Dressage Life with JJ Tate

What if the anxiety you feel in the saddle has little to do with riding? JJ welcomes Sarah Louise Lilley to explore Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as tapping, and how this approach can help riders address fear, performance anxiety, and the physical responses that sometimes hold us back. Simply pushing through isn't always the answer and often doesn't work. Sarah shares how learning to work with your nervous system can help you rediscover the joy of riding.Sarah Louise Lilley is a Clinical EFT practitioner and educator specializing in helping equestrians overcome riding fears, performance anxiety, and emotional blocks. Drawing on her own experiences as a rider, Sarah helps others understand their nervous system responses and develop practical tools to rebuild confidence, strengthen their connection with their horses, and rediscover the joy of riding.For more info and your free audio EFT guide, go to https://www.emotionalfreedomwithsarah.com/

Our horses are always paying attention, but what are we really communicating to them? In this episode, JJ explores how confidence, clarity, and expectations shape our relationships with our horses. Through personal stories and a few thought-provoking examples, she challenges us to consider how we show up for our horses and what that means for our partnership.Want to learn more with JJ? Explore Team Tate Academy, our online dressage training community featuring hundreds of instructional videos, a new video every week, and opportunities to get your questions answered directly by JJ during live sessions.Start your 7-day free trial and discover what the Academy has to offer! https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info

Meet Laura DeCesari - a dressage trainer and International Grand Prix rider whose self-made journey through the sport is taking her to the Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden with the fabulous 5-year-old VP Ice Man.Meet Laura DeCesari - a dressage trainer and International Grand Prix rider whose self-made journey through the sport is taking her to the Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden with the fabulous 5-year-old VP Ice Man.Laura is also currently competing at the International Grand Prix level with a horse that she began developing as a 3-year-old. She shares with JJ how she started with a $500 Quarter Horse and created a program that includes ground work and long lining, and always with the development of the horse's trust and confidence the main objective, no matter the age or level.Help Laura and Ice Man make the journey to Verden, and follow along as this exciting homegrown partnership represents the United States on the world stage!Support their trip:https://gofund.me/8dda6bc13Follow Laura:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.decesari/Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/laura.a.decesari"

JJ is joined by Gallop for Life founder Lily Bisson, an event rider and breast cancer survivor who discovered firsthand that horse girls tend to meet life’s hardest challenges a little differently.Her diagnosis and treatment inspired her to create Gallop for Life, a community specifically for equestrian cancer patients and survivors. The organization offers support, financial assistance, and a place to connect with other riders who truly understand.You may also have seen Novella’s new Summersby shirt. Created in collaboration with JJ and Novella, the shirt honors Summersby, while its pink details reflect JJ’s commitment to supporting equestrian cancer patients. A percentage of every shirt sold goes directly to Gallop for Life. You can find both versions of the shirt here: https://shopnovella.com/collections/summersbyTo learn more about Gallop for Life or make a donation go to https://www.gallopforlife.org/ or email Lily directly at [email protected]

Show season can be a wild ride; big highs, deep lows, and everything in between. The story you tell yourself after a bad ride or a great one is everything. Because what happens in the ring is only part of it - the meaning you attach to it is what shapes what comes next.In this episode, JJ shares the real journey behind a 70% Grand Prix, including the very difficult ride that came just before it, and how she worked to move through the doubt, fears, and anxiety to refocus and come back stronger. It’s a reminder that progress isn’t linear, and the story you choose can either help or hinder.