About this podcast
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 Some of it is outdated.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
The newest 20 of 35 episodes
- "Can All Behavioral Problems Be Blamed on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome?" with Dr Ben Sykes and Dr Amy Lovett · 1 h 41 min · Episode 34Gastric ulcers are one of the first things many horse owners think of when a horse’s behaviour changes, but can all behavioural problems really be blamed on Equine Gastric Ulcer…
- "Combined Reinforcement: Poisoned Cue or a Panacea for Modern Equine Training?" with Ella Bradshaw-Wiley - Part Two · 56 min · Episode 34We’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…
- "Combined Reinforcement: Poisoned Cue or a Panacea for Modern Equine Training?" with Ella Bradshaw-Wiley - Part One · 1 h 12 min · Episode 33This 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…
- "What Are We Getting Wrong About Equine Nutrition?" With Isabelle D’Costa - Part Two · 1 h 4 min · Episode 32This 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…
- "What Are We Getting Wrong About Equine Nutrition?" With Isabelle D’Costa - Part One · 1 h 0 min · Episode 31This 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…
- "What is being an Informed Rider?" With Katie Hancox - Part Two · 55 min · Episode 30This 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…
- "What is being an Informed Rider?" With Katie Hancox - Part One · 1 h 3 min · Episode 29This 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…
- "How do we help horses feel calmer without relying on calming supplements?" · 1 h 11 min · Episode 28One 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…
- "When do I know when it's time to stop giving food rewards?" · 35 min · Episode 27One 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…
- “To scrape, or scrape not to be…...?” · 32 min · Episode 26It’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…
- “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?” · 40 min · Episode 25“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…
- Bonus Episode 6: Jen Pretends She's Not Competitive & Barbara Killed a Rabbit · 6 min · Episode 24Hi 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…
- "What is your Biggest 'Hot Take' on anything Equine or Animal Related?" · 1 h 6 min · Episode 23This episode starts with sneezing. Naturally. "I expect nothing less from you lot ..." #JellyfishDontSneeze which somehow becomes important enough to deserve its own hashtag…
- "Is There Such a Thing as the “Best” Way to Keep Horses?" · 1 h 16 min · Episode 22What 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…
- "Does Positive Reinforcement Lead to Biting Horses?" · 1 h 9 min · Episode 21In 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…
- "A Horse Without a Job, is Wasted" · 1 h 1 min · Episode 20This 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…
- "But They have A Good life..." · 1 h 56 min · Episode 19We’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…
- “Why Is Foraging Behaviour So Important in Horses?” · 1 h 33 min · Episode 18In 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…
- “Does Dominance Theory Still Hold Up in Modern Horse Training?” · 1 h 50 min · Episode 17In 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…
- “How Does Language Shape the Way We See Our Horses?” · 1 h 11 min · Episode 16We’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…







