Dear Horse World

When you meet Dr. Dennis Brooks, you understand why horse people around the world talk about him with a kind of reverence. He is one of the most influential equine ophthalmologists of our time, the OG of horse eye care, yet what makes him unforgettable is not just the medicine. It is the heart behind it.
In this episode, Dennis takes us inside the world of horse eyes with the clarity of a teacher, the soul of a storyteller, and the honesty of someone who has spent a lifetime caring deeply for horses and the people who love them.
You will learn
• Why Dennis became the original pioneer of modern equine ophthalmology
• How breakthrough surgeries changed what is possible for horses with severe eye disease
• Why Appaloosas are genetically more vulnerable to uveitis
• The simple eyelash position test that instantly tells you if a horse is in eye pain
• How the immune system and the eye communicate and why that matters
• What immune mediated keratitis is and the five emerging types Dennis is seeing worldwide
• Why one of those new diseases is more frightening than moon blindness
• What every horse owner should know to protect their horse's vision
This episode blends science with story, medicine with emotion, and legacy with practical takeaways. It is a rare chance to learn from the man who shaped an entire field while reminding us that the best medicine always begins with human connection.
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This episode is brought to you 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!
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And for even more expert-led workshops, in-depth courses, and exclusive lectures designed to elevate your riding and horsemanship, visit NoelleFloydPlus.com and use code 'DHW' for 15% off annual memberships!
NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a passionate community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.
And you can follow us on instagram too!
Click here 👉 www.instagram.com/dearhorseworld

Part 2 continues the conversation by moving into the moments that test riders and trainers alike. This episode focuses on what happens when something doesn't feel right, and the courage it can take to pause, question, or choose a different path in the middle of a lesson.
Karen Rohlf is an FEI Grand Prix dressage rider, USDF Gold Medalist, internationally respected clinician, and the founder of Dressage Naturally. In this part of the conversation, Karen explores how easily context gets overlooked in training, and why protecting the relationship must come before any single exercise or result.
Karen and Noelle talk about situations many riders recognize immediately: being asked to push forward when a horse is clearly uncomfortable, feeling pressure to comply even when instincts say otherwise, and how quickly intuition can be silenced.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why some "training problems" are actually context problems
How fear and tension are often mislabeled
How to be a mindful, courageous student
How trainers can foster confident, curious riders
Why no result is worth sacrificing the relationship


Karen also shares how different horses require different approaches, why consistency does not mean sameness, and how commitment to a decision matters more than the decision itself. 
Part 2 invites riders and trainers to reflect on how trust is built moment by moment, and how much influence educators have in shaping riders who feel safe to think, feel, and advocate for their horses.
Resources & Mentions
Karen Rohlf's Book: Dressage Naturally
https://dressagenaturally.net/book/

