The INSANE Mental Pressure of Being a Million-Dollar Horse Vet

Kody Porterfield

What’s it really like carrying the pressure of million-dollar horses, high-stakes decisions, and the emotional weight of doing what’s best for the horse every single day?

This week on the 817 Podcast, Dr. Scott Strosniter joins us for one of the most honest and powerful conversations we’ve had yet.

We dive into:

• The mental pressure behind elite equine veterinary medicine

• Million-dollar pre-purchase exams

• Failure, stress, and learning through hard moments

• The explosive growth of the horse industry in Texas

• Family, mentorship, and legacy

• The emotional reality of caring for horses and the people behind them

• The INSANE future of horse medicine with MRI and CT technology

From hilarious stories to deep life lessons, this episode goes far beyond horses. Discover the pressure, purpose, leadership, and building required to reach greatness.

Dr. Scott Strosniter also shares powerful insight on fatherhood, mentorship, and why communication matters more than most people realize in the horse industry.

If you’re a competitor, trainer, business owner, veterinarian, or just someone chasing excellence... this episode is for you.

#CuttingHorses #HorseIndustry #817Podcast

From Firefighter to Horse Trainer… You Won’t Believe This Story

Kody Porterfield

WOULD YOU WALK AWAY? What would it take for you to leave everything behind…

Your career. Your identity. Your security.

In this episode of the 817 Podcast, we sit down with a man who did exactly that — walking away from a life as a firefighter to chase something completely different… all while discovering a deeper purpose along the way.

This isn’t just a career change story.

This conversation is about:

• Facing real pressure in life-or-death situations

• Wrestling with identity, fear, and uncertainty

• Seeing how God shows up in the moments you don’t understand

• Learning why winning and losing don’t define who you are

• Developing the mindset to keep going when everything tells you to quit

You’ll also hear:

• The raw realities of being a firefighter, including moments that will stay with you

• The internal shift that changed everything

• How one decision redirected the entire course of his life

• Why chasing purpose is harder, but always worth it

• The truth about resilience, faith, and starting over

• This episode will challenge you big time.

It will make you ask:
What am I doing that I know I shouldn’t be?
What am I holding onto that I need to let go of?
Is fear the only thing keeping me where I am?

And maybe most importantly…
Would you walk away?

If this episode hit you, share it with someone who needs this message.

#RealMenTalk #LifeChange #PurposeDriven

This Couple Built an Empire Starting With $150 Rent & Pure Grit

Kody Porterfield

Michael and Jenny Cooper started with $150 rent… rats in the house… and no real plan for the future.

What happened next?A journey built on grit, faith, and relentless work that you can apply in your life today! This is the kind of story that you feel in your bones.

In this NEW episode of The 817 Podcast, Kody Porterfield sits down with Michael and Jenny Cooper to unpack how they went from surviving day-to-day… to building a life and legacy most only dream about.

This conversation goes way beyond horses or business…It’s about resilience, partnership, and what happens when you refuse to quit, no matter how hard life in the cutting world gets.

YOU’LL ALSO HEAR:

* What it was really like living on $150 rent with nothing to fall back on
* The moment everything could’ve fallen apart… but didn’t
* How Michael and Jenny built a business from scratch with zero connections
* The role faith and family played in their toughest seasons
* Why most people would’ve quit early (and why they didn’t)
* The mindset shift that drastically changed everything and led to $6m in earnings
* Gems on what real success looks like after the struggle

If you need hope, encouragement, and inspiration today, this one is for you!

Share this with someone who needs a reminder to keep going.

#EntrepreneurStory #SuccessStory #RanchLife

“I Didn’t Know If I’d Ride Again…” | Lee Francois Testimony

Kody Porterfield

Lee Francois didn’t just build a $4 million career in the cutting pen…He nearly walked away from it all.

After years of grinding, winning, and chasing success at the highest level, burnout hit.

Then came the moment that changed everything… he was in a hospital bed, unsure if he’d ever ride again.

In this episode of The 817 Podcast, Lee shares the full, unfiltered story behind his journey, from a young kid who knew he was called to train horses… to becoming one of the most respected names in the cutting horse industry… to facing the reality of losing it all.

