4 Ideas to Make Show Jumping More Engaging (and Why That Matters)
Release Date: 07/25/2023
Introducing, Dear Horse World...
Equestrian Voices
Hi Equestrian Voices listener, we are so grateful for all your support of this podcast over the last few years, but as they say, all good things must come to an end. But we're not done with the podcast world! Dear Horse World is the brand new podcast from NOËLLE FLOYD. After 12 years of productions, I, Noëlle, am returning to my roots – being on the ground, learning from horse people. I’ll be diving into the heart of horsemanship, connecting with cowboys, Olympians, veterinarians and everyday riders to challenge conventions and redefine our practices. We’ll explore every corner of the...
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Sexual Abuse in the Horse Industry: A Conversation with Annette Paterakis on Isolation, Hope, and Healing
Equestrian Voices
TW: Descriptions of grooming, sexual abuse as a minor. Listen with care. Growing up in the Netherlands, Annette Paterakis rode ponies competitively and had Olympic aspirations. However, transitioning to riding horses was difficult, and teenage Annette found herself going from top placings to being eliminated in the show ring. With dreams and investments on the line, Annette needed some help. Unfortunately, it came in the form of a predator. In this forthcoming interview, Annette shares how she was groomed into a sexual relationship with her trainer, who was thirty years her senior....
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Why Play Is Key for Building “Try” in Your Horse, and How to Do It with Tik Maynard
Equestrian Voices
When you picture adding “play” into your horse’s training, what comes to mind? Do you imagine your horse chasing around a large ball or nosing carrots out of a container? Or maybe you see your horse trotting joyfully behind you as you run? The fact is, play can look like a lot of different things, but it doesn’t have to be any of the above. Play’s purpose is to teach your horse how to “try”–and in the process, both horse and trainer achieve a cooperative partnership. Equestrian Masterclass instructor (and newly minted Road to the Horse Champion!!!) Tik Maynard is a horsemanship...
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It Doesn't Have to Feel This Stressful: What Your Nervous System Has to Do with Performance, with Natalie Hummel
Equestrian Voices
Why do competitions make our hearts hammer, mouths go dry, and hands tremble? We may never get nervous riding at home, but as soon as we step into that show ring (or clinic, or in front of peers, or riding a difficult horse), it can feel like something primal just takes over. As it turns out, that is exactly what’s happening. Competition (whether you’re actually at a show or not) is deeply rooted into our biology and the presence of it can cause our bodies to fight, flight, or freeze. Certainly not the modes we want to be in when we’re trying to remember a course, or relax our tense...
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Toplines: Spotting Pain, Dysfunction, and Myths that Need to Be Busted with Ansley Bevan
Equestrian Voices
Muscle tension and underdevelopment are a precursor to injury, making topline development crucial to keeping horses healthy and sound. Elasticity through the back allows horses to move freely, support riders, and meet our performance expectations. So why do so many performance horses have underdeveloped muscles and signs of discomfort? Unfortunately, a lack of knowledge, overlooking pain symptoms, and the absence of species-appropriate care keeps many horses in constant tension–but we can change that. In this conversation, Caroline is joined by licensed equine bodyworker and educator Ansley...
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Tempo, Pace, and Rhythm: It’s Not Just Semantics. With Hunter/Eq Judge Rob Van Jacobs
Equestrian Voices
“More impulsion!” Most of us have heard our coaches cry – usually accompanied by a hearty clap or imitation of riding forward. But what does ‘impulsion’ actually mean to you, your trainer, or the judge scoring you? By listener request, we’re breaking down riding terms that have mystified riders for years. Caroline is joined by Rob Van Jacobs, a USEF “R” Rated judge for hunters and equitation. As a judge, trainer and rider, Rob interprets the differences between rhythm, tempo, pace, and speed not as semantics but as part of a show ring strategy. Understanding...
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It’s 4:30 AM and Your Goals are Calling, with Paralympian Amelia White
Equestrian Voices
Amelia White was just 18 years old when she was the victim of a traumatic car accident that changed her entire life. A university student and active eventer, Amelia suddenly found herself out of school, out of the saddle, and in ongoing surgeries. Despite doctors’ best efforts, Amelia was left with a permanent disability that required her to change her goals and aspirations. In this inspiring episode, Amelia sits down with Caroline and reflects on her journey that took her from lying in a hospital bed, to achieving her Master’s, to trotting down the centerline at the Paralympic...
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How to Change a Spooky Horse into a Thinking Horse, with Josh Nichol
Equestrian Voices
There’s no taking the spook out of a horse. As prey animals, horses will always want to run away first. Combine this fact with modern breeding programs that produce lighter, more responsive horses and many of us may find ourselves riding with a pounding heart and sweaty palms, fearing that inevitable spook. But a spooky horse isn’t a problem; it’s the symptom of a problem that starts with your relationship. Josh Nichol has helped countless of riders develop healthy partnerships with their horses through his method of Relational Horsemanship™. He joins Caroline for a thought-provoking...
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Evolve Your Student/Trainer Relationship, with Annette Paterakis
Equestrian Voices
Thinking about all the ways our sport needs to evolve can be overwhelming. When there are so many organizations, individuals, and stakeholders we want to inspire change in. However, evolving the sport doesn’t need to start at the top. It can start with you right now; with your mindset as a rider or trainer. Annette Paterakis is a mindset coach for equestrians and the author of “Winning Habits – How Elite Equestrians Master the Mental Game.” Annette helps all levels of riders, including Olympians, build confident, consistent, and powerful mindsets and behaviors. In this episode,...
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Rewind the Year With Us! 5 Favorite Moments of EV from 2023
Equestrian Voices
It was a record-breaking year for Equestrian Voices, as we won two more awards (W3 Awards) and topped the Goodpods chart. We couldn’t have done it without you, our listeners! From the entire EV team - THANK YOU. To celebrate this remarkable year, host Caroline Culbertson is rewinding 5 favorite moments of the pod in 2023 with colleague and longtime media friend, Sally Spickard. Many of you will already know Sally Spickard–you’ve definitely read her content before. Sally has written over 4000 equestrian articles, currently produces Equestrian Masterclasses for NOELLE FLOYD,...
info_outlineWhile many riders need no excuse to tune into a livestream to watch the top show jumping athletes of our day duke it out at the FEI level, there are a lot of people who consider themselves sports enthusiasts who are nonetheless pretty lost when they try to watch the upper levels of the sport. Let’s not even start on how many of our friends and family would politely decline an invitation to a 5* Grand Prix viewing party. They would rather spend the weekend watching a football or basketball game - two sports of many that draw far more eyeballs and dollars despite (in our opinion) not being half as exciting to watch.
So what’s the disconnect between the top levels of FEI show jumping and the meager sponsorship and viewership that it rakes in? In this podcast, sport scientist Dr. Tim Worden and grand prix rider Sean Jobin – both of whom have an interest in the sport’s long term health and future – bring forth their 4 ideas for bringing in more funding for the top showjumping competitions, as well as more people viewing them.
In this podcast, Caroline, Sean, and Dr. Worden discuss:
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Proposed updates to the FEI ranking system, and why they would benefit horses, riders, and spectators
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Making horse purchase prices available to the public, and why it would increase interest in watching them go
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How better analytics could engage new fans of the sport
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Updating the current FEI class structure (and why the current structure might not be the best for the sport in the long run)
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Why it matters that show jumping become more interesting for the fans that watch it
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The challenges that come with prize money not increasing in proportion to the expense of the sport
What do you think? Email us - [email protected], DM us on social, or call us and leave us a voicemail: +1