The Trainer's Wife

Hey Everybody! Welcome to this Special Episode of The Trainer's Wife!Today, we're talking about something that affects every one of us in the horse industry — Wellness & Wellbeing.We spend an incredible amount of time and energy taking care of our horses, but how much attention are we giving ourselves?For this special episode, I gathered six women for two conversations about horse health, human health, mental wellness, and how important each of those are.In our first conversation, I'm joined by Christi Milburn of Christi's Cryotherapy & Performance Horses, & Trainer's Wives, Sophie Buttars, and Colie Lowndes.Then, we continue the conversation with, Physicians Assistant, Lauree Cameron of Performance Rejuvenation, exploring sports medicine, recovery, and some of the options available for our own health and wellbeing. In this conversation, Trainer's Wives, Tricia Gilson, Dani Barry and Christi Milburn provide additional perspetive as well!We've got a lot to talk about, so let's get started!SHOW NOTES:Christi's Cryotherapy & Performance HorsesPerformance RejuvenationTwo Sisters RanchTrapper Lowndes Performance Horses Brandon Buttars CowhorsesBj Avila Performance Horse’s & ProspectsGilson Performance HorsesJB Colt Co. Jake BarryHey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife.If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us.This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life.We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women.This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen.I’m so glad you’re here.

Heidi Arvidson has worn a lot of hats, including a crown.She grew up in Collinsville, Oklahoma, helping out in her parents’ feed store and falling in love with horses and rodeo. She ran barrels, and her mom encouraged her to enter local rodeo queen contests. Heidi took that path seriously, competing her way to a regional association title before earning the crown of Miss Rodeo Oklahoma in 1991.She went on to earn a degree in special education and taught for four years. Today, she’s a wife, mom, daughter, and caregiver. She’s an administrator for Alpha Quarter Horses, a familiar face in the office at Triangle Horse Sales, and the manager of the Oklahoma Reining Horse Association’s Ride & Slide.Over the past ten years, the OKRHA Ride & Slide has grown from 174 stalls to nearly 1,100—more than 500% growth. Heidi will tell you that took an entire association and many people working together. She has been the driving force behind it, while giving credit to the team that helps to make it happen.Today, I’m talking with Heidi, the wife of Todd Arvidson, an NRHA Professional and Judge. Their 32-year marriage is a testament to teamwork and sacrifice. And Heidi leaves us with a reminder we could all use: Be present and enjoy the little things while you’re in them.SHOW NOTES:Todd Arvidson Reining HorsesOklahoma Ride and SlideSPONSORED BY:Christi's Cryotherapy & Performance HorsesTwo Sister Ranch TallowFinding Center RetreatsHey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife.If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us.This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life.We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women.This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen.I’m so glad you’re here.

For more than a year, I’ve asked other trainers’ wives to sit down with me and tell me their stories.This time, it’s my turn.In this very personal episode of The Trainer’s Wife, I’m stepping to the other side of the microphone to talk about my own journey—from the horse-show world and being a trainer’s wife, through divorce, loss, reinvention, and the many unexpected chapters that followed.I talk about what it means when the life you thought you were building ends. About starting over when you don’t necessarily know what you’re starting toward. About work, relationships, writing, this podcast, Finding Center Retreats—and the strange, winding road that somehow brought me here.This isn’t a story about having everything figured out.It’s about discovering that starting over doesn’t mean you failed. And it doesn’t mean you’re starting from nothing.You bring everything with you—the lessons, the heartbreak, the mistakes, the courage, and every version of the woman you’ve been.Because starting over isn’t the end of your story.It’s a new beginning.This one is mine. SHOW NOTESSponsored By:Two Sisters RanchThe Jennifer JournalsFinding Center RetreatsHey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife.If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us.This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life.We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women.This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen.I’m so glad you’re here.

Hello everybody, and welcome back to The Trainer’s Wife.Today I’m sharing my conversation with Danielle Lybbert — horse trainer, competitor, businesswoman, and wife of NRCHA professional and judge Christian Lybbert.Together, Danielle and Christian have combined earnings nearing $200,000 in the NRCHA. They’ve spent the last 15 years building a marriage and a horse-training business in an industry that demands so much to be successful.They ride the horses that come through the gate, divide the work where they can, and have learned over the years how to lean into each other’s strengths. Danielle talks about learning to delegate the things that aren’t hers to carry — like accounting — so she can put more of her energy into the horses, the customers and the work she does best.What I loved about this conversation is that you really get to see the woman behind all of that accomplishment — where she came from, what she has overcome, and how much intention has gone into building the life she has today — a life she says has fulfilled her childhood dreams.One quick note before we begin: Danielle shares some very difficult parts of her family story, including discussion of suicide. If that is something that may be especially hard for you to hear today, I’ll let you decide whether or not to listen.Otherwise, I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know Danielle Lybbert and the light she brings to this world.SHOW NOTES:Lybbert Performance Horses988 Lifeline - Suicide Crisis and LifelineTwo Sisters Ranch & TallowFinding Center RetreatsHey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife.If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us.This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life.We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women.This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen.I’m so glad you’re here.

Today on The Trainer’s Wife, I’m sitting down with Sam Gallentine of Belle Plaine, Minnesota, where she and her husband, Ryan, have built a successful cow horse training business.Ryan’s NRCHA earnings are just shy of $400,000, and most recently, he earned his first qualification to The Run For A Million Cow Horse Challenge in 2027 aboard One Ata Time.But today, we’re talking about Sam—and she is a horsewoman in her own right.Sam didn’t grow up in the horse business. She was simply a kid who loved horses and wanted to learn. She tells us about watching old RFD training videos, studying what she saw and then heading to the barn to try it herself.That determination eventually led her through starting colts, cutting horse programs, working for accomplished trainers and ultimately building a life and business with Ryan.Sam rides, trains and shows, but what struck me most was what she loves beyond the arena.She loves caring for horses—figuring out how to feed them so they look their best, noticing when one isn’t drinking or feeling right, doing the vet work, even running fluids and putting in the time to make sure they feel as good as they possibly can.Today, she does all of that while raising and homeschooling their two children.And although Sam loves to show and loves to win, she told me she could be happy never showing another one—as long as she could still care for them and be part of making those horses great.This is Sam Gallentine—and her story on The Trainer’s Wife.SHOW NOTES:Gallentine Performance HorsesSponsored By:Two Sisters RanchThe Jennifer JournalsHey everyone, and welcome to Season Two of The Trainer’s Wife.If you’ve been here for a while, thank you for walking this journey with me — and if you’re new, I’m so glad you found us.This is where I sit down with the wives of professional horse trainers in the Western equine industry to share their stories — not just in the arena, but in life.We talk about how they show up for their families, their careers, their communities, and for other women.This podcast is a place to celebrate strong, brave, beautiful women whose roots run deep — and whose impact reaches far beyond the show pen.I’m so glad you’re here.