From early days watching legends in Augusta…

To working for top trainers and finding his edge…

From the rise of a once-in-a-lifetime horse to winning at the highest level…

To the moment that forced him to slow down, refocus, and rediscover his purpose…

This is deeper than a horse story. It’s about identity, burnout, faith, and realizing success means nothing if it costs you your life.

You’ll hear:

• The moment he knew he was called to be a horse trainer
• Why “great horses make great trainers” is more true than people realize
• The hidden cost of success in the cutting horse industry
• What happened in the hospital that changed his perspective forever
• How faith reshaped his career, family, and future
• The truth about balance, purpose, and longevity in the sport

Lee opens up about pressure, purpose, family, and the reality of chasing greatness — and what it takes to keep going when everything in you wants to quit.

If you’re in the cutting horse world, chasing a dream, battling burnout, or searching for purpose in what you do — this episode is for you.

This is the story of what happens when everything you built is put on the line… and you’re forced to decide what really matters.

#CuttingHorse #CowboyLife #FaithStory

What Joey Jingoli Knows About Starting Over That Most People Don’t

Kody Porterfield

What Joey Jingoli Knows About Starting Over That Most People Don’t: real change takes honesty, surrender, faith, discipline, and the willingness to build a new life one day at a time.

In this raw and real episode of the 817 Podcast, Joey Jingoli shares his powerful story of addiction, recovery, faith, business, horses, and redemption. He opens up about nearly losing his life at a young age, getting sober on April 8, 1985, and how prayer, hard work, and God’s grace helped him build a completely different future. Joey also gives the inside scoop about learning to ride cutting horses, finding purpose through helping others, and why slowing down and staying present can change everything.

YOU’LL ALSO HEAR:

• How Joey overcame addiction and stayed sober for over four decades

• Why prayer and conscious contact with God changed his life

• What cutting horses taught him about discipline, humility, and learning

• Why asking for help is one of the strongest things a person can do

• How recovery, purpose, and service can rebuild a life

• Why slowing down and being present matters more than most people realize

• From nearly dying as a teenager to 41 years sober, Joey’s story is proof that a completely different life is possible

• After building businesses, restoring a 500-acre farm, and helping dozens of people in recovery, Joey shows what can happen when faith meets discipline

Joey Jingoli’s story is a powerful reminder that through faith, surrender, and discipline, even the most broken past can be transformed into a life of purpose.

#JoeyJingoli #RecoveryStory #FaithAndPurpose

What Kenny Platt Knows About Winning That Most People Don’t

Kody Porterfield

What Kenny Platt Knows About Winning That Most People Don’t: Winning isn’t just talent, skill, and hard work. It’s pressure, failure, discipline, preparation, and the willingness to keep showing up when it gets hard.

In this NEW episode of the 817 Podcast, Kenny Platt shares what it really takes to compete at the highest level. He opens up about the fear of failure, the responsibility he feels to his team and family, the mindset behind big moments, and why true winners are forged through struggle. This conversation is packed with hard-earned wisdom on performance, accountability, consistency, and what separates people who want to win from people who are built for it.

YOU’LL ALSO HEAR:

• Why failure is part of the process of becoming a winner

• How Kenny handles pressure in high-stakes moments

• What consistency and preparation really look like

• Why accountability matters when people are counting on you

• How struggle, adjustment, and discipline shape champions

• What separates talented people from true competitors

From just wanting to mark a 70 to making nearly $240,000 at one event, Kenny Platt’s story is proof that grit, adjustment, and refusing to quit can lead to life-changing wins.

#KennyPlatt #CuttingHorsePodcast #WinningMindset

He Had 1 Horse, No Trailer… Then Won $7 Million in Cutting

Kody Porterfield

Paul had one horse… no trailer… and no clear plan.

What happened next? 
Over $7 million in winnings, a Hall of Fame career, and a legacy that changed the cutting horse industry forever.

In this NEW episode of the 817 Podcast, we sit down with legendary horseman Paul Hansma to unpack the real story behind the success: the struggles, the mindset, the faith, and the moments that almost broke him. This story is about what happens when consistency, purpose, and trusting God’s plan are applied even when nothing makes sense.

YOU’LL ALSO HEAR:

• The unexpected moment that changed the direction of his entire career

• What separates a good horse trainer from a great one

• The biggest lesson he learned after decades at the top

• Why most people quit too early (and regret it later)

• The real reason consistency beats talent — every time

• His perspective on legacy, family, and what actually matters in the end

If you’ve ever felt like you’re starting with nothing… this episode is for you.

