Listen With EquiTeam (EquiTeam)

Join EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels and Liz Somerville as they discuss a current topic that has seen a bit of debate on social media – is it time to stop talking about rugging?

From over-rugging, not rugging for welfare purposes to rugging for practical reasons – Liz and Liz share their own thoughts, as well as some research from Dr Marlin, on this hot topic – no pun intended.

While Liz S holds her hands up when it comes to adding an extra rug, Liz D admits to being ‘nesh’ and has to try hard not to think her horses feel the cold like she does!

Topics include:

• when to rug
• when not to rug 
• how over rugging is contributing to the obesity crisis we have in the UK horse population 
• practical tips on rugging
• why horse's don't feel the cold like we do 

Find out how to join EquiTeam here

Follow us on social media:

Facebook 

Instagram

In this week’s podcast EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels and Liz Somerville chat about self-pressure, what it means to them and how it impacts their riding.

Liz Somerville shares how her recent journey to the BD regionals was paved with negative self doubt surrounding her own ability, and how the feeling of not wanting to let her horse down almost prevented her from competing at all.

From being competitive, to moving the goal posts the pair really open up as EquiTeam coach Liz Daniels talks about the pressure she feels when competing and how she sees the effect of self-pressure on people that she coaches.

This is a podcast that we know many equestrians will relate to, with the take home messaging of #bekind.

Topics include:

Self-pressure

Rememberig why we have our horses 

It's meant to be fun 

Loss of confidence 

Goal setting 

Self-doubt

Negativity 

Coaching 

When Equiteam member Gillian Birrell was asked to host an Equiteam Dressage Camp, she had no idea what she was letting herself in for.

Gillian shares what it’s like behind the scenes compared to her experiences as a camper as she highlights the importance of a supportive network full of positive energy and the ripple effect it has without realising on all those there.

https://equiteamcamps.co.uk 

British Dressage have a competition structure that has been designed to give riders more choice than ever. Great in so many ways but if you haven’t done it before it can be a bit mind blowing when you are getting started!

In this episode Liz Daniels and Liz Somerville chat about how they got started, why they love being members of British Dressage and the different pathways and options available to every rider, no matter the level or aspirations.

We’ve got a helpful blog with all the different pathways, qualification criteria, important dates and direct links to BD’s qualifying points over on our EquiTeam website.

To find out more and come and join our EquiTeam community click here https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm

Or come and find us at our social media channels

Instagram - https://bit.ly/3k5SaYA

Facebook - https://bit.ly/3Gse5R3

Topics include:

British Dressage Team Quest

British Dressage MyQuest

British Dressage Petplan Area Festivals

British Dressage Regionals

Membership

Dressage Pathways

British Dressage qualification

British Dressage National Championships

There has been so much going on in EquiTeam over the last few months that Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings thought that a catch up podcast was in order!

The duo discuss all things EquiTeam including some highlights from the EquiTeam Connected group, as well as chatting about some of the content including the value of time blog, the Alan Davies Grooming and Turnout Series, as well as the new lunging series.

And we can’t mention the content without chatting about superb workouts and plans from Lauren from Equestrian Fitness Scotland which is included weekly in the EquiTeam Connected membership.

5 years ago Shannon Lorimer had an accident whilst showjumping in Portugal. A broken back and neck and a failed surgery and morphine overdose left her not knowing if she would walk again, let alone ever get back on a horse.

In this episode Shannon shares what it has been like to get back to the sport and horses she loves, how hard it has been to always stay positive and how thankfully more professionals are starting to see the benefit of wearing an air jacket whilst competing.   

Her advice around having the right people to help and support you on the ground, at home and at shows is exactly the message that we share at EquiTeam.

Shannon’s take home message…remember always be kind and sometimes it’s ok not to be ok.

#Bemoreshannon  

When our recent Equiteam blog about the value of time sparked an incredible conversation within our EquiTeam Connected Facebook group, we knew that we needed to continue the conversation and open it up to the wider equestrian community.

Time is, without doubt, our most precious commodity and once it’s gone, it’s gone. In this episode we chat about what we can achieve when we allow ourselves and our horses more time, what we can learn and how time allows us to make memories with friends and family and our horses and how to appreciate what’s important in life.

