The Equestrian Podcast

[EP 234] How Cait Luca gives Rescue Horses a Second Chance and What We Need to Know

Cait Luca known as @cowgirl.cait, is the founder of horse rescue service 501(c)(3) Lucky Break Rescue and Corral West Horse Adventures. With her classy tagline “Save a Horse, Ride a Rescue” Cait's mission for Corral West Horse Adventures is to rescue at-risk, slaughterhouse pipeline, auction, kill pen, and owner surrender horses by giving them a new life under proper care and training. The entire herd at Corral West is made up entirely of rescued horses that are now used to take out-of-town visitors on trail rides to catch a glimpse of all the west coast has to offer. In this episode we share the value of female entrepreneurship, responsible breeding, the realities of horse rescue, and what we can do to better help these horses.

[EP 233] Lisa Hellmer Shares her Passion for Para-Dressage Development

Lisa Hellmer is a USDF Bronze and Silver medal trainer and Silver USEF Para Dressage coach who provides quality, personalized dressage training for all types of horses using a cross training approach. Based in Ocala Florida, Lisa runs LCH Equestrian with her sister out of their new family stable, Sunflower Hill Farm, where she is currently in the process of developing her own Grand Prix horse. Lisa was recently appointed the USEF Para Dressage Development Coach where she is continuing to help riders accomplish their riding goals. Listen in!

[EP 232] What Makes a Good Driving Team with Chester Weber

Chester Weber is the most decorated driver in the United States. His numerous accolades have yielded prestigious recognition throughout the world. Raised in Ocala, Florida, Chester started driving competitively at a young age, under mentor Jimmy Fairclough. In 2008, Chester made history by becoming the first American to win an Individual Silver Medal in the Four-in-Hand FEI World Driving Championships. He won Royal Windsor (GB) CAI3* two consecutive years, receiving personal congratulations from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Chester is a 18-time U.S. Equestrian Federation Four-in-Hand National Champion, and regularly ranks in the top 3 for FEI world rankings. He has won 4 silver medals at World Equestrian Games, and a historic team gold in 2018 at the WEG in Tryon. Listen in!

[EP 231] How Lauren Sprieser Takes her own Horses to the Grand Prix Dressage Level

Lauren Sprieser is a Grand Prix Dressage rider who trains and competes on her very own horses. Starting from when she competed in the U25 National Championships, Lauren has been winning on horses that she brought along herself with great success including eight that have made it all the way to the Grand Prix level. In addition to riding and teaching her own students, Lauren is an avid blogger and writer for popular equestrian magazines such as The Chronicle Of The Horse, Dressage Today, and Practical Horseman. Listen in!

[EP 230] The Influence of Makeup within Different Show Rings with Rachel Lavelle

Rachel Lavelle is the creator of the first ever equestrian color cosmetics brand, Blue Ribbon Beauty. Filling a gap in our industry, Blue Ribbon Beauty features two different eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks for riders who want to look their best in the show ring. Having disciplines in our sport where makeup is incorporated as part of our show uniform, we thought it would be fitting to not only introduce this fun new brand, but also discuss how makeup influences our world of equestrian sport and how makeup varies from show ring to show ring. 

[EP 229] How Jill Tweedy Uses Prototypes to Develop Leather Goods for Tucker Tweed Equestrian

Jill Tweedy is the Founder and CEO of the luxury equestrian luggage, handbags and accessories brand, Tucker Tweed Equestrian. With over ten years in the business, Jill has developed one of the first ever lines of discipline-specific equestrian purses, backpacks, wristlets, and more by using several prototypes and collaborating with other likeminded equestrians. The fine leather is not only beautiful, but has been put to the test in development and is ensured to last for years to come. We all share a common theme by loving horses, and having uniquely curated products that let us express that love and start a conversation is something very special. Listen in to hear about how this amazing brand came to be, the importance of our local tack shops, and some news about an exciting new product on the way! 

[EP 228] Make the Most of your Junior Hunter Years with Augusta Iwasaki

Augusta Iwasaki is a top Junior rider in the Hunter/Jumper discipline, and is arguably the best Junior rider in her sport. Growing up with huge success in the Pony Division and now in the Junior Hunters, Augusta joins the podcast to talk about the highs and lows of being a Junior rider as she finishes out her last year. Also be sure to join us for an Instagram Takeover where our host, Bethany Lee will be joined by Augusta Iwasaki and Amanda Steege to answer listener submitted questions on April 29th at 6pm EST over at @ushunterjumper!

[EP 227] How Lucy Courchaine Navigates Motherhood while Running a Dressage Business

Motherhood is no easy task, but Lucy Courchaine does it while carrying out her dream job of developing both horse and rider for the sport of dressage. Lucy runs her own business, Sapphire Sporthorses, which brings "Dressage For Every Athlete" to life through a variety of services: Training-board, coaching, recovery from injury and more. Lucy is a Grand Prix dressage rider herself based out of Westchester, NY and Fairfield County, CT. In this episode we discuss how Lucy continued to fit riding into her life while being pregnant and how she got back to horses full-time after giving birth. Listen in!

[EP 226] Celebrating Hunter Month alongside USHJA with Amanda Steege

In honor of Hunter Month over at @USHJA, we are celebrating alongside the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association in launching the We Are U.S. Hunter Jumper Campaign! For the month of April we will be hosting a few different top hunter riders to discuss hunter month and what it means to differentiate a normal hunter round from a 90s score-winning class.

Up first, we have professional hunter rider Amanda Steege joining the podcast. Amanda has several top hunter championships under her belt including, the World Championship Hunter Rider at the Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular in 2021, High Performance at Capital Challenge in 2021, and was named the USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider in the Pro Challenge. Amanda continues to thrive on her horse Lafitte De Muze, owned by Cheryl Olsten, and together they are quit the force to be reckoned with. Listen in! 

This month we are focusing on all things Hunters, including an Instagram Takeover hosted by yours truly, Bethany Lee. We will be talking with both a junior and professional rider to answer listener questions, and sharing a prize giveaway you won't want to miss. Tune in over Instagram on April 29th at 6pm Eastern Time over at @ushunterjumper to join us!

[EP 225] How Top Showjumpers Strategize their Show Schedule with Darragh Kenny

Darragh Kenny is an Irish show jumper with over 200 wins to date. He is ranked eighteenth in the Longines Rankings as well as top sixty-five in the FEI Jumping World Cup standing. Based out of Oakland Stables in Wellington Florida and Meijel, Netherlands, Darragh has represented Team Ireland in both the Olympics and FEI World Equestrian Games with numerous achievements and countless accolades. In a sport where points are most important for overall ranking, Darragh explains his different approach to showing only the essential weekends in order to make sure both him and the horse are getting adequate rest for best performance. Listen in!