The Equestrian Adult Amateur Podcast

Kelly and Alexis get into the things adult amateurs are quietly embarrassed about and why almost none of it deserves the space it takes up in your head.It starts with a wrong diagonal in an empty ring and turns into a much bigger conversation: the judgment that comes from your own local horse community, the comments about thoroughbreds and appendixes and who "deserves" to be at an A show, what it does to you when people you grew up with have something to say about your horse, and why being secure in your own journey is the only real way out of it.Alexis gets unexpectedly emotional about it. Kelly shares the advice her grandfather, Hall of Fame NFL coach Dick Vermeil, has lived by for 90 years: be authentic, and never read what people write about you. He still doesn't, to this day.They also talk about dropping down to the 2'3" and being genuinely happy there, the new fear that creeps in as life changes, trainers who move clients up because they're getting paid instead of because the rider is ready, and the difference between being afraid and being anxious.One winning trip and one dead last trip at the same horse show, same weekend. That's the whole sport.CHAPTERS00:00 Why we're talking about embarrassment01:02 The wrong diagonal in an empty ring02:09 Why Kelly genuinely doesn't get embarrassed04:35 When the judgment comes from your own barn community05:41 We're the 1% and it's still not good enough06:25 Off the track horses, appendixes, and who gets to show08:52 Coach Dick Vermeil on never reading what they say about you09:36 What changed when Kelly started sharing everything11:32 Caring what people think will stunt your goals14:06 The butcher block countertop, and why relatable beats polished18:28 Stop judging a horse for one bad moment22:42 Just be kinder25:22 Doing the 2'3" and being happy there27:24 New fear, and the lesson that tested it32:44 The most embarrassing thing you've ever done35:47 A healthy dose of embarrassment is fine37:09 The people judging you aren't doing the thing38:43 The rider in her 70s who is crushing it39:20 Crossrails, anxiety, and pushing through anyway40:28 Attainable goals and trainers who will tell you no42:14 When expectation doesn't meet reality in the ring44:49 One winning trip, one dead last trip, same show46:31 Be true to yourself and be better than yesterdayIf this one hit, leave a comment and tell us the thing you stopped being embarrassed about. We read all of them.Subscribe for new episodes every week.Instagram: @eaapod

This one is personal. This week I sat down with my grandfather, Hall of Fame NFL coach Dick Vermeil — someone I've looked up to my whole life (and whose speech I still play on my phone when I need a pep talk).From a high school of 130 kids in Calistoga to the Rose Bowl, the Eagles, the Rams and the Chiefs, Coach shares what 90 years have taught him about leadership, confidence and showing up as yourself. We talk about never applying for a job, learning on the job, why delegation isn't laziness, the real story behind "Invincible," treating your backups like all-pros, and why he stopped being embarrassed about crying on the sideline.Whether you coach, ride, run a business or just need a little motivation, his rule works everywhere: "Always do right. It'll shock some people and astonish the rest."Thank you, Daddad. Love you so much. 🤍LISTEN + FOLLOW📸 Instagram: @eaapod🎵 TikTok: @equestrianadultamateur💌 Join Pro-Am: https://www.skool.com/pro-am-9868/aboutEquestrian Adult Amateur is the podcast for adult amateur riders juggling horses, jobs, families and big show-ring dreams. New episodes every week.#dickvermeil #nfl #halloffame #coaching #leadership #mindset #motivation #equestrian #adultamateur #eaapod

