Episodes
March 2, 2025
Jessica Gonzales - Every Horse and Every Person Deserves a Second Chance S3 E25
In this episode of The Empathetic Trainer podcast, host Barbara O’Brien chats with Jessica Gonzalez, a dedicated horse rescuer and author of Equine Empowerment . They discuss how horses help people heal, the power of positive...
Nov. 16, 2024
Dr. Shelly Appleton - My Horse's Problem was Actually Me - S2 E23
Barbara O’Brien talks with horse trainer, coach and author Shelley Appleton about building trust and confidence between riders and their horses. Shelley shares how things like fear, aging, and hormones can affect riding, espe...
Sept. 21, 2024
Chelsey Bosak - All Of Our Dogs End Up Where They Are Meant to Be
Have you ever wondered what it takes to train a service dog that can transform someone's life? In this heartwarming episode, we sit down with Chelsey Bosak from Helping Paws Minnesota, an organization that specializes in trai...
July 22, 2024
Chris Lombard - The Power of Patience and Presence in Horse Training - S2 E21
Have you ever felt a profound connection to something that completely shifted your life's direction? In this episode of the Empathetic Trainer Podcast, we chat with Chris Lombard, a horse trainer and author who found his call...
July 20, 2024
Ingrid Henry - What we are Trying to Communicate is Trust - S2 E20
Ingrid Henry, an equine coach, discusses the importance of trust and consistency in building a strong relationship with horses
July 18, 2024
Grace Olson - There is Something Magical about Horses and Sheep that dissolves your sadness and brings you back into the light S1 E19
Experience the transformative power of animal therapy with our special guest Grace Olson, a dedicated therapist and author from Leeds, West Yorkshire, whose unique practice involves the compassionate companionship of horses and sheep. Grace shares her fascinating journey into animal therapy, which …
May 27, 2024
Kari Bastyr - Your Dog is Not Bad, He is Just Having a Hard Time S2 E18
Send us a Text Message. Kari Bastyr of Wag & Train, is a dog behaviorist and canine nutritionist. She debunks the dominance theory, showing that dogs act out due to stress and anxiety and not a desire to dominate their owners...
May 12, 2024
Julie Smart - What Horses Want - Trust, Communication and Leadership
New Zealand Horse advocate and author, Julie Smart joins Barbara O'Brien in a conversation not just about training, but about retraining ourselves to listen, to watch, and to feel the subtle cues that horses give us when tryi...
April 16, 2024
Susan Friedland - The True Story of Marguerite Henry and Misty of Chincoteague S2 E16
Susan Friedland and I explore the world of Marguerite Henry, a beloved author whose stories have enchanted readers for years. From "Misty of Chincoteague" to "King of the Wind" and so many others, Henry's books have made a la...
April 2, 2024
Laura Carter - What Your Dog Wants is You - S2 E15
Join Barbara O'Brien as she chats with Laura Carter, a dog trainer and author, about the secrets to bonding with your dog, even during indoor downtime or when they're on rest. Laura shares practical tips for keeping your pup ...
March 25, 2024
Kera Wilhelmsen - You Want Your Dog to Trust You, Right? S2 E14
In this interview, Barbara O'Brien talks with Kara Wilhelmsen from Creature Comforts Pet Services about her approach to animal training. Kera stresses the importance of kindness and understanding when working with animals, ra...
Feb. 23, 2024
Lockie Phillips - When it comes to Horses, Obedience is Out and Empathy is In - S2 E3
Lockie Phillips, Founder of Emotional Horsemanship, joins us on our podcast to share his insights on empathy and horses. He tells us how we can reimagine horse training and move beyond obedience to establish a deeper connecti...
Jan. 30, 2024
Lynn Acton - Alternatives to Dominance Based Horsemanship - S2 E12
Tune in to hear Lynn Acton, acclaimed author and horse trainer, share practical tips on how to build trust and connection with your horse. Learn about the basics of earning trust, using clear body language, moving away from d...
Jan. 26, 2024
Mikel Delgado - The Big Problem? They Don't Understand Cats - S2 E11
Join us as we speak with cat behaviorist, Mikel Delgado about how your cat's name can affect its personality and why it's hard for some cats to just get along. Learn about Mikel's journey from being in a punk rock band to ...
Dec. 22, 2023
Dr. Susan Fay - Sacred Spaces - Communicating with the Horse through Science and Spirit - S1 E10
Summary Dr. Susan Faye discusses the importance of horses in our lives and the lessons they teach us. She emphasizes the need for emotional awareness and being present with horses and other animals. Dr. Faye explains how ener...
Dec. 19, 2023
Dr. Ian Dunbar - With Dogs, Increasing the Good, Decreases the Bad - S1 E9
When Dr. Ian Dunbar talks about dogs, it's impossible not to sit up and listen. His latest work, "Barking Up the Right Tree," is more than a book; it's a manifesto for compassionate canine companionship that promises to redef...
Nov. 14, 2023
Tiffany Stauffer - Give Them the Right Tools and Let Your Horses Think for Themselves - S1 E8
Ever wished you could truly understand the world of horses? Longed for a deeper connection that transcends conventional horse training? Join host, Barbara O'Brien as we talk with with liberty trainer Tiffany Stauffer of Grace...
Nov. 13, 2023
A Tiger's Tale - Tales From the Set by Barbara O'Brien - Ep 1
Do you remember the first time you bit off more than you could chew? When your overconfidence landed you in a pickle that you weren’t prepared for? Well, that's exactly what happened to me when I made the rookie mistake of bo...
Nov. 11, 2023
Chris Kman - Advocating for the Proper Management of the Wild Horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park - S1 E7
Chris Kman, photographer and wild horse advocate shares with us her work to preserve the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. The Park Service has proposed eliminating the horses from the park comp...
Oct. 15, 2023
Katenna Jones - Regarding Pets - Being Kind Feels Right - S1 E6
Katenna Jones transitioned from a volunteer dog walker as a teen to a certified applied animal behaviorist and fear free trainer consultant. Learn why heavy-handed dominance based training didn't resonate with her and how pun...
Sept. 7, 2023
Julie-Anne Thorne - Come Out of Your Head and Into Your Heart to Connect with Your Cat - S1 E5
Join us for an intriguing journey into the world of cats with Julie Ann Thorne, a certified behaviorist and author. Inspired by her rescue cat Pickle, Julie founded Naturally Cats and wrote the enlightening book, "Cat Chakras...
Aug. 24, 2023
Kerri Lake - With Horses, Integrity to your Heart is an Expression of Leadership - S1 E4
Join us as we chat with Kerri Lake, author of Listen like a Horse and Spiritually Gifted. Kerri explains the value of awareness and the importance of being present in our lives. She shares how this self-awareness has helped h...
Aug. 17, 2023
Shelley Paulson - Horses are the Thread Woven Throughout my Story - S1 E3
Equine photographer, Shelley Paulson shares with us the life changing event that caused her to take a different career path and how her growing understanding of how horses think and feel has changed how she views them with a ...
Aug. 9, 2023
Mary Corning - With Horses, Practicing Fear Makes you Really Good at Being Afraid - S1 E2
Mary Corning is an award-winning author, horse advocate, mentor and retreat facilitator. Mary’s book, Perfect Practice, is about how to connect and communicate with people and horses by removing resistance and finding freedom...