Solid in the Saddle

In this episode I sit down with Casey French of Match Made Equine. We dive into what makes a good horse-rider match and what makes a bad one.

This podcast goes there- it's not often discussed, and is honestly a little embarrassing to discuss when it goes wrong! But it doesn't have to be like that. 2 of the most common things she sees are 1) Green horse, green rider and 2) Riders who have lost muscle mass due to age or having kids (hint: this one can be fixed with the correct rider fitness program!)

We also talk about bloodlines that are more forgiving vs. ones that aren't, the value in older horses, and how much the trainability and success of a young horse can depend on the success of the mare it's out of. I learned so much from Casey and I wish she had been around when I was young- it would've saved my parents and I a lot of heartbreak, time, tears, and money!

Casey and I created a handy little "Horse-Rider Matrix" that you can use as a quick guide when determining which type of horse you should be looking at based on your goals, temperament, and fitness level. You can access the free Matrix here: https://www.solidinthesaddle.com/offers/3C5LxPWR

This course is brought to you by Ride Strong 101: Unstable to Unshakeable in 8 Weeks. If you bought a horse before listening to this episode that is maybe a little too powerful for you, or a little too spooky, you'll be AMAZED at what 8 weeks of balance, strength, mobility, and agility training can do for your riding. Learn more at www.solidinthesaddle.com/rideconfident101 

If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a rating or review! Thank you! 

-Dr. Aleisha

In this episode I sit down with the amazing Maggie Poloncic who is a world-class barrel racing jockey. Maggie is one of the strongest and most athletic barrel racers I've ever seen, and it has paid off heavily for her in a sport of managing 1200 lb animals.

Maggie discusses her background in dance and how that helped her develop precise proprioception and coordination in every joint in her body. She describes how strength training has given her confidence to compete at the highest level. Maggie tells the story of her famous horse "Ain't Seen Me Yet" or "Puff" who has LTE of over 600k. We discuss an injury that Puff sustained that Maggie successfully rehabilitated her from to return to the winner's circle.

We also discuss another of Maggie's horses, "Ain't Seen Her Yet" or JJ, who has also had great success with Maggie in the saddle, though it wasn't always that easy for her! Hear about JJ's rough start being labeled "dangerous" and the plan that Maggie figured out to get around her.

This course is brought to you by COMPETE, our course for high-level competitors that are looking to shave time off the clock by being more balanced, fit, and agile. You can learn more here: www.solidinthesaddle.com/compete .

Looking for a free core workout to get you started toward riding like Maggie? (JK, but she did say having a strong core is a huge part!) Head to www.solidinthesaddle.com/core .

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating or review. This helps us reach and empower other horseback riders!

If you compete with your horses, then you NEED to listen to this episode! Coach Katie Lovett of the nationally-ranked UMW Volleyball team drops valuable tips and advice for those looking to maximize their competitive potential.

Coach Katie discusses mindset in high-stress situations, cultivating and maintaining a positive mindset, and the importance of physical AND mental readiness to compete. She discusses some of her favorite sports psychology resources that have helped her and her players.

Whether or not you consider yourself in this way, horseback riders are ATHLETES. This episode will help you shift your mindset into preparing both yourself and your horse to compete at the highest level possible for you both.

This course is brought to you by COMPETE, our online workout course designed specifically for high-level riders who compete in any high-speed event with their horse.

You can sign up or learn more at www.solidinthesaddle.com/compete .

To get your free core workout for horseback riders, head to www.solidinthesaddle.com/core .

If you enjoyed this episode and would like to see more like it, please leave a review on iTunes or Spotify! Reviews and 5 star ratings help this podcast reach more people and allow us to continue to interview high-quality guests.

Dr. Aleisha discusses how to hack your brain to incorporate healthy habits into your life as a horseback rider to optimize performance and health. She gives a clear, 3-step process setting riding goals and creating a plan to reach them.

She discusses the 4 laws of habit change from James Clear's book, "Atomic Habits," and dives into how each of these laws can be used in the busy life schedule of a horseback rider. 

You can purchase Ride Strong 101 for 15% off with a discount code exclusive for podcast listeners: use code PODCAST at checkout. Sign up today at www.solidinthesaddle.com/rideconfident101 

In this episode I sit down and talk all things horse wellness and rehabilitation with Summer Nicole Terry of Superior Rehabilitation. Summer is an expert body worker who specializes in performance horses. We talk about useful tools for building a horse's strength including toppline, hind end, proprioception, and core.

We discuss the pros and cons of swimming horses vs. using a modality like aquatred. Summer dives into why long trotting may NOT be good for conditioning barrel horses and some safer alternatives for your horse's stifles. She discusses how a rider's fitness or lack of fitness may lead to quicker degeneration of this joint.

Speaking of stifles, Summer discusses some common stifle injuries and how she has rehabbed her own horses from stifle surgery.

