Eight Years And Counting Of The Heels Down Happy Hour Podcast
Eight years ago, Heels Down set out to launch a podcast that was relatable, funny, silly, but still informative for equestrians everywhere. Fast forward to today, and we’ve logged hundreds of interviews with horse industry professionals and Olympic riders, sipped too many delicious cocktails and had millions of laughs.
If you’re looking for influencer-esque, high-gloss and scripted, Heels Down Happy Hour ain’t for you. But if you want real, authentic conversations, hilarious mishaps and have an appetite for learning more about horses, keep tuning in.
We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone – wrapping up our eighth year of podcasting. Grab a drink and take a walk down memory lane with us as we remember our favorite episodes from 2025. Cheers!
Episode 132: Get Your Head Right
We kicked off the new year in style with a terrific interview with Dr. Sam Fielding, a mental health coach, on how to set realistic goals for the upcoming competition season. This interview can be played over and over again – cause we all need some mental reminders to keep us from spiraling out sometimes.
Episode 134: Spring Season, aka Mud Season
Show jumper Charlotte Jacobs joined our HDHH hosts to talk about what it takes to make an American team on the Nations Cup circuit. We also talked about calming supplement ingredients and the ever-changing “banned substance list” with a veterinarian and supplement developer himself, Dr. Ted Simpson.
Episode 137: Aachen Dreams & R+ Horse Training
Ellie took a trip out West to see some positive reinforcement training happen in real time. She learned a ton, and reports back on the entire experience on this episode. Plus the one and only, American eventer Will Coleman stops by before he jetset to Germany to compete at Aachen.
Episode 140: Horse Show Hacks For The Win
Ever felt like you pack up the entire barn just to go play around at a new venue (horse show) just to pack it all up again and go home in a few days? Phew. We share our favorite tips on how to make the horse show process as easy and as organized as possible, so you can focus on your rides and hitting your marks.
Episode 142: A Life Without USEF?
In this episode, we interview David Reichert, the founder the United Dressage and Jumping Club, a brand-new horse show circuit aiming to rival the traditional USEF model. Doug Payne also joins us to talk about what it’s like to produce a young stallion and present him for breed inspections.
Episode 143: Horses Keep Us Going
In our last episode of the year, we’re recapping the biggest headlines of 2025 and laughing about it all with Sydney Steverson, the hilarious eventer behind the social media account “bookipsies.” But we’re also talking about serious things, like biosecurity during the EHV season and joint health in horses.
Stay tuned for another full year of episodes in 2026 from Heels Down Happy Hour. In the meantime, you can follow us online at: @heelsdownhappyhour on Instagram, and Heels Down Mag on Facebook and TikTok. If you love our show, please give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play or wherever you listen to podcasts!