Scroll less, say no more often, make memories and remember that work can (sometimes) wait!

When Ruth and her friend were unable to leave their yard to attend an unaffiliated dressage, they were of course disappointed, but instead of letting it stop them they rode their dressage tests at home, filmed them and asked someone to judge them.

As Dressage Anywhere approaches it's 15 year anniversary, Liz Daniels chats to Co-Founder Ruth Chappell about the formation and progression of the platform that hosts online dressage competitions for competitors around the world.

Find out more about Dressage Anywhere here: https://www.dressageanywhere.com/

Purchase Ruth's favourite horse products here: https://www.wolfandhooves.com/hoovesofhampshire 

As Time to Talk day approaches EquiTeam's Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings look at that wonderful word ‘fine’

Why do we say we are fine when we are not, and what could we be more aware of?

As the pair reflect on why they say ‘fine’ even on the days they are not, they share why it’s good to talk as research shows the tactic of bottling up is common, 72% of 25-34 year-olds reporting they avoid saying how they really feel.

Riders Minds: https://ridersminds.org/

Scottish Amateur Eventer, Jo Heaton, chats to EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels about Badminton 2023, and qualifying for 2024.
Although Jo fully admits to feeling like she is winging it, she is certainly doing a very good job, juggling a busy home life, a business move and full time job around her competing.

After watching Badminton on TV for many years and dreaming about riding there one day, Jo shares what it was like to canter through the famous lake and past Badminton House and her thoughts on competing there again this year.

An inspiring podcast with an equestrian who is simply making it happen.

We all know that horse rider is a high risk sport or hobbie but do we all know what to do if we or one of our friends has an accident? Would you remove their hat?

In this episode Liz Daniels chats to Nisha from Medi-K First Aid Training Cooperative to find out what we can all do to make sure we know how to deal with a medical emergency. Whilst many riders may worry about spinal injuries Liz and Nisha share some stats about head injuries which are the most common injury within the equestrian community. If you would like to make sure you are prepared as possible you can find out about Medi-K’s First Aid training here.

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels chats to Riders Minds Founder Victoria Wright ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10^th October, about why she wants to bring the equestrian community together for a cup of tea and a talk.

With a strong message of talking to each other, rather than about one another, Victoria shares why she would like this to become common place and not just for World Mental Health Day.

As the pair delve into the narrative around suicide, Victoria shares why we need to change our language and drop the word ‘committed’.

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in the podcast, or would like to talk to the Riders Minds helpline go to: https://ridersminds.org/.

All of the Riders Minds services are free, 100% confidential and accessible 24 hours a day. If you would like to talk to one of our trained team please call the helpline on 0800 088 2073, or text 07480 488 103, or access the web chat through the website.

Equiteam Confidence Camp Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings look back on 10 years of camps on their anniversary year.

From not being sure that they would fill camps, to selling out in minutes, the duo share some of their most memorable moments (or those they can share anyway!), as they reflect on 10 years of fun.

With bridleless ponies, an air ambulance, lots of feeding, some dirty dancing moves and unlikely friendships formed - the magic of camp is shared through an authentic hug.

Follow Equiteam Confidence Camps on Facebook 

If you’re lacking a bit of direction, then let us help you find your focus with The Focused Equestrian Boot Camp.

Equiteam’s Lou Gillings, joins Liz Daniels to chat about their first boot camp and how it can help you focus your goals and find your mojo.

You can pick and choose which parts you want to focus on, with our four main pathways:

·       Mindset and Goal Setting

·       Rider position

·       Horsecare

·       Daily challenges

·       Rider focused fitness

·       Plus Loubird's delicious recipes

Join us here: https://www.equiteam.co.uk/the-focused-equestrian-bootcamp/ 

When the world’s most famous super groom agrees to come to Scotland to coach for EquiTeam Confidence Camps and film some grooming and turnout videos for our EquiTeam members, we knew we were in for a fun few days.

What we didn’t realise was just what an absolute privilege it would be to spend time with the man who has travelled the world looking after, amongst others, Valegro, Utophia and Gio and who has been part of numerous Olympic, World and European medal winning teams.

