What Your Horse's Nervous System Reveals About Trust and Liberty with Kaleigh Marie - Sponsored by Triple Crown Feeds

Liberty trainer and Braveheart Beasts founder Kaleigh Marie shares how training oxen, mammoth donkeys, and mules before ever seriously working with horses shaped everything she knows about connection, trust, and the nervous system. Kaleigh Marie is a liberty trainer and performer based in the Northeast who has spent the last decade developing a nervous system-informed approach to horsemanship rooted in connection, positive reinforcement, and the foundational lessons she learned working with cattle, donkeys, and mules long before horses became her focus. In this episode you will learn: Why Kaleigh's foundation in training oxen and mammoth donkeys gave her a unique edge with horses What "conversational quality" means and how it shows up in your relationship with your horse Why donkeys ask "why should I?" — and why that's actually a gift to any trainer How the nervous system underlies everything from leg aids to liberty work The honest story of how clicker training almost derailed her liberty performances — and what she rebuilt from the ground up The difference between expectation and intention when you're struggling in a session What to do when you're not showing up as the trainer you want to be Why dull horses are often the most sensitive ones — and how they got that way The "backpack" concept and how co-regulation with your horse actually works Why self-regulation — for both horse and human — matters more than connection To find out more about Kaleigh Marie: website | instagram | facebook This episode is sponsored by Triple Crown Feeds The secret to raising a healthy horse begins with nutrition that goes beyond. The team at Triple Crown is dedicated to helping our customers succeed by understanding your horse's unique needs and working to develop the right feeding program for the horse you love. www.triplecrownfeed.com | instagram.com/triplecrownfeed | facebook.com/TripleCrownFeed | youtube.com/@triplecrownfeeds If you love honest conversations about horsemanship, trust, and the ongoing practice of becoming a better horse person, subscribe for more. Chapters: 00:00 Meet Kaylee Marie 01:10 Road to the Horse Memories 03:38 First Meeting with Tik  08:12 Braveheart Beasts Origins 08:31 Farm Kid to Oxen Trainer 13:07 Riding Cows and Controversy 18:39 Back to Horses and Draft Life 20:16 Mammoth Donkeys in the City 24:01 Connection and Motivation Lessons 8:05 Conversational Quality Explained 32:22 Nervous System Awakening 38:31 Rescue Rehab and Roman Story 45:18 First Q&A Reset as a Trainer 47:30 Gut Brain Connection 48:27 One Percent Better 48:55 Expectation Versus Intention 51:44 Stop And Regulate 53:28 Co Regulation Release 56:41 Leg Aid Without Fight 58:40 Sensitivity Versus Expression 01:00:46 Rehab Dull Horses 01:04:17 Clicker Training Ethics 01:09:42 Rock Bottom Without Food 01:15:47 Pressure And Resilience 01:18:53 Clicker For Quality 01:22:10 Keep Learning Through Pain 01:24:03 Rapid Fire Favorites 01:28:23 Final Thanks And Wrap