The Equestrian Connection

Baylee Summer is a marketing and business strategist expert, dedicated to helping the equestrian industry. She works with ethical horse trainers and helps them create, launch, and sell out online programs, so they can work less while making more profit and impact. Her goal is to help them create profitable businesses by leveraging social media.

In this episode, we discuss what horse trainers are missing with their marketing, why leaving social media or outsourcing it to someone else isn’t always a good idea, why large followings aren’t important, what to do when you don’t know what to post, and so much more.

PS: Baylee created a FREE download for you to kickstart your 2025 social media marketing! Download it here: https://baylee-summer.mykajabi.com/ultimate-guide-to-social-media-marketing

Connect with Baylee:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bayleejoysummer/ Baylee’s coaching program, Ethical Trainer Alchemy: https://baylee-summer.mykajabi.com/eta-609553a3-5234-4d1e-a2bb-8c746f04010b

Jochen Schleese, the founder of the internationally recognized saddle company, Schleese.

Jochen is a former member of the German young rider’s 3-Day Event team, and qualified for the European Championships in 1984. Unfortunately, he had to retire his horse due to lameness, which abruptly ended his riding career. Years later, through research Jochen discovered his horse’s lameness was caused by damage to the scapular cartilage from an ill-fitting saddle. This was the catalyst for Jochen’s life-long mission to prevent saddle related damage for all horses.

In 1985, Jochen became a certified Master Saddler, and throughout his work, he later discovered that many female riders struggle with pain and health issues from riding in saddles designed for male riders (due to pelvic and anatomical differences). Now, Schleese Saddlery Service is the world leader in anatomically appropriate saddles, which can be fit and adjusted according to the biomechanics of movement and the development of the horse, through personal on-site or online saddle fit evaluations.

Connect with Schleese:

• Website
• Saddlefit 4 Life

This is a replay of our classic episode, originally recorded and aired in late 2022. Christian Kroeber, wehorse CEO, traveled to Denmark to interview the dressage superstar in person.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour is a Danish dressage rider who is currently ranked 2nd and 3rd in the world, as of July 2022. Cathrine is an olympic athlete, having competed in 2016 at Rio and 2021 at Tokyo, and she won double individual silver as well as helped her team win gold at the 2022 World Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark.

But apart from her career success, Cathrine embodies much of what the dressage world wants in a champion - her riding skills, love and understanding of her equestrian partners that led her to become one of the world’s best.

Connect with Cathrine on Instagram

Noor Slaoui is the first rider to represent Morocco in Olympic eventing as well as the first person from the Middle East and North Africa to compete in Olympic eventing.

She started riding when she was very young, riding mules through the mountains of Morocco with her family. As a teenager, Noor attended the École Nationale d'Equitation de Saumur in France. It was here that she developed her riding skills as well as trained to be a groom.

Noor’s success in the saddle could be accredited to her focus outside of the saddle, while caring for the horses on a daily basis. She has said that a partnership with a horse just doesn't happen when you ride it; it happens when you're on the floor.

We’re going to be discussing everything from the lessons she learned from grooming, the connection she has with her horse, her journey to the Olympics, and so much more. Let’s dive in!

Connect with Noor on Instagram

Chiara Poscente is a Mindful Horsemanship Coach, Horse and Rider Biomechanics Trainer, and BTMM Rider Pillars Apprentice Instructor. Zak Maytum is a Mindful Horsemanship Coach, Equine Behavior Specialist, and Innovative Traditional Western Saddle Maker. Together they have founded Un-Natural Horsemanship.

Un-Natural Horsemanship is not a method, doctrine, or school. It is an Idea: Both horse and human can be equally valued and worthy parts of a balanced partnership. The highest goal is to find a good feeling for ourselves and for our horses. Beyond that, it can be fun to see how far we can carry it together. Un-Natural Horsemanship strives to honor the minds, hearts and bodies of both ourselves and our equine companions to the best of our ability and we wish to help ourselves and others find a way of existing with and without horses that negates the need for a set of orchestrated steps to achieve a pre-determined out-come. When the “how” we do everything leads us to a good feeling, the “what” we do just seems to show up.

On this episode, we discuss how Un-Natural Horsemanship came to be, as well as biomechanics, behaviour, and mindful horsemanship.