In this episode we reflect on our time with Alan, what we learnt, what we still want to ask him, and just how kind and generous he was with his time, knowledge and experience. It is fantastic to see how his hard work, dedication and support from Carl and Charlotte have given him a platform to promote the role the super grooms play in keeping our horses fit, healthy and at the top of their game.

If you want to access Alan’s grooming and turnout series and learn how to groom, plait and polish like Alan then you can join EquiTeam here

Having been on every diet plan out there, Carolyn Macdonald shares how a change in mindset kickstarted her weight loss and fitness journey.

After 40 years of being unhappy with her weight and suffering from a huge loss in confidence both on her horse Bobby and in her personal life Carolyn realised she had to make a change. Fast forward and she has lost an incredible 4.5 stone. In this episode she chats to Liz about her biggest achievement to date and the impact it has had on every area of her life.

Having coached Carolyn before her weight loss journey Liz has seen first-hand the benefits to Carolyn’s riding and confidence levels with her horse Bobby.

Carolyn shares some brilliant tips from her own journey whilst at the same time acknowledging that everyone’s journey will be different. Importantly it has got to be the right time for the individual, and whilst in an equestrian setting it is right to talk about someone’s fitness, it is never appropriate to tell someone else that they are overweight.  

You can find out more information on the plan that Carolyn used here or sign up to Equiteam to access both our exclusive member work outs and a supportive community ready to cheer you on https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm

At a time of year when everyone else is feeling motivated by goals, it’s important to add the balance and remember that some people are also dealing with setbacks.

We all know that accidents and injuries can and do happen as EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels and Liz Somerville share their recent traumatic experiences of finding a horse on three legs and the subsequent emergency surgery of two-year-old Bert.

The podcast highlights how being calm under pressure and some preparation can make a big difference in situations of stress.

Mum of two, full time police officer, rider & grass roots eventer, personal trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach for the performance and development squads for Horse Scotland. Lauren Semple from Equestrian Fitness Scotland is one busy lady and yet she still finds time to support and encourage other equestrians to get fitter and stronger.

In this episode Liz Daniels chats to Lauren about what inspired her to help other riders improve their fitness and the quick results her clients get when they commit to just 10 -15 minutes a day of doing the right exercises.

Did you know that if you are an unbalanced and unfit rider your horse has to work up to 80% harder? Lauren is very clear that this isn’t about how much you weigh but about how fit, balanced and strong you are in the saddle, so it's time to ditch those scales. Instead Lauren recommends taking EquiTeam’s fitness test to work out if you are fit enough for your horse.

If you are time poor but want quick results there is so much you can do to help your horse and you don’t even need to join a gym. 10 -15 minutes of our EquiTeam rider fitness workouts per day is all you need to start seeing results  

EquiTeam’s Fitness Test https://bit.ly/3w4jbxU

Join Us https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm

On Listen with Equiteam this week, Liz Daniels chats to Tristan Tucker, the man behind the phenomenon that is the TRT Method.

The TRT Method gives riders the tools to teach their horse how to handle stressful situations, reduce tension, solve problems and gain confidence.

Tristan gives an insight into his formative years, how and why the TRT Method was developed, and the bumps along the way.

Find out more -  https://trtmethod.com/

https://www.facebook.com/trtmethod

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings chat about how moving the goal posts and changing your expectations at the last minute can often lead to disappointment and means that you forget to enjoy the moment.

After an interesting few weeks as a coach, rider, friend and general observer, Liz asks Lou if she thinks our natural competitive streak can actually hinder our enjoyment levels, and why – once we get to an event – do we go from being proud just to qualify, to moving the goal posts and then disappointed that we didn’t win?!

We would love to hear your own thoughts, experiences and conclusions on this topic!

In this episode, EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels chats to Muireann O Toole Brennan Co Founder and Head of Media at Equitas about inspiring a generation.

As Muireann sobbed her way to a riding lesson early on in life, scared to ride, little did she know that the sisters who owned the stables would change, shape and inspire her future both in and out of the saddle – her first experience of truly supportive women working together.

With a career steeped in many equestrian experiences, Muireann jumped at the opportunity to combine the two things she loved; writing and horses, as she recalls the emotions when her first article was published in the Grassroots Gazette.

A few articles later and a meeting request with the ‘boss’ left Muireann thinking that she might get fired, but she needn’t have worried, it was the beginning of something really big – Equitas was born.

