Mane Brain: The Science of Smarter Riding

Send us Fan Mail You can be strong, fit, and athletic—and still struggle with balance, timing, and feel in the saddle. That's because fitness builds the foundation of riding performance. Over the past several months on Mane Brain , we've explored rider fitness from multiple angles, including cardiovascular conditioning, fatigue, strength training, tissue resilience, and the physical dema...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Mane Brain , we shift from the foundational fitness layers of the Neuro Rider Stack into one of the more overlooked aspects of rider development: balance . Many riders assume balance in the saddle is simply a matter of core strength, single-leg stability, or “sitting still.” But true riding balance is far more complex. Balance is a dynamic process that depends o...

Send us Fan Mail Many riders work incredibly hard to improve their riding—but sometimes the beliefs guiding that effort are the very things holding them back. In this episode, we explore three common illusions that can quietly limit progress in the saddle. Episode Description In the previous episode of Mane Brain , we introduced the Neuro Rider Stack , a framework describing the layers of performa...

Send us Fan Mail You can be strong, flexible, and in great shape—and still struggle in the saddle. That’s because riding performance isn’t just about fitness ; it’s about how the nervous system organizes movement. Episode Description Over the past several episodes of Mane Brain , I've explored how cardiovascular conditioning and strength training support riders. Fitness improves tissue resili...

Send us Fan Mail What muscles do riders actually need to train—and how do elite riders use them differently? Research shows the difference between amateur and elite riders isn’t necessarily in strength, but in how and when those muscles are coordinated to work in the saddle. In the last episode of Mane Brain , we explored the general principles of strength training for riders and how resistance tr...

Send us Fan Mail Many riders believe that getting stronger will automatically make them more stable in the saddle. Strength absolutely matters—but strength alone doesn’t create harmonious rides with your horse. Strength training is one of the most valuable off-horse tools riders can use to support their performance in the saddle. In this episode of Mane Brain , I explore how strength training impr...

Send us Fan Mail 🎯 A key thought as we wrap up our discussion on cardiovascular fitness: Cardiovascular fitness doesn’t make you a better rider by itself, but it does help protect and strengthen the skills you’re working so hard to build. If we are not training for cardiovascular fitness we may find that we feel exhausted, tense, or mentally fried late in our ride or on a competition day. Fatigue...

Send us Fan Mail Riders might focus on cardiovascular conditioning — but many still struggle with fatigue, tension, and loss of coordination when effort increases. The missing piece is rarely motivation or fitness. More often, it’s how the rider breathes under load . In this episode of Mane Brain , I explore how breathing rhythm and respiration directly shape cardiovascular efficiency, nervous sys...

Send us Fan Mail Riders often hear that they need “better cardio,” but few are told how to set up a program targeting cardiovascular fitness that their discipline actually requires. In this episode of Mane Brain , I will break down the cardiovascular demands placed on the rider and how heart rate–based zone training can help you build endurance, clarity, and consistency in the saddle. Rather than...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Friday’s With Frankie ,  Frankie Lovato Jr. and I sit down with Caroline Nesbitt — a rider, Connemara breeder, author, theatre professional, and newer Equicizer owner. Caroline’s journey through the equestrian world blends passion with depth: from breeding and riding iconic Connemara ponies to writing equestrian novels and sharing stories from behind the scenes...

Send us Fan Mail We often focus on the horse’s conditioning, but what about the rider? Research shows that riders experience significant cardiovascular demand during competition across all disciplines , and this incorporates environments that include being under pressure and/or fatigued, all while trying to execute precision-based tasks. Understanding these demands, and preparing for them, is the...

Send us Fan Mail SEASON 2 of the Mane Brain Podcast opens with an episode of Friday’s with Frankie and reframes what fitness for riders really means — and how off-horse tools like the Equicizer can support cardiovascular conditioning, balance, and motor learning. As riders, we often think of fitness as something separate from skill. In this episode, Frankie Lovato Jr and I explore why that separat...

