loader from loading.io

No Stupid Questions with Baylee McKeever: Lessons Learned from the McLain and McKeever Legacy

Dear Horse World

Release Date: 04/22/2025

Laura Graves on Staying Curious When Dressage Gets Hard (NF+ Exclusive) show art Laura Graves on Staying Curious When Dressage Gets Hard (NF+ Exclusive)

Dear Horse World

Frustration is a human emotion, and it almost inevitably shows up in every rider’s journey. The question is what you do when it does. In this episode, Olympic dressage medalist Laura Graves steps in as your coach and mentor, sharing the mindset that guides her when riding feels more hard than harmonious. This clip comes from her NF+ masterclass Laura Graves Troubleshoots Common Flatwork Woes and offers a rare look into how an elite rider thinks during the private moments of training, when there are no quick answers and no one else in the arena. Laura reflects on learning to pause instead of...

info_outline
Equine Digestion Explained: Sugar, Fiber, and Mineral Balance.  — No Stupid Questions with Dr. Harry Anderson show art Equine Digestion Explained: Sugar, Fiber, and Mineral Balance. — No Stupid Questions with Dr. Harry Anderson

Dear Horse World

Welcome back to No Stupid Questions, the nutrition edition with Dr. Harry Anderson. In part Part 2 we take deeper look at the physiology that drives your horse’s behavior, metabolism, and overall health. We explore the way sugar, minerals, and fiber interact inside the horse. We talk about why some horses puff up, why certain forage creates sharpness, and how small choices in the feed room can shift the entire internal environment. This is the kind of steady, clear education most of us never received but always needed. In this episode we cover: • The horse’s unique digestive design and...

info_outline
Horse Nutrition Explained: How Digestion Shapes Behaviour with Dr. Harry Anderson Part 1 show art Horse Nutrition Explained: How Digestion Shapes Behaviour with Dr. Harry Anderson Part 1

Dear Horse World

Most horse owners are trying their best in the feed room while quietly wondering if they are getting it right. You want your horse to feel calm, healthy, and steady in their body, but the information out there is overwhelming and often contradictory. One person says alfalfa is dangerous. Another says your horse needs hay 24/7. Someone else blames ulcers, sugar, or stress. And in the middle of all of it, you are just trying to understand what your horse is telling you. Dr. Harry Anderson has spent more than fifty years studying animal physiology and nutrition, and he has an uncanny ability to...

info_outline
An Olympian’s Approach to Building Horses, Not Breaking Them: Dear Horse World, It’s Will Coleman - Sponsored by Yeti show art An Olympian’s Approach to Building Horses, Not Breaking Them: Dear Horse World, It’s Will Coleman - Sponsored by Yeti

Dear Horse World

Eventing is equal parts strategy, skill, and mental game, but for many riders it can feel like a constant battle to balance all three phases, keep their horse sound, and make real progress. How do you build a horse’s confidence and physical strength without rushing them or burning them out? In this episode, Olympian and 5 star eventer Will Coleman joins us to break down what truly drives elite performance. A lifelong student of the sport, Will shares the mentors who shaped him including David and Karen O’Connor and Anne Kursinski. He talks about his early exposure to natural horsemanship,...

info_outline
We are Back! Embrace Season 2 Premiere: Creole Cowboys, Cowgirl Spirit & Riding Adventures and more! show art We are Back! Embrace Season 2 Premiere: Creole Cowboys, Cowgirl Spirit & Riding Adventures and more!

Dear Horse World

We're back with Season 2 of Dear Horse World, premiering on December 2nd! This season, we bring you some of the most iconic voices in the industry, featuring legends like Will Coleman, Lindy Birch, Rodrigo Pessoa, Laura Kraut, and the unforgettable Boots O'Neill. Their wisdom and experiences reveal life-changing insights into the sport, horses, and horsemanship. Additionally, don't miss our Black Friday sale starting November 28th for an exclusive 50% off annual NF plus membership. Join us for another incredible season and elevate your riding to the next level!  00:00 Season Two...

info_outline
Groundwork Guys Mini-Series Ep#5: How to Help a Horse That Pulls Back, Panics, or Won’t Load | Sponsored by Jug Waterers show art Groundwork Guys Mini-Series Ep#5: How to Help a Horse That Pulls Back, Panics, or Won’t Load | Sponsored by Jug Waterers

Dear Horse World

Some horses come with a few challenges. This one came with a list. In this episode of Ground Work Guys, Nick and Tik meet a mare who pulls back when tied, rushes off the trailer, fidgets for the farrier, and gets jumpy around the saddle. Instead of diving straight into solutions, they do what they do best: take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What unfolds is an honest, funny, and surprisingly tender conversation about trust, patience, and why most training problems are really just relationship problems in disguise. From clicker training to pressure and release, from soft...

info_outline
Groundwork Guys Mini-Series Ep#4: Groundwork for Spooky Jumpers: Building Confidence Over Liverpools | Sponsored by Jug Waterers show art Groundwork Guys Mini-Series Ep#4: Groundwork for Spooky Jumpers: Building Confidence Over Liverpools | Sponsored by Jug Waterers