Equitas is an inclusive online publication that opens conversations and supports the women in our industry bringing about change, with one of the most notable achievements being the recent rule change surrounding the compulsory wearing of white breeches for competition.

An conversation oozing with passion, pride and admiration.

Find out more about Equitas here:

Website: https://www.equitas.ie 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EquitasEire 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equitaseire

And if you'd like to join EquiTeam you can find out more here: www.equiteam.co.uk 

Whether you love it or loathe it, clipping season is here once again and it is a subject that EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels could chat for hours about!

While Liz Somerville is trying to rein Liz D in, the pair chat about their clipping experiences including Liz D being a clipping demonstrator for many years at Your Horse Live.

We’ve tried to condense it so in this episode you will find lots of helpful tips on everything from preparation to achieving the perfect clip and of course safety and whether we should be wearing hard hats, their favourite clippers and their pet hates.

On this week’s episode Helen Duncan shares her journey from taking early retirement to being inspired enough by seeing the benefits of Equine Touch that she went on to found her own business as an Equine and Human Touch Practitioner.

After attending a two-day Equine Touch course for horse owners, Helen was so motivated by what she saw, that she went on to train as a practitioner to enable her to deliver this technique and see first-hand the benefits that it can have.

Equine Touch is a non-invasive body working technique involving the connective tissue such as fascia, muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Helen shares her journey and why she loves working with horse and rider combinations.

Based over on the west coast of Scotland, several hours away from the nearest competition centre and an hour’s drive from the nearest arena, Caeleigh Kean chats to Liz Daniels about how she stays motivated to ride and achieve her goals with her lovely young horse Hadley. Juggling a young family, a busy job and a collection of animals, Caeleigh is the perfect example of what hard work, determination and a little bit of support from our EquiTeam community can achieve.

In Caeleigh’s own words…don’t make excuses just go out and do it!

If you are struggling to get motivated or looking for some much needed support and want to join our EquiTeam community, you can find out more at www.equiteam.co.uk

This week we are celebrating our second birthday and to mark this exciting occasion we invited our members to a podcast party.

From creating horse poo truffles, feeling safe to have tricky conversations, supporting first-time horse owners, and our most memorable moments, the love for the EquiTeam community is clear for everyone to hear.

Of course the who would you have for dinner question appeared, which saw the evening escalate quickly!!

A heartfelt thank you to every single person who has supported us, and as a special thank you we are giving you all the chance to join EquiTeam for just £2 by using the code EquiTeam2Birthday at checkout.

Come and celebrate with us here: www.equiteam.co.uk 

It's Female Health February so what better reason to revisit one of our most popular episodes from 2022.

Can we be the last generation of women to suffer in silence when it comes to the peri-menopause and menopause? This was a question put to us by the wonderful Caroline Wilson as she shared her experience of peri-menopause with Liz Daniels and Liz Somerville from EquiTeam. For Caroline it all started around the age of 43 when for the first time in her life she rode down the centre line and had a complete mind blank. The anxiety and panic that set in stayed with her and looking back now she is certain that this was the beginning of the peri-menopause.

Fast forward a few years and lockdown gave her the time and opportunity to start researching and learning about this period in a woman’s life and armed with Liz Earle’s E-Book on HRT she plucked up the courage to go and speak to a doctor. Caroline shares with us some of the different options for HRT and also some fantastic resources if you want to learn more.

The crazy thing is 50% of the population are going to go through the menopause and yet we still aren’t talking about it enough and women are still struggling to get help. Dr Louise Newson, Davina McCall and Liz Earle amongst others have started the conversation and we need to continue it.

On top of that as riders we take risks every day when we get on our horses so protecting our bones against osteoporosis which can happen as a result of low estrogen levels, has never been more important if we want to continue riding as we get older.

Massive thanks to Caroline for being brave and speaking so articulately, we hope you enjoy listening!

Find out more and join our EquiTeam community https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm

Liz Earle’s E-Book  https://lizearlewellbeing.com/product/menopauseguides/

Dr Louise Newson https://www.balance-menopause.com

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings caught up with Equiteam Connected member Jen Craig to find out what sparked her fitness journey and how it has impacted her mindset.

