You guys. I just spoke with Caroline Culbertson. THE Editor-in-Chief of the Noëlle Floyd Magazine. Perhaps more famously known as the host of Equestrian Voices. AHHH!!
And I know you’re smart so you’ve put two and two together. This podcast came out today and features yours truly plus an inspirational adult amateur rider, Maria Chambers, as we dive into and discuss moments from the podcast that really hit home with us in the last year.
In all honesty, I’m writing this prior to listening to it and Caroline, Maria, and I talked for quite a long time… it’s going to be a surprise for all of us to hear what made it into the episode!
If you have not joined the Equestrian Voices cult (or the Equestrian Masterclass goldmine of a library), stop everything that you are doing and go press subscribe. I’ll wait. (P.S. – I’m not being sponsored; I just seriously love this stuff and would hate for you to miss this opportunity to nerd out with the rest of us.)
What is it you ask? Well, I’d be happy to tell you:
Equestrian Masterclass: This is essentially a clinic video library hosted by top equestrians and equine professionals. And these clinics are tailored for literally anyone and everyone who is or wants to be involved with horses. Instructors include: Tik Maynard, Karl Cook, Ian Miller, Martin Fuchs, Mette Larsen, Archie Cox, Tonya Johnston, Missy Clark, Anne Kursinski, Emma Ford, and many more. Oh, and don’t forget the multiple masterclasses by Dr. Jenny Susser (my favorite human on the planet and soon to be yours, too). Learn literally anything and everything from how to be more consistent on course, to how to overcome anxiety in the saddle (thanks, Dr. Susser), to how to wrap and care for your horse’s legs, to equine bodywork and biomechanics, to groundwork 101. Literally paradise for a horse nerd and such a unique opportunity to learn from the best and apply those techniques to your horse and your riding. They have a holiday sale going on right now for their yearly membership and are selling individual courses as well. Best bang for your buck is 100% the membership, and honestly, it’s less than the price of two lessons (at least in my area).
Equestrian Voices: Regardless of whether you become a member of the masterclass library, the podcast is FREE and I beg, no I plead with you to listen. (Not just because I’m on it now!)
This podcast is CHANGING THE EQUESTRIAN WORLD.
I said what I said and I meant it. This podcast is filling a hole in the equestrian community that I think we all knew was there, but no one knew how to address it. This podcast, hosted by the truly talented Caroline Culbertson, is boldly diving into the good, bad, and the ugly of the horse world and covers topics ranging from saddle fit, to trauma and therapy in the horse world, to the logistics of executing a perfect flying change, to the barefoot vs shod debate, to the issue of horse slaughter in the U.S., to whether supplements are worth the money, to how to navigate pregnancy as a rider.
The podcast began in 2021, just a few months after a very good friend told me about this free month trial with a new platform called Equestrian Masterclass. At the time I was dealing with serious riding anxiety and I was desperate for help. Immediately, I watched the entirety of Dr. Jenny Susser’s “How to Control Fear and Anxiety” and I was hooked. She spoke openly and frankly about the science of fear and anxiety and why it can impact the way you think and behave in the saddle. She helped me understand more than I thought I needed to know and gave me the confidence to keep pushing and pursuing my quest to find the joy in riding again. (And spoiler – I did!)
The quality, content, and presentation of the material was clear and effective and tailored towards various learning styles. So obviously, when I saw a podcast was being released by the same team, I knew I had to listen.
This podcast brings experts in all sorts of fields into your car, your barn, your gym, your living room, or wherever you may be listening. People I thought I quite frankly would never be able to afford to be in the same room as were speaking to me and sharing their thoughts, goals, concerns, and expertise with me. Time and time again, I find myself connecting with the thoughts of other professionals trying to “make it” in this industry. I smile when I hear Olympians and top trainers say it’s okay to admit you don’t have all the answers or to reroute when your plan isn’t working. And you better believe I cried when I listened to the two-part series on grief in the horse world as Dr. Jenny Susser (my hero) explained the concept of “anticipatory grief” and instantly I had a word to describe the emotional weight I’ve carried with me for years.
This podcast is connecting equestrians around the world and helping us to feel a little less alone on our (treacherous) journey with horses (we all know it’s not always rainbows and butterflies).
So thank you, Equestrian Voices, Caroline Culbertson, and the entire staff of Noëlle Floyd for making experts accessible to the amateur riders and the up-down instructors. Thank you for empowering us to see opportunity, possibility, and feel supported in a sport that can sometimes feel isolating and defeating. And thank you for pushing us to rethink the way “it’s always been done” to see a better way forward for both horses and humans.
I hope you all have the happiest of holidays and here’s to another year of learning and growing and listening!
P.S. If you’re already a die-hard listener like me, I’d love to hear about an episode that resonated with you! I couldn’t mention it on the 2022 recap, but I’m still thinking about the 2021 episode when the dolphin trainer (Shawna Karrasch) spoke about how to train horses using only positive reinforcement… I want to hear yours – comment below!