Sometimes all a horse needs is a confident, supportive hand to hold, so-to-speak. Alisa and Jason Berry were able to give "Porter" just that, allowing him to shine in record time in the 3'6" Amateur Owner Hunters. Building trust and building confidence were the building blocks of the Berrys' training program, enabling Porter to secure the USEF Grand Champion Horse of the Year title in 2024. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

At the highest level, the best cutting horses don't just like to do their job - they need to do it. Kat Play is one of these special horses, and Monty Buntin, NCHA Hall of Fame trainer, understands how to support Kat Play's personality to maximize his instinct to separate the cow from the herd. As so many of the super successful horses do, Kat Play has his quirks, such as being claustrophobic and being particular about his routine and his people, but when he knows what to expect and when he has his support team around him, Kat Play regularly finds himself among the best in the world. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

It may have taken a few years, but Keely McIntosh Minturn found Hilton's calling in Hunter World. Once upon a time, Hilton in hunters would have been unthinkable, but after he suffered a serious injury, Keely put Hilton in the amateur owner hunters to give him a step down from his jumper job. As fate would have it, he loves it! Then after Keely suffered her own serious injury, Hilton helped Keely build back her confidence, which was only fair after she helped him overcome some behavioral challenges of his own when they first partnered! Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

INXS (pronounced "In Excess"), a talented Grand Prix dressage horse, is learning how to harness his intensity without resulting in tension. Ali Potasky, who co-own INXS with Kathy Priest, has been helping him find his zen since the day she got him 5 years ago. He is enthusiastic, sensitive and wants to please so badly - almost too much. But with Ali's calming patience and her focus on helping him find confidence both as a horse and as an elite athlete, the two have found a rhythm to their partnership and have achieved huge success at shows such as Dressage at Devon and the US Dressage Finals. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

Rumor has it Balou was "very, very, very, very difficult" as a young horse, but he is now one of the best show jumpers in the world, including two Olympic silver medals. Laura Kraut joins as our guest to talk about how she and her team meet his personality related needs. From giving him "soup," hacking him out, letting him choose how long he lunges and warms up for... it's all about keeping "Business Balou" and "Personable Balou" happy and knowing when to tailor to which. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

"Fio" is ready to conquer the world, but it's taken Anna Buffini some time to convince Fio that they have to do it together and that Fio cannot, in fact, compete in dressage without a rider - although Fio sometimes thinks otherwise! Fiercely independent and one of the most talented dressage horses in the world, the sky is the limit for Fio if she can learn to trust in Anna as her dance partner. Through patience and consistency, Anna has wormed her way into Fio's heart and, one nap at a time, the two are forging a relationship for the ages. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

When you think of a champion reiner, the words "chill, sweet, and forgiving" are probably not at the top of the list to describe them, but that's exactly what "Romeo" is! He is the perfect blend of talent and temperament to juggle his non-pro owner Bevin Zimmerman and Open trainer Jesse Gentile without batting an eye. As the "picture of 'willingly guided,'" Romeo does exactly what he's told and nothing more, but as Bevin has learned, that has its challenges for someone who is learning! But when things click, magic happens and Romeo shines. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

While he may give off jock vibes galloping around the cross-country course, Quantum is really just a big softy to those who know him personally. For people who really get to know him, he'll do anything, and it's these relationships that really give him the confidence he needs to be a top 5* event horse. Sam Cuomo, Doug Payne's head groom, talks with me about how she makes sure she's meeting Quantum's needs when at home and on the road. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

Babylon is known as much for his boisterous personality as his talent in the hunter ring. In addition to collecting tricolors in the small junior hunters and performance hunter ring, "Crumbles" can be heard announcing himself in the morning on the way to the warmup ring and can be found pulling the fly masks and blankets off of his neighboring stall buddies. John French joins me to discuss how he's taken steps to ensure that Crumbles stays the happy, mischievous ham that he is while still achieving the massive success that he has experienced. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