The trio discuss making sustainable lifestyle choices and why ice cream features every day in Jen’s menu with no intention of giving up!

As Louise is preparing for a half marathon, Jen shares how the Equiteam Fit to Ride videos and plans have inspired her to kick-start her health journey and how she has noticed the biggest differences in her energy, her time in the saddle and most of all to her mindset.

When functional nutritionist, entrepreneur, and author of Hungry Woman: Eating for good health, happiness and hormones, was our guest on a previous EquiTeam podcast the response we had was unchartered.

Her pragmatic, yet achievable approach of making small changes to invest in your mind and body for better sleep, mental health and hormone balance resonated with the EquiTeam Connected group as we all went off to buy magnesium, Omega 3, and copies of her book.

But a month down the line, have we managed to sustain these changes and if so what, if any, improvements have we seen?

Is Liz D still drinking as much tea and eating fermented foods and boiled eggs? Is Liz S managing to swallow her ‘horse sized’ pills, and is the kitchen closed at 6pm for Lou?

Listen to the previous episode here: https://www.equiteam.co.uk/hungry-woman-uncovered/ 

Buy Pauline’s Book here: https://amzn.to/40lhZVt 

(As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases).

Connect with Pauline on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulinejcox/?hl=en 

Pauline's website: https://sowandarrow.com 

Liz Daniels has the real pleasure of welcoming equine trainer and psychologist, Kelly Marks to the Listen with Equiteam podcast.

Kelly shares her fascinating story of how a letter to the then-king from her Grandad, created an opportunity for her Dad to become a jockey, and how a misunderstood racehorse changed their paths forever.

As a former European champion jockey and successful show jumper, Kelly was at a crossroads in her life, when a chance meeting with Monty Roberts at a petrol station in France (what are the chances!), changed her life.

Kelly is widely known for her work on equine psychology and training, focussing on effective communication, through her online platform Ingelligent Horsemanship and series of books.

Find out more about Kelly & Daisy here:

https://intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/

https://howveryhorsey.co.uk/ 

Join EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings as they talk all things mental health and well-being on World Mental Health Day (10^th October).

The duo looks at what mental health means to them, why saying hello to a stranger might make a difference to their day, and share some personal experiences.

Liz’s shameless plug for Riders Minds has a strong messaging about the mental health and well-being support is available for all equestrians, and that it is okay not to be okay.

Find out more about Riders Minds here: https://ridersminds.org/

Do you find riding in open spaces at speed a bit nerve racking? Or maybe you just want to learn to gallop your horse properly?

You are most definitely not alone. After a post in our Facebook group EquiTeam Connected raised this issue, Liz and Lou sat down to discuss how to safely, and confidently ride at speed. This episode covers everything from choosing the right time, place and people to go with, how your position is super important for you and your horse, how to choose the best ground and cope with variations in terrain and how to manage those nerves and safely build your confidence.  

You can find out how to join Equiteam and access our member videos on cantering in an open space and the two point position here

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels and Lou Gillings reflect on a brilliant and educational year that hasn’t been without it's challenges, and look forward to 2025 with some exciting equestrian dates planned.

From finding mojo, to physical setbacks, knowing when to be kind to yourself and goal setting, the duo cover a lot in this episode, with some special Equiteamer’s reminding them why they do what they do.

EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels chats to Jane Brindley from Horse Riding with Confidence Scotland to chat about negative self talk and the effects it has.

From what it is, to why it’s emotionally draining and the effects on others, Jane delves deeper to give a thorough understanding of this important topic, and shares some practical tips and management tools for managing negative self talk.

Jane is a confidence and mindset coach who has been working with horse riders, at all levels, since 2004 when she set up her business Horse Riding with Confidence Scotland. She uses hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, NLP and performance coaching to help riders overcome anxiety, grow in self belief and resilience and develop a strong mindset for performance.

Contact Jane:  https://www.horseridingwithconfidencescotland.co.uk/

Topics:

Anxiety

Negativity 

Growth mindset vs fixed mindset

Self-belief 

Limiting beliefs 

Positivity 

Equiteam member Gillian Birrell chats about the ups and downs of her journey with her horse Ziggy and why she thinks it is important to share that it’s not always full of smiles and achievements.

