Two Point Perspective

In this episode of Two-Point Perspective, Elizabeth is joined again by Reynolds as they continue the conversation around what it actually means to go professional in the hunter/jumper world.

Following last week’s discussion with Josie Elliott, they take a closer look at the realities behind that decision — from working for a professional and navigating the early stages of a career, to understanding how the business of the sport has evolved.

They talk through the expectations placed on young riders, the role of teaching, sales, and client management, and how today’s structure requires far more than just riding ability.

Reynolds shares her own experience working in a professional barn — and why she ultimately chose a different path — offering an important counterpoint to the assumption that that going pro is the natural next step.

At its core, this episode explores a simple but often overlooked idea:

Going professional isn’t just about what you do — it’s about the life that comes with it.

And that’s a decision every rider has to make for themselves.

What does it actually take to become a professional rider today?

In this episode of Two-Point Perspective, Elizabeth talks with young professional Josie Elliot about the modern path into the horse industry — from college riding to working in top training programs.

Josie shares her experience riding at Oklahoma State, working for top trainer Stacia Madden, traveling to Europe to source horses, and now working as a professional at Woodhill Farm in Dallas.

Together, they discuss what young professionals actually do day-to-day, the balance between riding and teaching, and what riders should understand before choosing this path.

This conversation offers a real look at how careers in the horse world are evolving.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Oklahoma State University
2. Beacon Hill
3. Woodhill Farm

In this episode of Two-Point Perspective, Elizabeth looks at how the business of horse showing has evolved — and how that evolution reshaped the structure of modern training barns.

For many riders who grew up in the sport years ago, learning to ride meant developing your own horse. Trainers taught lessons, coached riders, and occasionally schooled horses when needed, but the expectation was that riders would learn to manage their own horses and work through challenges themselves.

Today, many show barns operate differently. Programs are often organized around preparing horses for the competition circuit, with multiple riders helping keep horses fit, progressing, and ready for the ring.

This episode explores how that shift happened — and why riders returning to the sport after time away often notice the change.

Elizabeth discusses:

• What learning to ride and develop horses looked like years ago

• How barn culture and expectations have evolved

• The role amateur status once played in the sport

• How the growth of large competitions and circuits reshaped barns

• Why many modern training programs rely on multiple riders

• Why returning amateurs often feel this structural shift most clearly

The values of horsemanship haven’t disappeared.

But the business structure around horse showing has evolved, and with it the way many barns operate today.

This episode also sets up the next conversation in the series: the growing role of young professional riders in modern training barns and the important role they play in developing and maintaining competition horses.

This week I flew to Florida to try horses.

I thought I knew exactly what I was looking for. I had a plan. I had advice. I had a checklist.

What I didn’t have was certainty.

After losing horses, starting over more than once, and learning lessons I never intended to learn, the pressure to “get it right” feels sharper than ever. Not because of outside noise — but because of a quiet internal clock.

Over several days, I sat on horses that were safe, talented, green, surprising… and not quite right.

For the first time in my riding life, I wasn’t just told “this is it.” I had to feel the difference myself.

This episode is about contrast.

About understanding what is — and isn’t — your ride.

About the balance between buying something finished and building something with room to grow.

About trusting your trainer… and trusting yourself.

And about what it feels like when everything finally fits.

Now we wait.

Takeaways:

1. The journey of exploring equestrian opportunities can lead to unexpected realizations about one's own aspirations.
2. Despite initial excitement, feelings of pressure can overshadow the joy of pursuing a passion for horses.
3. Engaging in equestrian activities provides a unique opportunity to evaluate personal preferences and riding styles.
4. The experience of trying multiple horses can reveal significant insights into one's own riding instincts and preferences.
5. A supportive community can greatly enhance the journey of finding the right horse, making it feel less solitary.
6. The contrast between different riding experiences can clarify what one truly seeks in their equestrian pursuits.

As riders, we work hard to be prepared.

But if mistakes at horse shows are managed for us… how do we grow?

In this episode, I explore something sitting underneath a lot of conversations in our sport — budget, green horses, expectations, and what’s “realistic.”

Yes, riding is expensive.

Yes, sometimes a horse simply isn’t ready yet.

And yes, sometimes moving on is the right decision.

But I keep coming back to something deeper.

It’s not just about budget.

It’s about time.

And whether we even have enough of it to truly develop.

I share the story of my hot, very green Thoroughbred — the only reason I could afford him — and how learning to manage him shaped the rider I became.

There were no formulas.

No calming pastes.

No perfect prep routines.

If he was hot, he was hot.

And I had to learn how to ride that.

Today, the structure is different.

Safety matters. Liability matters. Experience matters.

But if the system absorbs the mistakes before the rider feels them, development changes.

This episode isn’t about blaming trainers.

It isn’t about rejecting finished horses.

And it isn’t about doing things the hard way for the sake of it.

It’s about time.

Ownership.

And what kind of rider we want to become.

As always, thanks for being here.

Takeaways:

1. Preparation as riders is essential for success, yet the learning process often requires time to understand our horses' needs.
2. The balance between safety and the opportunity to learn from mistakes is crucial for rider development.
3. It is important to reflect on whether we are truly improving or simply riding within a system that anticipates our errors.
4. The journey of becoming a proficient rider is often non-linear, resembling a jungle gym rather than a ladder of progress.
5. Experiments in practice are vital, as they foster growth and good judgment in our riding abilities.
6. The experiences we accumulate, especially when faced with challenges, often yield the most significant learnings in our equestrian pursuits.

