Michael Pollard had what most of us could only dream of - a meteoric rise in the discipline of Eventing (including winning a Pan Am Games team Gold Medal in 2011), a string of talented horses, a strong non-horse business that supported his riding career, and a supportive group of sponsors, friends and family. 

But then, to the surprise of many, Michael retired from the sport in 2016, selling all of his horses. He went from spending most of his time training and riding, to not sitting on a horse for several years. 

In a strikingly candid conversation, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Michael to get the story behind this difficult decision; the events that led up to it, the immediate aftermath, and how he’s come back to the sport now as not only a different rider, but also a different person. 

This special, not-to-be-missed discussion also touches on many taboo, yet common, aspects of horse sport, including: 

• A frank dialogue about addiction, and how it nearly derailed his entire early riding career

• Financial strain of competing, especially at the top level

• Addressing the holes in your training

• Dealing with the loss of a horse (and in Michael’s case, multiple horses at once in a devastating trailer accident)

• Balancing riding with family, and the tough calls that are made along the way

• How to allow yourself to be OK with changing paths while deciding what truly matters in your life

• Why taking a break from horses doesn’t have to be a thing you avoid doing at all costs

• 3 little things to do if you’re getting back into riding after a break

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, the time comes once more for the biggest decision of the winter: Do you blanket your horse, or not? And, which one? (Heavy, medium, medium-light, neck or no neck?!) 

Some riders put a sheet on at the slightest sign of a chill, while others keep their horses bare regardless of outside conditions. And of course, there are the temperature charts that pop up each year, which are meant to apply hard and fast rules to blanketing, but never actually seem to. 

In this episode of Equestrian Voices, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Dr. Michelle DeBoer of the University of Wisconsin, who has a PhD in Animal Science and whose research delves into this singular question of horse ownership. 

In their extremely informative discussion, they discuss all things blanketing, and some of the ancillary topics blanketing invariably brings up, including:

• Thermoregulation, and how horses use it to keep themselves warm (and how clipping alters that process)

• Why thinking that if you’re cold, then your horse is also cold, is incorrect

• How breeds, body size, and age should affect your blanketing choices

• Why a hot bran mash doesn’t actually help keep our horses warm (though it does warm our hearts!)

• Whether or not blanketing early in the season means you have to continue to blanket all season

• What outside factors to take into consideration when thinking about blanketing besides just the weather

To learn more about Dr. DeBoer's work, check out her Equine PhD page. You can read a summary of the Norway study referenced in this episode here.

Horses are well known for their power to heal. The positive feelings we have after spending time with our horses are, after all, one of the main reasons why we ride, and equine therapy is used to treat a wide range of physical and mental health challenges. 

How often, though, do we think about the flip side of the coin - how do our actions help, or hinder, our horses’ mental and emotional well being? How can we as horse lovers be more in tune with the spiritual needs of our partners, and show up for them in a state that disrupts their natural way of being as little as possible? How can modalities like bodywrok help our horses heal when they need it? 

This week, host Caroline Culberston sits down with Gabriel Gandzjuk, better known as Good Shepherd Gabriel, to discuss his work healing horses with both mental and physical injuries in their lives mainly through shiatsu massage and acupressure. Their deep conversation also delves into:

• What “healing for horses” means, both physically and mentally

• How horses process touch, and how it figures into his work

• The ways in which horses process grief, and how we can support our horses when they experience it

• Pain and stress behaviors in horses from the perspective of a practitioner who grew up outside of the horse world and didn’t come to them until adulthood

• How you can support your horse spiritually, physically, and emotionally

You’ve just left the barn after another frustrating lesson, and you don’t know what to do. You know that your horse is more than capable of achieving the goals you’ve set for your riding, but in your heart, you also don’t feel like your horse is having fun in the process. How do you go about deciding when it’s time for a new direction for both you and your horse? What are the feelings that come up during the process, and once the decision is made, how do you move forward with a new partnership?  

In our latest Equestrian Voices episode, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Equestrian Masterclass instructor Chelsea Canedy to talk about all of this and more, as Chelsea shares her first hand experience of selling her long time partner, Albert, and transitioning to a new (and very different) mare, Lila. They also discuss: 

• Evaluating your goals as a rider

• Deciding whether or not those goals line up what your horse enjoys doing

• Getting a handle on your ego as it relates to your partnership with a horse (new or otherwise)

• Finding your own, unique joy as a rider

• Integrating a new horse into your life

• The emotions wrapped up in purchasing a new horse, and selling an old one

If this episode resonates with you, Chelsea Canedy has a new Equestrian Masterclass training program available now that walks you through the first 30 days with a new horse, or gives you tools for a "relationship reset". Go to www.equestrianmasterclass.com/newhorse to purchase the bundle for $27.