Returning to riding after a big break, Gillian found herself teamed with a horse who has tested her resilience and confidence on multiple occasions. After 10 falls in almost as many months, Gillian knew it was decision time – did she try and learn to work as a team – or was it time to part company for good?

Gillian shares what tools she has found, and why asking for help and surrounding yourself with positive support has been the is the most valuable part of her journey.

A real honest account of an on-going journey, with a twist of Oompa Loompa and a splash of Johnny Depp.

Read Gillian's blog here:https://www.equiteam.co.uk/its-not-always-been-smiles-and-achievements/ 

Love hacking for hours or see it as a means to an end? In this revisited episode Liz is joined by Lou & Liz to discuss everything and anything hacking related. 

The changes to the Highway Code feature, as well as how to incorporate schooling exercises into your hacking, the importance of hacking with purpose and how Hi-Viz, once seriously uncool is now a necessity.

Listen for free across all podcast platforms 

Imagine being told that you were in the wrong warm up ring just because you were riding a native pony. This is what happened to Sarah Vousden as she warmed up for her Advanced Medium test on her traditional cob. Many of us would let this scare and intimidate us but not Sarah who thrives on feeling like the under-dog. 

So what does it take to train a hairy traditional cob called Harley and a sharp and very spooky connie called George to PSG level? According to Sarah, determination, the right mindset and the tenacity to keep going. After feeling disappointed with consistently low marks at elementary, Sarah recognised that she had to change her mindset and not be disappointed with the scores, because the horses were doing the best that they could.

But that didn’t mean that they couldn’t progress up the levels and after a conversation with her coach Tom Graham they decided to focus on training the movements and see where they got too. And that’s how Sarah found herself wearing tails and dancing her way down the centre line at PSG level.

Happy listening, we hope you come away feeling as inspired as we did!

Topics include:

British Dressage

Training for Prix St George level

Overcoming confidence issues

Horses are meant to be fun

Not everyone needs a flashy warmblood horse to do dressage

Changing your mindset

www.equiteam.co.uk

Have you lost a bit of motivation? It happens to us all!

In this week’s episode EquiTeamers Liz Daniels and Lou Gillings chat about Liz’s recent trip to the Isle of Islay and the amazing equestrian community who reminded Liz of some very important life lessons.
And the pair wrap up by talking about a recent crazy challenge that required a huge amount of mental resilience and reminded Liz just how much we are capable of even when we don’t think are.

Being part of the equestrian world is tough enough without people thinking it is ok to be nasty about a fellow rider or coach. In this episode the team from EquiTeam share their own experiences of negativity and nastiness and the impact it had on them. 

They ask the question, when does a negative comment actaully tip over into bullying and share some resources including Mind and Riders Minds which are there to help and support riders if you or someone you know are struggling.

Being kind, supportive and calling out those negative nancies is the only way we are going to make an impact and at EquiTeam we are already seeing the power that being positive and supportive can have in our online community.

So in a world where you can be anything be kind, or be quiet, and if you want to be part of our kind, supportive equestrian community you can find out more here https://bit.ly/3n0eXmR 

EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels chats to Lyla Cansfield to chat about natural horsemanship and dealing with spooky horses.

Lyla uses a unique blend of natural horsemanship principles alongside sensitively applied traditional ground and ridden techniques for riders of any discipline to achieve transformational results with their horses and help them understand each other.

Performed correctly there is no doubt that natural horsemanship is a valuable part of training – but done incorrectly does it always achieve the desired results? Liz put Lyla on the spot and asked her thoughts on using natural horsemanship as an excuse for less confident riders?

Umbrellas, ground work and ridden exercises; Lyla shares some of her tricks and tips for helping riders work with a spooky horse.

If people are interested in learning more about the correct practices you can check out Lyla’s website here https://bit.ly/3NPg5VX 

In this episode Liz Daniels from EquiTeam chats to Helen Wilson aka The Overthinking Rider. Helen talks brilliantly about her own experiences as an overthinking rider with an equally overthinking horse, Foxy.

Liz and Helen discuss some of the more common traits that we see with riders when they overthink things and Helen shares some tools to use to help quieten down the negative chatter that can go on in our heads.

Helen has a brilliant way of sharing her own journey as an overthinking rider with a good dose of humour, that is backed by a scientific understanding and skills learnt through her work as a personal coach and business trainer.

