You know her from riding in the biggest arenas in the world as an elite US dressage rider, or from her beloved social media following documenting her life as a top athlete. But there's so much more to Anna Buffini and her story than what meets the eye, and today, we're peeling back some of the layers on this incredible young woman who is rightly becoming a role model for many up-and-coming riders. This episode is proudly presented by Connaway and Associates Equine Insurance Services.

Anna, 30, who trains with her longtime trainer, Olympic bronze medalist Guenter Seidel, shares her high highs, her low lows, and how she's found sturdiness in a sport and lifestyle that often feels unpredictable and out of control.

We talk about:

• How she's built her mental strength to allow her to 'control the controllables'
• The best lesson she ever learned from her trainer
• The value of putting herself out there on social media in a sport that is often conservative and... let's face it... a bit judgemental.
• Her faith and how it has affected her worldview as a top athlete
• The moment she decided her fitness needed to become a top priority
• Dressage being a subjective sport vs. objective sport
• The lessons she learned from her parents, who were also successful athletes in other sports
• The heartbreaking moment her Olympic dreams evaporated ahead of Paris

This episode is supported by WeRideTogether.today. For more information on the response reporting guide mentioned in this episode, go here: https://www.weridetogether.today/blog-posts/response-reporting-guide