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In this week’s Plaidchat, we welcome guests from two unique corners of the horse world, plus a Trainer Tuesday segment with Eric Chapman.

First, Nancy Thrower joins us to discuss the Black Stallion Reading Project, a literacy initiative bringing horses and reading together for thousands of children in Marion County, Florida. Nancy is a lifelong horsewoman and advocate for youth engagement through equestrian education. Through the Black Stallion Reading Project and the Ocala Horse Alliance, students receive copies of The Black Stallion, participate in horse-centered educational experiences, and are introduced to the many opportunities within the equine industry. We also discuss The Plaid Horse’s recent donation of 4,000 copies of Show Strides: To Save a Stable to Marion County fourth graders, along with complete Show Strides book series donations to local school libraries.

Next, Rachel Medbery joins us to discuss the USEA Foundation’s TEAPRO grant program. Rachel is an event rider and educator who was selected as one of the inaugural TEAPRO grant recipients, a program designed to support educational opportunities and horsemanship development for riders pursuing long-format eventing goals.

Then in Trainer Tuesday, Eric Chapman joins us to discuss helping a rider who twists in the saddle, sharing exercises and strategies to improve rider balance, straightness, and effectiveness.

Listen in for conversations about literacy, education, horsemanship, and becoming a better horseperson both in and out of the saddle.

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Thank you so much for joining us today on the Plaidcast. This podcast is a labor of love, and every single episode exists because of this incredible community of riders, trainers, barn managers, parents, and horse lovers who show up in the barn, in the ring, and right here with us.

At The Plaid Horse, our commitment goes far beyond the show ring. We believe deeply in the power of literacy and education and that every rider, at every level, deserves access to knowledge, stories, and ideas that make them a better horseperson and a better human being. Reading matters. Learning matters. And the stories we tell each other in this sport matter more than we sometimes realize.

Whether you are a junior rider picking up your first copy of The Plaid Horse  Magazine, a professional trainer looking for inspiration, or someone who simply loves horses and everything this world stands for then this community is for you. You belong here.

We build this together. Every article, every episode, every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new, to feel less alone in the challenges of this sport, and to be reminded of why we fell in love with horses in the first place.

Until next time, keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and remember that the horse world is better when we build it together. I will see you at the ring!