When it comes to equipping "DJ" for Olympic-level dressage success, Nick Wagman says it comes down to two things: structure and sugar cubes! DJ is as sweet as they come, as long as you prove your trustworthiness first. The people on his team can make or break DJ's day (and Nick's bones!) if they skip a step in his strict routine or if they don't allow time for a trusting relationship to develop. But when all things align, DJ is championship material as he has proven by his massive success in the sandbox! Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

"Marvel" might have a cool, steady demeanor in the barn, preferring a good roll in the dirt over playing on the lunge line (even when he's cooped up at shows), but he is all business and ready to put on a show when he steps in the ring. Ty and Rhea Pole of Blue Collar Horse Company discuss what makes Marvel such a good candidate for giving the kids a ride to winning reining world titles. *Disclaimer* The breeding practices for a stallion are briefly discussed which may not be appropriate for all listeners. Listener discretion is advised. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

Anthony Patch, a failed racing thoroughbred better known as "Al" (#goalgo) to his fans, was bought as a "dangerous" four-year-old by Lainey Ashker as her next Eventing prospect. Despite his quirks (although the quirky ones are the best ones, according to Lainey), Lainey brought him up through the levels, teaching him everything from jumping corners to standing in ice boots. The pair competed at big tracks such as the Kentucky 3-day and Burghley. Al had all the scope in the world, but he demanded accuracy and perfection, and Lainey credits him for making her the rider she is today and for teaching her a more refined style of riding that's necessary to compete at the top levels of Eventing. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

So Enchanted, known as Lex around the barn, has too many tricolors to list! In addition to a clean sweep at Pony Finals in 2016, Lex was 2022 USEF/Smartpak Grand Champion Pony Hunter of the Year. When you think of such a successful pony hunter - especially a small such as Lex - you likely think that the pony will just pack around anybody, but you'd be wrong in this case! While she won't do anything bad, Lex needs the right team of trainer, rider and groom to truly bring out her best. Listen to this episode where I meet with Patricia Griffith and Caroline Passarelli to learn how the team behind her makes sure she is happy and ready to strut her stuff in the show ring. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

You read that right.... BRIDLELESS. Brendan Wise and his gelding Villanueva Conrad (aka Lyric) are determined to do what many have deemed impossible. They're making a name for themselves for showing in the jumper ring with only a neck rein... And not just any jumper class, but the Grand Prix classes! What makes Lyric a good candidate for bridleless work? Are there personality prerequisites to do bridleless work? How does Brendan prepare Lyric to show in these "fish bowl" environments? These are all questions that we dive into to get a peek inside the mind of Lyric, the bridleless Grand Prix jumper. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…

We’ve all heard of stories of amazing horses who achieve success against all odds. Take Seabiscuit as an example. He lost his first 17 races. In fact, he was described as laid back, lazy and lethargic. He was only 15 hands tall and had short legs with knobby, crooked knees. Does that sound like a famous racehorse to you? And yet, Seabiscuit was the top money winning racehorse in the 1930’s, even setting a record! The physical nature and training of a horse is just one component of success. There is also a mental component that has a big impact. Great horse people understand that they must meet both the physical and mental needs of a horse in order for them to reach their full potential. Seabiscuit’s trainer, Tom Smith, took the time to figure out these mental needs for Seabiscuit, which ultimately lead him to a famous and memorable racing career. While the physical requirements of the top equine athletes are much better understood, information about the mental aspect remains vague and mysterious at best. Join me, Kaitlin Hendry, as I meet with trainers, riders and grooms to dive deep inside the equine minds of the most successful horses in various disciplines. My new podcast, Inside Equine Minds, takes you behind-the-scenes from the horse’s perspective, to learn about how they are trained and managed in a way that strengthens their mental game and fuels their success. Support the show Want to learn more about your horse's individual needs and motivations? Get an EqPI personality profile for your horse . Want to see this horse's profile in more detail? Check out our Patreon.…