Equestrian Voices

Several weeks back, a video from a Mark Todd clinic circulated around the internet - it was a clip taken during a clinic, and it caused a lot of conversation and controversy on social media. This podcast is not about that video in particular, but the video did spark some reflection and larger conversations around what we deem acceptable in horse training, what we don't, and how those standards are...

It has become pretty much the norm to keep our horses on supplements, especially if we ride them. But so many of us are clicking the checkout button on a supplement with little more than a hope and a prayer that it does something for our horse, and proves to be worth the money.  There's so much marketing to wade through with equine supplements that it's hard to determine what's legit and what isn'...

If you missed part 1 of this 2-part episode on grief, start there!    What can we learn from someone who watches grief unfold on a daily basis?    Host Caroline Culbertson sits down with pediatric chaplain and equestrian Jessica Shannon to pass on the lessons that she has learned by sitting with countless children and parents in the darkest moments of their lives. What she shares is truly beautifu...

If you're in the horse world long enough, you'll see or experience many, many different types of grief and loss. It's an innate part of existing in a community, as equestrians do, and it's an inevitable part of loving these animals who are very good at finding traumatic and expensive ways to injure themselves or die.  And yet, we haven't gotten that good at talking about our grief. Most of us also...

We know, we know… flatwork is so crucial for training and athletic development, but boy can it be frustrating when you're dealing with an ongoing training or behavioral issue. Good flatwork feels amazing; bad flatwork feels like the longest 45 minutes of your life.  In this episode, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Team USA's Silva Martin to dissect 3 common flatwork woes. Ride horses long...

There are more opportunities to show and compete than ever before. If you wanted to, you could theoretically spend nearly 52 weeks of the year in the show ring, chasing qualifications and year-end awards and prize money. On top of that, we have more cutting edge veterinary knowledge and technology than we've ever had available to us, and much of it is geared towards performance horse soundness.  B...

Riders with baggage, gather 'round!  This week's episode is less of an interview, and more of a (personal) conversation. Host Caroline Culbertson sits down with her own trainer, Chelsea Canedy, to discuss how the past several months of working with Caroline's hot, sensitive horse have unearthed some old, unproductive ways of thinking about riding, training, and progress.  In this chat, they discus...

Need a dose of inspiration and positivity to start the new year? Meet US Paralympian Sydney Collier. You're going to love her.  Sydney's story truly has to be heard to be believed. Sydney was living an active, horse-filled childhood when her very rare syndrome was discovered at a routine eye appointment. The next several years included experimental treatments and surgeries, devastating strokes, an...

To close out the year, we're rounding up 7 of our favorite (and your favorite!) moments from the inaugural year of the Equestrian Voices podcast. We are so grateful for each and every one of you who listens, and can't wait for the conversations and episodes in store for 2022. See you in the new year! In no particular order, the clips are from these episodes:  Student/Trainer Relationship: It's Com...

[Content Warning: Discussions of sexual misconduct and abuse of minors]. If we can't talk about it, we can't change it. Today on the podcast, we're taking on a tough topic to think about, speak about, and navigate emotionally, but it's critical to shine a light on in order to make the sport (and all sports) safer for our kids and athletes.  Host Caroline Culbertson is joined by two women who have...

You've probably heard of positive reinforcement training or "clicker training" in the context of dog training, but what about for horses? Over the years, the use of positive reinforcement in the equestrian world has drawn attention and interest, but most of us are still unaware of exactly how this training works, and how it can fit into our own training and riding journeys.  There's actually a lot...

Ever wonder what your horse thinks of you? What his personality is? How he likes for you to communicate with him? Many (most) of us might not have given this less obvious aspect of riding and training too much thought, but it might be a big key to unlocking potential and success (whatever that means for you and your horse). International level dressage rider/trainer and Equestrian Masterclass inst...

