š“ Every muscle in a horseāand a humanāholds a story. What happens when we learn to listen?
What if your presenceānot your powerāis the real source of transformation?
š¦ Welcome to āThe Herd Is Calling Podcastā!
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In this episode, we dive into the heart of relational horsemanship with Josh Nichol, exploring the subtle frequency beneath connection, the true meaning of leadership, and how horses can become mirrors for healing the stories we carry in our bodies. If youāve ever felt like ādoing moreā wasnāt the answerāyouāre right. This oneās for you.
In This Episode, Youāll Learn:
ā
Why every muscle holds a storyāand how horses reflect the parts of us weāve hidden or suppressed.
ā
The Green-Yellow-Red-Gold modelāa powerful roadmap for navigating dysregulation, growth, and healing in ourselves and our horses.
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The myth of obedience and how shifting from dominance to relationship unlocks true transformation.
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How to meditate like a horseāusing presence, breath, and frequency to create peace in motion.
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Why authenticity is the antidoteāand how showing up vulnerably can ripple through generations.
ā³ Episode Breakdown
00:00 | The Healing Space Begins
Josh opens with a powerful reflection on presence, energy, and how healing emerges when we honor the spaceāespecially from a place of love.
00:45 | What Every Muscle Holds
Josh shares how both horses and humans carry energetic stories in the body, and how connecting to those stories changes everything.
01:55 | The Desire for Relationship
Exploring the human longing for connection and the unconscious defense mechanisms that keep us from building true relationshipsāwith ourselves and our horses.
03:00 | Letting Go of Obedience
Josh explains how horsemanship becomes transformational when we shift away from obedience and begin to listen to the horse as a relational partner.
04:20 | The Mirror of the Horse
How horses reflect our internal state, and why true leadership is about becoming the kind of energy others want to be aroundānot controlling outcomes.
05:45 | The Inner Journey & Natural Gifting
Josh reflects on his early life in remote northern Ontario, the influence of curiosity, and how solitude in nature shaped his path.
07:10 | From Technique to Truth
A candid account of how conventional training methods fell shortāand how the struggle to work with difficult horses ignited Joshās quest for deeper understanding.
08:45 | The Universal Language of Connection
Introducing the concept of āthe wayāāan energetic frequency that transcends physical technique and invites authentic connection with all beings.
10:35 | Why People Like Josh When Theyāre Ready
Josh shares how his teachings resonate most with people who are ready to turn inwardānot just looking for quick-fix techniques.
12:00 | Green, Yellow, Redā¦ and Gold
A fresh model for understanding regulation, growth, and thriving. Gold = when challenge and peace coexist, allowing you to walk through life with empowered presence.
14:45 | The Calling vs. Exhaustion
The reason walking in your true calling gives you energyāand how burnout often results from living out of alignment with your deeper purpose.
16:55 | The Ripple Effect of Real Leadership
What happens when you lead from authenticity, and how your inner alignment creates outward transformation in people, horses, and community.
18:00 | Community as a Relational Practice
Josh discusses how true community is built not around common opinions, but around shared relational principles like trust, empathy, and awareness.
20:20 | How Conflict Reveals the Real Work
Conflict isnāt the problemāour triggers are. Josh breaks down how community breaks when we focus on surface-level disagreement instead of deeper self-awareness.
22:00 | Relational Horsemanship in Action
Explaining how unmet needsānot disobedienceāare the root of most horse behavior
Learn more about Josh Nichol here:
Josh's Website: https://joshnichol.com/
Josh's YouTube @JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit
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