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Dangerous at Both Ends, Tricky in the Middle
Welcome to Dangerous at Both Ends, Tricky in the Middle an equine behaviour and training podcast with Jen Nash and Barbara Hardman.
There’s a lot of information out there about horses.
Some of it is brilliant. Some of it is outdated. Some of it has been repeated so many times we’ve stopped asking whether it was ever true in the first place.
So… we ask why.
We talk about equine behaviour, training, welfare, learning, veterinary medicine and the science behind the things we do with horses. We pull apart research, question long-held beliefs, tackle the things doing the rounds on social media and, increasingly, answer the questions you send in to us.
And we don't always agree. Sometimes there isn't a neat answer. Because behaviour is complicated. Horses are complicated. Humans are definitely complicated.
We’ve talked about everything from reinforcement, enrichment and emotional regulation to gastric ulcers, calming supplements, thermoregulation, travelling horses, cribbing collars and whether you should scrape the water off a hot horse.
And somehow we’ve also covered Beyoncé, jellyfish that don't sneeze and Barbara accidentally killing a rabbit while playing golf. Basically, things go off track. A lot.
But underneath the madness, we want to do one thing: help people think.
Not tell you what to think.
Ask better questions. Look at the whole horse. Be curious about the evidence. And maybe get a little more comfortable saying, “Hang on… why do we do it that way?”
Got something you want us to talk about? Send us your questions, dilemmas, unpopular opinions and things you've always wondered but perhaps been too afraid to ask. Nothing is off limits.
Welcome to Dangerous at Both Ends, Tricky in the Middle.
Real questions. Real conversations. Science, behaviour… and a reasonable amount of madness. 🐴🎙️
Episodes
34 episodes
"Combined Reinforcement: Poisoned Cue or a Panacea for Modern Equine Training?" with Ella Bradshaw-Wiley - Part Two
We’re back with Ella Bradshaw-Wiley, Associate Lecturer in Equine Science at Charles Sturt University, for Part Two of our conversation around her paper, 'Combined reinforcement: Poisoned cue or a panacea for modern equine training? ...
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"Combined Reinforcement: Poisoned Cue or a Panacea for Modern Equine Training?" with Ella Bradshaw-Wiley - Part One
This week we are joined by Ella Bradshaw-Wiley, Associate Lecturer in Equine Science at Charles Sturt University in Australia, for the first of a two-part conversation inspired by her paper, 'Combined reinforcement: Poisoned cue or a...
"What Are We Getting Wrong About Equine Nutrition?" With Isabelle D’Costa - Part Two
This week, we are delighted to welcome Isabelle D’Costa, MSc, PAS, founder of Honos Nutrition Co. Izzy is an equine nutritionist and Professional Animal Scientist whose work combin...
"What Are We Getting Wrong About Equine Nutrition?" With Isabelle D’Costa - Part One
This week, we are delighted to welcome Isabelle D’Costa, MSc, PAS, founder of Honos Nutrition Co. Izzy is an equine nutritionist and Professional Animal Scientist whose work combin...
"What is being an Informed Rider?" With Katie Hancox - Part Two
This week we were really lucky to have wounderful Katie Hancox from Informed Rider Coaching, for our first ever guest appearance on the podcast, joining us for a brilliant two-part c...
"What is being an Informed Rider?" With Katie Hancox - Part One
This week we were really lucky to have wounderful Katie Hancox from Informed Rider Coaching, for our first ever guest appearance on the podcast, joining us for a brilliant two-part c...
"How do we help horses feel calmer without relying on calming supplements?"
One of our listeners from Canada got in touch with a question that seems to be everywhere at the moment "How can we help horses feel calmer without relying on calming supplements?"With calming supplements all over social media, ...
"When do I know when it's time to stop giving food rewards?"
One of our listeners got in touch with a question that comes up a lot when people start exploring positive reinforcement training:"When do I know when it's time to stop giving food rewards?"It seems like a simple question...
