Vets are one of the unsung heroes of horse sport. Horses are unfailingly creative (and effective) at hurting themselves; from a mystery lameness to a sudden colic to every type of laceration you could dream up, a day that goes by without some sort of injury is a good day by default. Because of this, having access to a good vet is a critical part of horse ownership, but the criteria for what makes someone a “good” vet is cloudy at best. How responsive and available should your vet be? What sort o...
Feb 14, 2023•59 min
If you ride horses and have been on the internet in the past two months, chances are good you’ve heard about “that” helmet study -- specifically, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab’s Equestrian STAR Helmet Rating Project. On the plus side, we learned that a fancy helmet wasn’t necessarily any safer than a basic, no frills (and much less expensive) helmet when it comes to protecting against brain injury and concussion. On the not so plus side, many of us suddenly found ourselves with lower scoring helm...
Jan 31, 2023•41 min
Mindset Check! Welcome to 2023. We're kicking off with a mindset conversation because even if you're riding less in the cold, dreary month of January, you can still be doing major work to improve your riding. This conversation will inspire you to pour some time, effort, and energy into yourself, not just your horse. (If you, perhaps, would like some equestrian-specific mindset coaching, EquestrianMasterclass.com offers courses on consistency, fear, and more.) Today we speak with human performanc...
Jan 10, 2023•1 hr 2 min
That’s a wrap on 2022! In this episode, two Equestrian Voices listeners join Caroline to count down 5 of their favorite clips and moments from the pod this year. We can’t wait to learn, question, discuss, and celebrate more with you in 2023! Happy New Year!
Dec 27, 2022•51 min
As promised, we’re back with Part 2 of Caroline’s conversation with Amanda Anderson of Saddlefitting.us. We know many of you have been eagerly awaiting the rest of this chat, so let’s dive right into the good stuff. In this episode, host Caroline Culbertson and Amanda discuss: When it may be warranted to stay off your horse entirely (a hard truth, we know) A case for checking your horse daily - including your saddle Why it shouldn’t be considered “normal” for a horse to have one “good” direction...
Dec 13, 2022•55 min
Are we collectively aware of how profoundly saddle fit can affect our horses? As today’s Equestrian Voices episode guest would argue, probably not. Saddle fit can cause real (and, as far as we know, potentially irreversible) damage to your horse’s body. That’s the bad news. The good news is, a well-fitting saddle doesn't have to be expensive or complicated - it just has to respect the horse's anatomy. And (for some this might feel like a relief, and for others it might be a point of worry) it ha...
Nov 29, 2022•49 min
Before you hit the road with your horse again, give this ep a listen. Your horse will thank you. Travel can be stressful on your horse and, in some cases, even harmful for his health. For the humans, traveling with our horses can be daunting because there are lots of elements you can’t control (traffic, how well your horse eats or drinks on the trailer, weather, accidents, etc.). Never fear. The thrill of those early-morning trailer trips to your favorite destination can still be yours, because ...
Nov 08, 2022•57 min
Kasey Perry-Glass and Dana Glass may be married and in business together, but their backgrounds in horses couldn’t be more different. But, that’s what makes them interesting – and what makes their business work. In fact, it’s almost like their secret weapon. What can dressage and horsemanship learn from each other? How did they decide to integrate their businesses together, and how does it work? How did they meet, in the first place? Today on Equestrian Voices, Caroline Culbertson sits down firs...
Oct 25, 2022•59 min
If you’re in the horse world long enough, you or someone you know will probably experience trauma. For almost all of us, it has been – or will be – a part of life and the horse world is no exception. And horse people are really, really good at trying to ignore it or “tough it out”. Many of us can miss the signs of it or feel confused about why we’re feeling overwhelmed, or irritable, or can’t sleep, or just don’t feel like ourselves. Horse people value grit and toughness and think that means ign...
Oct 11, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Have you ever whispered a silent prayer to the flying change gods to please let this change be clean? Have you ever felt a twinge of temptation to throw your weight to get the change, or pull on the inside rein? Flying changes don’t have to be dependent on luck (although luck always helps) – but many of us don’t understand the flying change as deeply as we could. There’s a LOT to know about the flying change and this in-depth dissection will help you understand, train, and execute the change bet...
Sep 27, 2022•57 min
What do you need to focus on in those 3- and 4-year old years? How do you cope with the pressure to “not mess up” a young horse? What matters most in the early years for a horse? Top British eventer Piggy March has an FEI record the length of a novel and has had many illustrious wins to her name including Badminton, Burghley, the European Eventing Championships and the World Equestrian Games, to name a few. But she knows that there are millions of moments, steps, and decisions in a horse’s life ...