#HorseBreeding #FaithAndSuccess #CuttingHorse

He Walked Away From the Arena to Change Lives in Africa | Darren Simpkins Reinvention Story

Kody Porterfield

Darren Simpkins came to America chasing horses, competition, and the kind of success most people dream about.

He made it.

But after years at the top of the cutting horse world, another calling started pulling on his life.

In this episode of The 817 Podcast, Cody sits down with Darren Simpkins, who shares how horses brought him to the United States, how faith carried him through major life changes, and why he stepped away from a full-time training career to help bring clean water to villages in Africa.

From chasing dreams in the cutting horse arena…To walking away from the only identity he had known for decades.From winning at the highest level…To helping families who have never had access to clean water.

This is bigger than a horse story.

It’s about purpose, compassion, faith, and what happens when success stops being just about you.

You’ll hear:

• Why Darren came to America from Australia to chase the horse business
• What it felt like to step away from training and showing full time
• How faith helped him navigate change in midlife
• The reality of helping villages in Uganda get clean water
• Why compassion matters more than money, titles, or successHow the cutting horse community is helping change lives far beyond the arena

Darren also shares stories from Africa, what it’s like seeing people experience clean water for the first time, and why helping others has become more fulfilling than anything he ever won in the show pen.

If you’re in the cutting horse industry, love stories about faith, real success, and purpose — this episode is for you.

This is the story of a Hall of Fame rider who found a bigger purpose beyond the arena.

#CuttingHorses #Africa #WaterWells

The Cowboy Who Almost Threw It All Away | Clay Johnson’s Redemption Story #3

Kody Porterfield

Clay Johnson was living the wild cowboy life — long nights, bad decisions, and running with a rough crew. The kind of road that usually doesn’t end with a second chance.

By his own words, there were years when he was making “every bad decision possible.”

In this episode of your new favorite “The 817 Podcast,” Clay Johnson sits down with Kody to tell the full story, not the social media-friendly version. From a kid growing up in Post, Texas, who only wanted to be a cowboy, to the destructive years that nearly cost him everything, to the moment his life completely changed.

From building fence hungover to riding colts and working feedlots…From bouncing between ranch jobs trying to stay afloat…From wondering if he’d make it to the next year…The journey he shares in this interview led him to become one of the most respected trainers in the cutting horse industry.

But this story isn’t really about winning horse shows.

It’s about hitting a point where something had to change.

You’ll hear:

• Clay’s wild cowboy years and the bad decisions that almost took him down
• The moment he realized he needed to turn his life around
• Getting sober and living 7 years without a drop of alcohol
• The role faith and family played in saving his life
• The path that led to winning the NCHA Super Stakes and Futurity
• Why helping others matters more to him now than winning

Clay also shares what it takes to make it in the cutting horse world, the mentors who shaped him along the way, and the lessons he hopes the next generation of trainers will learn.

This episode is about cowboy life, redemption, faith, and second chances.

If you're part of the cutting horse industry, love ranch life, or believe people can change their life with one decision… this story is for you.

This is the REAL story of the cowboy who almost threw it all away.

#CuttingHorses #CowboyLife #RanchLife

“Do What’s Best for the Horse.” The Mindset Behind Real Winners

Kody Porterfield

Do what’s best for the horse at all times, even when it costs you the win.

In this episode of the 817 Podcast, Billy Wolf shares the mindset that separates real winners from everyone else: integrity over ego, long-term vision over short-term glory, and building a team that protects the horse at all costs.

From selling his concrete empire to building one of the most dominant cutting horse programs in the industry, Billy opens up about what it actually takes to win consistently. The best owners and trainers always choose what’s right over what’s flashy.

You’ll hear:

• Why Austin Shepherd’s first instinct is always “let’s do what’s best for the horse.”
• The truth about highs, lows, and hard lessons after winning the Futurity
• How championship programs are built on trust, not pressure
• Why surrounding yourself with the right people matters more than talent
• The mindset shift that turned a first-time owner into a powerhouse breeder

This isn’t just about cutting horses.

It’s about leadership, character, and building something that lasts.

If you care about winning the right way, this one’s for you.

Share this with your tribe!

#CuttingHorse #DoWhatsBestForTheHorse #WinningMindset