If you would like to hear more from Helen you can read her EquiTeam blogs here

It’s November and yes we are talking about Christmas, or more specifically EquiTeam’s Christmas Advent Calendar, which this year is back, bigger and better than ever!

Liz, Lou and Liz get together to share some of their exciting plans for this year’s calendar which already has over £1200 of amazing prizes to be won plus content, top tips and fun from some of our top professionals.

Running throughout December all you have to do to take part and be in with a chance of winning our epic prizes is to sign up to our EquiTeam membership. It’s £15 for the month and as well as our advent calendar everyone will have full access to all of our member benefits. What’s even better is if you sign up in November you get up to an extra two weeks completely free, with your membership running through from when you sign up to the end of December.

Just head over to www.equiteam.co.uk to come and get in the Christmas spirit and join in the Equiteam fun

In this episode we meet Natasha Swales who shares her incredible story of a £1 horse called Mary

Known for liking quirky mares Tash purchased Mary, a grey mare with a history of rearing for just £1 four years ago and has been documenting their journey on social media ever since.

Tash tried absolutely everything to break the cycle of Mary’s rearing and it was only months later when she asked Jay Johnson for help that they turned a corner. Now out jumping numerous double clears, Tash and Mary’s journey is such an inspiration and a brilliant example of what hard work, a willingness to learn, love for a quirky mare and a slight stubborn streak can achieve

You can follow Mary and Tash’s journey here:

https://www.facebook.com/she.rides.twd

https://www.instagram.com/she.rides.twd

In this week’s episode, and following a request in the Equiteam Connected members group, Liz and Lou handed over the mic, and welcomed Equiteam member Gillian Birrell to host the show.

Gill delves back to the beginning to discover how the pair started riding, their first ponies, how they met on the showjumping circuit and how Equiteam Confidence Camps were born.
Of course, it’s not without making them squirm as they reveal each others bad habits and get them to share previously non-disclosed info!

A fun listen to celebrate three years of Equiteam online

From Ryan Renolds to skiing holidays, this week EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels chats to Maeve Sheridan, founder and the mastermind behind the Internationally selling Activate Your Seat programme.

With over 20 years of experience as a Chartered Physiotherapist Meave specialises in the assessment and treatment of horses and riders.

Her years in clinic, coupled with a passion for science, led her to founding Activate Your Seat - a physiotherapy designed and led online exercise programme specifically for horse riders using a bungy.

Maeve shares how treatments have progressed in recent years, why she loves helping others and what motivates her.

Filled with a sense of humour, this is a must-listen episode to find out more Activate Your Seat and the wonderful woman behind it.

Maeve's website - https://animalphysioplus.com/activate-your-seat 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/maeve.animalphysioplus

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/activateyourseat

Most of us will suffer setbacks, a crisis of confidence or loose our mojo at some point and whether it’s because we are in the thick of the competition season or at the end of a busy summer with the kids off school, or trying to juggle work, life and holidays, there are plenty of people going through it right now.

Both of EquiTeam’s Lizs’ have experienced this over the last few weeks in different ways, so sat down to catch up and chat about some good lessons learnt at Blair Horse Trials, how taking the pressure off and being kind to yourself can actually be really beneficial and most of all how important it is to surround yourself with positive and supportive people.

Burghley Horse Trials also features as Liz S is just back from supporting Wills Oakden Eventing who had the most incredible week finishing 5^th and 8^th on his two horses. But not everyone’s Burghley went to plan and it was a good reminder that even the professionals have setbacks and learning days. Make sure you listen to the end to find out which horse they would both like to take home…!

When Bex Hayward traipsed around every stand at Badminton Horse Trials trying to find a pair of competition boots she was left feeling incredibly down when not one pair of boots fitted her muscular calves.

Her background in design led her to wonder if she could fill the gap in the market and she set about designing elegant, but flattering competition boots and The Wide Boot Company was born. With sales all across the world and a BETA Design Innovation Award, Bex chats to us about her journey, empowering ladies, finding time for her own horses, and what the future holds.