Connect with Chiara & Zak:

• Website: https://www.un-naturalhorsemanship.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unnaturalhorsemanship/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insightequine

Martha Cook is the managing director of Trafalgar Square Books, a publishing company serving the horse industry with beautifully illustrated, well-written books to supplement the growth and development of horse people. Martha runs the daily operations of Trafalgar Square Books, as well as handling contracts, print buying, rights, and promotion and marketing.

Trafalgar Square Books believes that, with the help of their authors, we can all learn to ride better; teach our horses to perform better; feed them and house them more in accordance to their needs; care for them when they fall ill and help them recover from injury; and above all, treat them in a fair and just manner, as they deserve.

On this episode, we’re chatting all about books and the publishing of education materials to support the growth of the horse industry.

Connect with Martha and Trafalgar Square Books: Website: https://trafalgarbooks.com/

Cheryl Eriksen is an author, blogger, horse midwife, and eternal student of the horse-human connection.

While earning her MSW from Western Michigan University, Cheryl took a special interest in the effects of trauma on the developing brain, and she applied that learning, along with her personal experiences as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, into her memoir, Follow Me, Friend.

Additionally, Cheryl has spent decades as an equine professional and extensively studied equine behavior and how it is influenced by what the human brings to the relationship. Through her work in the field of equine assisted psychotherapy and learning, Cheryl has seen and experienced firsthand the healing power of the horse-human relationship. Her books (current and upcoming) and her blog explore this powerful relationship.

Cheryl has also developed and taught continuing education courses on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy as a viable adjunct therapy, and on Trauma, Resiliency, and Horse Sense for social workers.

Connect with Cheryl:

• Website: http://www.followmefriendbook.com/
• Blog: http://www.peacehorsejourney.wordpress.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CherylLEriksenAuthor
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@pathofthepeacehorse6037

Steven Wilde travels the world to talk about horse sport. He grew up in the sport of show jumping with his mother, an international rider, and began equestrian sports commentating in 2001. Steven has had great success organizing shows as well. With a long list of events on his resume, Steven has commentated at many shows including multiple Olympic Games, European Championships, World Championships, over 100 World Cup Qualifiers, and over ten years on the Longines Global Champions Tour. His voice is a staple at WEF and other shows in the US and abroad.

Connect with Steven:

• X: https://x.com/stevenwilde1
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.wilde.127/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenwilde1/

Over two decades ago, Amber started a successful business focused on helping performance horses with behavioral issues. However, she soon realized that a major part of the horses' problems stemmed from the humans, and at that time, no one was addressing how to support the human side of things. While Amber knew there was a disconnect, she wasn't sure what to do about it, so she continued to train horses to be safe for humans instead of also working towards making humans safe for horses.

Years later, Amber experienced a life-changing moment that helped her understand the power of energy. It inspired her to bridge the gaps that she observed throughout her career working with horses. To broaden her perspective and enhance her ability to assist others, she pursued several certifications, including coaching, ThetaHealing at multiple levels, and Somatic Breathwork. Amber has since combined these modalities to create a unique approach to healing. Whether it’s through meditation, somatic experiences, or tailored interventions, Amber works with individuals both in groups and one-on-one.

Connect with Amber & find out more about The Art of Equine Alchemy event:

Website: https://www.amberlydic.com/ The Art of Equine Alchemy event registration page: https://www.amberlydic.com/The-Art-of-Equine-Alchemy The Art of Equine Alchemy Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/532608742570210/?ti=ls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_amber_lydic_/

Lauren Maas is the executive director of Canter California and Canter USA, non-profit organizations providing retiring Thoroughbred racehorses with opportunities for new careers by helping to place, rehabilitate, and retrain these amazing athletes.

It began leasing her first love, a 1985 OTTB gelding named Sunny, just before her eleventh birthday. Lauren’s love of thoroughbreds has continued and grown ever since.

After holding multiple volunteer positions throughout the years, Lauren became the executive director of 501c3 thoroughbred aftercare organizations CANTER California and CANTER USA, which has placed more than 25,000 OTTBs in a new home. Lauren has been hard at work to revamp the adoption and listing program and plans to continue to grow CANTER’s presence and place an even greater number of OTTBs into their forever homes.

