their place in the dressage ring. Maddie’s instagram account, The Blonde & The Bay, showcases her training progressions, the ups and downs of horse and farm ownership, equestrian fashion, and more.

This is our third podcast interview with Maddie because we enjoy our conversations so much, and this one is no different!

Connect with Maddie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblondeandthebay_/

Unapologetically letting go of expectations and old versions of dreams

Anna Buffini is a professional dressage rider with accomplishments such as being a 2x World Cup finalist, 4x Senior Nations Cup Team member, 2016 U25 National Champion, and the 2014 US Young Rider Champion.

Anna is such an inspiration to many riders and a role model for equestrians of all ages. This is our second podcast interview together and in this episode, we’re catching up to see what she’s up to these days and what’s changed since we last spoke four years ago.

Connect with Anna: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_buffini/

Becoming your horse’s personal trainer

Veronika von Rohrscheid is the creator of biotensegrative training. Her goal is to teach the horse health-promoting movement patterns and thus help it develop a competent body.

In conversation with Sonja Kriegel, Veronika clarifies that she does not want to create a new riding or training method. She wants to convey an understanding of the horse's body and its movement patterns, so that every horse person can train their horse in a way that maintains its health – regardless of riding level, discipline, or competitive ambitions.

Veronika describes exactly what biotensegral training is and why all horses – not just those suffering from fatigue or other ailments – can benefit from it: Issues such as a dull gait, problems with contact, lack of relaxation and suppleness, or difficulties with positioning and bending can all be explained and resolved with Veronika's approach. Look forward to many "aha!" moments in this podcast episode.

*Please note: This episode is a translated episode from The wehorse Podcast, originally aired February 2026.

Challenging dominance-basing thinking and patriarchal structures (in and out of the horse industry)

From the Arabian horse circuit to hunter/jumper to dressage and exercising race horses, Shelby’s practical experience with different kinds of horses has made her a well rounded horse person. On top of her practical experience, Shelby has also taken several Equine Science based courses through Guelph to work towards her Certificate of Equine Science, choosing to emphasize her studies and education on Equine Behaviour. In early 2021, Shelby received her Equine Behaviour Consultant certification from the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants.

The understanding and correct application of equine learning theory has allowed Shelby to hone her skills as a horse person and continue modernizing her approach as a trainer, with emphasis on equine ethology and ethical practice. Shelby attributes her history with horses to shaping the hardworking, patient and driven individual she is today.

Connect with Shelby: Website: https://milestoneequestrian.ca/

Understanding early signs, prevention, and the supportive role of acupressure

Susan Tenney is the founder of Elemental Acupressure, where she has trained animal professionals in Five Element Acupressure and EnergyWork™ for over three decades.

Originally certified in shiatsu and acupressure at the Shiatsu Institute of San Francisco, Susan built her equine practice in Northern California before expanding into an international career that blends Classical East Asian Medicine with modern bodywork, anatomy, biomechanics, and the EnergyWork™ system she co-developed with her husband, Jonathan Cohn.

Her client roster has included school horses and elite competitors alike, among them the Swiss Equestrian Teams and Gold Medal–winning teams and riders for the USET. As her practice grew, Susan began teaching across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, leading equine acupressure certification programs in several countries and teaching for internationally recognized schools such as Equinology. She is the author of Basic Acupressure for Horses, published in English and German, with her writing appearing in leading equine publications worldwide.

Now based in Seattle, Susan leads the Elemental Acupressure Certification Program and a range of online trainings that draw students from more than 40 countries. She is known for making complex concepts genuinely accessible — and for the lasting impact her method has on both practitioners and the animals in their care.

Connect with Susan:

• Website: https://elementalacupressure.com/
• Free PDF: https://elementalacupressure.com/wehorse-1

What horses teach us about leadership, communication, relationship, and more

Kelly Wendorf is the founder & CEO of EQUUS, an executive and personal coach, published author, spiritual mentor, and socially responsible entrepreneur.

Her early experiences were vitally and deeply shaped by the natural and ancient world around her where she learned a way of listening to forces within people, nature and moments. Throughout her life she has lived and worked around the world, studying with many spiritual and Indigenous leaders in India, Africa, Indonesia and Australia.

Kelly founded, edited and published Kindred magazine, an evidence-based publication that explores the social, cultural and biological underpinnings of a compassionate society. Here she spent 15 years immersed in the field of neuroscience and neuropsychology and its relationship to social justice and transformative cultural change. Kelly also authored and Edited Stories of Belonging, an anthology from authors around the world, including the often excluded Indigenous voices. Her latest book, Flying Lead Change, was released in December 2020.

As the founder of EQUUS, and as an intuitive lifelong horsewoman, she also developed The EQUUS Experience® — an award-winning equine-assisted transformational learning process.

Together with her team, Kelly continues to develop and grow The EQUUS Experience, Wisdom Circles, and EQUUS’s other complimentary processes that curate various awareness-based frameworks that create breakthrough learning and discovery.

Connect with EQUUS: Website: equusinspired.com DIscount Code: EQUUS10KW (valid for two weeks post-publication)

Practical insight into equine behavior, learning, stress, and welfare

Dr. Steve Peters is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and internationally recognized equine neuroscientist. With more than three decades of experience in brain research and clinical practice, he brings together human and equine neuroscience to support thoughtful, science-informed horsemanship.

For more than a decade, Dr. Peters has presented neuroscience concepts to equestrian audiences across the United States and internationally. And in recent years, he founded Horse Brain Science Clinics, combining classroom instruction, live horse demonstrations, and equine brain dissections to provide clear, practical insight into behavior, learning, stress, and welfare.

His vision is that understanding the horse’s brain is the most direct path to better communication, reduced stress, and deeper connection between horse and rider — science serving the art of horsemanship.

Connect with Dr. Steve Peters: Website: https://www.horsebrainscience.info/

Collecting data for empathy-based horsemanship

Shannon Beahen specializes in teaching her own consent-based approach to natural dressage and liberty, equine care and co-living, as well as the creation of species-appropriate habitats that promote dynamic movement and autonomous equine lifestyles.

She is passionate about exploring and articulating the ethics of embodied horse-human relationships. And her hope is that, through teaching a deeper awareness of human-animal and human-environment relations, equestrian education ceases to be a privileged pastime that replicates outdated domination logics; and instead may just provide some of the seeds to birth a new earth.

Shannon has been an Equestrian Canada certified Competition Coach since the late 90s, studying topics related to human-animal ethics, language and philosophy since 2008 (BA, MA, PhD Candidate). She holds certifications in horse-human trauma-recovery and lives on Vancouver Island where she tends acreage with her multi-species family.

Connect with Shannon:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humminghorse_sb/
• Website: https://www.humminghorse.com/

Become the expert on your horse

Elisa Walfish (also known as the Data-Driven Equestrian) is a biologist by training, host of the EquiScience Podcast, and a certified Equine Manual Therapy practitioner through Equineology (EEWB), specializing in Functional postural rehabilitation, Myofascial and nervous system relaxation and Equine sports massage.

Elisa’s approach combines a scientific understanding of the body with targeted manual techniques to guide the horse towards greater comfort, balance and overall well-being.

Her platform of the Data-Driven Equestrian explores the intersection of biology, physiology, and horsemanship to offer evidence-based solutions for improving the physical and mental well-being of sport horses. Through a scientific lens, Elisa aims to optimize care practices to promote not only peak performance but also longevity and happiness for the equine athlete.

Connect with Elisa:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedatadriven.equestrian/
• Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZXRgWpbKBKw36ivyJPNM3?si=6f891e4a010540ee