Sep 20, 2022•47 min
Being a successful rider in this sport is an uphill battle — and not just in terms of the skills and time necessary to make your way up the ladder. The ups and downs can be extreme and unpredictable, it’s often “one step forward, two steps back”, and money more often feels like a problem than a solution. And for many ambitious riders like our guests today, there is a palpable tension between “businessperson” and “horseperson”. Today on #EquestrianVoices, host Caroline Culbertson is joined by Pai...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr 8 min
What if you don't have $100k to spend on buying a horse? Join the club - there's a whole lot of us! It's time to give this portion of the horse market some air time. What's the buying or selling experience like in the, say, $40,000USD and under range? How do we find good quality horses in budget? Where do we look? What's a PPE like in that price range? How are those horses valued? Today on the podcast I have the lovely Pippa Moon to walk us through this. Pippa has described selling horse under 4...
Aug 09, 2022•56 min
We’re taking on a spicy topic this week! (But why is this such a heated debate? We’ll get to that, too!) If horses are born without shoes, why do they need them? Are we disrupting their natural gait/growth/biology by putting shoes on them, or are we actually helping them cope with their lifestyle and demands by nailing some steel on their feet? Rich Affonso is a seasoned farrier and Equestrian Masterclass instructor who has worked for decades on horses of all disciplines, from working ranch hors...
Jul 26, 2022•53 min
Are you an expert on your horse? Do you see your peers or even your trainer “winging it” when it comes to structuring rides, or figuring out why that rail fell down, or why your horse seemed tired in today’s ride? We’re learning about ways to use science and data to drastically improve the performance of ourselves and our horses – and it’s exciting. On this episode of Equestrian Voices, Dr. Tim Worden and Nicole Lakin from the Equine High Performance Sports Group join us to discuss how we can us...
Jul 12, 2022•58 min
Do you know what’s going on with horse slaughter in the States? Most of us don't - or didn't. And that includes me, your host, Caroline. The equestrian community is pretty good at turning a blind eye to this issue. It's easy to think, "those horses aren't our horses." I did it, too. But today, we're going to bring some transparency to horse slaughter in a way that doesn't aim to feel divisive, or inflammatory, or set out to shock you. This is an emotionally charged topic with implications for ho...
Jun 28, 2022•43 min
There are a million ways to “make it” - depending on what “making it” means to you. While many riders might dream of winning a gold medal in a pinque coat on a shiny, impeccably braided horse, sometimes you’ll find an even more fulfilling way to be in the horse industry that you hadn’t considered before. Today on the podcast, we have two equestrian professionals with very contrasting backgrounds, journeys, and careers reflecting on how they found their way in the horse world. Nikko Ritter was th...
Jun 14, 2022•44 min
As important as the horse’s mouth is for his health, as well as our riding, most of us don’t know much about it. For many of us it’s a long, black tunnel of mystery that we try to understand by experimenting with a variety of feeds or anatomical bridles or bits or… you name it. Today, we’re shining a metaphorical light up into that mouth to give you some information that we bet you didn’t have (we sure didn’t know all of this!). Dr. Bess Darrow, a DVM, certified equine dentist and Equestrian Mas...
May 31, 2022•42 min
In our sport, you can go to the Olympics when you’re 21… or when you’re 60. Or, you can never make a team but still have a profound impact on the athletes around you and equestrian sport as a whole. Success in horses is a lifelong endeavor, but our sport in the U.S., places a huge emphasis on riders 21 and under. What are the effects (both positive and negative) of focusing so many resources on that age group? And what about the pros in their late 20s, their 30s, and beyond who are trying to bui...
May 10, 2022•48 min
It seems like at least once a week, you'll see a social media post or an announcement about another boarding barn closing its doors. A lot of boarding barns that are up and running have long wait lists, and it calls into question what boarding barns are up against. To understand that , you have to understand all of the things that go into running them. In this episode of Equestrian Voices , Caroline Culbertson chats with Julia Tucker who owns Ardenwood Farm in Chapel Hill, NC, about the realitie...
Apr 26, 2022•40 min
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 set and upheld. In this episode of Equestrian Voices, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with event...
Apr 12, 2022•57 min
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’t. So often we feel like more is better, so more supplements and nutrients must be better for our hor...
Mar 29, 2022•53 min
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 beautiful, poignant, and hopeful. They discuss: Why we’re so uncomfortable talking about grief (either our own or ...
Mar 10, 2022•48 min
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 lack the tools to support our friends and loved ones through their grief journeys, too – not for lac...
Mar 08, 2022•44 min
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 enough, and you’ll probably encounter all three. Hooray! The horse that jigs at the walk. The horse t...
Feb 22, 2022•45 min
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. Both of these things are great! But, as the old saying goes, ‘Just because you can, doesn’t mean you s...
Feb 08, 2022•49 min
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 discuss: - How Chelsea's background informs how she works with horses and how she approached Caroline's road...
Jan 25, 2022•57 min
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, and resulted in her physical disability. All the while, she remained focused on finding ways to ride wi...
Jan 11, 2022•1 hr
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 Complicated with Dr. Jenny Susser Horse Market is Bananas, Let’s Discuss with Hope Glynn A Real Life Hor...
Dec 28, 2021•18 min
[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 witnessed and experienced the devastating fallout that sexual abuse of minors can have on young men a...
Dec 14, 2021•1 hr 6 min
