The Mounting Block - Riding, Life, and Laughs, Because We're Over 40 and Still Getting a Leg Over!

Horse shopping sounds exciting… until you’re dodging bucking broncos and questioning every listing like it’s online dating for horses. This week, we’re deep in the reality of finding “the one” for Marissa, the highs, the red flags, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it.

From unexpected pig roots in the arena to the sobering truth that great horses set a very high bar, Oriel and Marissa unpack what they’re learning about risk, confidence, and trusting their gut (and sometimes, not the ad).

Then they shift gears into a powerful conversation with returning guest Fiona Spence, diving into something many of us don’t even realise we’re carrying — micro trauma. The small, repeated experiences that quietly shape how we react, perform, and show up in life… from the arena to the office.

If you’ve ever wondered why your confidence dips, why certain situations trigger you, or why you keep repeating patterns — this episode connects the dots.

It’s raw, honest, a little chaotic… and a reminder that whether it’s horses or life, there’s always more going on beneath the surface.

In this episode of The Mounting Block, we sit down with Olympic three-day eventer Rebel Morrow—and let’s just say, it’s equal parts inspiring, humbling, and wildly relatable.

From buying her Olympic horse for just $300 (yes, really) to finishing 11th in the world at the Athens Olympics, Rebel shares the raw, unfiltered reality behind elite equestrian sport. No perfect pathway, no grand plan—just instinct, grit, and a whole lot of heart.

We unpack the highs of competing on the world stage, the unexpected lows that come after, and the reality of what it takes to get there (and stay there). Plus, we dive into fear, confidence, rebuilding after setbacks, and why sometimes the biggest lessons come from the horses that don’t work out.

Alongside Rebel’s incredible story, we share our own updates—from first competitions and riding breakthroughs to the emotional decision to retire a much-loved horse.

It’s a conversation about resilience, perspective, and the beautifully chaotic journey of being a horse person—whether you’re aiming for the Olympics or just trying to canter over a pole without panicking.

In this thoughtful and refreshingly honest episode of The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel kick things off with their usual horsey catch-up, sharing updates on groundwork with Hickatee as she continues to recover, and Laney’s lesson prep ahead of an upcoming dressage protocol day. From invisible lead ropes and flag coordination struggles to the realities of training transitions and halts, it’s a relatable look at the learning curves, small wins, and humour that come with horse life.

The heart of the episode is a powerful conversation with returning guest Claire Riley, who opens up about her “accidental” journey to more than 14 months sober. Claire shares how what began as a simple two-week detox turned into a much bigger lifestyle shift, and speaks candidly about grey area drinking, habit loops, social pressures, parenting, confidence, health, and what changed when alcohol was no longer part of her everyday life. It’s not a conversation about rock bottom, but about the quiet middle ground so many women may recognise in themselves.

This episode is honest, warm, funny and deeply thought-provoking — a conversation about identity, habits, self-awareness and what can happen when you give yourself the freedom to do things differently.

This week on The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel kick things off with a very real horsey debrief after a day that did not go to plan — from Hickatee feeling off in work to Laney’s unexpected leg injury during groundwork. It’s a raw and relatable chat about the emotional roller coaster of horse ownership, the guilt riders carry, and why sometimes even the calmest days at pony club can unravel fast.

Then the conversation shifts from horse dramas to parenting in the digital age, as the girls are joined by Carol Mackie-Dadds from Triple P Parenting. Together they unpack one of the biggest challenges modern families face: screen time. From iPads, gaming and TV to social media risks, family rules, neurodiverse kids, and how to create healthy habits without constant battles, this episode is packed with practical advice, reassurance, and honest discussion for parents trying to get it right.

No wine today, which frankly feels suspicious given the week that was.

Marissa kicks things off with the saga of Hickatee’s mystery lip injury — an incident involving stitches, rain-washed paddock evidence, and the shocking revelation that she is, in fact, wildly squeamish at the sight of horse blood. Nearly fainting while the vet insisted she stand on the exact side of the wound? Yes. Character building? Also yes.

What could have been a stressful horse week somehow turns into a victory tour. There’s solo float driving (accompanied by the classic “I’m not scared” internal monologue), a sore hand from aggressively gripping the steering wheel, and a surprisingly drama-free unloading.. growth all around.

Then comes the moment that absolutely no non-horse person will appreciate properly: a canter over a single pole. Objectively minor. Emotionally enormous. After extensive pre-panic and attempted psychic negotiation with the instructor, the pole is cantered. The world does not end. Confidence levels rise.

With Hickatee temporarily off duty, Marissa dives into groundwork with Will from Equine on the Move, tackling lunging, energy, timing, and the realisation that the biggest training challenge is often the human brain, not the horse. Shocking, we know.

The girls are then joined by Santa Monica author and wine aficionado Danielle Frank, who brings laughs and unexpected depth with her brilliantly titled book A Wine Lover’s Guide to Parenting: The Fine Art of WINE and WHINE Management. Between wine wisdom, life plot twists, and brutally relatable truths about happiness not always following the original script, things get both funny and surprisingly wise.

