In Stride

This is the fourth and final session of Equestrian Mastermind with top riders Lauren Sprieser, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, and Lehua Custer guided by transformational life coach Natalie Hummel. This episode was recorded on March 18th, 2024. Natalie prompts the group to talk about detaching their identity from the highs and lows of their ego. In the fourth episode, they discuss approaching situations from a place of unconditional belief in themselves and reflect on the improvements they’ve made through this process: • Discussing where each person identifies on a 1-10 scale of how conditional their ego is. • Learning to embrace negative thoughts and emotions so that they can come back to wholeness and complete tasks from an all-in place. • A visualization exercise that helps them approach their goals from a place where they are willing to feel everything and not make projections of the past or future. • Reflecting on everything they learned through this process and each person’s takeaways. Join Natalie, Lauren, Olivia, and Lehua in this exciting conversation on finding strength and wholeness in their vulnerability.

This is the third session of Equestrian Mastermind with top riders Lauren Sprieser, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, and Lehua Custer guided by transformational life coach Natalie Hummel. This episode was recorded on February 19th, 2024. Natalie prompts the group to talk about the avoidant strategies their nervous system uses in moments of high stress. In the third episode, they reflect on the mindset shift from the previous episode and discuss how they can widen their nervous system’s window of capacity to create peak performance: • How they have used the tools they’ve learned in previous sessions in the real world. • Myths about the practices that create peak performance. • A visualization exercise that helps them turn towards the feelings they avoid so that they can create a nervous system that can hold in the reality of competition. • Learning to stay present in a stressful competitive environment. Join Natalie, Lauren, Olivia, and Lehua in this exciting conversation on widening their nervous system’s window of capacity.

This is the second session of Equestrian Mastermind with top riders Lauren Sprieser, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, and Lehua Custer guided by transformational life coach Natalie Hummel. This episode was recorded on January 22nd, 2024. Natalie prompts the group to talk about the visions they have for their career and what might stand in the way of their success. In the second episode, they reflect on mindset shifts from the previous episode and discuss experiences that may be subconsciously keeping them from achieving their goals. They talk through: • Any awareness about their ultimate goals after the first session. • A visualization exercise that helps each person reflect on a misunderstanding about themselves. • Creating safety from within by learning to forgive and undo subconscious misunderstandings. • Understanding the purpose of an ego and learning to see it in a positive light. Join Natalie, Lauren, Olivia, and Lehua in this exciting conversation on acknowledging and forgiving subconscious misunderstandings.

This is the first session of Equestrian Mastermind with top riders Lauren Sprieser, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, and Lehua Custer guided by transformational life coach Natalie Hummel. This episode was recorded on December 4th, 2023. Natalie prompts the group to talk about the visions they have for their career and what might stand in the way of their success. In the first episode, they discuss various topics related to inner and outer goals and the steps they must take to achieve those goals: • What is their ultimate goal? Why is it important to them? Where are they in relation to that goal? • A realistic view of the challenges professionals face in their personal and professional lives. • A visualization exercise that gives clarity to what type of support each person needs. • Figuring out the next steps to get past any roadblocks and closer to a goal. Join Natalie, Lauren, Olivia, and Lehua in this exciting conversation on embracing pressure and tension.

In this episode, Natalie works through visualization exercises with one of her clients, who wants to feel confident in a clinic setting and find a mental space that allows her to receive all the information. They discuss the importance of creating a system of safety from within in order to avoid defense patterns and stay open to learning. Natalie guides her through an exercise to help heal her younger self from the misunderstanding that she didn’t belong and wasn’t good enough so that she can feel safe and confident to learn in a clinic setting.

In this episode, Natalie works through visualization exercises with one of her clients, who wants to be able to consistently regulate her body in the moments of fight or flight and not allow competition results to make or break her confidence. They discuss the importance of finding a coach that provides a safe space to make mistakes and how a person can find wholeness from within and not from external sources. Natalie guides her through an exercise to help heal her younger self so that she can embrace the possibility of embarrassment and know that she is loved and supported regardless of her performance.

In this episode, Natalie works through visualization exercises with one of her clients, who feels like she isn’t in control of the narrative or her physical state when she is riding. They discuss the process of tuning into sensation to help create a regulated nervous system so that she can feel safe and in control of her mind and body while riding. Natalie guides her through an exercise to help her identify the misunderstandings she created as a young adult and learn to feel safe with those sensations so that she can thrive from a place of mind-body connection. Sign up for Natalie's workshop ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Sign up for Ride iQ ⁠⁠here

In this episode, Natalie works through visualization exercises with one of her clients, who is overwhelmed in the warmup ring at jumping competitions and wants to learn how to stay present in that environment. They discuss an experience she had as a kid where she was scared after a fall and didn’t receive the support and security she needed to process that fear. Natalie guides her through an exercise to help her turn towards fear so that she can heal her younger self and be one step closer to widening her nervous system’s capacity to handle the warmup arena. Sign up for Natalie's workshop ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Sign up for Ride iQ ⁠⁠here

