The Equestrian Podcast

[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!

[EP 224] How Nick Wagman Views Today’s Challenges as Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs

Based out of California, Nick Wagman is a member of the U.S. Dressage Olympic Team and recently rode in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on his horse Don John (DJ). Nick joins the podcast to share both the highs and lows that come with being a competitive rider dealing with previous injuries and show anxiety. Nick has proven to show resilience by overcoming any and all setbacks by continuing to do what he loves through hard work and vulnerability. Nick has represented the U.S. overseas in FEI Dressage Nations Cup competitions, including in Geesteren, the Netherlands, and in Compiegne, France as part of the bronze-medal winning team. 

[EP 223] How to Incorporate Equestrian Style into Your Home with Interior Designer Lindsay Hunter

Lindsay Hunter is an equestrian interior designer who loves mixing intentional and inspirational elements to create warm, inviting spaces to “live, love and play". You might have seen her work featured in Horse Illustrated, Stable Style, EQluxe, or Polo Lady Magazine. Lindsay offers everything from full-service interior design to home furnishings with a classic equestrian inspired look through her company Hunter Design. Not only does Lindsay create the perfect interior setup, but she also sells her very own home decor products through Modern Equestrian Shop, a combination of antique and modern products that bring the equestrian lifestyle into your home. Listen in and get inspired to redecorate!

[EP 222] The Emphasis of Horse Care with Cian O’Connor

Cian O'Connor is a 42-year-old multi-medallist and one of Ireland’s longest-serving team members. He competes at the very top level of international showjumping across the globe. Having ridden in his first Nations Cup for Ireland at the age of 19, Cian has gone on to achieve a remarkable record in selections for the Irish team, with 128 appearances to date under his country’s flag. An Olympic individual Bronze medal-winner at London in 2012, Cian has maintained a high level of success, and in 2017 added a European Gold team medal and a European individual Bronze medal to his record. In June 2021, Cian was nominated for selection by Horse Sport Ireland for Team Ireland’s Showjumping team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where he was partnered by the Irish-bred Kilkenny who finished 7th overall.