Equestrian Mums Club

This episode is a little different.

After more than 2 months away from the mic, Katie is back... not with a relaunch, a shiny new project, or a perfectly wrapped-up plan, this time! Just the truth.

In this solo ep, Katie shares what's been happening behind the scenes;

• Leaving a career she loved
• Navigating burnout
• Trying to parent well
• Show up for her horses
• Advocate for her son
• and... quietly wondering whether she'd somehow let the Equestrian Mums Club down along the way

But somewhere in between the ENDLESS(!) poo picking, playing stickle bricks and blowing up paddling pools... there was an unexpected realisation:

Community isn't something one person carries.
It's something we carry together.

In this episode, we're talking about;

• What happens when your energy runs out before your purpose does
• The impossible standards so many equestrian parents place on themselves
• Why stepping back isn't the same as giving up
• How burnout can make you question your identity
• The messages that quietly reminded Katie what EMC was always meant to be
• Why this isn't a relaunch... just a step in the right direction

If you've ever felt like everyone else is holding it together better than you...

If you've ever looked at the gaps and forgotten everything you've achieved...

Or if you're simply in a season where life feels heavier than usual.

This episode is for you.

🎧 Press play. You're among friends.

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P.S. If this episode resonated with you, there are a few lovely ways you can help keep the Equestrian Mums Club growing:

💙 Follow or rate the podcast
💙 Share this episode with another equestrian parent
💙 Join the conversation over on our social channels

Every listen, recommendation and quiet show of support helps keep EMC independent, accessible and rooted in real lived experience.

Thank you for being here... and, perhaps more importantly, thank you for reminding us that none of us has to carry this alone.

Ever stood at the end of a hose thinking… this is absolutely chucking it away?! 💦

This week, we’re joined by Belle Richardson - horse mum, mum of boys, problem-solver, and co-founder of SealStop. She's turned a very real yard frustration into a simple idea... that’s now helping save water across the equestrian world and beyond.

From NHS radiography to muddy gateways and flooded yards, Belle’s story is one of spotting a problem in real life... and then actually doing something about it.

This episode is for you if…

• you’ve ever winced at how much water gets wasted on the yard

• you’re juggling horses, kids, and a never-ending to-do list

• you love a practical fix that actually makes life easier

• or you’ve got an idea bubbling away but no “perfect” time to start

We chat about:

• Belle’s unexpected journey from radiographer to inventor

• Why the best ideas often come from frustration, not funding

• The reality of water use in horse care (it’s more than you think)

• Building a business around family life... not the other way round

• and how small, community-led ideas can create really BIG impact

Plus, we obviously address the honest juggle of making it all work when life is already full… and why waiting for the “right moment” might be the thing holding you back.

Because sometimes the smallest changes - a tweak, a valve, a rethink - can make the biggest difference.

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Pssst! If you love this episode, share it with a fellow horse mum who’s always last to turn the tap off! 😉

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Want to know more about SealStop? You can visit their website here.

Want to see more from Belle? Check out the SealStop Instagram here.

What does it really look like to raise a rider?

In this episode, we sit down with Laura Cadwallader - the mum behind @at_home_with_ivy_and_ponies - to talk about the beautiful, chaotic, emotional reality of pony life with children. From babies on the boob whilst showing(!) to the tough decisions no parent wants to make, this is the unfiltered truth behind growing up in the horse world.

Because raising children around horses isn’t just a hobby… it’s a lifestyle. And one that asks a lot of us as parents - especially when you might not have caught the horse bug yourself!

In this episode, we cover:

• How riding becomes part of family life from the very beginning

• The emotional reality of pony ownership (and letting go)

• The financial juggle behind the scenes of “pony life”

• Navigating risk, safety, and parental instinct

• Feeling like an outsider... and finding your people

• Why horses shape resilient, empathetic humans

• The power of community when you’re figuring it out as you go

If you’re in it, thinking about it, or watching it unfold… remember, you’re not alone.

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P.s. If this episode resonated, you can support EMC in a few simple ways:

• Follow or rate the podcast

• Share the episode with someone who might need it

• Or support the project with a 'coffee', if you’re able... ☕

Every listen, share, and quiet show of support helps keep EMC independent, accessible, and rooted in real experience.

Thank you for being here. We hope that this continues to be a space of real resource, relatability and joy for you.

Ever feel like you're juggling horses, kids, and a mounting pile of guilt? Welcome to the wild ride of equestrian parenthood... with a sprinkle of honesty, humour, and a dash of chaos.