In this episode, Lucy talks to the founder of Urban Cowgirl Ranch, Brianna Noble, also known as the “Urban Cowgirl.” Brianna Noble is an accomplished horsewoman who focuses on expanding the reach and accessibility of riding and horsemanship sports to communities that are generally excluded from the sport, including youth of color and economically disenfranchised populations. Brianna is pioneering sustainability by keeping horses and livestock within inner city spaces. She became well known after a photo of her on her horse in downtown Oakland during a George Floyd protest went viral. In addition to her extensive resume, she is the mother of a seven-year-old daughter. They discuss how Brianna got started in horses at a young age, the passion projects she has pursued in her career, how the healthcare system failed her during her pregnancy, and the challenges of being a woman of color in the equestrian industry.

In this episode, Natalie talks to 5* event rider Hannah Sue Hollberg, who is preparing to compete at the Burghley Horse Trials. Natalie and Hannah want to give people an inside look into mentally preparing for a big event. They discuss practicing presence in a peak performance state so that she can recreate the feeling. Natalie guides her through an exercise to help her cope with any stress or worries she has about the upcoming competition so that she can be present and unattached to the results. Sign up for Natalie's workshop ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Sign up for Ride iQ ⁠⁠here

In this episode, Lucy talks to thoroughbred racing trainer Jena Antonucci. Jena Antonucci became the first female trainer in history to win a triple crown race when Arcangelo won the Belmont Stakes in 2023. Arcangelo had an incredible season and went on to be awarded champion three-year-old male horse that year. Jena has numerous awards and accolades within her sector of the industry, and she currently runs a thoroughbred racing and training business under her own name alongside Horseology, a minority and women-owned full-cycle thoroughbred training and ownership organization. In addition to her impressive career, Jena is also a stepmother to four children. They discuss the day-to-day life of a racehorse trainer, the challenges of working in an industry dominated by men, and what the future of the racing industry will look like. Jena shares her experience of becoming a stepmother and how it has affected her career.

In this episode, Lucy talks to Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer Betsy Steiner. Betsy is a USDF gold medalist with over three decades of experience as an elite competitor, trainer, and clinician. Betsy has two children, and her daughter, Jessie Steiner, is also a professional dressage rider and trainer. Lucy and Betsy talk about Betsy’s experience as a young mother and up-and-coming professional during a time when it wasn’t as widely accepted. They discuss how pregnancy gives them intuition and body awareness that make them better horse trainers and the importance of finding support and balance in a family. Lucy and Betsy share their experiences of raising children while running a business and being competitive riders.

In this episode, Lucy talks to the Canadian designer and founder of the Noel Asmar Group, Noel Asmar. Noel has two sons, ages nineteen and seventeen, and a daughter, age twelve. Lucy and Noel talk about the challenges of maternity leave as a self-employed business owner and how women should be more forgiving with themselves in the early stages of motherhood. They discuss changing the business models for equestrian businesses so that they allow for different sources of revenue, alleviating some of the financial stress many business owners face. Lucy and Noel share their experiences of becoming mothers while running their businesses and offer advice for women facing the same challenges.

In this episode, Lucy talks to the former host and producer of the award-winning podcast, Equestrian Voices, Caroline Culbertson. Caroline works in the journalism and editorial space within the equestrian sport and has two children the ages of two and four. Lucy and Caroline have both experienced miscarriages, and in this episode, they vulnerably share their story and the hardships they faced. They talk about a mother’s intuition, how this experience differed from previous pregnancies, the lessons they learned about grief and acceptance, and how the horses helped them through this journey.

In this episode of Equestrian Mama, Lucy talks about her postpartum experience and how it changed her life as a professional rider and trainer. Lucy discusses the mental and physical challenges she faced after giving birth and the parts of postpartum life she wasn’t expecting. Lucy stresses the importance of focusing on the good things in difficult times and using horses as therapy throughout this process. Lucy shares some of the changes she made to her daily work schedule and a few products that helped her through the first few months of being a new mom.

In this episode, Lucy talks to OBGYN Dr. Kathleen Bertuna about riding while pregnant and postpartum recovery. They discuss the risk vs. reward of riding while pregnant, how a rider can minimize the risk during different stages of their pregnancy, and the importance of being in tune with your body and knowing when to not push the limits. They also discuss the difference between recovering from a c-section and a vaginal birth and how each woman’s timeline for getting back into the saddle varies.

In this episode, Lucy talks about going through her first pregnancy and how she navigated running her dressage training business while simultaneously preparing to be a mother. She discusses struggling with the idea of taking time away from riding and how she had to design a system that allowed her to stay involved in her business throughout the pregnancy. Lucy talks about feeling alone and a lack of control throughout the process, but that it showed her how much she was capable of.