Amongst all that, Lauren is now also a first-year veterinary student at the Royal Veterinary College in England.

Connect with Lauren & CANTER:

• CANTER California Instagram
• CANTER USA Instagram
• Lauren’s Instagram
• Website

*Important to note: This podcast episode was originally recorded in June 2024 in German for the wehorse podcast. We used translation software to dub the episode for our English podcast, The Equestrian Connection. Please excuse any imperfections in the conversation as a result.

Richard Vogel is a German rider who started riding horses at the age of four, following in the footsteps of his family who have always had a strong passion for horses. He began competing at the age of seven and since then has has achieved numerous national and international successes.

After a riding apprenticeship and valuable years of training with Ludger Beerbaum starting in 2015, today Richard Vogel is the No. 1 German show jumper and sits at No. 10 in the world rankings.

Currently, Richard continues to compete internationally and represents Germany in various equestrian competitions. At the same time, he runs a business together with Sophie Hinners and David Will; a sports and sales stable in Hesse with two locations, known for the first-class training of show jumpers.

Richard's philosophy can be summarized by his motto "The more you work, the luckier you get."

In this podcast episode, Richard Vogel tells host Christian Kröeber how he worked for his success from an early age, why his business partners rarely compete in the same competitions as he does, what he thinks makes a good rider, and what he thinks needs to change if we want to still be able to experience equestrian sport in 20 years.

Connect with Richard:

• Instagram
• Facebook

The purpose of EquUSCAN is to engage equestrians (specifically in the US and Canada, though everyone is welcome) in social justice work and global activism. EquUSCAN is a resource hub, highlighting and amplifying important humanitarian causes around the world and providing actionable avenues through which you can get involved and contribute to making a difference, help those who need it most, and reduce harm and suffering for vulnerable and targeted populations. EquUSCAN believes that your voice matters and they want to empower you to use it for the greater good!

Founders Kait Miller and Elsie Reford truly believe that aligning equine advocacy work with social justice and global activism is the next evolution of the horse-human partnership and they are excited to be creating a platform that intentionally fosters the merging of those spheres.

Connect with EquUSCAN:

• Instagram
• Website

Rebekka Klubien graduated from Roskilde University in 2021 and started working at the public broadcast tv station TV2 in 2022. Currently, she holds the position as a TV producer in the investigative journalism department.

In 2023, Rebekka went undercover as a groom to see firsthand the daily operations at the Danish base of Helgstrand Dressage, which also has locations in Germany and Florida. Inside the barn, Rebekka found horses with welts from whips, mouth sores that were not given time to heal, and spur marks that were disguised with shoe polish when customers visited. She also filmed Helgstrand riders riding aggressively in training sessions with tight draw reins and the use of rollkur.

Later that year, the documentary “The Secrets of the Horse Billionaire” aired on Danish national televisions station TV2, resulting in the indefinite suspension of owner Andreas Helgstrand from the Danish National Dressage Team.

These stories are becoming all too common, and is a very important topic of discussion within the industry. On this episode, we chat with Rebekka about her experience, the welfare issues within the industry, the future of the sport, and her advice on speaking up.

Connect with Rebekka:

• Instagram:
• TV2 Article
• “The Secrets of the Horse Billionaire” Documentary

Connie Flores is a certified Equine Nutrition Advisor and the owner of 17 Hand Equine Nutrition.

Her goal is to help horse owners understand the purpose behind every ingredient in their horse’s diet and to help develop a personalized feed program specific to the horse as a unique individual. Connie works independently of any feed company and provides unbiased feedback and recommendations, as well as keeps the owner’s goals in mind.

On this episode, we discuss Connie’s why behind empowering owners to understand their horse’s nutrition, advice for both hard and easy keepers, hay testing, and so much more.

Connect with Connie:

• 17 Hand Equine Nutrition Website:

• Instagram

• The Forage Porridge Website

• Instagram

• Instagram

Mary Ann Simonds has worked as a researcher, educator, coach and consultant for over 40 years in the fields of human and animal behavior, communication, consciousness and ethology. Lecturing and consulting nationally and internationally primarily on horse-human interactions, her work blends the application of science with intuition integrating cultural issues and finding solutions for the well-being of people and animal. She has produced numerous educational materials including videos and books and has a new book “A Horse by Nature” recently out.

