Don’t we all envy those riders who rock the perfect #ROOTD every day? We’re talking to one dressage fashionista on how she pulls it off. Braiding is the worst but we’re talking to the ultimate pro this week on how to make it better. Thanks for tuning in.
Click here to stream Episode 85.
Special guests:
Sarah Hepler is a lifelong equestrian who started in Hunt Seat, but now focuses on Dressage and Eventing. OTTBs are her passion, retraining them and volunteering in rehoming efforts. Sarah subscribes to a movement, Lift Your Sister, because “when women support women, there is no limit to what we can achieve”.
Courtney Carson is the 30-year-old barn manager and head groom at Payne Equestrian. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Courtney graduated with a sports journalism degree in 2015. She grew up fox hunting and in pony club, and has competed through Intermediate level in eventing. Her favorite things outside of the horses is watching Green Bay Football or Cardinals baseball and running with her dog Joey.
Patricia Da Silva is the president of Ecogold and CEO of Heels Down Media. Selected as one of 25 of the most revolutionary leaders in the equestrian world by the Equestrian Trailblazers Summit, a multiple nominee and winner of Equestrian Social Media Awards, and the recipient of Equestrian Canada’s Media Award, Patricia is a well-known voice for innovative ideas.
More on what we talked about in this episode:
This week we’re feeling classy sipping on a Boulevardier cocktail. | @ACC
Famous people really love horse therapy, apparently. | @NYT
The LRK3DE entry list is shaping up, and it includes quite a few international riders. | @LRK3DE
This new mobile brain wave reader can tell us a lot about our horses. | @sciencemag
Thanks to everybody who supports us on Patreon! | @patreon
Product Review: Spot On Braiding Wax and Wax Thread, featuring: Courtney Carson! | @SOGP
OTTB advocate and dressage rider Sarah Hepler joins us to talk RRP Makeover, her #ROOTD inspo and more. | @heelsdown
Patricia joins us for the first time to talk about the brand new Heels Down Spark newsletter. | @heelsdown
Mail bag: Any tips on how to use a stud chain correctly with a young horse? Courtney weighs in.
More about our hosts:
Jessica Payne is a 32-year-old international event rider who is rarely seen without her long-haired chihuahua under her arm. She was born in London, Ontario but grew up in Franklin, Tenn. and graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Animal Science. She once lost the tip of her pinky finger clipping her 4* horse, and husband Doug says she can “talk to anyone including a wall….and they will like it!”
Ellie Woznica is a 22-year-old freelance book designer and horse trainer because she couldn’t choose which career to pursue and her mom said she wouldn’t make the decision for her. She grew up showing the hunters and jumpers, but in university, she learned to ride western and fell in love with reining.
Justine Griffin is an award winning 32-year-old journalist who has written about everything from horses to high profile CEOs to her ovaries. (She donated her eggs once.) Two things she loves the most? Whippet puppies and cheese. Justine is a firm believer in unicorns and feminism. So take everything she says with a grain of salt.
Thanks very much to our sponsors this week: ECOGOLD, Draper Therapies and Spot On Grooming Products