99: The Permission You and Your Horse Have Been Waiting For
Tue Feb 03 2026
We’re talking about permission today.
In last month’s Firehorse Fierce episode, we briefly touched on permission-seeking. Today, I clarify what that really means.
Too often, we turn to another professional opinion, recommendation, or protocol before fully understanding what we are facing. The truth is, you know your horse better than anyone. So, this episode is about allowing yourself to trust what you already see in their eyes, feel in their body, and sense in their energy.
Permission Starts With You
Permission does not come from professionals, protocols, or expert opinions. It comes from you. In an industry full of strong opinions and conflicting advice, it’s easy to believe you need someone else to validate what you already see. But as your horse’s primary caregiver, you are the one who knows their baseline, their patterns, and when something feels off. That lived knowledge truly matters.
Waiting vs. Being Paralyzed
There is a difference between pausing to calm your fear so you can make a clear decision and being paralyzed while waiting for external permission. Most hesitation comes from fear of being wrong, not from lack of care. When your doubt delays your decisions, the horse often pays the cost.
Outside Opinions
Every outside opinion can quietly erode trust in your own observations. Over time, decision-making shifts away from the horse and toward outside voices, even though your horse is communicating clearly through changes in energy, movement, digestion, and behavior. Those early signals are meaningful. Disease seldom shows up loudly; it builds through whispers long before it screams.
Expert Support
Professional support has a place, but professionals are consultants, not permission givers. You remain the decision-maker. True advocacy means staying grounded in what your horse is showing you while using outside expertise to support, not override, that awareness. Flexibility matters far more than rigid adherence to any single philosophy.
When You Trust Yourself
When you give yourself permission to listen and act, everything changes. Communication becomes clearer, stress decreases, and trust deepens. When their whispers are heard, horses don’t need to scream. Your horse is counting on you to trust what you already know.
Links and resources:
Connect with Elisha Edwards on her website.
Healing Horses their Way: Get more information and join the waitlist
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We’re talking about permission today. In last month’s Firehorse Fierce episode, we briefly touched on permission-seeking. Today, I clarify what that really means. Too often, we turn to another professional opinion, recommendation, or protocol before fully understanding what we are facing. The truth is, you know your horse better than anyone. So, this episode is about allowing yourself to trust what you already see in their eyes, feel in their body, and sense in their energy. Permission Starts With You Permission does not come from professionals, protocols, or expert opinions. It comes from you. In an industry full of strong opinions and conflicting advice, it’s easy to believe you need someone else to validate what you already see. But as your horse’s primary caregiver, you are the one who knows their baseline, their patterns, and when something feels off. That lived knowledge truly matters. Waiting vs. Being Paralyzed There is a difference between pausing to calm your fear so you can make a clear decision and being paralyzed while waiting for external permission. Most hesitation comes from fear of being wrong, not from lack of care. When your doubt delays your decisions, the horse often pays the cost. Outside Opinions Every outside opinion can quietly erode trust in your own observations. Over time, decision-making shifts away from the horse and toward outside voices, even though your horse is communicating clearly through changes in energy, movement, digestion, and behavior. Those early signals are meaningful. Disease seldom shows up loudly; it builds through whispers long before it screams. Expert Support Professional support has a place, but professionals are consultants, not permission givers. You remain the decision-maker. True advocacy means staying grounded in what your horse is showing you while using outside expertise to support, not override, that awareness. Flexibility matters far more than rigid adherence to any single philosophy. When You Trust Yourself When you give yourself permission to listen and act, everything changes. Communication becomes clearer, stress decreases, and trust deepens. When their whispers are heard, horses don’t need to scream. Your horse is counting on you to trust what you already know. Links and resources: Connect with Elisha Edwards on her website. Healing Horses their Way: Get more information and join the waitlist