This episode is brought to you by Ride Strong 101: Unstable to Unshakeable in 8 Weeks, our signature physical and mental rider strengthening program. You can sign up or learn more at www.solidinthesaddle.com/rideconfident101

To get a FREE core workout for horseback riders, head to www.solidinthesaddle.com/core

 If you liked this episode and want to see more like it, please leave a rating or review for us on iTunes or Spotify. We are so grateful for the listener support that helps our show grow to reach more riders!

In this episode (Part 2/2) I sit down with world-renowned barrel racing trainer Shannon Kerr to continue our conversation on making the absolute best barrel horses in the world. She discusses the recent world-record breaking run on a standard pattern set by Anderson Carreira and Black Cat Lider.

We discuss all of the questions that were asked in our polls leading up to this episode, so if you submitted a question, tune in to hear Shannon's answer!

She graciously took the time to answer each question thoroughly and completely. And she totally shifted my perspective on exhibitioning!

This episode is brought to you by our fitness course for competitors, COMPETE. You can learn more at www.solidinthesaddle.com/compete.

If you'd like the free core workout for riders mentioned in this podcast, you can head to www.solidinthesaddle.com/core.

You can reach Shannon Kerr on Facebook and Instagram as well as view her products at www.skequine.com

And if you enjoyed this podcast, please rate and leave a review to help us reach more riders!

In this episode I sit down with the legendary Shannon Kerr. Shannon Kerr is a world-renowned barrel racing trainer who currently resides in Brazil. She got her start on racehorses, dabbled in jumping and dressage, and found her passion in barrel racing where she had success and trained for Judd Little. She’s trained horses in the United States, Italy, and now Brazil. Her natural talent and drive to succeed has resulted in a successful transition into the world’s toughest barrel racing scene, where the horses are frequently running low 16’s on a standard pattern.  

This episode is chock-full of information including how to prevent horses from tying up, building up fitness and strength in a young horse, the differences in training American barrel horses vs. Brazilian barrel horses, and her horse fitness routine since Brazilians cannot use medications like Lasix to run barrels. And YES- I ask about the leaning of the Brazilian riders! Her response may surprise you like it surprised me. 

I can promise you're not going to want to miss this one. Shannon is an expert in horse care and she drops valuable nuggets of information throughout the episode for the listeners. 

This episode is brought to you by COMPETE, our online performance training workout course for competitive riders. If you're looking to shave time off the clock, you need this course. Even Shannon herself works out despite riding horses every day- she says it's crucial to helping her ride well and not get behind in a run. 

Check it out here at: www.solidinthesaddle.com/compete

You can find Shannon on all social platforms at Shannon Kerr. 

Her website is https://www.skequineproducts.com/ 

In this episode I sit down with Kalena Webb, founder of Women of the Wild West Horse Show. She discusses how the Sale came about as well as the events that are involved with it today. This is an ALL WOMEN event, so grab your girlfriends and come to Gooding, Idaho to see some high-quality horses consigned by women!

Breakaway roping: Saturday, May 24

$25,000 added Barrel Race: Sunday, May 25

Horse Sale: Monday, May 26

Vendor booths throughout the weekend. 

Stop by and see our Solid in the Saddle Trailer where you can get a massage, riding analysis, or run review with exercises to help you where you need it. 

I'll also be there with the wonderful Montana Made Meats & Tallow! Check them out here: https://montanamademeats.com/ 

This episode is brought to you by Ride Strong 101: Unstable to Unshakeable in 8 Weeks. Transform your riding from nervous, timid, and weak to strong, confident, and enjoy your horse once again. Sign up today and get personalized help weekly from Dr. Aleisha. Join here: Ride Strong 101

In this episode I dive DEEP with Whitley Sharp into all things success-related. Both Whitley and I strongly believe that there is always a way to make your dreams come true and this episode is a peek through the keyhole of how to make that happen.

She shares the experiences, work, time, and strategies she has used to get where she is today. Whitley is an extremely hard worker and she is getting to reap the fruits of her labor now after years of hustling and never giving up. She offers valuable nuggets of wisdom for riders who aren't currently where they want to be in terms of horsepower.

I'll be listening to this episode for years to come and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did!

This episode is brought to you by our course for competitors, COMPETE. You can sign up at www.solidinthesaddle.com/compete .

If you enjoy this episode, please leave a review and subscribe to hear more episodes!

In this episode I get a chance to sit down and hear Diana Morris's story of competing on many different horses over the years before barrel racing before the "D" system was in place. Diana shares her extensive background in rodeo and on a fun side note she discusses the TV Show "1923" being filmed at her ranch.

Recently Diana has focused on physical fitness with Solid in the Saddle programs to improve her riding, knee pain, and back strength. She ends the episode by sharing a solid tip about the mental side of having success in the arena.

This episode is brought to you by Six Weeks to Solid in the Saddle, our introductory course for riders looking to gain core, back, and leg strength to feel strong and confident on their horses. Learn more at www.solidinthesaddle.com/six.