“To scrape, or scrape not to be…...?”
It’s hot.The horses are sweating.And once again, the yearly horse-world civil war has begun: “To scrape or not to scrape?”Every summer this debate comes back around social media like clockwork. Hose the horse ...
“I feel like I am rushing through steps with my training, do you have any advice for me on how I can set my animals up for success?”
“I feel like I am rushing through steps with my training, do you have any advice for me on how I can set my animals up for success?”And honestly? If you’re asking yourself that question… you’re probably already doing better than...
Bonus Episode 6: Jen Pretends She's Not Competitive & Barbara Killed a Rabbit
Hi All,We’ve lots of B-roll and outtakes… mainly because me and Jen will talk for about three hours... The podcasts go up and somehow become an hour long through editing magic, somewhere in the middle!But this is our downtime too....
"What is your Biggest 'Hot Take' on anything Equine or Animal Related?"
This episode starts with sneezing. Naturally. "I expect nothing less from you lot ..." #JellyfishDontSneeze which somehow becomes important enough to deserve its own hashtag.Then one of our listeners from Canada a...
"Is There Such a Thing as the “Best” Way to Keep Horses?"
What does good actually look like for horses?Not the version we’ve inherited. Not the version that’s easiest to manage. The version that actually meets their needs. It's tricky,In this episode, Jen and Barbara dig into en...
"Does Positive Reinforcement Lead to Biting Horses?"
In this episode, Jen and Barbara revisit a conversation that’s come back into the spotlight, one that clearly still needs to be had. We’ve reimagined our original pilot episode and asked the big question again: does positive reinforcement le...
"A Horse Without a Job, is Wasted"
This was our very first episode back in September 2023, and I’m reposting it here because it’s super relevant to our newest episode!In this podcast, we try something a little different: a debate! If you’re familiar with debate club rules...
"But They have A Good life..."
We’re back! Jen had the audacity to go and get married, and now I’m here editing this and complaining about her selfish behaviour… prioritising love over the podcast (how dare she!) 🤣It took us two hours to talk about this becau...
“Why Is Foraging Behaviour So Important in Horses?”
In this episode, we take a closer look at the role of foraging in equine wellbeing. Horses are hard-wired to graze for many hours a day, so what happens when we limit or disrupt this natural behaviour? Barbara and Jen discuss ...
“Does Dominance Theory Still Hold Up in Modern Horse Training?”
In this episode we dive into the controversial and widely debated topic of dominance theory. Is it still relevant, or has modern behavioural science moved on? We chat about what dominance theory actually is, how it came to influence horse train...
“How Does Language Shape the Way We See Our Horses?”
We’re back from our summer break and kicking off a brand new season! 🎉In this episode, we catch up on what we’ve been up to, what’s coming next for the podcast, and some of the things we’ve been reflecting on over the break.<...
“Behind the Slaughterhouse Gates: Irish Horse Industry Exposé”
Welcome to a powerful and timely special episode of our podcast. In this edition, we tackle the investigation by RTÉ that uncovered shocking systems of animal-welfare abuse and food-safety failures in the horse-slaughter industry. W...
"What’s the Difference Between Desensitisation and Systematic Desensitisation?"
In this episode, we chat all about desensitisation and more importantly, how it differs from systematic desensitisation. These terms often get used interchangeably, but they’re not the same!We break it down in a practical and ho...
Bonus Episode 6: Extinction in Behavioural Modification
Here we talk about Extinction, when a behaviour reduces because it no longer “works” for the horse. We look at what extinction bursts are, what emotional responses can show up, and when extinction may or may not be an ethical or ef...
Bonus Episode 5: Shaping Behaviours
This short episode dives into Shaping, reinforcing small steps toward a bigger behaviour. We explore how to break behaviours down, how to celebrate progress, and how shaping creates confidence and curiosity in learning. Ideal for a...
