By Elizabeth Janoski
Have you ever wondered if there was a surefire way to know what your horse is thinking or if they are experiencing pain from an undiagnosed issue? We offered an informal survey to the Plaid Horse AA group and found that nearly all of the 53 respondents had tried an animal communicator, and while some were very happy with their experiences, just under half reported dissatisfaction for varying reasons, including inaccuracy or being provided with generic information. Many also expressed a hearty skepticism regarding the method of using an animal communicator who connected with the horse from a considerable distance through pictures they had sent. Those who’d had a mix of hits and misses use animal communicators carefully and don’t take everything at face value. Other respondents were very satisfied with their sessions and wouldn’t hesitate to repeat a session – and many, in fact, had done so.
Four respondents shared their personal experiences, which reflect the most popular motivations for using an animal communicator: behavioral issues, training issues, and health concerns. Many respondents viewed using an animal communicator as complementary to traditional medical approaches when a problem proved difficult to diagnose, but they also cautioned that there is a huge potential for misinformation when a result can’t be backed up by diagnostics.
Haley and Shameless Get Acquainted
Haley competes in Hunters with her black Oldenburg gelding, Shameless, at 2’. They’re a relatively new partnership as she bought him just about a year ago. “Shame came to our barn off a lease and was looking for a new rider, and I was definitely interested,” Haley says. She admits she didn’t know much about the Oldenburg breed, since her previous horse was a Thoroughbred. “But when first tried him and then leased him, something just clicked. There was a connection I wanted to explore.”
That curiosity led Haley to try something new before she bought Shame: working with an animal communicator. People at her barn had worked with one before, so she figured, why not? “I really just wanted to make sure he was happy with his situation and deepen our connection before I officially bought him. Plus, I was secretly hoping he wouldn’t say he didn’t like me!” she laughs.
All of Haley’s sessions were over the phone. She found the animal communicator online after reading plenty of reviews, and she sent along pictures of her animals ahead of time. “I had also adopted a dog in 2021 and wanted to know more about his past so I figured it would be great to try out,” she explains. The animal communicator told Haley she sees images that Shame shows her. One piece of advice from the animal communicator really stuck with Haley: “Remember when you said you wanted to learn? This is that moment. She also assured me he wanted to keep learning as well.” Haley took that to heart. “It brought me a lot of comfort, especially when my dog was in hospice and being reassured that he would let me know when he was ready to go.”
Of course, there were some fun moments too as it turns out Shameless has quite a high opinion of himself. “He loves going to shows where people admire him and he can check out horses he doesn’t know,” Haley says. She was also happy to learn that he takes his job seriously. “Shame really sees himself as an athlete who wants to keep learning. That has brought a lot of laughs to everyone in the barn.”
Little details from the session like finding out Shame’s favorite treats are bananas and Oreos helped to strengthen their bond. He also shared that he prefers being in his stall over turnout because there’s more to see in the barn. Haley adds, “Our stalls are all on one side of the barn, and the indoor ring backs up to them, so there’s always something going on. He even said he wishes he could see into the ring! The animal communicator even told him that might be weird for other horses.”
The animal communicator’s insights aligned with what Haley had observed herself. “This was more of a ‘get to know you’ thing, but I was hoping if anything was bothering him physically, he’d say so since he is a little older.” In a follow-up session, Shameless shared that he feels healthy and fit most of the time and even mentioned, “You fixed your seat; it really annoyed me how you used to sit on me!” Haley was thrilled to hear that he also loves the custom saddle she’d invested in. “It was a relief to know that was money well spent and that he felt it fit him well,” she says.
When Shameless admitted he missed his previous owner, Haley was able to reassure him that she’d kept in touch and had even sent the former owner some photos. Shame had also met his breeder again and remembered her. “Now he knows there are a lot of people who care about him,” Haley says.
Some of Haley’s barn friends have worked with other animal communicators and she’s curious what Shameless might say if she tried a different one. “But what really matters to me is that he knows I want to hear what he’s thinking. We’re a good team, especially now that I’m starting to understand him better. And honestly, I don’t feel so silly talking to him anymore—I know he gets it and wants to keep learning right along with me.”
Haley advises people thinking about trying an animal communicator to go for it. “It’s definitely been a positive thing, especially for people who lean toward intuition as it can deepen the bond and also help you mentally. It’s just one more thing that I can use to educate myself out of the saddle. It’s been a great bonding experience,” she concludes.