In this 'On the Buckle' submission, Katie shares her recent "horse-accident-turned-life-moment," proving that "being on the buckle" is less about relaxation and more about surviving with a smile.

In this episode, she talks...

• The real meaning behind "on the buckle" (spoiler: it’s not about relaxing)
• How a recent horse injury turned into an emotional rollercoaster (blood, guilt, and all)
• The magic of acceptance... when life is splattered with surprises
• Why giving 100% is a myth - and working out that’s okay

Resources & Links:

• The EMC podcast with Sarah Elebert, Equitas
• Equestrian Mums Club website - Share your stories and be part of the community

Connect with Katie:

⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn

And remember: Sometimes "on the buckle" just means hanging on tight and laughing (or trying to!!) through the chaos. You’re doing great - blood, sweat, tears, and all!

What does it really look like to juggle children, horses and your own headspace?

In this episode, Katie sits down with Sarah Elebert (COO of Equitas) for an honest conversation about mental health, guilt, ambition and the pressure to be “coping” in equestrian life.

This one’s for you if you’ve ever:
- Felt stretched between the yard and nursery drop-off

- Missed the rider you used to be

- Carried quiet guilt about not doing enough (in any area!)

- Wondered how everyone else makes it look seamless

We talk vulnerability, comparison, changing expectations, and the small “tack hacks” that make life with horses and little ones more manageable.

Because raising horses and humans together isn’t tidy... oh no! But... it is powerful.

If it resonates, share it with another equestrian mum who needs the reminder.

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P.s. If this episode resonated, you can support EMC in a few simple ways:

• Follow or rate the podcast

• Share the episode with someone who might need it

• Or support the project with a ', if you’re able... ☕

Every listen, share, and quiet show of support helps keep EMC independent, accessible, and rooted in real experience.

Thank you for being here. We hope it continues to be a safe, fun and real space of resource for you 💙

This episode is a pause... and an invitation.

Recorded as a solo episode, this episode sees Katie reflecting honestly on why the Equestrian Mums Club exists, how it’s grown beyond (just!) a podcast, and what it’s becoming... for equestrian parents navigating horses, children, work, identity, and exhaustion.

It’s about the real stuff we don’t often say out loud. Whether that's the... mental load. The guilt. The joy. The feeling of being “between versions” of yourself.

We're visiting;

• Why EMC was never about hosts, polish, or performance

• The emotional reality of balancing horses and parenthood

• The invisible labour behind community-led projects

• Why honesty matters more than expertise

• What EMC has achieved so far (often quietly)

• Where the community could go next, and how YOU can be part of it

If EMC has ever made you feel seen, steadier, or less alone... maybe this episode explains why.

New here? It shows you exactly where you fit.

🎧 Press play. Stay awhile.

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P.s. If this episode resonated, you can support EMC in a few simple ways:

• Follow or rate the podcast

• Share the episode with someone who might need it

• Or support the project with a 'Buy Me a Coffee donation', if you’re able... ☕

Every listen, share, and quiet show of support helps keep EMC independent, accessible, and rooted in real experience.

Thank you for being here. We hope it continues to be a safe, fun and real space of resource for you 💙

You don’t always choose when life asks you to slow down... sometimes it taps you politely, sometimes it kicks the stable door in.
And this episode? It’s very much about listening when it does.

As we step into a new year at the Equestrian Mums Club, this catch-up is a gentle reset. A chat about family firsts, shifting priorities, and why taking a step back can sometimes be the most positive step forward. There’s laughter (because parenting without humour is a losing game), reflections on health hiccups that led to unexpected productivity, and the familiar juggle of work, horses, children and everything in between.

We talk about the quiet magic of the bond between a pony and their person, the joy found in small, ordinary moments, and why planning fun - not perfection - might be the real secret to surviving family life. It’s also a moment of honesty about change: how communities evolve, how seasons shift, and why the Equestrian Mums Club was always meant to be bigger than any one voice.

At its heart, this episode is about choosing joy where you can, protecting your wellbeing where it matters, and remembering that none of us are doing this alone; even when it feels that way.

If you’re listening from the yard, on the school run, or hiding somewhere quiet with a lukewarm cup of tea, we hope this episode feels like a friendly arm round the shoulder. We’re all just figuring it out as we go.

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💡 Top takeaways for this ride:

• Family and fun aren’t distractions — they’re the point

• New beginnings are about positivity, not pressure

• Stepping back can be essential for mental health and wellbeing

• The bond between a pony and their person is truly special

• Laughter makes the juggle of motherhood lighter

• Community support makes all the difference

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Want more from the herd?