Also featured: forgotten anniversaries, marital competence comparisons, and the usual Mounting Block chaos.

Business as usual, really.

In this episode of The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel kick things off in classic style – joking about wine, bravery, and the small acts of courage it sometimes takes just to show up and have real conversations. It’s light, honest, and very on-brand, setting the tone for an episode that blends humour with meaningful depth.

They’re joined by Leslie, a life coach calling in from Vietnam, who describes herself as both a coach and an “anti-life coach” – someone deeply aware of the harm parts of the personal development industry can cause. As the conversation unfolds, the focus turns to toxic positivity: the well-meaning but often damaging habit of glossing over pain with platitudes like “just stay positive” or “everything happens for a reason.”

Leslie explains how relentless optimism can dismiss lived experience, reinforce inequality, and place unfair pressure on people to simply “think better” when real systemic or personal barriers exist. Together, the group explores confidence, imposter syndrome, and why so many women struggle when returning to the workforce after time away – not because they lack ability, but because the narrative around success is broken.

Marissa shares her own reaction to toxic positivity and why it can shut people down rather than lift them up, while Leslie outlines a values-based coaching approach that prioritises listening, ethical support, and asking better questions instead of offering surface-level advice.

This episode is a reminder that growth doesn’t come from fake positivity or love-and-light slogans. It comes from courage (sometimes fuelled by wine), honest conversations, and the bravery to sit with discomfort – together.

In this episode of The Mounting Block, Oriel is finally back after a big family adventure through the US, complete with snow, national parks, margaritas (the strong kind), and a whole lot of memories. While she was away, Marissa held down the fort with the horses, did some solo riding… and casually bought a horse float from overseas.

As the girls ease into 2026 (and confront some very questionable age maths), they reflect on friendship, horses, growing older, new plans for the podcast, and what’s ahead for The Mounting Block — including merch, bigger ideas, and supporting riders at every stage of life.

The conversation then turns deeper with special guest Dr Camille, a PhD medical researcher and coach who works closely with mothers navigating guilt, burnout, and unrealistic expectations. Together, they unpack mum guilt, shame vs healthy guilt, the mental and emotional load, default parenting, and why frozen meals, cereal for dinner, and asking for help might actually make you a better parent — not a worse one.

It’s honest, funny, validating, and deeply relatable! A reminder that you’re not alone, you’re a good parent having a hard time, and sometimes letting go is the bravest thing you can do.

In this empowering episode of The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel welcome a very special guest: leadership, confidence and mindset coach Fiona Spence. With a background that spans corporate burnout, martial arts, deep mindset work and years of helping people transform their lives, Fiona brings a powerful mix of wisdom, humour and no-nonsense clarity.

Together, the trio unpack why so many of us — especially women in our 40s and 50s — feel stuck, lose confidence or procrastinate even when we know exactly what we want. Fiona explains how our “hindbrain” is wired for survival (not success), why familiar patterns feel safe even when they keep us small, and how procrastination is often your brain’s misguided attempt to ‘protect’ you from change.

Using fascinating stories, simple analogies (including washing-up mindfulness!), and deeply practical strategies, Fiona shows how mindset blocks form, how to recognise them, and the small actions that trigger huge shifts. She also dives into how deeper coaching works — from conversational hypnosis to uncovering root causes hidden in our unconscious minds.

This episode is equal parts insight, laughter, vulnerability and lightbulb moments. Whether you're rebuilding confidence, exploring new dreams, navigating midlife changes, or simply wanting to understand your mind better, this conversation is full of “aha” moments and gentle but powerful truth bombs.

A beautifully human reminder that growth starts with recognising the issue, owning it, and taking the smallest next step — and that sometimes, we all need a little bit of Fiona in our lives.

This week on The Mounting Block, it’s been A LOT. Oriel rides solo in her lesson (and misses Marissa terribly), we fall head-first into the absolute minefield that is horse float shopping (kitchens? tack boxes? air-con for the horses?!), and Oriel shares the story of copping a full-face head-butt from Hickatee and ending up at the doctor before the school Christmas concert.

Then we’re joined by the incredible Gemma Manning – entrepreneur, author of About This Girl, single mum and all-round powerhouse. Gemma takes us from growing up on a fish farm in Cairns, to being pushed out of corporate life after having a baby, to building an international business across Australia and Asia entirely off her own back. We talk about misogyny that still shows up in boardrooms, raising strong daughters, being perimenopausal and exhausted but still showing up, and why women in their 40s and 50s are more powerful and needed more than ever.

If you’ve ever felt unseen at work, wondered how to keep going when everything feels “too hard”, or you’re juggling horses, kids, ageing parents and a changing body, this one will hit you right in the heart.

Episode 4 is a big warm hug for every tired parent crawling toward the end of the year. Marissa and Oriel debrief on their latest riding lessons — complete with yelling coaches, triumphant canter circles, and Queensland heat exhaustion — before diving into the chaos of December. From school concerts to Christmas pressure, dropping balls left and right, Santa politics, Elf-on-the-Shelf panic and that never-ending Tetris game we call life… this one reminds you you’re not alone. Pour a wine, saddle up, and vent with us.