Americans are known for their smooth, forward positions on the horse, so much so that it became known as the ‘American Forward Seat’. But how has it evolved over the years as our light, sensitive Thoroughbreds have blended with the heavier horses of Europe? Does it still provide the same effective foundation today as it did before, or is it less relevant today?

In this episode, Caroline sits down with Olympic Gold Medalist and former top show jumping rider, Peter Wylde. Peter, whose depth and breadth of experience also includes coaching top eventing like Boyd Martin and Liz Halliday Sharp, digs into all of the above questions, and so much more. The amount of knowledge covered in this special episode is truly astounding, and includes topics such as:

• How the American “Forward Seat” originated, and how it’s blended with the European style of riding to create a more modern, effective version

• The effects of globalization of the sport on rider position

• Why modern course design has had a direct impact on how riders position themselves in the saddle

• A list of riders who Peter believe are excellent riders to study and emulate

• Defining what “riding style” actually means and encompasses

• The role that confidence plays in developing (and keeping) a positive riding style

• The differences in both environment and rider culture between top 3 Day Eventing and Show Jumping competitions. 

• The nuances of coaching elite level riders

It’s worth noting that if you like what you hear, Peter Wylde has an Equestrian Masterclass available now that’s all about how to become an effective, smooth rider. You can get $50 off an annual membership by going to www.equestrianmasterclass.com/voices

Support our show by supporting our sponsors! 

GMC Trucks  Connaway and Associates Equine Insurance Services Winderen - Innovative Equine Products

We’ve all seen the pictures: the emaciated horse who looks ancient, but in actuality is in their prime, their coat dirty and their eyes dull. We’ve all also had the desire to just hook up our trailer (or commandeer one) and take them home to a better life. 

Unfortunately, few of us have the resources or the means to follow through on that impulse - so how do we go about helping all of the horses who are in dire need? And what are the lives like of the people who do follow through and take the one (or in one of our guest’s case…more than one) horses back home - what do they want everyone to know about their lives and organizations? What do they really need from us to succeed and keep their doors open?

In this episode of Equestrian Voices, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Tahlia Fischer from All Seated in a Barn and Olivia Alcorta from Storeybrook Farm.

In their candid, heartfelt, conversation, Caroline and her guests discuss many of the seen (and unseen) aspects of the horse rescue world, including:

• How they came to each run horse rescues.

• The common misconceptions about rescues that people carry with them. 

• The day to day reality of what it takes 

• What horse rescues can (and cannot) provide for the horses they receive. 

• An open kimono discussion about vet bills, and the overall costs of running an organization that regularly brings horses back from the brink.

• Most importantly, how you can best help these critically important organizations in their work. 

Winderen - Innovative equestrian equipment driven by research and technology. Use discount code "voices" at checkout for 5% off.  Farris Equestrian - Maker of the ultimate riding glove and the smartphone-carrying saddle pad. 

Connaway & Associates Equine Insurance Services - Personalized coverage with competitive rates for equine mortality, major medical & surgical coverage, and more.

Equestrian Masterclass - Empowering equestrians everywhere. #1 in digital equestrian eduction in North America. Go here for $50 off an annual membership.

When you go to a horse show, you can see riders diligently warming up their horses prior to competition, making sure their partner is both mentally and physically ready for the task ahead. But you rarely (if ever) see those same riders warming themselves up before they mount up, making sure they are just as prepared. Why is there such a vast disconnect between horse preparation and wellness  and rider self-care, and how is it affecting our sport? 

On today’s podcast, Caroline is joined by Ifa Simmonds of Ifa Fit. Ifa’s Equestrian Fitness Academy (EFA) is a holistic online program with categorized fitness training, nutrition, and mindset programs geared to improve riders from the inside out. The program's signature system helps riders in the 4 pillars equestrians often look to improve upon (Stability, Suppleness, Strength & Stamina). He also believes in a holistic approach to fitness - not just lunges and crunches. 

