The NOËLLE FLOYD Podcast

There is a question almost every one of us carries to the barn and never says out loud.
Not how do I get him to do this.
But: does he actually trust me — or is he just complying?
This is Part 2 of my conversation with Elsa Sinclair, and it's the half where I kept having to stop and close my eyes. Because Elsa reads horse behavior in a way most of us were never taught to. She breaks leadership into five kinds — dominant, persistent, assertive, passive, supportive — and then says the thing that reorganized my brain: that leadership is simply any action that results in harmony. That dominance and abuse are not the same thing.
She takes us back inside the year she spent with a wild mustang named Myrnah — three to six hours a day, five days a week. The morning she got on at three months, did it badly, and wasn't allowed back on for another three. Not because anything went wrong. Because her timing was off by a hair, and the horse simply told the truth about it.
Then comes the line I haven't stopped repeating: "I'm not going to try to be the best horse trainer in the room. I'm going to try to be the most accurate."
This is freedom based training as a craft — not a philosophy you admire from a distance, but a practice you can take to the barn tomorrow. Elsa shows how to actually see a horse's thought before you reward it — the ear that flicks, the eye that moves, the breath — and gives a homework exercise you can start in the morning. We get into why hyperfocus on the goal keeps you tripping over the next step. Why confidence, quietly, trumps every strategy. And Atlas — the horse she bought off a slaughter truck, the one who broke everything she thought she knew.
If you've ever felt like you're learning too slowly with your horse, this episode reframes that ache as the whole point.
Elsa Sinclair is a lifelong horsewoman, horse behavior researcher, and filmmaker. Her year with the mustang Myrnah became a documentary, Taming Wild, and a book by the same name. She now teaches freedom based training to students across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
If you have a horse who's been trying to tell you something — this one is for you. And if you know someone still fighting the horse they love, send it to them.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN
Elsa's full leadership spectrum — dominant, persistent, assertive, passive, and supportive — and why she defines leadership as any action that results in harmony
The difference between dominance and abuse, and how a single raised hand tells her which one a horse has lived through
Why she got on Myrnah bareback and bridleless at three months — and the timing mistake that cost her the next three
The distinction between feel and timing, and why she'd rather be the most accurate trainer in the room than the best one
How to read a horse's thoughts through its senses instead of projecting the thought you wish were there
Why confidence can trump every technique, and how to build it from the bottom up if you don't have it yet
The case for the slowest training method on Earth, and how slowing down actually deepens what you learn
To find out more about Elsa Sinclair: website | instagram | facebook | patreon
CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Leadership options most training never breaks down
[00:23] The leadership spectrum: dominant, persistent, and assertive
[04:36] Building it bottom-up: passive and supportive leadership
[07:30] Riding bridleless: the year with Myrnah, and getting on at three months
[10:00] Feel versus timing, and rewarding the thought, not the action
[12:47] Why she'd rather be the most accurate trainer than the best
[15:33] Untraining yourself: the sensory system over mechanical habit
[21:44] "Playing in Puddles": letting go of the goal of riding
[36:00] The horse who decided humans always make bad decisions
[40:20] Confidence wins: when it trumps every technique
[45:36] The two horses who shaped her: the generous one and the mold-breaker
[54:00] The beauty of slowness, and learning to enjoy the snail's pace
[56:24] Rapid fire: the one book, the most undervalued skill, mares vs stallions
This Episode is Sponsored by:
Total Feeds
Our mission to provide quality nutrition to people and animals puts us in contact with all manner of interesting folks. Whether you're interested in our animal feed, or the people involved in the animal industry: you'll find it at Total Feeds!
Check out our line of Quality Animal Feeds here: https://totalfeeds.com
Interested in more from Noëlle?
Noëlle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com
Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments. 
https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus
And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com
You can also download the app - NF+ App
Thank you for your listening!