Currently living in Wellington, FL, Mary Ann has retired from a rigorous teaching with the Institute of Integrated Sciences and the Whole Horse & Equestrian Science Institute to focus on writing and speaking. Her pioneering work has focused on stress management in animals and how humans influence animal behavior both in the wild and in captivity. Integrating a whole systems approach to interspecies psychology, Mary Ann has worked with governments, communities, businesses, non-profit organizations and universities.

On this episode, we discuss signs of stress in horses, horse personality assessments, skills of a good horseperson, welfare, and the future of the sport.

Connect with Mary Ann:

• Instagram
• Website
• Order the Book

Miah O’Cain is an equine sports massage therapist and the owner of Highland 3:5 Equine Services. She has a vast knowledge of additional supportive techniques and modalities - many of which we’ll discuss today. This includes redlight therapies, Tuning Forks, Bemer, and cryotherapy.

Her ultimate goal is to find the root cause of pain and dysfunction and then fix the problem at the core, not mask it. She does this by bringing body, mind, and soul back into alignment.

On this episode, we discuss the different body work modalities and technology, how to know what is best for your horse, and so much more.

Connect with Miah:

• Instagram
• Facebook

MD Equestrians is a company that designs and sells bitless bridles and accessories, as well as their new bareback pads. With products available in sizes from miniature to extra-large, the mission is to make this way of working with horses accessible for everyone.

The founder, Marloes Blok, is a young entrepreneur who had the idea of starting this company after going on her own bitless journey when her horse was showing signs that he didn’t want to wear a bit.

On this episode, we discuss what it’s like to start and run your own business, her advice to other young equestrian entrepreneurs, being a social media influencer, getting started with bitless riding, the differences between side-pull bitless bridles and hackamores, and so much more.

Connect with Marloes:

Website: https://www.mdequestrians.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diegoandmarloes/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@diego.marloes MD Equestrians Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdequestrians/ MD Equestrians TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdequestrians

Kerri’s early awareness included a natural ability to communicate with animals and all of life in subtle realms of consciousness, through energy and presence. With wisdom, guidance and communication from many teachers (human and non-human), she assists to help you recognize your capacity to experience connection and communication through presence, through the heart.

Without dependence on a modality or system, Kerri has blazed a new trail on the road to freedom from limitations and conditioning. On this trail, all species are welcome and integrate through frequencies of communication. The greatest gift she can give to you is her own purity of expression, sharing her own journey, to help you see that if she can do it…so can you.

On this episode, we hear Kerri’s inspiring journey and discuss horse-human communication, becoming more aware of your own intuition, and so much more.

Connect with Kerri:

Website: https://www.generateharmony.com/ Activating and Facilitating Feel - Live Q&A (May 27th): https://www.generateharmony.com/events/activating-and-facilitating-feel-live-qa

Jenn Savage is an equine bodyworker and educator with the mission to help educate and empower horse owners who want what’s best for their horses above all else.

She believes in the importance of giving back as much as we can to our equine athletes, especially when we ask big jobs of them. So, she’s on a mission to empower others with knowledge and resources to help prehab their horse while training like a Savage.

In this episode, we discuss signs your horse may need body work, what your warm-up routine may be missing, the importance of prehab, building a community of like-minded horse people, and so much more.

Connect with Jenn:

Website: www.savageequineservices.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/savageequineservices Facebook: www.facebook.com/SavageEquineServices

Paul Court is a renowned horse trainer and gained fame for his notable achievements in the racing world. He made history as one of the youngest trainers to win the esteemed New Zealand Cup, guiding Terror To Love to victory for three consecutive years—an accomplishment matched by only two other horses and not seen since 1960.

With 32 wins and earnings of $2.5 million, Paul's exceptional training abilities shone through. His expertise transcends borders, earning him respect across Australia for his versatile methods. Paul's success extends to Australia and Canada, demonstrating his proficiency in managing bustling stables and keeping owners satisfied.

Starting his journey at 29, Paul's experience handling 40 to 50 horses simultaneously has provided invaluable insights into effective communication and dedication required for success.

His dedication to improving the industry led to the creation of Stable Hub, aimed at enhancing stable management and supporting fellow trainers.

Learn more about Stable Hub:

Website: https://stablehub.ca/