We just got back from Kentucky and I needed to debrief with my bestie so here we are 🐴

Dani has been behind the scenes at Running Springs for almost two years now and a lot of you have been asking about her so we figured it was time to bring her back on. We talk through how we met back when I was 16 through my old show horse Kalvin, how she ended up moving to Tennessee, and what she actually does to keep this whole operation from falling apart.

Then we get into the Kentucky horse show deep dive because there was a lot to unpack. I showed three completely different horses in the same show and we break down what that is actually like, how Denver's first western pleasure class went, what Aaron discovered about Kennedy that kind of changed everything for us, and the very real differences between riding Hollywood, Denver, and Kennedy back to back. Piaffe in a western pleasure warm up pen. We did that.

We also get into why western pleasure is actually a fantastic entry level discipline, and I break down the new AQHA level system for anyone who has been confused by the shift from novice to levels one, two, and three.

If you have more questions about the horse show world or anything else you want Dani and I to cover, drop them in the comments because we would love to make this a regular thing.

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0:00:00 Welcome back from Kentucky & meet Dani!

0:00:51 How Katie & Dani met through Kalvin

0:02:50 What Dani actually does behind the scenes

0:05:49 The Friends episode that describes life at Running Springs 😂

0:07:23 Showing three totally different horses at Kentucky

0:09:38 Denver's first western pleasure class & the Aaron conversation

0:11:07 Futurities & maturities explained

0:15:14 Riding Hollywood & the differences between all three horses

0:19:24 Kennedy's prep & what Aaron discovered

0:24:43 Aaron teaches Kennedy the piaffe & pirouette

0:32:08 Western pleasure as an entry level & defending the discipline

0:36:03 AQHA level system explained

0:40:33 Weezy, Penelopey & what's next

0:42:27 Wrapping up

#KatchingUpWithKatie #KatieVanSlyke #QuarterHorse #AQHA #WesternPleasure #WesternRiding #HorseShow #Denver #Kennedy #Hollywood #KentuckyHorsePark

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Hey y'all, I'm Katie! Welcome to my channel where I share my passion for horses, cattle and life on the farm. From equestrian care and outdoor adventures to everyday moments on the farm, I'm here to give you a glimpse into my world and hopefully inspire others to learn, and live life to the fullest.