Stall and Stable: Ideas for Happy Horsekeeping

Helena welcomes Canadian 5* eventer, Kyle Carter this week. Kyle is part of the team behind an innovative new app called RideIQ , a digital teaching tool designed to help riders in all corners of the globe have access to top-level instruction without having to travel to get it. Kyle's take on riding is first and foremost about horsemanship, and whether we keep our horses at home or with a trainer,...

In this 100th episode of the Stall and Stable show, Helena welcomes back Nikki Alvin-Smith, GP dressage trainer and breeder, to talk business. The conversation this time is about marketing your horse business in the 21st century. What things do horse professionals need to keep in mind as they start or grow their businesses. It's a really informative conversation, so listen in!

In this return to 2020, Helena chats with return guest, Terry Golson, of the Cooperative Horse today, about Terry's recent move to a new boarding barn that has turned out to be quite the surprise for her and her American Paint Horse, Tonka. Listen in!

Brought to you by American Stalls . Spring is here and the grass is green! Ish. If, like me, you're gearing up to do all the things you've been waiting two years and all winter to do, I have some tips to help ensure you're on the right path to achieving your goals. Whether you own or manage a commercial barn or keep horses at home, these tips are good reminders for getting things in order so you s...

Some people fear change, others embrace it completely. At Stall and Stable, we love change, because it often means new opportunities for adventure, fun, and for learning. Today's episode embodies that belief as Helena welcomes guest, Yash Balasaria - the CEO of our new title sponsor, American Stalls. Yash takes us behind the scenes of American Stalls, going into detail about stall components, the...

Brought to you by American Stalls This was going to be an episode about boosting your clinic revenue, but after Clarabelle's recent appointment with a veterinary GI specialist, this episode is about The Great Misunderstanding. It all starts with horses who don't cooperate. So, if you have a horse who is difficult to handle, has buck that just won't go away, shies at some unseen boogeyman in the ar...

This is the second episode in our Barns by Blackburn Series. In it, Helena and John Blackburn talk about roofs, in particular, how different roof slopes affect the functionality of a barn, and what you'll want to think about when building or remodeling your barn.  It's a bit geeky, and that's why you will love this discussion, so listen in!

We are back this week with another episode in my HRN Host Series on Happy Horsekeeping. This time, I have a long chat with FEI dressage rider, trainer, and business owner, Reese Koffler-Stanfield. Reese is the co-host of the Dressage Radio Show, the official podcast of the United States Dressage Federation. Reese tells us all about her wonderful farm Kentucky, her business model, and how she defin...

When it comes to business, horse people often struggle. Many of us are animal people first, business people second. The fact of the matter is, we need to pay our own bills  and we need to be around horses all the time. It's a marriage of love and need. But it's not often a happy marriage. Consider this episode as a stand-in marriage counselor, offering tips for making your business life and your h...

Welcome to Stall and Stable's new series called Barns with Blackburn, featuring renowned architect and author, John Blackburn. In this series, John shares his expansive knowledge about farm planning, design, and construction. From the basics of site selection, to details that make barns safe, beautiful, and highly functional for our needs. Our goal is to leave you both inspired and informed, so li...

What do you do when all your favorite horse people are gathering at one place, 1200 miles away, to share ideas and new methods for training horses, but the new COVID variant is raging in every state on the eastern seaboard, monster snow storms are brewing, and flights have become an expensive health risk? You get in your car and you. Just. drive. — and drive. And drive. And drive.  In this episode...

We cover a different part of the United States in this episode, as Helena talks with Tara Tibbetts, host of the Foxhunting series on the Horse Radio Network. Tara originally hails from Montana, but has been keeping horses at home in Texas for many years. With a background in quarter horses, a serious side hustle as hunt staff, and some prowess in the show ring, Tara's horsekeeping practices are as...

In this sixth installment of the HRN Host Series on Happy Horsekeeping, Helena welcomes the legendary Shawna Karrasch, the trainer responsible for bringing positive reinforcement to the horse world. Shawna is the host of Equine Clicker 101 on the Horse Radio Network, the author of You Can Train Your Horse to Do Anything , and in general, a pretty fabulous human being. Shawna and Helena talk about...

Donkeys are equines that have been used as working animals for at least 5000 years. And with more than 40 million donkeys in the world today, there is a tremendous need to offer them protection in sanctuaries, in legislation, and through education.  In this episode, Helena is joined by Maxine Carter of the Donkey Sanctuary. Maxine shares with us the plight of the donkey today, how their sanctuary...

This episode was made possible by our podcast partners: Lucas Equine Equipment , Tangent Materials , and listeners like you ! This is the fifth in a series of conversations Helena has with the Horse Radio Network show hosts on what they believe are best practices in happy horsekeeping. In this episode, she talks with Alicia Harlov, hoofcare specialist and host of the Humble Hoof Podcast .  And yes...

This episode is brought to you by Load Trailer trailers . We're back with another episode in the HRN Host Series on Happy Horsekeeping. This time Helena is joined by endurance pro, and host of Endurance Day on Horses in the Morning, Karen Chaton, from Nevada.  The saying goes: "If you ask ten different horse people how to do something, you will get 10 different answers." Helena puts that old adage...

Brought to you by: Lucas Equine Equipment When Heather Schneider realized that she had been running her horse business in survival mode for longer than she cared to admit, she knew it was time for a change. From buying a new tractor to hiring a  barn manager, Heather's carriage driving business in Florida (and her life) have really turned around. In this episode, Helena talks with Heather about wh...

This is part 3 of the HRN Host Series, brought to you by Load Trail Trailers . The saying goes, "If you ask ten horse people how to do something, you'll get ten different answers."   In this episode, Helena talks with Dr. Wendy Ying, owner of Five Elements for Animals, a private practice that specializes in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine.  Wendy is also an accomplished FEI-level driving c...

This is part two of the HRN Host Series on Stall and Stable. The saying goes, "If you ask 10 different horse people how to do something, you'll get 10 different answers." Helena puts that adage to the test asking her HRN colleagues about what they think qualifies as happy horse keeping. In this episode she chats with Piper Klemm, publisher of the Plaid Horse magazine and host of the Plaidcast, abo...

The saying goes: "If you ask ten different horse people how to do something, you will get 10 different answers." Well, Helena decided to put that adage to the test and ask ten different horse people their opinions about what qualifies for happy horsekeeping. The ten people happen to be her Horse Radio Network colleagues-all horse professionals in some way, shape, or form, and all with a similar ho...

Time is money. This simple truth makes companies like Horizon Structures a real gem in the barn-building industry, because modular barn construction can save us both time and money. In this episode, Helena welcomes back her very first guest, Jill Siragusa, from Horizon Structures. They're talking about Monitor Barn design, what's great about it, and what the process is like these days for getting...

Helena made fresh tracks with Siouxsie in the new sand ring, and so many things became clear during that ride. The change in Siouxsie's attitude, the way she feels while being ridden, the potential for developing a truly fit and healthy horse, and the feedback loop between a green horse and the human she's come to trust. How does a horse's environment make a difference in their future as athletes?...

Living with a horse person is a unique experience, especially when you're not the kind of person who is completely obsessed with horses. Living with horses in your backyard is an equally unique experience, because horses aren't just in your life, they ARE your life, whether you like it or not. In this episode, Buck joins Helena once again, but this time to discuss what it's like to have every corn...

"The road to hell, they say, is paved with good intentions. Well, I say it's paved with filter sand. Lots and lots of filter sand." In this episode, Helena recounts the horror story that is her sand arena project, and shares important information to have on hand before you hire someone to build an outdoor ring. From working with contractors and measuring for sand depth, to keeping your wits about...

"One thing I've learned in my time on this planet, is that change is constant. Whether we invite it in or it arrives as an unexpected guest, our best strategy for dealing with it is to learn how to be adaptable." In this episode, Helena is joined by her husband Buck to discuss not one, but several big changes happening at Hoo Hollow. In life, in business, and in horses, change is indeed constant,...