Heels Down Happy Hour Podcast Episode 132: Get Your Head Right
It’s January, and horse sport is in full swing. Whether or not you’re in sunny Florida or just dreaming about it, we’ve got all the updates. As you gear up for your own riding season, we’ve got somebody who can help visualize your goals. Thanks for tuning in.
Click here to stream Episode 132.
Special guests:
Dr Sam Fielding is an Ivy league educated Dr of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Coming from a family of orthopedic surgeons, she found her way to acupuncture, through her life long passion for horses.
Growing up in Maryland, Sam rode hunters, jumpers, and event horses as well as worked professionally for steeplechase and timber racehorse trainers. All she wanted to do was to ride professionally, but with zero support from her family in a career as a pro rider, she chose to go to vet school instead.
From a horse obsessed kid straight out of college, to a becoming a professional skier in 5 years from a pretty mediocre beginner, the love of the amazing rides she chased in her youth, became a life filled with following her bliss, in whatever life provided. And that meant over two decades away from horses full time.
After a debilitating struggle with PPD, after the birth of her first daughter, struggling from suicide, she found her way back to a life she thought she’d never experience again with the help of horses.
It has become her life’s work to share her understanding of how we shape the worlds we live in through the power of our minds. And firmly believes that all lovers of horses share a unique gift in our connection to horses. She shares her perspective on the power of our connection to horses and it’s purpose to help us heal as individual humans, and from there expand our compassion to help heal not only our communities, but also heal the world.
More on what we talked about on this episode:
Lychee is the big cocktail trend of 2025, apparently so enjoy this lychee Mai Tai. | @FAK
The FEI released new rules regarding clipping horse ear hair, and nosebands are now optional in dressage in Denmark. | @horsesport
Jess gives us an update on all things Florida, from the WEF season kicking off to the early stand outs at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. | @WEF
The LA fires are devastating. Here’s a round up of how you can help those affected. | @COTH
Product Review: We put Finish Line’s Thia-Cal calming supplement to the test! | @FLHP
Dr. Sam Fielding joins us this month to help talk out setting realistic goals and crafting a healthy mindset for the upcoming show season. | @DSF
What are your bucket list horse shows? We discuss. | @heelsdown
Mail bag: “Are protective boots worth it for my horse who is recovering from an injury?” | @heelsdown
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More about our hosts:
Jessica Payne is an 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’s now a coach, a mom and one-half of Payne Equestrian, a full-service eventing, show jumping and dressage operation based in North Carolina with her Olympian husband, Doug. Jess once lost the tip of her pinky finger clipping her 5* horse, and husband Doug says she can “talk to anyone including a wall….and they will like it!”
Ellie Woznica happily lives on a mountain in northern Pennsylvania in her horses’ front yard. She works from home as a graphic designer, manure mucker, and zoo keeper, but only gets paid for one of those gigs. Ellie grew up showing hunter/jumpers (and still does) but in college she learned to ride western and fell in love with reining and reined cow horse. Outside of horses, Ellie loves to knit, whittle, and write! Her boyfriend says she has too many hobbies.
Justine Griffin is an award winning 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 lifelong lover of Thoroughbreds and is a native Floridian.
Many thanks to this month’s partner: Ecogold!