Inside Equine Minds by EqPI

Anthony Patch, a failed racing thoroughbred better known as "Al" (#goalgo) to his fans, was bought as a "dangerous" four-year-old by Lainey Ashker as her next Eventing prospect. Despite his quirks (although the quirky ones are the best ones, according to Lainey), Lainey brought him up through the levels, teaching him everything from jumping corners to standing in ice boots. The pair competed at big tracks such as the Kentucky 3-day and Burghley. Al had all the scope in the world, but he demanded accuracy and perfection, and Lainey credits him for making her the rider she is today and for teaching her a more refined style of riding that's necessary to compete at the top levels of Eventing.

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So Enchanted, known as Lex around the barn, has too many tricolors to list! In addition to a clean sweep at Pony Finals in 2016, Lex was 2022 USEF/Smartpak Grand Champion Pony Hunter of the Year. When you think of such a successful pony hunter - especially a small such as Lex - you likely think that the pony will just pack around anybody, but you'd be wrong in this case! While she won't do anything bad, Lex needs the right team of trainer, rider and groom to truly bring out her best. Listen to this episode where I meet with Patricia Griffith and Caroline Passarelli to learn how the team behind her makes sure she is happy and ready to strut her stuff in the show ring.

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You read that right.... BRIDLELESS. Brendan Wise and his gelding Villanueva Conrad (aka Lyric) are determined to do what many have deemed impossible. They're making a name for themselves for showing in the jumper ring with only a neck rein... And not just any jumper class, but the Grand Prix classes! What makes Lyric a good candidate for bridleless work? Are there personality prerequisites to do bridleless work? How does Brendan prepare Lyric to show in these "fish bowl" environments? These are all questions that we dive into to get a peek inside the mind of Lyric, the bridleless Grand Prix jumper.

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We’ve all heard of stories of amazing horses who achieve success against all odds. Take Seabiscuit as an example. He lost his first 17 races. In fact, he was described as laid back, lazy and lethargic. He was only 15 hands tall and had short legs with knobby, crooked knees. Does that sound like a famous racehorse to you? And yet, Seabiscuit was the top money winning racehorse in the 1930’s, even setting a record! 

The physical nature and training of a horse is just one component of success. There is also a mental component that has a big impact. Great horse people understand that they must meet both the physical and mental needs of a horse in order for them to reach their full potential. Seabiscuit’s trainer, Tom Smith, took the time to figure out these mental needs for Seabiscuit, which ultimately lead him to a famous and memorable racing career.   

While the physical requirements of the top equine athletes are much better understood, information about the mental aspect remains vague and mysterious at best. Join me, Kaitlin Hendry, as I meet with trainers, riders and grooms to dive deep inside the equine minds of the most successful horses in various disciplines. My new podcast, Inside Equine Minds, takes you behind-the-scenes from the horse’s perspective, to learn about how they are trained and managed in a way that strengthens their mental game and fuels their success.

Support the show

Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse.

Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.