Today was a good day. Today I started my 2-year-old. Why am I sharing this with you? Well, in my “real life” (aka not on the internet), I’ve had several people tell me that I was an example to them. An inspiration, if you will. And not to toot my own horn, but that’s a […]

“If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” Have you heard that one before? I definitely took it to heart growing up. And on the surface, it sounds like solid advice: do a good job, care about what you do, put in the effort. Very Western, right? But lately, I’ve been catching myself in this […]

Have you ever had the best ride of your life when absolutely nobody was watching?! Then you turn on the camera, your trainer walks into the arena, or suddenly there’s a judge sitting at C…and everything changes. Your breathing gets shallow. Your upper body gets a little tighter. You start thinking about what you’re doing […]

Mental toughness is not about doing everything alone. I know that idea is deeply ingrained in the horse world. We admire the cowboy who figures things out, gets the job done, and doesn’t need anyone holding their hand. And because riding itself can feel so individual—just you and your horse in the arena—it’s easy to […]

Confidence in the saddle isn’t something you either have or you don’t. It develops, changes, and gets tested as you grow as a rider. That’s why I like thinking about confidence as a rider in four different levels. Figuring out where you currently fall gives you a tangible way to look at your progress—and, more […]

Let’s talk about something most riders would rather not admit. Sometimes, your horse makes you mad. You can love your horse to death and still have moments when they frustrate the heck out of you. Maybe you were having a beautiful ride and suddenly they spook, buck, blow a maneuver, or do something completely unexpected. […]

Have you ever forgotten a pattern? If yes, congratulations. You’re human. Pull up a chair and let me give you 8 of my best tips for memorizing your horse show pattern. Honestly, if you’ve never forgotten a pattern, there’s a decent chance you just haven’t shown enough horses yet. The good news is that there’s […]