The Equestrian Connection

Connie Flores is an Independent Equine Nutrition Consultant and the owner of 17 Hand Equine Nutrition.
She lives in Denver, Colorado and consults in-person across the front range of Colorado and has virtual clients all over the country. Connie specializes in hard keepers, horses with digestive issues, competition horses, and metabolic equines. Using a no-nonsense, scientific-based approach, she loves to optimize the diet of horses for their health and longevity while supporting owners as they learn how to advocate for their horse’s species-specific needs.

Connie works independently of any feed company and provides unbiased feedback and recommendations, as well as keeps the owner’s goals in mind.

Connie was originally a guest with us back on episode #56. Now, in this episode, we’ll be discussing winter prep and our horses’ nutritional needs during cold weather, to change or not to change their diet when their exercise levels change, and more.

Connect with Connie:

Website: https://www.17handequine.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/17handequinenutrition/

During her competitive career, Monica Theodorescu won three Olympic gold medals and claimed World and European Championship titles with the German team. She has served as the national dressage coach since 2012. For her, it is a dream job: although she sometimes misses competing herself, she finds it incredibly rewarding to work with the country's top riders and to guide young horses as they make their way into elite-level sport.

In this episode, Monica speaks with wehorse CEO, Christian Kroeber about her role as the German national coach, animal welfare in competitive sport, and how she successfully develops young talent to the level required for major championships.

*Please note: This episode is a translated episode from The wehorse Podcast, originally aired in July 2026.

Shortly before wehorse trainer Jessica von Bredow-Werndl won the World Cup Freestyle in Germany with a sensational score of 89.64% back in 2020, she appeared as a guest on the wehorse podcast with wehorse CEO Christian Kroeber. In this classic and translated episode, the personable dressage rider from Germany discusses the secret to her success, her journey to the top level of the sport, and the training philosophy that enables her to have her horses peak in fitness and motivation exactly when it counts.

You’ll hear the crucial piece of advice a biathlete gave her and how she managed to fast-track her career, and journey of KWPN stallion "Unee” and how she managed to win this special horse over.

*Please note: This episode is a translated episode from The wehorse Podcast, originally aired 2020.

Ellie Pukehika is an accomplished horse trainer based in Rotorua, New Zealand. She brings together her knowledge from the English disciplines of Show Jumping and Dressage, as well as Horsemanship, to merge the art of working with the horse and understanding the psychology of how they think and learn. Ellie has been a clinician at the 2018 Equidays, 2020 Equifest, and 2022 Equifest.

These days, Ellie focuses on teaching women how to start their own horses with partnership instead of force, she’s the creator of the Atlas Massager, a Poll, TMJ, and Hyoid massager for horses using vibrational massage therapy, and she’s the host of Rongoā, a podcast on indigenous horsemanship.

Connect with Ellie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliepukehika/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ellieaobrien
Atlas Massager website: https://atlasequinemassager.com/

The concept of "contact" is something that stays with many riders throughout almost their entire riding lives. Unfortunately, beginners are often taught it inadequately—after all, just because the horse’s head is down doesn’t mean there is correct contact. And even once you’ve mastered it, a different horse might present new challenges by leaning on the bit, curling behind the vertical, or hollowing its back and lifting its head.

In this podcast episode, Dr. Britta Schöffmann dispels common myths and clears up any confusion: she explains what the term actually means and what correct contact feels like. If you feel that the contact between you and your horse could be softer or more steady, you’ll also get plenty of tips that you can try out right away in your next riding session. Enjoy!

*Please note: This episode is a translated episode from The wehorse Podcast, originally aired July 2026.

podscan_65sh1pw60a4R4tpZyqp0Ua2qBJ0TJjPx