The culture surrounding equestrian sport is, by and large, not generally welcoming to conversations about mental health, nor is it accommodating for participants who need to seek help + resources for mental illness or hardships.  There are barriers for those who struggle with mental illness that are particular to our community and to its customs and beliefs - in some cases, the culture not only im...

In an episode released on August 12, we addressed the troubling display of poor riding during the equestrian portion of the Modern Pentathlon with Rick Maynard, Tik Maynard, and Peter Holmes - all of whom have been very involved in the sport either currently or previously.  Now, we're following up and seeing what's in the works. What proposed changes are coming down the pipeline to help Modern Pen...

By all accounts, the horse market today is unlike one we've seen before. It's a big double edged sword that requires some special consideration and a good dose of savvy to navigate smartly. It also requires being comfortable with talking frankly about money, which we're going to do in this episode.  To guide us through these often intimidating waters, we have one of the most well-known hunter/jump...

Your horse nips at the girth. He shivers when you run the brush over his lumbar. He's always on the forehand no matter what you do.  Wouldn't it be great if horses could just tell us what was going on inside their bodies? What ached, what felt sticky or clicky, what caused them to start stopping at jumps they used to do with ease?  Most of us are clued into the fact that when horses start demonstr...

Host Caroline Culbertson is joined by Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer, Lauren Sprieser, to discuss the seen and unseen realities of becoming a professional rider. Lauren worked her way up in the business, including years as a working student, and learned much along the way. They discuss:  - The characteristics it helps to have in this business - The big elephant: MONEY. How much does it matt...

The show jumping portion of the women's modern pentathlon at the Tokyo Olympics is making headlines - and not in a good way. I t was so stressful to watch, there were many rider falls, and lots of stressed out horses who clearly didn't understand what was expected of them.  How do we make heads and tails of this? Are there solutions? Host Caroline Culbertson is joined by Tik Maynard, Rick Maynard,...

In the second of our 2-part episode about bits, FEI rider/trainer and certified bitting specialist, Stephanie Brown-Beamer of http://horsebyhorse.co m , and host Caroline Culbertson continue their chat from last episode (so listen to that one first!) as well as answer some listener questions.  In this portion of the episode, they discuss: The type of mouths we're seeing on many of today's horses ...

Is it just us, or can finding the right bit for your horse feel like a shot in the dark?  Sure, we have a general understanding of how certain bits work, and maybe you know a little about your horse's mouth. But for most riders, the knowledge stops there. And that's because historically, we haven't HAD much information about bit and bridle fitting and function the same way we now have info about s...

In this Bonus episode, host Caroline Culbertson catches up with with US Eventing team rider, Doug Payne, as he is on his way to Tokyo for the Olympic Games with his horse, Vandiver. 

Riding and training horses is a long game. You can work on it for a lifetime and still won't know it all. This is one of the best things about the sport, but it also means that - just like a long marriage - we have to work at keeping our minds right and continue to find the joy. This can be even more profound when you're a top athlete in the sport and are often faced with major disappointment, hea...

"I can't get this horse into a frame!"  "Pick up the reins and put your horse in a frame, it's time to work!"  We've all heard some variation of these phrases. But let's break down what FRAME really means and refers to. There's so much more to it than just the shape of the horse.  Who better to break it down than Jacquie Brooks, a 2x Canadian Olympian who has trained 30+ horses (!!) up through the...

[Trigger Warning: This episode discusses disordered eating and eating disorders.] We asked you, the community, whether or not you've experienced pressure around weight, body shame, or witnessed diet culture in action in equestrian sport. The response? Overwhelmingly yes - especially those in hunter and equitation rings, and especially those who were or are competing.  There's a lot at risk here -...

They say that everyone will know someone, love someone, or be someone who struggles with an addiction at some point in their lives. This is an important conversation that isn't talked about enough.  This week on the Equestrian Voices podcast, host Caroline Culbertson is joined by Elyse Hart, a 31-year-old dressage whose addiction to alcohol and drugs nearly killed her - multiple times. Now, five y...