🐴 Join us over on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn & more - we’re everywhere @equestrianmumsclub!

You don’t know what you don’t know - until you do.
And this month, we learned that nothing says “happy birthday, friend” quite like a handwritten card that’s been delicately seasoned with dog backwash... Parenthood really is the gift that keeps on giving!

In our November catch up, we chat through the birthday bedlam, the Christmas gifts we've not started purchasing, and the ongoing experiment of raising kids, horses and puppies... a combination we’re convinced should come with its own survival guide.

But woven through the laughs is something softer. With the recent loss of Valegro and Uthopia this week, we found ourselves talking about the horses - and reins - that have slipped through our fingers in more recent times. The ones who carried us, changed us, held our confidence when we couldn’t, and left us trying to recreate that connection again and again. You don’t realise how much a horse becomes part of your life story until you’re suddenly riding the trail without them.

We also get into the joys (and utter bamboozlement) of saddle fitting, the highs and lows of winter pony adventures, and the general juggling act of being equestrian mums trying to keep everyone - and ourselves - vaguely pointing in the right direction.

If you’re listening from the yard, on the school run, or hiding in the boot room for five minutes of peace, we hope this episode brings you a laugh, a nod of recognition, and maybe even a bit of comfort. We’re all learning as we go.

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💡 Top takeaways for this ride:

• Don't ever look up (or too closely at the ball pit contents) at a soft play...
• You don’t know what you don’t know - but you learn by giving it a go!
• You never stop chasing the feeling of that once-in-a-lifetime horse. And, that's ok. The next horse that finds you will be in your life for a reason.

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Want more from the herd? 🐴
Join us over on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn & more - we’re everywhere @equestrianmumsclub!

Don’t forget to follow the podcast for more real-life, reins-in-hand chats from the Equestrian Mums Club.

Early parents. A "late" rider. Perfect timing for sharing the support system we all need.

In this episode, we (your hosts, Katie & Sophie) sit down with amateur eventers - and "salt-of-the-earth" soul-boosters - Gareth Eva & Lucy Strong.

Gareth came to riding only four years ago during a mental health crisis; discovering horses as a lifeline for managing ADHD and rebuilding confidence. Lucy, meanwhile, has been "quietly" steering the family ship since day one - although, it's not always been the perfect picture we all imagine.

Together, they’ve raised their babbling babies to teens, built their riding journeys from scratch, and shown up for their community in ways that make the equestrian world feel kinder, lighter and a whole lot more human.

We chat about:

• 🐴 Starting young on the parenting front, and late in the saddle
• 🧠 Gareth’s mental health journey and how horses help him live with ADHD
• 🎥 Gareth's time on Horse & Country's All Star Academy (…and the heart palpitations that followed!)
• ❤️ What real support looks like at shows, at home, and in the saddle
• 😂 Arguments in the lorry park... and why communication saves the day
• 🌱 Building confidence, community and joy from the ground up

Warm, witty and wonderfully real; this is the "Strong-er Tog-Eva" story you didn’t know you needed!

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💡 Top takeaways for this ride:

• You can start riding (or start over) at any age, and it’s never too late to find your confidence.
• Horses can be a genuine lifeline, offering grounding, routine and support for mental health and ADHD (or neurodivergence).
• The right support system makes everything easier - from parenting to competing to simply enjoying your horse.

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Want more from the herd? 🐴
Join us over on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn & more - we’re everywhere @equestrianmumsclub!

Don’t forget to follow the podcast for more real-life, reins-in-hand chats from the Equestrian Mums Club.

Ho-ho-hold your horses... it’s our Christmas Gift Guide episode! 🎁🐴
Your loving hosts (Katie and Sophie) take the reins on festive shopping, sharing our tried-and-tested gift ideas for kids, young riders, horse lovers, and the unsung heroes who keep every equestrian mum going.

This episode canters through practical picks, pony-approved treats, thoughtful gestures, and budget-friendly gems, all peppered with personal stories, barn banter and the kind of puns that would make Santa snort into his cocoa.

Tune in for a jolly, jingling ride through the world of equestrian gifting… and remember: the best gift of all is your presence (but a new browband never hurts). 😉

🎄 Want the full mini-mag PDF with links, discounts and our partner picks?
Head to the Equestrian Mums Club website to download the complete Christmas Gift Guide and grab your exclusive codes!

(Psssst! Don't forget to sign up for the email newsletter whilst you're at it... so you're the first to hear more on the January Giveaway Series!!)