Most of us learned to ride before we ever learned to ask.
We learned the halter, the rope, the pressure, the release. We learned how to make a horse do the thing. And somewhere in there, quietly, a lot of us started to feel that something about it wasn't quite right — and didn't have the words, or the permission, to say so.
Elsa Sinclair had that feeling at twelve.
She's the creator of Freedom Based Training and the documentary Taming Wild, and this conversation is the story of where it came from — which is really the story of a question she couldn't put down.
It started with a student, who asked her: do you think horses actually like being ridden? And then, before Elsa could finish answering — do you think they ever had a choice?
She didn't have an answer. So she went looking for one.
What follows is one of the most honest origin stories I've had on this show. A lonely girl on a spirited Appaloosa named Demi. Years of clinics and books and methods that never felt like the thing she was reaching for. An offer from a near-stranger she couldn't refuse. And finally a year in a field with a wild mustang named Myrnah — no halter, no rope, no treats, no way to make her do anything — just the freedom to walk away, and the hope that she'd choose to stay.
Elsa says something in here I keep coming back to. That she never set out to be spiritual or soft about it. She wanted something "logical and practical and understandable" — a way of being with horses built on peace instead of domination, that still actually worked.
We talk about why she refuses to promise her horse a calm, composed version of herself. About trust as the willingness to suspend judgment. And about the idea that rearranged how I see every herd I've ever stood in: that in a healthy herd, awareness replaces dominance — because dominance only shows up when nobody was paying attention in the first place.
This is the beginning of Freedom Based Training, told by the woman who built it.
Elsa Sinclair is a lifelong horsewoman, behavior researcher, and filmmaker. Her year with Myrnah became the award-winning documentary Taming Wild and a book of the same name, and she now teaches Freedom Based Training to students around the world.
If you've ever wondered whether your horse would choose you — this is Part One. Stay for Part Two, where she shows us exactly how it's done.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN
The single question from a student that made Elsa stop and ask whether horses actually choose to be ridden
Why she trains with no halter, rope, or treats — and what the horse's freedom to walk away forces you to get right
The reason she refuses to promise her horse a calm, composed version of herself, and what she does instead
How she defines trust as "the willingness to suspend judgment," plus the 80/20 rule for how often you're allowed to get it wrong
What Ari, the aloof stallion who needed no one, taught her about reaching a horse who isn't interested in you
Why she calls it the slowest training method on Earth, and the honest reason it isn't for everyone
The herd-dynamics reframe that replaces dominance with awareness
To find out more about Elsa Sinclair: website | instagram | facebook | patreon
CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] A surreal reunion and the wish list that started the road trip
[00:44] Elsa's origin story: Demi and "good buckers make good jumpers"
[05:51] The birth of Freedom Based Training: peace over domination
[09:02] The question that changed everything — do horses choose to be ridden?
[11:34] The offer she couldn't refuse, and a documentary called Taming Wild
[14:24] Training without tools: timing, curiosity, and day one with Myrnah
[18:35] Companionship as currency: matching, mirroring, and sensory association
[21:31] The promise she won't make: congruence over composure
[28:22] Showing up on a bad day, and what trust actually is
[34:32] Ari, the aloof stallion, and the 80/20 rule
[40:49] Why the slowest training method on Earth isn't for everyone
[47:00] Herd dynamics: replacing dominance with awareness
Episode Sponsored by Total Feeds
Our mission to provide quality nutrition to people and animals puts us in contact with all manner of interesting folks. Whether you're interested in our animal feed, or the people involved in the animal industry: you'll find it at Total Feeds!
Check out our line of Quality Animal Feeds here: https://totalfeeds.com
Interested in more from Noëlle?
Noëlle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com
Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments. 
https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus
And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com
You can also download the app - NF+ App
Thank you for your support!

