Send a text

Hauling at dawn, juggling ring times, and watching fees stack up used to feel like the only route to a real scorecard. We sat down with Alexandra of Thistle Run Equestrian Events to unpack a smarter path: online horse shows that keep the thrill of competition while stripping out the barriers of time, travel, and cost. From para riders who need extra hands to millennial riders with careers and kids, this conversation maps a practical way to stay in the game and keep improving.

Alexandra shares why a personal health challenge sparked her move from in-person organizing to a full virtual series, and how that pivot elevated the learning experience. Judges can pause and rewind rides, deliver line-by-line comments, and bring cross-credential expertise from WDAA and USEF pathways that riders rarely access at schooling shows. We talk arena logistics that actually work—cones and buckets for letters, measured spaces without fancy setups—and how riders still qualify for online points while focusing on skill-building at home.

We also dig into the emotional side: privacy settings for nervous adults and protective parents, the reality that multiple takes still reflect true ability, and the joy of big, beautiful ribbons that keep motivation high. With a clear calendar—April through September monthly shows and festive winter events—entries are simple, recognition runs deep, and the on-ramp to in-person showing gets smoother. Most of all, this is a story about gratitude and access: honoring the mentors who opened doors by opening more of them, for more people.

If you care about equestrian sport staying vibrant and inclusive, you’ll love this one. Listen, share it with a barn friend, and tell us what’s your biggest barrier to showing today. And if this helped you, subscribe and leave a quick review so others can find it.

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7

Send a text

A rescue Palomino named Santiago helps a rider rebuild trust after a traumatic fall while Gabriella Madeiros shares how to run a lesson program that protects school horses first. We dig into nutrition, workload caps, heat strategies, farrier pivots, and frugal supplements that work.

• Santiago’s temperament turning fear into confidence
• Rescue to reliable lesson horse care path
• Firing a farrier and shoeing thin soles with pads
• Workload limits and two consecutive rest days
• Heat and humidity scheduling, hosing, and fans
• Forage-first feeding with quality hay and wet feeds
• Electrolytes and salt year-round for hydration
• Saddle fit, dentals, fascia massage, and bodywork
• Cost-effective HA, beta-glucan, aloe, and herbs
• Ulcer and respiratory protocols without rebound
• Adapting programs during washouts and slow seasons
• Services at Cadillera Equine and how to reach us

Cavalier Equine, where spirit and sport intertwine. Gabrielle Menieros is located in Warren, Texas. She teaches in-person lessons on school horses or with your horse at her ranch or at yours. She also has clinics available and virtual instruction. And we will link her website below. Please reach out to us if you'd like to be on the podcast.

https://cataliraequine.wixsite.com/catalira-equine

If you have any ideas on how to help a school horse or you help school horses yourself, like Gabby, you can contact us by emailing us at emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

or at the contact section below

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7

Send a text

We dive into how Jessica Cardillo built a sustainable, beginner-focused lesson barn by teaching full horsemanship, empowering teen volunteers, and setting firm business boundaries that protect horses and people. Clear systems, patient school horses, and themed lesson plans keep riders progressing without breaking the barn.

• therapeutic riding roots shaping step-by-step teaching
• beginners learning grooming, tacking, safety, and etiquette
• lunge-line starts and criteria for joining groups
• teen volunteer pipeline with incentives and expectations
• sourcing quiet school horses across disciplines
• turnout scheduling and pasture rotation for soundness
• realistic limits on jumping and competition goals
• auto-billing, unmounted makeups, and 30-day notice
• monthly themes to streamline lesson planning

https://www.facebook.com/foundationseq?

https://www.foundationseq.com/?fbclid=IwVERDUAN3DaxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHrWlSOCoimvald7FbdQSDYxrkgf3tP_w9GXsJagMUCS0tfkItly7IDyUH8sc_aem_CIEz7lIfXml-CXscsdkOoA

https://horsesenselearninglevels.com/learning-levels/the-levels-curriculum/

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7