Inside Equine Minds by EqPI

At the highest level, the best cutting horses don't just like to do their job - they need to do it. Kat Play is one of these special horses, and Monty Buntin, NCHA Hall of Fame trainer, understands how to support Kat Play's personality to maximize his instinct to separate the cow from the herd. As so many of the super successful horses do, Kat Play has his quirks, such as being claustrophobic and being particular about his routine and his people, but when he knows what to expect and when he has his support team around him, Kat Play regularly finds himself among the best in the world.

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It may have taken a few years, but Keely McIntosh Minturn found Hilton's calling in Hunter World. Once upon a time, Hilton in hunters would have been unthinkable, but after he suffered a serious injury, Keely put Hilton in the amateur owner hunters to give him a step down from his jumper job. As fate would have it, he loves it! Then after Keely suffered her own serious injury, Hilton helped Keely build back her confidence, which was only fair after she helped him overcome some behavioral challenges of his own when they first partnered!

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INXS (pronounced "In Excess"), a talented Grand Prix dressage horse, is learning how to harness his intensity without resulting in tension. Ali Potasky, who co-own INXS with Kathy Priest, has been helping him find his zen since the day she got him 5 years ago. He is enthusiastic, sensitive and wants to please so badly - almost too much. But with Ali's calming patience and her focus on helping him find confidence both as a horse and as an elite athlete, the two have found a rhythm to their partnership and have achieved huge success at shows such as Dressage at Devon and the US Dressage Finals.

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Rumor has it Balou was "very, very, very, very difficult" as a young horse, but he is now one of the best show jumpers in the world, including two Olympic silver medals. Laura Kraut joins as our guest to talk about how she and her team meet his personality related needs. From giving him "soup," hacking him out, letting him choose how long he lunges and warms up for... it's all about keeping "Business Balou" and "Personable Balou" happy and knowing when to tailor to which.

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"Fio" is ready to conquer the world, but it's taken Anna Buffini some time to convince Fio that they have to do it together and that Fio cannot, in fact, compete in dressage without a rider - although Fio sometimes thinks otherwise! Fiercely independent and one of the most talented dressage horses in the world, the sky is the limit for Fio if she can learn to trust in Anna as her dance partner. Through patience and consistency, Anna has wormed her way into Fio's heart and, one nap at a time, the two are forging a relationship for the ages.

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When you think of a champion reiner, the words "chill, sweet, and forgiving" are probably not at the top of the list to describe them, but that's exactly what "Romeo" is! He is the perfect blend of talent and temperament to juggle his non-pro owner Bevin Zimmerman and Open trainer Jesse Gentile without batting an eye. As the "picture of 'willingly guided,'" Romeo does exactly what he's told and nothing more, but as Bevin has learned, that has its challenges for someone who is learning! But when things click, magic happens and Romeo shines.

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While he may give off jock vibes galloping around the cross-country course, Quantum is really just a big softy to those who know him personally. For people who really get to know him, he'll do anything, and it's these relationships that really give him the confidence he needs to be a top 5* event horse. Sam Cuomo, Doug Payne's head groom, talks with me about how she makes sure she's meeting Quantum's needs when at home and on the road.

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Babylon is known as much for his boisterous personality as his talent in the hunter ring. In addition to collecting tricolors in the small junior hunters and performance hunter ring, "Crumbles" can be heard announcing himself in the morning on the way to the warmup ring and can be found pulling the fly masks and blankets off of his neighboring stall buddies. John French joins me to discuss how he's taken steps to ensure that Crumbles stays the happy, mischievous ham that he is while still achieving the massive success that he has experienced.

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When it comes to equipping "DJ" for Olympic-level dressage success, Nick Wagman says it comes down to two things: structure and sugar cubes! DJ is as sweet as they come, as long as you prove your trustworthiness first. The people on his team can make or break DJ's day (and Nick's bones!) if they skip a step in his strict routine or if they don't allow time for a trusting relationship to develop. But when all things align, DJ is championship material as he has proven by his massive success in the sandbox!

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"Marvel" might have a cool, steady demeanor in the barn, preferring a good roll in the dirt over playing on the lunge line (even when he's cooped up at shows), but he is all business and ready to put on a show when he steps in the ring. Ty and Rhea Pole of Blue Collar Horse Company discuss what makes Marvel such a good candidate for giving the kids a ride to winning reining world titles.

*Disclaimer* The breeding practices for a stallion are briefly discussed which may not be appropriate for all listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

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