In this episode of The Elevated Equestrian, Swiss Olympian and 5★ rider Felix Vogg joins me for a genuinely honest conversation about what it takes to stay competitive in one of the toughest sports in the world. We dig into the mental side of elite eventing—how he processes setbacks, why he doesn’t let failure freeze him, and what actually went through his mind after a heartbreaking fall at Badminton. Felix opens up about how he rebuilt, how he kept believing in his horses, and how that approach ultimately led to major wins at Maryland and Petroni later in the season.

We talk about the years-long foundation behind a top event horse, why he rarely buys anything older than seven, and how individualized fitness and slow, patient development shape the longevity of a career. Felix shares why downsizing his string was one of the smartest decisions he’s made, how still grooming and handling his horses himself deepens their trust, and why understanding a horse on the ground matters just as much as riding them well. He also speaks candidly about the realities of running a high-performance program without endless owners or resources, and how that has shaped both his horsemanship and his mindset.

If you’re interested in 5★ eventing, long-term horse development, the psychology of elite athletes, or what it truly takes behind the scenes to produce and maintain top horses, this conversation gives a rare, grounded look at all of it. It’s thoughtful, detailed, and full of insight for anyone who wants to build a stronger partnership or push their own riding forward.

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In this episode, Samantha sits down with rider, trainer, and tech sales professional Jacqueline Burke of Hablyn Hills Equestrian to unpack what it actually looks like to build a sustainable equestrian life without losing the love for the sport. Jacqueline shares how she went from broke working student with an FEI horse that couldn’t stay sound, to a successful career in tech sales and owning a 25-acre farm with 16 horses and a thriving training program.

They dive into the surprising overlap between selling horses and selling software, the reality of stepping away from competition to get financially stable, why teaching became a core pillar of her business, and how she juggles remote work, a barn, staff, students, Florida/Aiken trips, and motherhood—with intention instead of burnout.

If you’re trying to figure out how to afford your horse goals without living in constant survival mode, this one’s for you.

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This week, I sit down with trainer and former upper-level event rider Madison Solosi for a refreshingly honest look at what it really takes to reinvent yourself in this sport. Madison grew up homeschooled on a Michigan farm her parents built from scratch, went to Scotland to train with the legendary Ian Stark instead of college, competed through Intermediate, and eventually made the move to Virginia to build a business in a place with a deeper horse community.

We talk about the mental and physical shift from eventing to show jumping, the culture shock of entering a new discipline, learning to be “the new kid” again, finding community in the jumper world, managing a 15-stall training program, and figuring out how to stay competitive while raising a family and rehabbing from a major injury.

It’s a conversation about identity, ambition, resilience, and what it looks like to start over when the sport you love demands something different from you.

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What if listening to your horse’s no actually created a stronger, braver, more confident performance partner?
In this episode, Samantha Baer sits down with equine behavior specialist Adele Shaw to unravel the science and nuance behind choice, agency, and communication in performance horses. They talk about the difference between confusion, fear, pain, and true unwillingness, and how recognizing early signs of stress can prevent shutdown, blow-ups, and long-term behavioral issues.

Adele explains how positive reinforcement works on a scientific level, why “kind” pressure is still pressure, and how riders can shift into training habits that build clarity instead of dependency on whips, spurs, and force. Samantha shares stories from the show-jumping and eventing world that highlight the real consequences of ignoring a horse’s signals—and the surprising transformation that happens when you adapt your training instead of pushing harder.

This episode blends science, emotion, practicality, and real-world performance experiences. It’s an invitation to reexamine what partnership actually means and how much more a horse can offer when they’re given a voice in the process.

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Equine physiotherapist and trauma-informed trainer Yasmine Stewart joins Samantha Baer on The Elevated Equestrian to explore how posture, pain, and performance are deeply connected to a horse’s lived experience. Together they dive into what “neutral spine” really means in motion, how enrichment and curiosity can create physical change faster than drills, and why honoring a horse’s agency can actually accelerate progress—not slow it down.

Yasmine explains how nervous-system regulation shapes soundness, shares the link between trauma and posture, and offers a practical lens for navigating complex rehab cases like kissing spines and arena aversion. She and Samantha also dig into the gray areas of performance—how competition pressure affects both horses and humans, and whether true consent and high performance can ever fully coexist.

If you’ve ever questioned traditional “make it happen” training or wondered how to protect welfare without losing direction, this episode will challenge and inspire you to see your horse—and yourself—differently.
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Why Producing Horses in America No Longer Makes Financial Sense

French entrepreneur and horsewoman Marjory Berkache, founder of Equisale Sport Horses, joins Samantha for a brutally honest look at the real economics of horse sales and production in 2025. From importing horses from Europe to navigating pre-purchase exams and buyer expectations, Marjory breaks down why the U.S. market has become nearly impossible for breeders, trainers, and professionals to sustain.

They dive deep into what’s driving global price inflation in horses—the rising cost of hay and farriers, America’s obsession with perfect x-rays, the surge of Chinese buyers in Europe, and how lease-to-buy agreements are reshaping the entire sales landscape. Marjory also shares insider insight on why only 18% of trainers actually pay themselves a salary and how the “show every weekend” mindset is breaking both horses and professionals.

This episode is a masterclass in understanding the real business of horses—what it costs, why it’s changing, and what it will take to fix it.

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In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Patricia Bona – human and animal chiropractor and creator of the Posture Prep cross-fiber grooming system – to talk about what your horse’s body is really trying to tell you. We get into posture as a true language, why dents, dings, girthiness, and “just hates grooming” are massive red flags, and how tight skin, scar tissue, and poor foot balance quietly shape your horse’s entire way of going.

We also dig into the rider side: symmetry, old injuries, nervous systems, and how our habits in the car, in the barn, and in the saddle all feed into what the horse has to carry. If you’ve ever wondered whether your horse is actually “just a mare” or if you’re missing something important under your hand while you curry, this conversation will change how you look at your horse’s body forever.

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What really happens when a horse gets to say no? In this episode, equine behavior consultant Brie Simpson of Grow Horsemanship joins Samantha for a deep dive into the science and feel behind positive and negative reinforcement, consent-based training, and what it actually means to give horses real choice and control. They unpack why “positive” doesn’t always mean kind, how timing—not tools—creates understanding, and how to recognize the moment a horse shifts from confusion to confidence. They explore thresholds, pressure that teaches versus pressure that shuts down, and the difference between compliance and true connection. From trailer loading and impulse control to fading food rewards and redefining what ethical training looks like in sport, this is one of those conversations that will quietly change the way you see everything you do with horses.

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What if “feel” wasn’t intuition—but science you can learn? In this episode, Samantha sits down with Dr. Andrew McLean, zoologist, equitation scientist, and founder of Equitation Science International, to decode how horses actually learn. They dive into negative and positive reinforcement, classical conditioning, and the myth of “leg-into-hand.” You’ll learn why seat-only stops fade after five reps, how to retrain OTTBs who pull on the bit, the two-beat rule for perfect halts, and what true half halts look like.

They also unpack arousal and downregulation, scratching at the wither as a physiological reward, and why giving horses touch, forage time, and agency can change their mental state. This is horsemanship stripped down to what the horse’s brain can understand—science that makes “feel” teachable.

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Learn how to read your horse’s mood, mindset, and nervous system in just three seconds. In this Hack Chat, Samantha breaks down the subtle body language cues hidden in something as simple as how your horse takes a cookie. Discover how lip tension, breathing, and small reactions reveal whether your horse is calm, anxious, or shut down—and how to use that information to build trust, improve relaxation, and create a better ride from the ground up.