Right now, somewhere in the horse world, a horse is shedding a virus it's carried since it was a foal. Its owner doesn't know. The horse looks fine.
That's EHV-1. Equine herpesvirus. And Dr. Bruno Karam, equine internal medicine specialist, wants you to understand it before the next outbreak — not during it.
We recorded this conversation in the wake of last year's EHV-1 cluster at the National Finals Rodeo. Horses stumbling. Famous horses hospitalized. People asking whether the event should have run at all. And a lot of horse owners left with unanswered questions about a virus they'd heard about but didn't fully understand.
This episode answers those questions.
EHV-1 isn't new. The neurological form — EHM — isn't new either. What's changed is the density of horse movement. Western circuits don't park in one city for two weeks. They move. And they move on timelines shorter than the incubation period. By the time a horse shows symptoms, it's already three states away from where it got infected.
Bruno breaks down how the virus behaves in the body — biphasic fevers, white blood cell hitchhiking, the vasculitis cascade that leads to spinal cord involvement. He explains why your vaccinated horse can still shed. Why a healthy horse with no symptoms can spread it. And why giving Banamine the moment your horse feels warm is the single most counterproductive thing you can do in an outbreak.
The practical guidance in here is specific. Take temperatures twice a day. Know what's normal for your horse before you need to know what's abnormal. Don't share thermometers. And if your horse is questionable at a show — be okay with not showing.
He also talks about something that doesn't get said enough: we don't yet have data on why some horses get sick and others don't. We're still retroactively analyzing the outbreaks. The science is moving, and what we do today may not be what we do in ten years. That's not a reason to panic. It's a reason to pay attention.
Dr. Bruno Karam is an equine internal medicine specialist. He trained at Texas A&M under Dr. Michelle Coleman and has worked some of the most complex infectious disease cases in the field. He ended up on the news last year because of EHV-1. He came on this podcast to give you the version of the conversation that the news couldn't.
If your barn shares thermometers, send this to your barn manager.
Subscribe to the NOËLLE FLOYD Podcast — formerly Dear Horse World — wherever you listen.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN
Why nearly every horse already carries EHV-1 latently — and what triggers shedding with no visible symptoms
The exact biological pathway from respiratory infection to spinal cord damage that causes EHM
Why the western show circuit's travel structure created exponential exposure chains in 2025
What the EHV vaccine actually does and doesn't do, and why it still matters for herd immunity
How to take and interpret your horse's temperature using their individual baseline, not just 101.5°F
Why giving Banamine at the first elevated temp can mask early outbreak warning signs
The most overlooked transmission vector at shows: human hands moving between horses
To find out more about Dr. Bruno Karam DVM - Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital - Equine
This episode is sponsored by Pegasus Training & Rehabilitation Center


Here at Pegasus, our mission is to run a first class horse training, rehabilitation, and conditioning facility; provide horses of all disciplines with full and complete care of the highest quality; partner with our clients to ensure that we not only meet, but exceed, their individual goals and needs; and maintain our facility and equipment with the highest level of care.



To find out more about Pegasus - website | instagram | facebook
Interested in more from Noelle?
Noelle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com
Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments. 
https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus
And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com
CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Introduction to Dr. Bruno Karam, Equine Internal Medicine Specialist
[00:38] What an Equine Internist Does and Why It's Unique
[02:00] Memorable Cases — From Yellow Fat Disease to Aspiration Pneumonia
[09:34] What Is EHV-1 — Horse COVID Explained
[11:10] How EHV-1 Spreads and What Recrudescence Means
[13:11] Why Some Horses Go Neurological and Others Don't
[16:00] Shedding Explained — Subclinical Carriers and Transmission
[18:06] Vaccines for EHV — What They Do and Don't Protect Against
21:00] Vaccine Risk, Hesitancy, and How to Think About Risk Assessment
[24:28] The 2025 Outbreak — What Really Happened in Texas Before NFR
37:38] What Horse Owners Can Do — Monitoring and Biosecurity at Shows

It is easy to get wrapped up in the competitive environment when prize money and recognition wait at the gate. Our natural human instinct causes us to objectify horses as high-speed pieces of equipment or treat them like sentimental human pets, yet both approaches cause immense confusion for the animal.
When challenges arise, a rider focuses strictly on overriding the obstacle in front of them, whereas a horseman steps back to evaluate the wider picture and protect the partnership. 
Daniel Bluman breaks down the psychological differences between these choices, sharing the real-world management practices that establish what he calls horse karma. He discusses why daily turnout and social connection create a healthier brain for an athletic horse, allowing them to remain sound and happy for years.
What is Horse Karma?: Daniel shares a childhood story from Colombia that shaped his belief that treating every horse with empathy always pays it forward.

Clarity is Humanity: Loving a horse means giving clear, decisive training directions instead of treats, carrots, and confusing human sentimentality.

Becoming Indispensable: Learning how the animal functions biologically makes a person scarce and highly valued, securing a sustainable livelihood.