Send us Fan Mail Vision is powerful — but sometimes, it’s doing too much of the work. In this episode of Mane Brain , Audrey Paslow, PT, DPT, NCS, dives into the neuroscience behind visual input and rider balance, exploring why temporarily reducing vision can actually improve motor learning, postural control, and coordination. Building on prior episodes about the learning sweet spot , lunge line l...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Mane Brain , Audrey dives into one of the most misunderstood — and most powerful — truths about rider development: Mistakes are not the problem. Missing the learning opportunity is. Building on her episodes published in November about finding the learning sweet spot , this conversation explores the neuroscience behind why mistakes are essential for skill develop...

Send us Fan Mail In this festive installment of Friday’s With Frankie , Frankie and I unwrap our favorite brain-boosting, balance-enhancing, ride-changing gift ideas for the equestrians in your life (including you!). We cover: ✔️ Gear that improves rider feel and balance ✔️ Tools that sharpen rein awareness and contact ✔️ Smart accessories to support  rider fitness ✔️ Upgrades that make home pract...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Mane Brain Podcast , Audrey welcomes one of the most important guests in her riding journey: her trainer and mentor, Cailin Sanford , a USDF Level 1 Certified Instructor known for her thoughtful, biomechanics-backed approach to horse and rider development. Following last episode's conversation about “The Learning Sweet Spot” and how simplifying a task creates...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the special series on Mane Brain — Fridays with Frankie, Audrey Paslow PT, DPT, NCS and Frankie Lovato Jr. sit down with Esther Nofziger , Occupational Therapist, Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist (AHA), Therapeutic Riding Senior Instructor (CanTRA), Instructor of Beginners in English Riding (Equine Canada), and longtime Equicizer user. In this interview, we dive...

Send us Fan Mail As riders, we’re often asking for more from our bodies on each ride - be it more refined communication, better timing, or better balance. Trying to train for MORE of these elements may seem helpful, but neuroscience says otherwise. In this episode, Audrey unpacks how the brain truly learns new movement patterns and why simplifying your ride — by reducing variables and focusing you...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the very first Fridays with Frankie , a special Mane Brain mini-series featuring Frankie Lovato Jr. , creator of the Equicizer and former professional jockey. In this inaugural episode, From Box to Balance , we’re walking you through the first five things every rider should know when unboxing and riding their Equicizer for the first time . Frankie shares his insider, lo...

Send us Fan Mail Your brain learns new and novel movements through repetition and good feedback — and that’s exactly what the Equicizer can deliver. In this episode, Audrey wraps up her interview with Frankie Lovato Jr, by diving into the neuroscience and biomechanics behind why she loves using the Equicizer as a tool for riders. Through the lens of neuroplasticity , motor learning , and rider bio...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a rider’s body is injured, but their drive to ride remains unshakable? In this episode, Audrey sits down with Frankie Lovato Jr. , former professional jockey and creator of the Equicizer , to share his incredible journey from career-threatening injury to innovation. After a devastating riding accident, Frankie faced the same fears and frustrations many equestrian...

Send us Fan Mail Your breath is the gateway to pelvic floor health — and the key to unlocking better movement, balance, and strength in the saddle. In Part 2 of my conversation with Emily Suttor, PT, DPT, OCS, we move beyond the basics and into the how: simple strategies to connect your breathing, pelvic floor, and riding performance. Emily explains how breath and pelvic floor function are insepar...

Send us Fan Mail The pelvic floor is the foundation of a rider’s strength, stability, and confidence in the saddle — yet it’s one of the most overlooked areas of fitness. In this two-part series for the month of September, I sit down with Emily Suttor, PT, DPT, OCS from KORT Physical Therapy in Kentucky, to break down what every female equestrian should know about pelvic floor health. In Part 1 of...

Send us Fan Mail Your helmet is more than just gear — it’s your brain’s first line of defense. But how much do you really know about proper helmet fit, sizing, and care? In this follow-up to my last episode, I'll share my reflections from speaking with Deb Reardon, the manager at my local tack shop; I'll cover the basics of helmet fit and features and why getting the details right makes...

Send us Fan Mail Concussions are more common in equestrian sports than perhaps many riders realize—and yet, remain one of the more misunderstood injuries in our community. In this powerful and personal episode, I dive deep into the facts, statistics, and preventative strategies around concussions in our beloved sport. Join me on this episode as I share my professional journey into concussion manag...