This week we have the honor of hearing from Alyssa Bookman! Her love of horses started from a young age and she has worked her way from being a backyard rider, working under a trainer, to now operating her own training business. Bookman has mostly dappled in the all-around & the reining and has recently started a subscription-based training video platform "From The Ground Up TV". We chat about the reality of being an assistant trainer, the origin of FTGU, and Alyssa gets really honest & shares key advice to those who feel like giving up.

There is so much to unpack with this episode and I think you guys are going to really enjoy it!

Alyssa's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/double.a.equine/

From The Ground Up TV Insta: https://www.instagram.com/fromthegroundup.tv/ 

My Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sliding_n_spinning/

This episode is an adaptation of a previous blog post of mine! Last December I sat down with a variety of reiners from across the world and asked them what the biggest advice they had to other reiners. They all gave me such great responses that I wanted to bring them to my podcast and dissect them! I discuss the background of each rider, their advice, and have a discussion about why I thought their advice was influential to the reining world.

Here are the riders we hear from in this episode:

Madison Rafacz, Tristan Bagby, Adrianna Runzo, Emilia Reutimann, Haley Turner, Adrianna Davidson, Jenna Welker, Dani Latimer, Chloe Vanstone, Kylie Baker, Mattie Gustin, Bree Carsey, John Richards, Delaney Michelson, Senta Wyss, Kennedy Stephens, Alexia Tordoff, Ella Sny & Maria Richards.

Even if you are not a Reiner, you can still get something from this episode! After all, a horse is a horse! 

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sliding_n_spinning/ 

My Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/horsingaroundpodcast/

Casey Abbo has been my friend for a while and I was so excited to have her on! Casey is a California native with a young business ambition. Abbo founded her company Hungry Horse Cookies, a company focused on creating healthy horse cookies, at a young age and has recently made the switch from the reining to the dressage world. We chat about the origin of Hungry Horse Cookies, the struggles she has endured running an international business, and the transition of switching from two challenging disciplines, and the reasoning behind the move. 

I think you will really love it!

As a special treat, Hungry Horse Cookies and I have teamed up to create a special 20% discount on their ENTIRE store! Use code: "HAxHHC" to take advantage of this deal!

Hungry Horse Cookies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hungryhorsecookies/

Casey's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyyabbo/

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sliding_n_spinning/

This week we are joined by Dani Latimer! Being the daughter of NRHA Professional Duane Latimer, she provides a unique perspective on the inside world of reining. Dani currently shows her own horses successfully in the nonpro divisions, while also being on the SMU's Division 1 Equestrian Team. Dani opens up about her past, gives advice to riders seeking D1 ambitions, as well as dives deep into what she thinks are important aspects within the National Reining Horse Association. I was so excited to record this episode with Dani, and I think you are going to love it!

Dani's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dlreininghorses/ 

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sliding_n_spinning/

Every body is a bikini body! 

In this episode, we cover the worldwide issue of body image. I get completely honest with my own struggles with body image, and how I ended up changing my entire thought process. We discuss why I believe so many people struggle with body image issues, how to overcome them, and how to get into the right mindset to become the healthiest version of yourself! Hope you guys enjoy it!

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sliding_n_spinning/

Still in high school? I got you covered!

 In this episode, I try to unknot the tangled mess called high school. Yesterday was my graduation and I thought it was the perfect time to share my own experiences and give advice to those still navigating the halls of high school. I reflect back on embarrassing, funny, and sad memories that made up my four years + share tips and advice to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors! There is no way around the awkwardness of high school, but there is no reason that you can't enjoy it and make the most out of it! 

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sliding_n_spinning/

This week, I chat about the stigma of making mistakes and how to make your mistakes encourage you! This is a topic that I have struggled with a lot in my personal life and wanted to share my experiences and how I have completely changed my mindset when dealing with mistakes. I dive into hitting brick walls, allowing mistakes to trigger creativity, and how to not let your mistakes sidetrack you from your dreams! I hope you enjoy it!  

My Instagram   https://www.instagram.com/sliding_n_spinning/   ( sliding_n_spinning)

Happy Easter! In this episode, I dive into the topic of self-confidence and how it connects to living a happy life. I talk about comparing ourselves to others, accepting compliments, positive affirmations, and the struggle of caring what other people think. I also talk about what may cause a lack of self-confidence as well as tips + tricks on how to create a more positive mindset. Hope you enjoy it!