Butterflies on the drive to the barn? Same. This week Kelly and Alexis are back on the couch (with our brand-new sign!) talking about the part of riding nobody really trains you for: your nerves.We get into horse show anxiety, the confidence that doesn't always match reality, and the question every amateur asks before going in the ring: am I just nervous, or is this a red flag? Plus why GHJA Finals is ALWAYS freezing, how Ollie went from huffing and puffing to fit and ready, why it's okay to go back to basics, and the "accept the anxiety, then say no thanks" trick.Tell us in the comments 👇 How do you deal with show nerves? What are you not feeling confident about right now?And if you're a therapist or mindset coach in the equestrian space, we want you on the pod. Free therapy for all of us, please.CHAPTERS0:00 Welcome back + our new sign1:09 "I thought a blonde girl had this podcast"2:37 Horse show nerves & sports mental health5:40 Skipping Finals: confidence vs. reality7:15 "Do you want me to lower the jumps?"8:01 Ollie's fitness comeback9:45 Why Finals is always freezing12:49 Back to basics: stop rushing the process13:46 Nerves or a red flag? Why a good trainer matters16:52 Visualization & accepting the anxiety18:07 Your turn: how do you handle show nerves?LISTEN + FOLLOW📸 Instagram: @eaaapod🎵 TikTok (we go live!): @kbmediaequinePRO-AM Free Equestrian Marketing Community Equestrian Adult Amateur is the podcast for adult amateur riders juggling horses, jobs, families and big show-ring dreams. New episodes every week. Peace and love, love y'all.#equestrian #adultamateur #horseshow #hunterjumper #showjumping #equestrianpodcast #riderconfidence #performanceanxiety #horsegirl #eaapod

Is the equestrian industry finally entering its content creator era? And can equestrian influencers actually make a living creating content?In this episode of The Equestrian Adult Amateur Podcast, I'm sitting down with Kaylee, founder of The Edit Society and creator behind The Edit Mama, to talk about the growing world of equestrian content creation, influencer marketing, brand partnerships, and the changing landscape of social media in the horse industry.Kaylee shares her journey from working in western fashion and marketing to building her personal brand in the equestrian space. We dive into why smaller creators are becoming increasingly valuable to brands, whether the equestrian industry can financially support a creator economy, and why building a community is so much more important than simply chasing followers and sponsorship deals.We also discuss the pressure to create perfectly curated content, the importance of sharing everyday life with horses, and why you don't have to compete at Wellington or own a six-figure horse to have a story worth telling.As someone who works in equestrian media and marketing, I loved having this conversation because I truly believe the future of our sport depends on the people willing to share their experiences, build connections, and create opportunities beyond the traditional horse show world.Whether you're an adult amateur, equestrian content creator, horse business owner, or someone looking to grow a personal brand, this conversation is for you.Follow Kaylee on Instagram and TikTok at The Edit Mama and find her business, The Edit Society, on Instagram.Subscribe to The Equestrian Adult Amateur Podcast for more conversations about horses, the equestrian industry, adult amateur life, and everything happening beyond the show ring.Join Pro-Am: https://www.skool.com/pro-am-9868/about#EquestrianPodcast #EquestrianContentCreator #HorseIndustry #EquestrianInfluencer #AdultAmateur #EquestrianMarketing #HorseGirl

There are moments in your equestrian journey that make every setback, every frustrating ride, and every ounce of hard work worth it. This weekend was one of those moments for me and Ollie.In this episode, I'm sitting down for a very emotional recap of our first horse show competing together in the 2'6" hunters. After months of training, rebuilding confidence, navigating the ups and downs of owning a young horse, and wondering if we would ever get to this point, we finally made it into the ring together.I'm sharing everything from the nerves in the schooling ring to the moment I walked into the show ring and realized just how far we've come. I also talk about the incredible role my trainer, Hannah, has played in Ollie's development, what this experience taught me about trusting my horse, and why having the right people in your corner makes all the difference.If you've ever struggled with confidence in the saddle, questioned your progress as an adult amateur, or experienced the emotional roller coaster of bringing along a young horse, I hope this episode reminds you that progress isn't always linear.Sometimes the biggest victories in equestrian sport have nothing to do with ribbons. Sometimes it's simply realizing that you and your horse have finally become a team.Thank you for following Ollie and me on this journey. This weekend meant more to me than I can put into words.#EquestrianAdultAmateur #HorseShowing #HunterJumper #AdultAmateurEquestrian #EquestrianPodcast #HorseRiding #YoungHorse