✨In Stride is brought to you by Ride iQ. Ride iQ gives you unlimited access to listen-while-you-ride audio lessons taught by some of the world‘s best coaches. Membership also includes weekly invitations to Office Hours (Q&A with an equestrian expert), access to exclusive podcasts, dressage test playbooks, and more. All for only $29.99/month. Every sign up includes a 14-day no-risk free trial. Get your personalized lesson recommendations at Ride-iQ.com/Quiz. ✨ In this episode of In Stride, Sinead and Tik Maynard are joined by Dan James, a highly accomplished horse trainer with expertise in multiple disciplines, but is best known for his exceptional work in liberty training. Dan James is a world-renowned trainer who won the Road to the Horse International Colt Starting World Championship in 2012 and the “Way of the Horse” at Equitana Asia Pacific in 2008. He is also a finalist of Mustang Makeover and has won numerous Freestyle Reining Championships. Additionally, Dan's horses have been featured in many TV shows, films, and photography projects, making him a well-respected figure in the equine industry. In this episode, Dan James discusses various topics related to horse training, including: The challenges of shifting between disciplines The lack of information on liberty training compared to other disciplines like dressage or jumping His mindset for training versus performing His experience working in equine entertainment His approach to horsemanship clinics and what a typical session looks like The importance of realizing that less is more when it comes to horse training The advantages of liberty work and the opportunities it can open up Join Dan, Tik, and Sinead in this exciting conversation on horse training and liberty work. ✨Ride iQ gives you unlimited access to listen-while-you-ride audio lessons taught by some of the world‘s best coaches. Membership also includes weekly invitations to Office Hours (Q&A with an equestrian expert), access to exclusive podcasts, dressage test playbooks, and more. All for only $29.99/month. Every sign up includes a 14-day no-risk free trial. Get your personalized lesson recommendations at Ride-iQ.com/quiz. ✨

✨ In Stride is brought to you by Ride iQ. With Ride iQ, you can take a lesson with a top coach anytime you want through access to hundreds of listen-while-you-ride audio lessons. Get your personalized lesson recommendations at Ride-iQ.com/Quiz.✨ On this episode of In Stride, Sinead is joined by Yogi Breisner, an esteemed high-performance coach who has had a remarkable career in the world of eventing. Yogi began his professional journey as a member of the Swedish eventing team in 1976 and went on to compete for over a decade, earning a team gold medal at the 1983 European Championships. Following his successful career as a rider, Yogi shifted his focus to coaching and became the performance manager for the British eventing team in 1999. Over the next two decades, he led the team to four Olympic team medals and five European team titles, cementing his reputation as one of the most successful coaches in the sport. During this episode, Yogi shares his insights on what it takes to create a winning environment and produce the best results. He talks about his experience managing different personalities, emphasizing the importance of communication and team spirit. Yogi also shares his strategies for handling pressure in high-stakes situations and the importance of having a release mechanism. Join us for this fascinating conversation with Yogi Breisner and learn from one of the most successful high-performance coaches in the world. ✨ Ride iQ gives you unlimited access to listen-while-you-ride audio lessons taught by some of the world‘s best coaches. Membership also includes weekly invitations to Office Hours (Q&A with an equestrian expert), access to exclusive podcasts, dressage test playbooks, and more. All for only $29.99/month. Every sign up includes a 14-day no-risk free trial. Get your personalized lesson recommendations at Ride-iQ.com/Quiz. ✨

✨ In Stride is brought to you by Ride iQ. With Ride iQ, you can take a lesson with a top coach anytime you want through access to hundreds of listen-while-you-ride audio lessons. Get your personalized lesson recommendations at Ride-iQ.com/Quiz.✨ On today's episode of In Stride, Sinead talks to Laura Collett about how she’s making her Olympic dreams come true and the pressure that comes with that kind of opportunity. Laura Collett is a five-star event rider - she brought home the team gold medal for Great Britain at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Laura's other major wins include Badminton in 2022 and Pau in 2020.  Today, Laura talks about starting in show ponies and working hunter ponies before switching to eventing and finding success in the junior rider division. She talks about navigating the jump to senior teams and realizing what it takes to be competitive at that level. Laura also recounts the accident in 2013 that left her in a coma for 6 days and caused her to lose sight in one eye. After that, Laura had to learn how to jump and see distances all over again. Sinead and Laura cover all of this and a lot more - enjoy! ✨ Ride iQ gives you unlimited access to listen-while-you-ride audio lessons taught by some of the world‘s best coaches. Membership also includes weekly invitations to Office Hours (Q&A with an equestrian expert), access to exclusive podcasts, dressage test playbooks, and more. All for only $29.99/month. Every sign up includes a 14-day no-risk free trial. Get your personalized lesson recommendations at Ride-iQ.com/Quiz. ✨