Hello listeners!

Since I last recorded an episode, there has been the death of my mare, Shea, the wedding of my son and his new wife, a trip to Denver  and some cow work. Along with a few minor emergencies. In other words, life hit a bit of a streak!

I continue to be buoyed by feedback and engagement from listeners. One of our listeners is Art, a rider and retired engineer from Michigan. He has a horse named Bandit. Art got in touch with me after Episode 25, a short bit I did on Sex, Power, and Best Practices.

What follows is a quiet conversation on how this topic looks from one man’s perspective. It was refreshing. Some of you may know that I write op-ed pieces about life in the rural west for the Washington Post. While I have a policy of not reading the comments, I am aware of the vitriol. And I was so pleased to talk with Art about gender, bullying, and personality styles with a civil, friendly back and forth. 

While many of you might not agree with me, with Art, or with our other podcast  interviewees, we hope that you can find common ground and take a moment to consider different perspectives.

Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds. Lucerne is this outstanding little company in northern Maine. Forage is chopped hay, an excellent option when you can’t have your horse on pasture or when you need to add calories and nutrients to your horses’ diet.

We also thank Redmond Equine for being part of our sponsorship family. Redmond rocks and other offerings come straight from their mine in Redmond, Utah. 

And we welcome back Pharm Aloe . Pharm Aloe offers aloe pellets and gel and other products to support horses’ GI health, and immune system. 

Additional notes:

The Outdoor Retailer happens twice a year and brings together outdoor recreation brands, vendors, and buyers for everything from Osprey packs to tents to jeans to camp lights and freeze-dried good. I go to represent the horse community and make the argument that us horse owners are more outdoors-y than anyone else. Right?

Here are some folks that stood out:

Bertucci watches. I challenge you to find a Made in America watch that is as tough and reliable as a field watch from Bertucci. And when do you ever see the owner and founder of a company – in this case, Mike Bertucci – at a trade show? I particularly love the Super illuminated model. Two ways to light up the face. Perfect for late night barn checks and midnight emergencies.

Also. Kimes Ranch Jeans. I’ve been singing their praises for years as a Made in America company that gets us. And by us, I mean riders. They continue to grow and can be found online and in stores like Big R, Murdochs, and other farm and ranch type stores. Loving their new style, the Lola.

We thank Kate’s Real Food and Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Did you know? All ya gotta do is comment or suggest a podcast topic or send us a training question here and you’ll be automatically qualified for our monthly Patagonia WorkWear giveaway.