Riley Finds the Source of Pistachio’s Pain
Riley grew up with horses and has worked with an animal communicator several times. She started out just for fun, but after seeing some good results, she kept coming back to the same communicator whenever her horses or dogs had issues. Most recently, her RPSI gelding, Pistachio, was giving her a real puzzle. “He went from winning at .90 in the International ring at Tryon in 2023 to being basically unrideable,” Riley said, adding that he never came up lame in the ring. “I thought it was related to his back as he has kissing spine, but I got feedback from the communicator that it was in his right front ankle area.”
The animal communicator Riley uses isn’t actually a horse person, so she works off photos or even a diagram of a horse skeleton to sense areas of discomfort. In Pistachio’s case, the communicator kept sensing pain in his right front ankle. That made sense as there was some arthritis there but not enough to explain how bad Pistachio was feeling. After consultation with her vet, they did a baseline soundness exam on pavement for the first time, and he was lame circling in both directions. Riley took Pistachio to New Bolton, where vets discovered a bone bruise in his right front fetlock/ankle area which they said was likely something that developed over time rather than from a specific injury. “We might not have found it if the animal communicator did not insist I keep digging,” She said.
Riley says the sessions have helped her understand Pistachio better. “Working with my communicator has really helped me figure out what’s just his personality and what’s a real problem,” she said. She’d also used the communicator for her previous horse, Poppie, who was homebred from her show horse mare. “After he retired, he asked why we weren’t using the Theraplate on him anymore — he missed it!” she laughed. “He also didn’t like having his mane pulled.” After Poppie passed unexpectedly from colic, Riley was able to talk to him after he passed, which brought her some peace. The animal communicator mentioned that Poppie showed her a gift with his face etched into something. Not long after, Riley received a package with two glasses that had his face etched on them; then another day she received a wooden plaque with an etching of them jumping. “It’s comforting and makes me feel like our relationship is still there, that I can still “talk” to him in a way.”
Michelle and Zeke are Skeptical
Michelle has had a couple of experiences with animal communicators that left her skeptical. She reached out when her horse, a pony/Thoroughbred cross, suddenly started acting differently after moving to her barn. She had expected an adjustment period as Zeke was returning to the hunter/jumper world, but his whole personality seemed to change — he became skittish, nervous, and spooky. Michelle knew the atmosphere at the new barn was chaotic but wondered if it was wholly the move from turn out to work, or there was something specific to the environment at the busy barn that she could change to help Zeke adjust.
Curious, Michelle asked for animal communicator recommendations on the Plaid Horse AA forum. She sent in a photo of Zeke and answered a few general questions before the session. “I try to stay realistic, so I was skeptical but hopeful,” she said. “It’s just hard for me to believe someone on the phone could connect with my horse when I’m not even near him.” She wasn’t impressed with the results as the animal communicator suggested Zeke had pain in his lower back, but Michelle had just completed a pre-purchase exam, and nothing stood out.
Eventually, Michelle moved Zeke to a quieter barn closer to home, and the difference was immediate. “His whole demeanor changed as soon as we moved,” she said, adding that all of his behavioral problems disappeared. She then tried another animal communicator for both Zeke and her dog as a test, especially since Zeke had just been through another big change. Michelle didn’t mention the move. “I asked only how happy Zeke was and if there was anything that he wanted to tell me.” That session was also disappointing as the animal communicator didn’t mention anything about the recent move or specific helpful information about her dog’s known health issues.
Still, Michelle hasn’t totally ruled it out. “If I found someone who could come in person, I might try again,” she said. “But talking on the phone stretches my credulity. Of all the animals in the world, how can they just tune into mine?”
Her advice for others thinking about trying an animal communicator? “Keep an open mind but stay realistic. They might help to point you in a general direction, but sometimes your money might be better spent on a good trainer or animal behaviorist. We all just wish they could tell us what’s wrong.”