Dear Horse World

Meg writes in about her daughter’s experienced 1.25m jumper who’s suddenly backing off liverpools (water jumps), and the Groundwork Guys, Tik Maynard and Nick Rivera, dig in to help rebuild his confidence from the ground up. They start where all good training starts: ruling out pain. From there, they look at what the horse is telling them through his reactions, his body, and the way he thinks about the task. They unpack how fear can look like enthusiasm, why overjumping isn’t confidence, and how the words we use, such as always, never, or tried everything can quietly shape the way...

info_outline
Groundwork Guys: Mini-Series Ep#3 - How to Help a Horse That’s Afraid of Spray Bottles | Sponsored by Jug Waterers show art Groundwork Guys: Mini-Series Ep#3 - How to Help a Horse That’s Afraid of Spray Bottles | Sponsored by Jug Waterers

Dear Horse World

Some horses just do not do spray bottles. One sound, one mist, and it is all over. In this episode of Ground Work Guys, Nick and Tik meet an 18-hand draft mare who panics at the very idea of being sprayed. Even hearing a bottle on the other side of the trailer is enough to send her sky-high. Instead of fighting through fear, they talk about how to rebuild trust one sense at a time. You will hear them unpack why spray bottles can feel like predators to horses, how to take the mystery out of the sound, and why relaxation beats tolerance every time. They explore ways to use rhythm,...

info_outline
Groundwork Guys: Mini-Series Ep#2 The Pushy Horse Problem: What Boundaries Really Mean to Horses | Sponsored by Jug Waterers show art Groundwork Guys: Mini-Series Ep#2 The Pushy Horse Problem: What Boundaries Really Mean to Horses | Sponsored by Jug Waterers

Dear Horse World

If your horse likes to stand a little too close for comfort, you know how fast “friendly” can turn into “please step back.” In this episode of Groundwork Guys, Tik Maynard and Nick Rivera unpack what’s really going on when a horse ignores your space and why calling it bad manners might be missing the point. They dig into the difference between respect and fear, and how to build a boundary that feels fair, not forceful. The conversation moves from the science of horse behavior to the art of staying calm when things get crowded. Here’s what they explore: Why “manners” are...

info_outline
GroundWork Guys: The Calm Before the Trailer: How Groundwork Builds Confidence and Connection | Sponsored by Jug Waterers show art GroundWork Guys: The Calm Before the Trailer: How Groundwork Builds Confidence and Connection | Sponsored by Jug Waterers

Dear Horse World

If you’ve ever been late to a lesson because your horse suddenly decided the trailer is lava, welcome. Tik Maynard and Nick Rivera are here to help. In this first episode of Groundwork Guys, the duo tackles listener Megan’s question about her semi-feral mare who has made her feelings about trailer loading very clear. What follows is part training plan, part therapy session, and part two horsemen trying to out-joke each other. Tik and Nick talk through why trailer loading usually isn’t about the trailer at all, how to spot the moment your horse starts thinking instead of panicking, and...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

Let’s talk about the gap - the space between where you are and where you want to be in the horse world.

It’s frustrating. 
It’s overwhelming. 
And sometimes, it feels impossible to cross. 

You work hard. You love the sport. But the path to high-performance riding, a real career in horses, or even just feeling like you belong in this industry?

It’s blurry.

The people at the top make it look effortless, but the truth is, the real lessons happen behind closed barn doors—where most riders never get to go.

That’s why we’re sitting down with Baylee McKeever, 2023 Young Rider Individual Gold Medalist with her horse Formidable, and someone who grew up inside one of the most elite programs in the world.

As the daughter of Lee and Erica McKeever—two of the most respected professionals in the sport and longtime cornerstones of McLain Ward’s program—Baylee has had a front-row seat to the daily grind, discipline, and decision-making that define success at the highest level. 

Now, she’s carving her own path, learning what actually separates top riders from the rest, and navigating the realities of being a young professional in an industry that doesn’t hand out freebies.

In this episode, Baylee shares:

  • A behind-the-scenes look at high-performance sport—what it’s really like growing up inside an Olympic-level program and the daily habits that separate top riders.
  • The reality of being a young professional—balancing riding, grooming, and competition, plus the challenges no one talks about when making horses a career.
  • How Gen Z is changing the ride—from using technology and social media to redefining career paths and success in the equestrian industry. If you’ve ever felt like you’re missing the key to performing at a higher level, this episode is for you. The answers aren’t in a rulebook. They’re in conversations like this.

--------------------------------------

You can follow Baylee on social media:

www.instagram.com/bayleemckeever/ 
www.tiktok.com/@baylee.mckeever

And learn more about McLain Ward:
https://www.mclainward.com/

https://www.facebook.com/mclain.ward

 https://www.instagram.com/mclainward.official/

 And you can follow us on instagram too!

Click here 👉  instagram.com/dearhorseworld/

--------------------------------------

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share with those you know in the Horse World - it really helps us grow.

And for even more expert-led workshops, in-depth courses, and exclusive lectures designed to elevate your riding and horsemanship, visit NoelleFloydPlus.com and use code 'DHW' for 15% off annual memberships!

NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a passionate community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.