Equestrian Tea Time

Inside A Vermont Horse Breeding Farm Internship Gone Wrong

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382080/fan_mail/new] We talk with Vivian about her winter internship at Friesians of Majesty in Vermont and how a promised training opportunity turned into isolation, unsafe work, and constant pressure to push through. We compare her memories with Emma’s similar experience and pull out practical red flags young horse people and parents can use before committing to a barn. • the farm’s public image versus day-to-day reality for interns  • recruitment hype and exaggerated praise used to hook eager riders  • isolation without transportation, limited phone service, and dorm-style housing  • unsafe horse handling “tests” and being put in danger early  • overcrowding signs, back pasture concerns, and uneven care  • sleigh rides in brutal weather and risk normalization  • injuries followed by blame and public shaming  • missing lessons, minimal riding, and training promises that never happen  • low stipends, late pay, and staff turnover  • how to research an internship and what parents should verify  https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/06/fourth-seizure-of-horses-from-townshend-farm-highlights-animal-welfare-systems-ongoing-gaps/ [https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/06/fourth-seizure-of-horses-from-townshend-farm-highlights-animal-welfare-systems-ongoing-gaps/] https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/dozens-of-horses-seized-from-friesians-of-majesty-in-townshend/article_e74021b5-e197-4f4a-894e-612c4a5f5030.html [https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/dozens-of-horses-seized-from-friesians-of-majesty-in-townshend/article_e74021b5-e197-4f4a-894e-612c4a5f5030.html] https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-09-26/legal-troubles-continue-for-townshend-horse-breeder [https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-09-26/legal-troubles-continue-for-townshend-horse-breeder] https://equiery.com/gentle-giants-draft-horse-rescue-takes-in-31-friesians-seized-in-vermont/ [https://equiery.com/gentle-giants-draft-horse-rescue-takes-in-31-friesians-seized-in-vermont/] emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7 [https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7]

How Virtual Horse Shows Are Opening Doors For Riders Of All Ages

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382080/fan_mail/new] 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 [https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7]

A soft spot for school horses: with Gabriella Medieros.

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382080/fan_mail/new] 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 [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 [https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7]

From Therapeutic Roots To Thriving Lesson Program, Jessica Shares The Playbook

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382080/fan_mail/new] 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.facebook.com/foundationseq?] https://www.foundationseq.com/?fbclid=IwVERDUAN3DaxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHrWlSOCoimvald7FbdQSDYxrkgf3tP_w9GXsJagMUCS0tfkItly7IDyUH8sc_aem_CIEz7lIfXml-CXscsdkOoA [https://www.foundationseq.com/?fbclid=IwVERDUAN3DaxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHrWlSOCoimvald7FbdQSDYxrkgf3tP_w9GXsJagMUCS0tfkItly7IDyUH8sc_aem_CIEz7lIfXml-CXscsdkOoA] https://horsesenselearninglevels.com/learning-levels/the-levels-curriculum/ [https://horsesenselearninglevels.com/learning-levels/the-levels-curriculum/] emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7 [https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7]

From Lesson Horses To Life Lessons With A New Hampshire Instructor

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382080/fan_mail/new] https://www.facebook.com/millsproequine? [https://www.facebook.com/millsproequine?]  A small lesson barn can carry big ideas. We sit down with New Hampshire instructor and PEMF provider Shauna Mills to explore how a hands-on program turns nervous riders into steady partners, why a feeder-barn model is a strength and not a step down, and how respectful boundaries create safer, happier lessons for everyone involved. We start with the backbone of her curriculum—weekly horsemanship units taught in the aisle, not just the arena. Students learn hoof care, thrush treatment, wrapping techniques, and lameness spotting alongside riding skills. Shauna shares how she markets locally without spamming, then walks us through her proud niche: welcoming beginners, building fundamentals, and celebrating the moment a rider graduates to a more specialized program. We dig into quarterly check-ins that prevent stagnation and the art of honest conversations when goals change. Barn life isn’t all ribbons. Shauna explains how she repurposes aging or unsound school horses into groundwork and driving stars, keeping them engaged and useful without pushing beyond their bodies. She also faces the hardest task—telling young riders that a beloved lesson horse has died—with compassion and clarity. From kids who cling to one favorite horse to teens avoiding the canter, we talk about strategies grounded in curiosity, firm assignments, and step-by-step wins. A recent canter breakthrough shows how a single well-coached transition can flip a rider’s story. We round out with practical motivation: online horse shows as low-pressure entries to competition, plus winter adaptations that keep learning alive through groundwork, sled driving, and creative sessions in cold weather. If you care about lesson programs, equine welfare, rider confidence, and smart coaching, this conversation offers field-tested tactics you can use tomorrow. Enjoyed the episode? Follow the show, share it with a barn friend, and leave a quick review so more riders can find us. emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7 [https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7]