Heather Ann and Brody Deepen Their Bond
Heather Ann bought her 7-year-old Belgian sport horse, M Broman’cze—nicknamed Brody—from a breeder when he was still green, and she’s been bringing him along with the help of her barn’s head trainer. “Brody’s out of the Alla’Czar line and was bred to be a Derby horse. So far, he is enjoying his time as a hunter, but we will let him choose which way he wants to go,” she says. They’ve been taking things slow, showing in the 2’6” for a couple of years and now moving up to 2’9” with her trainer. Brody is a striking black gelding with chrome on three legs and a blaze. “Flax seed keeps his coat nice and shiny,” Heather Ann adds with a smile. She rides in a busy training and show barn with a close-knit core group, including some juniors, who love to compete.
At one point, though, Brody seemed unhappy and unmotivated in his training. Heather Ann was curious when one of the moms in the barn mentioned using an animal communicator, though she admits she was skeptical. “My vet had other clients who worked with her, so I tried to book an appointment, but I couldn’t get in,” she explains. Eventually, one of her mom’s friends recommended another woman who had recently helped find a lost dog. “She doesn’t charge for sessions, but she wants to be sure it’s worth her time,” Heather says. Their conversations happened entirely through voicemails or emails, and she describes the woman as an empath as well as an animal communicator.
During their session, which lasted a few hours by text and voice messages, the animal communicator shared some insights from Brody that really stuck with Heather. “When Brody first came to the barn, we called him ‘Baby Brody’ because he was still growing—he was only 15.1 hands,” Heather says. “But through the communicator, he made it clear he didn’t like that nickname. He wanted us to know he’s a big boy who can do big things!” From then on, they started calling him “Big Boy,” and Heather noticed a shift in his attitude. The communicator also relayed that Brody kept saying, “I’m beautiful, I’m handsome!” Heather laughs, “We do tell him that all the time!”
One of the most meaningful messages, though, was that Brody was worried he was just a “chapter horse”—a temporary part of Heather Ann’s life before he’d be moved on to someone else. “He’s the first horse I’ve brought along myself, so I promised him he’s with me forever. That changed everything between us. He stopped holding back and trying not to get attached.”
Heather Ann admits that during the session, she was a little distracted. A young rider in the barn had just lost her horse in a tragic accident, and Heather spent the day comforting her. When she later emailed the animal communicator to explain why she hadn’t responded, the woman replied that she had seen the horse because Brody was trying to tell her something was wrong with his friend. “She told me the horse who passed was a ‘golden beauty in heaven,’ which hit me hard because his former show name had been ‘My Golden,’” Heather recalls. “There was no way she could’ve known that—it wasn’t on social media. She also said the horse wanted us to know it wasn’t anyone’s fault—it was just his time.”
Heather Ann hasn’t felt the need to reconnect with Brody through the animal communicator just yet. “I feel like we’re in a good place, and I still have more from that first session to reflect on,” she says. “She told me Brody was a little confused but had a lot to say—he’s definitely the barn chatterbox!” Heather would absolutely work with the animal communicator again if she felt she and Brody hit a wall. “I already know he gets bored with flatwork—he just wants to jump,” she laughs. “The fun part now is seeing him grow up and really start locking in. He’s getting ready to shine.”
For anyone considering an animal communicator, Heather Ann has some advice: “Go in with a clear sense of what you’re hoping to figure out. Are you trying to strengthen your partnership, or is it something you need to work on within yourself?” She also says it helped that her vet was open to the idea. “You need to be confident in your relationship with your horse and have a specific reason for reaching out. If you’re genuinely looking for answers, it can be an amazing experience.”
One point on which all those interviewed agreed is that riders all want the best for their horses. Selecting one of the many different tools that can be used to solve a problem or connect with a horse, begins with the rider’s own level of intuitiveness – how well they know their horses. Most of our respondents, including those we interviewed, have been involved with horses for over twenty years, which is a huge pool of knowledge about horses in general that they use to further their relationship with their current horse and have the confidence to make the right decisions for their horse. Those who added an animal communicator to their toolbox used the connection to supplement to their own knowledge and traditional resources, not take the place of them. As one respondent wrote: “I think there’s a lot that horses can tell us, but we need to be willing to listen.”
Elizabeth Janoski is an adjunct instructor and long-time writer with a passion for horses and dogs. A former owner of an off-track Thoroughbred, she is a dedicated advocate for Thoroughbred retirement, rehoming, and rescue — particularly for those at risk in kill pens. Elizabeth frequently writes about horses and dogs, sharing stories, insights, and advocacy. To read more of her work, subscribe for free at shipmeadow.substack.com.