Managing Social Validation: Daniel urges us to handle the craving for online recognition and instead celebrate the unseen daily lifestyle.

Meet Daniel
Daniel Bluman is an Olympic athlete and co-founder of Bluman Equestrian. He is an entrepreneur and a producer of horses who believes patience is a massive competitive advantage. His philosophy rests on the conviction that horses are our teachers, and our primary mission is to provide them with respect and dignity.
Explore the mission at:
BlumanEquestrian.com
This episode is brought to you by:
Connaway & Associates Equine Insurance Services, Inc.

The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance.

Visit www.connaway.net | @connawayassociates | facebook.com/connawayassociatesequine 
Interested in more from Noëlle?
Noëlle's writing again — head to her Substack for essays, observations, and the kind of thinking that doesn't fit in an episode. https://noellefloyd.substack.com
Every episode is also on YouTube, where the conversation continues in the comments. 
https://www.youtube.com/@noellefloyd_plus
And if you're ready to go deeper, NF+ is where the real work happens — masterclasses, curated content, and a community that takes horses seriously. https://noellefloydplus.com
Chapters and Time Stamps:
0:00 Horses are not equipment
4:00 Stop canceling riders you don't understand
5:10 Why clarity is kindness
8:32 The problem with humanizing horses
9:33 Why Daniel turns his horses out together
11:26 What stall life does to a horse's eyesight
12:54 When science catches up to horsemanship
14:00 Why the same ring every day limits your horse
17:00 The disappearing horseman
21:40 Horsemen always earn more than riders
25:35 Show jumping's social license problem
28:00 Managing the social media validation trap
35:50 Rapid fire questions

We have all walked into the barn carrying the weight of a chaotic day, a mile-long to-do list, and a rider ego that thinks jumping twenty fences is the only way to improve. We get clumsy because we try hard to chase points, ribbons, and instant gratification. We end up losing the horse. 
Three-time Olympian Daniel Bluman helps us trade that frantic energy for a higher standard. Daniel represents Israel on the world stage, but his true strength lies in his ability to do less. He reminds us that our horse is an animal rather than a tool, and our success belongs in the quality of our bond instead of the ribbons we collect. 
If you feel tired of the frantic cycle, this conversation provides permission to stop performing and start listening. We dive into the shift from rider goals—those check-box milestones we want for ourselves—to horseman needs, which are the mental and physical foundations our horses require to thrive.
The Glamorous Farmer Mindset: Daniel explains why elite success requires appreciating the daily, weather-independent lifestyle of a simple farmer.

The Trap of Accolades: Chasing endless victories and high rankings leads to an unfulfilled career, whereas finding joy in the daily routine changes the game.

Educating the Next Generation: Daniel shares his focus on raising his children to be great horsemen and happy, well-balanced people.

Postponing Your Own Gratification: A true horseman stays honest to the path, protecting the horse above immediate ring results

Meet Daniel
Daniel Bluman is an Olympic athlete and co-founder of Bluman Equestrian. He is an entrepreneur and a producer of horses who believes patience is a massive competitive advantage. His philosophy rests on the conviction that horses are our teachers, and our primary mission is to provide them with respect and dignity.
Explore the mission at:
BlumanEquestrian.com
CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Daniel Bluman Joins Dear Horse World: Why He Reached Out 
00:02:09 What Watching Other Riders Teaches You About This Sport
00:03:56 Glamorous Farmers: The Connection to Nature Every Horseman Needs
00:06:27 What Show Jumping Must Not Forget as Prize Money Pours In
00:10:06 Why Chasing Fame in the Horse World Leads to a Miserable Career
00:13:28 The Barns Around the World That Showed Daniel What Really Matters
00:15:19 How to Fall in Love With the Life of the Horseman
00:16:35 The Mentors Who Showed Him You Can Be Both Horseman and Champion
00:20:46 Rider vs. Horseman: Daniel's Full Breakdown
00:25:02 What's Happening Inside a Rider's Mind When the Horse Gets Left Behind
00:29:11 The Riders Daniel Fears in Competition — and Admires Most as Horsemen
00:31:27 Horse Karma: Treating Every Horse Right Is How Champions Are Made