Exposing The Truth: Shelby Dennis on Horse Welfare, Advocacy, Ethics, and Industry Change.
If you’ve been following Shelby Dennis (aka Milestone Equestrian / @sdeques on social media), you know she doesn’t shy away from the hard conversations. She’s a passionate advocate for horse welfare, uncovering the harsh realities of the horse industry, and pushing for real change.
Shelby is a professional horse trainer and equine behavior consultant with over 24 years of experience across multiple disciplines—including Arabian showing, hunter/jumpers, dressage, and even racehorses. She’s also taken her education seriously, working toward her Certificate of Equine Science and earning her Equine Behavior Consultant certification through IAABC.
Her approach to training has evolved massively over the years, moving away from traditional punishment-based methods toward a more ethical, science-backed way of working with horses. She’s an incredible voice in the equestrian space, and I have so much admiration for the work she’s doing!
In this episode, we dive into:
🐴 What sparked Shelby’s passion for horse welfare and the personal experiences that led her to advocate for change.
🐴 How Shelby’s training has evolved over the years from punishment-based to reward-based.
🐴 The biggest welfare concerns in the industry—harsh training methods, equipment, poor management, and a widespread lack of understanding of horse behavior.
🐴 The moment Shelby started questioning traditional training and horse-keeping practices.
🐴 The challenges of holding top riders accountable while leaving room for them to grow.
🐴 Social media as both a tool for change and a platform for cancel culture—where’s the line?
🐴 Why abuse persists at the top levels of competition, despite being more exposed than ever.
🐴 Corruption in the horse world.
🐴 Shelby’s vision for a better equestrian industry—and realistic changes that could actually happen.
🐴 The million-dollar question: Do horses truly enjoy being ridden and competing?
🐴 Ethical concerns beyond competition—how to spot truly ethical horsemanship.
🐴 Two trainers setting a better example in horse sports.
🐴 The use of R+ and R- in training—can pure R- ever be ethical?
🐴 How Shelby handles backlash when calling out unethical practices.
🐴 Debunking the “if the horse didn’t want to, they wouldn’t” myth.
🐴 What keeps Shelby motivated to keep advocating for change.
🐴 Common misconceptions about her work.
🐴 Shelby’s personal goals with horses and training.
🐴 Favorite horse books, resources, and what she’s currently learning.
🐴 Plus SO much more!
This conversation is eye-opening, thought-provoking, and (at times) confronting. Shelby’s bravery in speaking out—even in the face of backlash—is truly inspiring, and I know you’re going to take so much away from this episode.
Let’s dive in! 🎧✨
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🔗 LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
Where you can find out more about Shelby:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdequus/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milestoneequestrian96
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sdequus
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjNgasvyRwPmnXY11m4Lacg
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/sdequus
Website: https://milestoneequestrian.ca/
Podcasts:
Making Milestones: https://open.spotify.com/show/3s8mJIS4vt2uAxzg8mXFGk
Mane Character Energy: https://open.spotify.com/show/3og2h8PNWWrQV21aEWPxDk
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📚 Shelby’s Recommended Books:
The Other Side of Horsemanship: My Journey of Unlearning Cruelty & Healing Trauma by Shelby Dennis
Language Signs and Calming Signals of Horses: Recognition and Application by Rachaël Draaisma
Equitation Science by Paul McGreevy and Andrew McLean
Equine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians and Equine Scientists by Paul McGreevy
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté with Daniel Maté
The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker
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EXTRA RESOURCES TO HELP YOU AND YOUR HORSE:
📚 Book & Resource List: Get all the books & recommendations mentioned on the podcast → amaliadempsey.com/booklist
🐴 Free Mini-Course: Build a deeper connection & communication with your horse → amaliadempsey.com/ccmc
🏋️♀️ Free Rider Exercises: Improve your biomechanics with 10 unmounted exercises → amaliadempsey.com/exercises
💪 8-Week Rider Exercise Program: Transform your riding with structured, rider-specific exercises → amaliadempsey.com/8-week-rider-specific-exercise-program
🐎 Horsemanship Fundamentals Academy: Create a happy, confident, and trusting partnership with your horse on the ground and in the saddle → amaliadempsey.com/Horsemanship-Fundamentals-Academy
🚛 Trailer Loading Success: Say goodbye to stressful trailer loading with this $9 roadmap → amaliadempsey.com/trailer-loading-success-roadmap
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💕 Explore more horsemanship resources at www.amaliadempsey.com
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Keywords: Horsemanship, Rider Biomechanics, Positive Reinforcement, Horse Training, Liberty Training, Postpartum Riding Fitness, Equine Welfare, Ethical Horse Training, Groundwork Exercises, Enrichment for Horses, Clicker Training, Horse & Rider Connection, Strength & Mobility for Riders, Return to Riding Program, Balanced Riding, Harmony with Horses, Horse Behavior & Communication, Holistic Horsemanship, Ethical Riding Practices, Mindful Horsemanship, Classical Dressage, Softness & Lightness, Rider Posture & Alignment, Core Strength for Riders, Horse Agility, Bitless Riding, Bareback Riding, Young Horse Development, Confidence Building for Riders, Problem-Solving in Horse Training, Horse Abuse, Horse Welfare, Horse Advocacy, Horse Ethics, Shelby Dennis, Milestone Equestrian, Horse Industry
New Zealand