ECHO Equestrian Media

Raw and unedited, an honest vulnerable conversation <3

This week, we're talking about heart horses, and what makes one horse different from all the rest.

We get into why some horses come into your life at exactly the right time, why those partnerships are so rare, and why saying goodbye is one of the hardest parts of loving them. We also share the story of Elle, the horse that shaped so much of Katie's riding career, and talk through the very recent loss of her, the grief that comes with it, and why heart horses never really leave you.

We'd love to hear about the horse you'll never forget.

In this episode, we break down how to assess body condition, common reasons horses lose weight, and the basics of a good weight-loss workup. From dental issues and parasite control to bloodwork and nutrition, we cover the steps to take before reaching for extra calories, plus practical feeding strategies that can help horses gain weight in a healthy way.

The recent dressage rule changes around double bridles got us talking about a lot more than just dressage. We get into bits, horse welfare, trainer responsibility, and where tradition still has a place in the sport.
Like most horse topics, it's a little more complicated than it seems.

This week, Katie sits down with her sister Jamie to chat all things growing up in a horse family. They get into Jamie's love of horses but fear of riding, what it's like being the younger sibling in the horse world, and why loving horses doesn't always mean loving competition. It's a light, silly episode filled with family stories, and a different perspective on growing up in a barn.

This week we're catching up on Mom's return to the show ring. We talk about PTSD, setbacks, horse show nerves, and the importance of community.

This week, we put ChatGPT's horse knowledge to the test and see what happens when AI starts answering
horse-world questions. Along the way, we discuss where horse people get their information, how we
evaluate advice, and why context matters when it comes to learning about horses.
We also get into horse culture, social media, competition, and why the equestrian community can s
ometimes feel both supportive and critical.

What does it actually take to compete FEI? This week we're talking passports, paperwork, horse show check-ins, and the realities of international competition. We also get into the cultural differences between dressage and jumpers, why different personalities gravitate toward different disciplines, and what draws riders to different corners of the horse world.

This episode dives into horse training, welfare, and the blurry line between correction and punishment. Using recent controversies as a starting point, mother and daughter unpack positive vs. negative reinforcement, fear-based riding, learned helplessness, and the responsibility trainers, owners, and riders have to advocate for horses — both in and out of the ring.

In this episode, mother and daughter discuss the things only horse people will understand, from “barn time” and footing to water buckets and personal hygiene. Welcome to the world of niche horse people behavior.

In this episode, mother and daughter discuss performance anxiety in the horse world, from show ring nerves to the pressure riders put on themselves. They talk through confidence, overthinking, competition, and the mental side of riding, while sharing personal experiences and perspectives from both junior and professional life in the sport.