Hitting Your Stride -- The Equestrian Elements Life Coaching podcast with Tracey Mitchell

Dr. Kyla Sorensen just continues to show up. She's one of those people in life where one or two words just don't seem to describe her justly, and that's partly because of her determination to do things the right way. Tracey and Kyla talk about the good doctor's start on her equine journey and how she learned a lot just by going out and trying something new - including lessons from...

Allie Schmidt says that there has never been a time when she didn't love horses, and the former competitive gymnast honed her riding skills by doing a bit of everything. That should tell you a lot about who Allie is and how she approaches things. Her riding and coaching careers have been rising, which is all the more impressive when you hear her admit that dressage chose her and not the other...

Sarah Bernardi began her career in veterinary social work as just one of two in all of Canada. When you let that sink in, the ideas this trailblazer talks about seem to resonate that much more. Tracey gets the down-low from Sarah on what it's like to work as a vet social worker, how there can be big issues with boundaries and how for a long time veterinary medicine was almost singularly focuse...

Karen Sparks is showing us all what happens when you ask for more. All it took was one time at summer camp as a six year old for Karen to get hooked on horses, leading her to ask for more time with them. That simple request cemented her lifelong equestrian passion, and she's been making every moment since then count. Helping turn Wesley Clover Parks into one of Canada's premier equestrian...

Have you ever been in the ring and avoided going into a particular corner because you'd been bucked off there, or have you passed on going for a solo hack because your horse got spooked by something? According to Megan Pinfield, those are trauma responses. Megan has her PhD is a therapist and the owner of Pinfield Counselling Coaching Consulting in British Columbia. She's been working with...

Life is full of choices we all have to make. There are times when those choices are easy and are made without hesitation, and then there are those fuelled by tears and pain that are forced upon you. Lori Shaw knows about painful choices, but she also knows about determination, second chapters and pivoting. The former owner/operator of Sunbridge Equestrian had to make the tough choices while recove...

Ontario Equestrian's Danielle Glanc joins the show and lets her inner light shine brightly as she talks about her love of horses and her commitment to them in every imaginable way. Danielle is able to take the analytical half of her brain she uses for her day job as a farm policy analyst with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and meld it seamlessly with her passionate championing of horses...

For Sarah Steenbeek, horses have been a saving grace for as long as she can remember. They have given her validation when she needed it most, and have been a constant in her life since she was a girl. In joining the podcast, Sarah shares her story: dealing with hearing and speech impediments and how horses helped get her through that, to learning about driving during her first date with her future...

Tracey is joined on this episode of Hitting Your Stride by the Modern Day Dolittle herself, Meg Vickell, as she opens up about her path to becoming a well-known animal communicator. Meg doesn't waste time, diving into her passion by telling us that all animals speak the love language of the heart and that all humans are wired to intuitively hear them as long as they use and flex that muscle. S...

Ericka Rusnak loves the small things about horses just as much now as when she was a little girl. It's helped to shape her in many ways, not the least of which being her career path to one of Canada's premier horse breeders. As Ericka joins Tracey on this episode of Hitting Your Stride, she talks about all of the elements that have mixed perfectly together to bring her to this point: breed...

Tracey welcomes her brother, Rob Mitchell, back to Hitting Your Stride for an in-depth discussion about mental resilience and its preparation. And as you might expect with a conversation between these siblings, the banter is backed up by some in-depth idea exchanges. Rob talks about building mental resilience like you'd build muscles in that it takes time and training, but never loses sight of...

Ruth Allum is not shy about meeting challenges head-on, and that shines through in abundance in this episode. There is a liveliness in her spirit when it comes to living the equestrian life, and she's all in on making the good things great. Among her many titles, Ruth is a certified Equestrian Canada Coach Evaluator and an NCCP Certified Coach Developer, and she's playing an integral part...

