Videos

So glad spring is on the way!

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 reinforcement training, and the deep bond between horses and young people. Jessica shares her journey,…

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, especially for women. They talk about the importance of patience, understanding, and learning to see things from…

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 Chelsea Bosak from Helping Paws Minnesota, an organization that specializes in training service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, veterans, and first responders affected by…

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 calling in the equine world at the age of 26. Chris shares his transformative…

ngrid Henry, an equine coach, discusses the importance of trust and consistency in building a strong relationship with horses. Ingrid emphasizes the need for patience and understanding when working with challenging horses and highlights the value of undemanding time spent with them. She also addresses the issue of fear in…

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 began with her sheep, Merlin, providing unexpected comfort…

The Famous Morgan Horse, Teddy Sharpe and his dancing Morgan mares in this fun version of Offenbach's Can Can.

Kari Bastier 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. Carrie emphasizes the gut-brain connection, sharing stories about Paisley, a chocolate lab, whose behavior issues…

What happens when your best laid plans go astray? Broody hens can be pretty determined!

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 trying to communicate. We talk about how spending undemanding time with our horses…

Author Susan Friedland shares when she first saw the wild horses made famous in Marguerite Henry's Misty of Chincoteague while researching for her own book, Marguerite, Misty & Me during pony penning days.

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 lasting impression on people of all ages. We talk about how much…

Join Barbara O'Brien as she chats with Laura Carter, a dog whisperer 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 mentally engaged, including fun activities like scent work. They also debunk…

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." Discover Julie's deep bond with Pickle and her fresh take on being a…

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, rather than using fear or intimidation. She shares her experiences working with dogs, including her own challenges with…

A litter of corgi puppies visit the farm and chaos ensues!

My lovely sheep and chickens devouring a cherry pie.

Fun little video of my new horse, Pages September Gold, (barn name, Teddy Sharpe) on his first day at my farm. We will be working slowly and carefully to integrate him into our herd.

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 connection based on compassion. Lockie believes that training programs should be horse centered and…

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 dominance based training, and understanding horses' emotions. Lynn also talks about being…

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 her communicate and connect with horses.

Join us at@empathetic-trainer 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 cat expert. Learn how to make a…

Ever wondered about the unspoken language between humans and horses? Dr. Susan Fay takes us on a journey that transcends the bonds of traditional horse training. Through her book, "Sacred Spaces: Communion with the Horse through Science and Spirit," Dr. Fay offers a compelling narrative that blends her professional expertise…