The 1200-Pound Teacher | Anna Banas-Chen | TEDxSCA Youth

A TEDx talk by Anna Banas-Chen, a 13-year-old author, equestrian and aspiring veterinary scientist from Western Massachusetts, on what horses can teach people about connection. Drawing on her years of horseback riding and scientific research, she argues that small signals such as breath, posture and emotion can communicate more than words. She links this to trust in a world increasingly shaped by AI. The talk was given at an independently organized TEDx event that follows the TED conference format. Anna's wider work includes research on how music affects performance horses, co-launching Massachusetts' first official Veterinary Youth Day, and speaking at the United Nations.

• Horses as a lens on human connection and trust
• How breath, posture and emotion send signals beyond words
• Youth research on music and performance horses
• Presented at an independently organized TEDx event

What can a 1,200-pound horse teach us about human connection? Drawing from her years of horseback riding and scientific research, Anna reveals how the smallest signals—our breath, posture, and emotions—can speak louder than words. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, she reminds us that genuine trust begins not with what we say, but with what we truly feel and communicate. Anna Banas-Chen is a 13-year-old author, youth advocate, equestrian, and aspiring veterinary scientist from Western Massachusetts. Her love for animals has led her from writing books and raising money for charity to conducting award-winning research on how music affects performance horses. She also helped launch Massachusetts’ first official Veterinary Youth Day and co-organized events at the State House and Dakin Humane Society to introduce more young people to veterinary medicine. Anna has spoken at the United Nations, published two children’s books, and continues to use science, storytelling, and advocacy to show that young people can make a real difference long before they grow up. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx