The Trainer's Wife

Hey Everybody! Welcome to this Special Episode of  The Trainer's Wife! Today, we're talking about something that affects every one of us in the horse industry —  Wellness & Wellbeing. We spend an incredible amount of time and energy taking care of our horses, but how much attention are we giving ourselves? For this special episode, I gathered six women for two conversations about horse...

Heidi Arvidson has worn a lot of hats, including a crown. She grew up in Collinsville, Oklahoma, helping out in her parents’ feed store and falling in love with horses and rodeo. She ran barrels, and her mom encouraged her to enter local rodeo queen contests. Heidi took that path seriously, competing her way to a regional association title before earning the crown of  Miss Rodeo Oklahoma in 1991 ....

For more than a year, I’ve asked other trainers’ wives to sit down with me and tell me their stories. This time, it’s my turn. In this very personal episode of  The Trainer’s Wife , I’m stepping to the other side of the microphone to talk about my own journey—from the horse-show world and being a trainer’s wife, through divorce, loss, reinvention, and the many unexpected chapters that followed. I...

Hello everybody, and welcome back to  The Trainer’s Wife. Today I’m sharing my conversation with Danielle Lybbert — horse trainer, competitor, businesswoman, and wife of NRCHA professional and judge Christian Lybbert. Together, Danielle and Christian have combined earnings nearing $200,000 in the NRCHA. They’ve spent the last 15 years building a marriage and a horse-training business in an industr...

Today on  The Trainer’s Wife , I’m sitting down with Sam Gallentine of Belle Plaine, Minnesota, where she and her husband, Ryan, have built a successful cow horse training business. Ryan’s NRCHA earnings are just shy of $400,000, and most recently, he earned his first qualification to  The Run For A Million  Cow Horse Challenge in 2027 aboard One Ata Time. But today, we’re talking about Sam—and sh...

McKenzie Parkinson has spent most of her life in the horse industry. She grew up in a horse-training family, started her career teaching middle school, and stepped away more than fifteen years ago when she became a mom. Today, she's built an impressive career of her own as the Event and Sponsorship Manager for Kimes Ranch—and she absolutely loves what she does. She's also married to accomp...

The Trainer's ~ Fiancée I invited Christi Milburn onto the podcast because she's a trainer's fiancée instead of a trainer's wife. I thought we'd talk about what it's like to stand on the edge of that next chapter. We did... But somewhere along the way, the conversation took a completely different turn. Christi shares a journey that began with a childhood spent horseback, sh...

There are seasons in life when supporting someone else's dream quietly becomes your entire world. For Colie Lowndes, that season lasted years. Colie is the wife of NRCHA professional Trapper Lowndes. She grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, and today they make their home in Whitesboro, Texas. In today's conversation, Colie shares what it was like to leave behind a career she loved, move across th...

What do equine vaulting, psychology, professional bull riding, and reined cow horses have in common? Lizzy Horve-Clark. When Lizzy met Australian bull rider Brendon Clark, she was finishing graduate school and building a very different future. Today, she's the wife of an NRCHA trainer, a horse trainer herself, breeding manager for Red Arrow Ranch, and the steady force helping keep two thriving...

Today’s guest is NRCHA Hall of Fame horsewoman Dema Paul. With nearly $700,000 in NRCHA earnings, multiple Futurity Championships, and a lifetime spent competing at the highest levels of the cow horse industry, Dema has earned her place among the most accomplished women in the sport. Raised in California by parents who knew little about horses, Dema taught herself by watching trainers from the gra...

On this episode of The Trainer’s Wife, I’m sitting down with Kim Lyon. Professionally, Kim is a commercial real estate executive specializing in office and industrial properties, where she has built a successful career rooted in relationships, business development, and strategic leadership. In the western industry, Kim is married to AQHA, NRHA & NSBA professional horseman Bud Lyon, whose progr...

Today’s conversation is one I will treasure for a very long time. This week, I had the privilege of sitting down with Marilyn Peters — horsewoman, trainer’s wife, NRCHA and AQHA judge, mother, horse trainer, and truly one of my personal heroes. At 76 years young, Marilyn is still riding horses, breeding mares, and continuing the life she and her husband Pete built together over decades in the hors...

This week’s episode is a little different — and really special to me. Over the last 35 years, today’s guest has helped shape the western equine industry - both literally & figuratively - one hat at a time through craftsmanship, consistency, relationships, and showing up for people. I’m incredibly thankful for partners like Shorty's Caboy Hattery, who believe in what I'm building throug...

One of the things I hear over and over from women in this industry is this: “We love this life… but it’s a lot.” It’s a lot to support it. To build around it. To raise kids in it. And to figure out who you are inside of it. Today’s conversation with Kailey Gay is one I think a lot of you are going to recognize yourselves in. Kailey and her husband, Jason, have built their life in the Western equin...

This episode is a collection of real moments from conversations with women across the western equine industry. Different lives… same themes: – carrying the behind-the-scenes weight – navigating pressure and expectations – learning to support, adapt, and keep going And somewhere in the middle of it all… finding connection, perspective, and a way to keep your cup full. This is what this life really...

There are seasons in life where everything changes at once. For Jodie Scheffel, it wasn’t just one shift—it was all of it. From Clovis, California… to Rice Lake, Wisconsin. From independence… to marriage, motherhood, and building a life alongside a horse trainer. A new place. A new role. A completely new rhythm. And as she’ll be the first to tell you— she had to grow into it. In the middle of long...

✨ This week on The Trainer’s Wife… something new  ✨ For the first time, we’re hearing from the other side of the story — a  Trainer’s Husband. Meet Tucker Robinson. NRCHA Million Dollar Rider. Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion. Raised in a legacy — but built in his own way. And married to someone you already know. Tina Robinson — a cow horse trainer in her own right, with over $247,000 in NRCHA earn...

This week on The Trainer’s Wife… Episode 31  Some people grow up in this industry. And some… grow  into themselves  because of it. This week, I sat down with  Tina Robinson  — NRCHA professional, horsewoman, wife, and mom. With over $247,000 in NRCHA earnings and a career built over years in the show pen, Tina is someone this industry knows and respects.  But what stands out to me isn’t just what...

Nine months pregnant. No job. No health insurance. A mortgage and a baby on the way. When Brooke Johnson found herself suddenly facing one of the most uncertain moments of her life, she did what many horsewomen know how to do best — she figured it out and kept moving forward. In this episode of  The Trainer’s Wife , Jennifer Bishop sits down with Brooke in Weatherford, Texas to talk about resilien...

Some women are born into the horse industry. Some marry into it. Some build their place in it over a lifetime. And some… do all three. This week on  The Trainer’s Wife , I sat down in the Fort Worth Stockyards with Sandy Jirkovsky — Director of Judges & Professional Horsemen for the American Paint Horse Association, industry judge, horse trainer, mother, grandmother… and a woman whose story sp...

🎙️  This week on  The Trainer’s Wife Podcast , I’m honored to welcome  Susan Marvin —a woman whose story is rooted in faith, discipline, and building something lasting from the ground up. Susan and her husband, Tommy Marvin spent decades shaping a respected legacy in the cutting horse industry. Tommy is a Hall of Fame member with over $2.3 million in  National Cutting Horse Association  earnings a...

Permission Without Punishment — Episode 3 of my mini-series is finally here. This one is about the quiet ways we keep paying for things we’ve already learned from. If you’ve ever thought: “I should be past this by now.” “I haven’t earned ease yet.” “I can’t slow down.” You’re not alone. This episode is an invitation to release what no longer serves you — without losing your integrity. 💛 Thanks fo...

Today’s guest embodies grit, grace, and quiet excellence in the Western performance horse world. Meet  Veronica Swales . Professional horse trainer. Wife to a professional horse trainer. Mom. Competitor. Survivor. 💙 Veronica and her husband, Clay Volmer, are both Top 30 riders in the NRCHA — representing the very best of the reined cow horse industry. 🏆 Over $748,000 in NRCHA earnings🏆 NRCHA St...

Lowering My Shield  🛡️ I’ve spent most of my life being very good at working hard, pushing through, and figuring things out on my own. Resilience has always been a strength for me. But recently, I’ve been learning that resilience can also become a shield — one that protects us not just from pain, but sometimes from receiving something good. This solo episode is an honest reflection on what it look...

Today’s episode is a little different—and deeply meaningful. I’m honored to share a conversation with  Jessica Draper —wife of a U.S. Army Green Beret and the Director of Organizational Development at  War Horses for Veterans . Jessica’s passion for service extends far beyond one role. In addition to her work supporting veterans and first responders through the War Horses Network, she is also a hi...