Last week, I talked about wanting more — not more divisions, not more height.

More momentum.

But the more I sat with it, the more I realized something uncomfortable:

It’s not about the level.

It’s about time.

When a plan falls apart.

When a horse needs to step down.

When another year disappears in what feels like a blink.

This episode is about the moments that remind you how quickly things shift — and how carefully you have to use the years you’ve got.

For adult amateurs especially, this isn’t dramatic.

It’s honest.

How long does your body feel strong?

How often do the pieces line up?

And are you willing to ask real questions about what you want — and what you can do?

Because wanting it isn’t the same as being able to do it.

And at some point, it becomes about how you use the years you’ve got.

🎙 Two Point Perspective

Two riders. Two generations. Talking about the same sport.

For most of my riding life, progress worked in a predictable way.

You showed up.

You did the work.

And over time, things moved forward.

So what happens when that stops?

In this episode, I talk about something a lot of adult amateur riders experience — but don’t always say out loud:

Doing the work… and not moving up.

After a series of scary falls, I stepped down a division. That part made sense. But months turned into more than a year, and nothing changed.

No benchmarks.

No conversation about what “better” was supposed to look like.

No clarity about the path forward.

And that’s when the real question started:

Is this something I’m supposed to fix?

Or am I trying to solve a problem that isn’t actually mine?

This episode isn’t about blaming trainers or horses.

It’s about clarity.

About goals.

About adult amateurs balancing limited time, real life, and a sport that demands patience — but also direction.

Because progress shouldn’t feel like a mystery.

If you’ve ever felt stuck… doubted yourself… or started shrinking your own goals just to make things easier — this one’s for you.

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🎙 This is Two Point Perspective — two riders with different viewpoints, from different generations, talking about the same sport.

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If this resonates, share it with another rider who might need to hear it.

And as always —

Let’s ride.

In Episode 7 of Two Point Perspective, Elizabeth opens up about the side of riding most people don’t talk about — the real cost beyond just money.

From heartbreaking horse losses to injuries, vet bills, tough decisions, and starting over more times than she ever imagined, Elizabeth shares her personal journey through the highs and lows of adult amateur riding.

As an Older Adult Amateur, time feels different — every setback hits harder when you’ve waited years to get back to the sport you love. This episode explores resilience, passion, and why so many riders keep showing up even when the journey doesn’t go as planned.

If you’ve ever dealt with setbacks in horses — or in life — this episode will resonate.

🎧 In this episode, we talk about:

• The emotional side of horse ownership no one prepares you for

• Losing young horses to illness and unexpected injuries

• When riding becomes a financial and emotional gamble

• Why not every horse problem can be fixed

• The reality of starting over again and again

• What riding teaches us about resilience and letting go

Whether you’re an adult amateur rider, a lifelong equestrian, or someone navigating setbacks of your own, this conversation is about perseverance, perspective, and continuing to chase what you love.

Let’s ride.

When plans change — in riding and in life — it’s rarely easy.

In this solo episode of Two Point Perspective, Elizabeth shares real moments where everything shifted fast: horses that didn’t turn out as expected, plans that had to change, and the emotional ups and downs that come with riding.

She also gives an update on Reynolds’ recovery and reflects on the powerful friendships this sport creates — from barn connections to friends from decades ago who still show up when it matters most.

This episode is a reminder that while riding doesn’t always go according to plan, the people we meet along the way can make the hardest moments easier.

In this episode:

• How quickly riding plans can change

• A personal horse story that shifted everything

• An update on Reynolds

• Why friendships in the horse world run so deep

• What really helps when someone is going through a hard time

Detours happen in riding — sometimes it’s the horse, sometimes it’s us, and sometimes it’s life. And when you hit a detour — physically or emotionally — it can change more than just the plan.

In Episode 5 of Two Point Perspective, Elizabeth is joined by Samantha Shanks-Husband of Prepare to Win to talk about what happens when riding (and life) take a detour — and why anxiety in the saddle isn’t something you can always “fix” by simply deciding to be brave.

They unpack what’s really happening in the brain and nervous system after a fall, injury, surgery, scare, or major life change — why riders are so good at hiding fear — and how confidence comes back when you rebuild trust in layers instead of forcing your way through it alone.

1. Why detours can change the way you ride (even when you’re physically “fine”)
2. The difference between normal nerves vs. fear that becomes a pattern
3. How anxiety shows up in the saddle: bracing, freezing, defensive riding, holding your breath
4. Shame and identity: “I used to be brave — what’s wrong with me?”
5. Why this isn’t a confidence issue — it’s a nervous system response
6. A practical tool you can use immediately: box breathing
7. The internal script riders should train (“I trust myself / I trust my horse / I trust our training”)
8. How to set comeback goals without over-facing yourself
9. Why support, tools, and language matter more than toughness

Samantha Shanks-Husband — Prepare to Win

Website: preparetowin.co.uk

Email: [email protected]

Book a free call: preparetowin.co.uk

If you’re in a detour right now — where you’re showing up but your body is telling a different story — you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through this sport alone.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. preparetowin.co.uk
2. [email protected]