In their wide-reaching, thoughtful discussion, Caroline and Ifa touch on many topics around fitness and wellness in the equestrian world, including:

• What it truly means to be an “Athlete” - and how to determine if you are one (or not)

• If there is an Athlete’s Culture in equestrian sport (or not)

• The concept of “wellness” and what it fully means

• Consistency, and how to use it effectively

• The difference between intention and action, and how it affects our riding

• Habits, and how early adoption can help ingrain helpful ones (and not-so-helpful ones!)

• Trigger warning - body weight, and how Ifa feels it does or doesn’t correlate to performance

• Rest, recovery, and how to think about both as part of your overall performance and fitness

There are many ideas about what good training looks like with horses. We imagine a well-trained horse as one who is able to perform its job at a high level, and view subsequent competition results as a validation of correctness. But what if that same horse can’t be mounted without being held, or has trouble loading onto/unloading off the trailer? Can we still say the horse is well trained if it’s not able to navigate the world around it with confidence? 

These questions, and so many more, are explored in our latest podcast episode, where Caroline sits down with Amy Skinner of Amy Skinner Horsemanship to dig into what “good training”, pressure, and horsemanship means in the equestrian industry.

Amy Skinner is a highly sought after trainer and rider who gives clinics around the country, as well as being the author of two books around her training methods and unique background in the sport. She specializes in “problem” horses and helping horses and riders find better connections. Centering her philosophy around Classical Dressage and postural rehabilitation, Amy is a unique voice with deep insights into horses, training, and life in general. In their intimate (and funny) conversation, Caroline and Amy discuss a wide variety of topics, including: 

• The concept of “pressure” and how it plays into the lives of both horses and humans

• Why competition results aren’t always the best litmus test for good training

• Where we fall short in training our horses, and how we can become more self aware of our own gaps

• Appropriate training levels for young horses, and why our hyper competitive space can break horses down early

• The concept of a training “bank account”, and how our actions either pull from it, or deposit into it

• Why horses who are trained solely through pressure and pain responses will never be truly safe. 

For most of us, competition is a large part of why we choose to ride, and also for most of us, we allow this drive to steer our behavior without really giving it too much thought. 

But science shows that our competitive drive is not a mystery. In fact, learning about this powerful force behind our motivation can help us shape it towards positive, growth-minded outcomes, and avoid the potential negative consequences it can also bring. 

In our latest episode of Equestrian Voices, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Dr. Stephen Garcia, a professor in the Graduate School of Management at UC Davis and an expert on the psychology of competition, judgment, and decision-making. They discuss:

• Why you feel competitive with some people, and not with others. 

• What to know about your own competitiveness when you’re involving another party (in our case, the horse) to reach your own goals. 

• Why some high performing athletes are also some of the most arrogant ones

• Growth Mindset, and how it can be a positive force when paired with a competitive drive

• Looking at those who outperform you with admiration sometimes, and other times with envy (and the potential outcomes of each viewpoint)

While many riders need no excuse to tune into a livestream to watch the top show jumping athletes of our day duke it out at the FEI level, there are a lot of people who consider themselves sports enthusiasts who are nonetheless pretty lost when they try to watch the upper levels of the sport. Let’s not even start on how many of our friends and family would politely decline an invitation to a 5* Grand Prix viewing party. They would rather spend the weekend watching a football or basketball game - two sports of many that draw far more eyeballs and dollars despite (in our opinion) not being half as exciting to watch. So what’s the disconnect between the top levels of FEI show jumping and the meager sponsorship and viewership that it rakes in? In this podcast, sport scientist Dr. Tim Worden and grand prix rider Sean Jobin – both of whom have an interest in the sport’s long term health and future – bring forth their 4 ideas for bringing in more funding for the top showjumping competitions, as well as more people viewing them. 

In this podcast, Caroline, Sean, and Dr. Worden discuss: 

• Proposed updates to the FEI ranking system, and why they would benefit horses, riders, and spectators

• Making horse purchase prices available to the public, and why it would increase interest in watching them go

• How better analytics could engage new fans of the sport

• Updating the current FEI class structure (and why the current structure might not be the best for the sport in the long run)

• Why it matters that show jumping become more interesting for the fans that watch it

• The challenges that come with prize money not increasing in proportion to the expense of the sport

What do you think? Email us - [email protected], DM us on social, or call us and leave us a voicemail: +1 (236) 428-7868‬