Dressage Naturally
https://dressagenaturally.net/

Parelli
https://parelli.com/

The Black Stallion:
https://theblackstallion.com/web/books/the-series
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Episode Sponsored by 
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Have you ever questioned whether the way you've been taught to train truly fits the horse in front of you? Most people don't. And when they do, they're often reprimanded for it, which is usually enough to make them stop asking.
We repeat the same exercises and routines because that's how we were taught, rarely questioning the system even when our horses do. This conversation challenges that pattern and asks a harder question: what happens when the system stops working for the horse?
Karen Rohlf is an FEI Grand Prix dressage rider, USDF Gold Medalist, internationally respected clinician, and the founder of Dressage Naturally. Her career spans the highest levels of the sport, but the foundation of her work traces back to her first horse. As a child, Karen watched that horse be sold and change in ways that frightened her. Same horse. Same environment. Completely different outcome under different hands. That moment led her to make a promise to herself and to every horse she would ride, a promise that still guides her work today.
In Part 1, Karen shares stories she rarely tells publicly. She explains why she stepped away from a conventional training model most professionals never question. She tells the story of a horse who flinched simply for touching something in the barn aisle, and what changed when she responded differently than she had been taught. These moments show how curiosity and confidence can return to horses who have shut down, and why what we call tension is often something we haven't learned to read.
During the conversation, lightning strikes just as Karen names three essential needs of horses, reinforcing a central theme of the episode: the system is often the problem, not the horse.
In this episode, you will hear:
The childhood experience that shaped Karen's approach to horses
Why curiosity is often suppressed and what happens when it returns
How to distinguish between physical, mental, and emotional training challenges
Why giving horses real choice builds confidence rather than resistance
Why no two horses should ever be trained the same way
How tension often disguises itself as dullness or resistance
In this episode, you will learn how to recognize horses as individuals and partners, and how to ground your training in responsibility and trust.
Resources & Mentions:
Karen Rohlf's Book: Dressage Naturally
https://dressagenaturally.net/book/
Dressage Naturally
https://dressagenaturally.net/
Episode Sponsored by:
YETI
Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.
No shortcuts.
No compromise. 
Just gear that works as hard as you do. Explore more at yeti.com.
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Have you ever felt your heart thumping and your palms sweating before a competition, only to realize it wasn't just nerves but something deeper? Riders know what it means to carry pressure long before a round begins. It often starts early. Parents want so deeply for their children to thrive, yet the fear of falling behind can blur the line between supporting and pushing.
Most riders have compared themselves to people who make the hardest moments look effortless. And when some young riders rise while others quietly disappear, it forces all of us to question what truly creates long term success.
In this episode, we sit down with Rodrigo Pessoa, who brings honesty and decades of legendary experience. As one of the most iconic show jumpers of our generation, his openness is a rare gift. He shares how real development comes from patience, thoughtful pressure and the courage to learn in full view of others. He also explains why young horses and young riders need almost the exact same environment to thrive.
Rodrigo takes us inside the realities shaping modern sport. He talks about why wealth does not create perseverance, how the wrong coach can derail a rider faster than no coach at all, and why early pressure often shuts potential down rather than unlocking it. He reflects on the mentorship behind Baloubet du Rouet and the moment that permanently changed how he handles public scrutiny.
By the end, you will understand the sport more clearly and feel steadier in your own path forward.
You will learn
• How pressure really works and why timing matters more than intensity
• Why perseverance and engagement outweigh access or privilege
• What ruins good horses and good riders and how to prevent it
• How to set goals that stretch you without overwhelming you
• Why comparison derails progress and how professionals truly think about it
• The core mentorship principles behind developing young horses and young athletes
Rodrigo's book that he would read to the Horse World - Six Feet Above by Peder Fredricson
Learn more about Rodrigo Pessoa on Instagram at @rodrigopessoa29
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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.

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 and YETI
Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.
No shortcuts.
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So many riders want their horses sharper, quicker, and more responsive, yet end up drilling, micromanaging, and unintentionally shutting their horses down. Hall of Fame cutting horse trainer Lindy Burch offers a wildly refreshing reframing: what if the sharpest horses are not the ones you control the most, but the ones you allow to think?
In cutting, the horse has to make decisions in real time. They must read the cow, feel the moment, and respond faster than the rider ever could. In this episode, Lindy breaks down how she develops horses who stay mentally present, balanced, and tuned in, not by force, but through short, thoughtful training bursts, strong foundations, and the power of letting the horse learn from the cow itself.
You will hear Lindy unpack the origins of cutting, what makes a great cutting horse, how to ride with more feel, why short sessions produce better learning, and why riding outside the arena creates more balanced, emotionally sound partners in any discipline.
No matter your discipline, this conversation will shift the way you think about responsiveness, contact, pressure, partnership, and how to build a horse that truly tries for you.
You will learn:
Why micromanagement dulls horses and how to create a horse that thinks with you


How to use short, focused sessions and the environment as your greatest training tools


Why riding outside the arena and honoring your horse's mind leads to deeper connection


Lindy's book that she would read to the Horse World - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Resources:
 Evidence Based Horsemanship by Martin Black and Stephen Peters
The history of the National Cutting Horse Association
The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame


Learn more about Lindy Burch
Website: https://lindyburch.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindyburchcutters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindyburchcutters
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This episode is brought to you 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
and YETI.  
Made for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you're hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.
No shortcuts.
No compromise. 
Just gear that works as hard as you do. Explore more at yeti.com.
📱 @yeti
📱 facebook.com/YETI