Lendon Gray is many things in the equestrian world: champion, teacher, author, icon. And in joining Tracey for this episode of Hitting Your Stride, Lendon shares stories that hold as much learning value as they do entertainment. The ladies' talk covers the wide arc of Lendon's career, including her roots in the saddle that spanned a number of disciplines and her rise in the dressage ranks...

Alisha Wilson is getting the chance to follow her passion while making a positive impact on others at the same time. As founder and certified facilitator at Transitions Equine Assisted Learning, she's showing people what's possible when you get the immediate, non-judgemental feedback that a horse can provide. Living by the dual credos of 'Trust the Journey' and Embrace the Ride&#39...

Margie Engle is a name that's synonymous with success in equestrian circles, as she's dedicated her life to being at her best in the ring when it matters most. Hard work and commitment are the obvious markers, but her devotion to learning and evolving along with the sport sets Margie apart. Since her youth Margie has been out to prove herself, whether it was playing football with the boys...

When a guy like Scott Cieslar comes out and says his goal in life is to make life better for horses, you tend to believe him. And as the latest guest on the podcast, Scott shares his passion and purpose with us and then some! The conversation begins where so many of them do, as Scott tells us what he learned from the first horse he ever worked with on his family's farm. Taking that with him on...

Tracey takes a figurative seat for this episode, as she welcomes saddle fitting veteran Christian Lowe to the show for a peek at what it's like helping someone with one of the most important decisions an equine athlete can make. Christian and Tracey talk about how in more than 30 years in the business he's done and seen a lot but knows there's always more to learn when you're open...

Those familiar with the inner workings of The Royal's competition side will know the name of Christine Reupke, as she is the current Director, Equestrian & Breed Sport for the show. She joins Tracey for this episode of Hitting Your Stride, sharing a wealth of experience she's gained from being in the saddle, coaching, judging and orchestrating shows at multiple levels. Christine has bu...

An education in horses can take on many forms, and for Meghan Mackenzie Bell hers came in one of the more unique ways. She started out by riding Quarter Horses while growing up in Southwestern Ontario, but then expanded her learning post-university by working in Ireland, Kentucky, Australia and New Zealand before coming home. As she and Tracey talk about her role now -- Meghan is with Henry Equest...

How often do you conduct a walk-around at your barn or farm? Do you know the rules when it comes to paying employees who work for an equestrian-based business? Are you up-to-date on all the waivers, safety regulations and tax implications that go along with running your business? These are just a small sample of questions that Catherine Willson posed to Tracey on this episode of Hitting Your Strid...

There is something to be said about the idea of stepping away from something familiar and going towards something adventurous. In many ways, Ashley and Kevin Maxie of STRUCK Apparel get to live that ideal every day: working together as spouses, joining forces to form a new company in the equestrian world after coming together from vastly different personal journeys. It's been a near-perfect ma...

There are some people who know they're destined to make dreams a reality - some figure it out right away, while others take a more winding path. Erica McKeever's path included a few trips across the Atlantic Ocean, but it also had her trusting and believing in herself to make it happen. A native of England, McKeever got her first job in the horse world by applying to an ad in a horse magaz...

Life is about partnerships - finding the right ones, cultivating them to make them last, and learning everything you can from them. Officer Stacey Jennings of the Toronto Police has learned that in her time with the Mounted Unit, and she's applying those lessons every chance she gets. As the latest guest on Hitting Your Stride, Stacey had a lot to share about her experiences both on and off th...

Being an athlete means you'll always face challenges, and for Kim Scott she accepts that she's going to have to work hard in the saddle to get the results she wants. That she as Cerebral Palsy makes it a little more of a challenge but not one she shies away from. In this episode of Hitting Your Stride Tracey welcomes Kim and engages her in a conversation about what it's like in her que...

On the cusp of a new show season, riders have a lot on their minds: preparations, goals, excitement and anticipation. It can be a lot, but it can also be counter-productive and lead to anxiety. Heather Lillico has been dealing with anxiety most of her adult life, but as she shares in this episode of Hitting Your Stride, it's not about a war as much as it is about understanding. A holistic nutr...