You can follow Bex or find out more about The Wide Boot Company here:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thewidebootcompany 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thewidebootco 

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thewidebootco 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@bexwbc1671 

Website - https://www.thewidebootcompany.com 

With the Paris Olympics kicking off this week, we thought there was no better time to revisit an episode we recorded in 2023 with Super Groom to the Stars Alan Davies.

Alan Davies, the most famous groom in the world, needs no introduction - but
if you have been hiding under a stone for a few years then let us introduce
you to him.

Alan is most famous for working alongside Charlotte Dujardin and Carl
Hester, and really catapulted into the main stream media spotlight with the
rise of Valegro - aka Blueberry.

The ultimate professional, Alan has helped Team GB win so many medals
that even he has lost count.

In today's episode we put our EquiTeam member's questions to Alan as he
shares his journey into becoming a professional groom, managing competition
horses, his most memorable moments, some of the challenges along the way,
and what it's like flying with horses internationally.

Alan gives a taster into life as a professional and as a British Grooms
Association Ambassador, Alan touches on how being a competition groom has
changed as well as sharing some of his exciting plans for the future.

Liz Daniels chats to psychotherapist and teaching fellow, Hannah MacIntosh about our brains and why we find it so hard to be nice about ourselves.

Have you ever finished a dressage test, lesson, or showing jumping round and the first thing that comes out of your mouth is a negative comment – don’t worry you’re certainly not alone!

Hannah explains why we do this and looks at the impact on our mindset and enjoyment levels as she shares some brilliant and practical tips for helping to refocus your thoughts.

Useful links:

Hannah MacIntosh website - www.chalapsychotherapy.co.uk

Email Hannah at - chalapsychotherapy@gmail.com

Counselling directory - https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/hannah-macintosh

Kristen Neff website - https://self-compassion.org/

This week the team from EquiTeam are discussing why your horse needs to be fit enough to do a job and share a basic six week fitness programme you can follow.

Liz, Lou & Liz S talk about the benefits of hacking, how to minimise the risk of injury as well as how to plan ahead to make sure you can get to that all important camp, lesson or competiton.

You can listen on all of the usual podcast platforms and download our fitness programme here https://bit.ly/3uM76MV 

Are judges really as scary as we sometimes think?

This is just one of the questions that EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels put to British Dressage Judge Gillian Peters, on this week’s podcast.

Gillian is a BD List 1 judge, the Scottish Judge Regional representative, a coach and has also competed to advanced level, an accolade of achievements she has juggled around a job and family life.

Gillian shares where the motivation for her inspiring journey to become a List 1 judge came from, and why she drove 1,000 miles to judge ten horses.

Adding a brilliant perspective from inside the judge’s box, Gillian shares why sometimes the judges might be as apprehensive as the riders trotting down the centre line, and why she thinks getting a nine is achievable.

With a clear passion for the sport and training, Gillian delves into why she thinks test riding training is invaluable, and why training to be a judge is now more accessible than ever before.

Whether you’re interested in becoming a judge, or are a rider yourself, this is a must-listen episode to dispel the myths of being a judge. 

Find out more about how to become a British Dressage judge or get involved in dressage writing  here 

Topics include:

British Dressage 

Dressage Judging 

Dressage riding 

Equestrianism 

List 1 Judging 

Coming very soon......

In today's episode of Listen with EquiTeam, we are delighted to be joined by
Dave Sanders from The Equestrian Fitness Institute.

Dave is a former personal trainer who now specialises in Equestrian Fitness
& Rehab, helping riders to reduce their pain and enhance their performance.

With a passion for understanding how the brain delivers biomechanics, Dave
shares his incredible journey from a chance online consultation to an
International career now delivering equestrian training around the world.

Dave's zest, energy and passion radiates as he speaks, with his ability to
break neuromechanics down into something that everyone can understand. He is
driven by research and the want for everyone to become the best version of
themselves for their horse.

A fascinating and must-listen episode to discover more about neuromechanics
and the impact on your riding.  

Topics include:

Equestrian fitness

Equestrian injuries

Equestrian rehabilitation 

Confident riding 

Mental health & wellbeing 

Equestrian training 

Biomechanics

Neuromechanics 

Managing pain 

Follow Dave on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theneuromechanicsacademy

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels and Lou Gillings share some festive cheer with a light-hearted festive episode.

From memorable gifts, to Christmas traditions, eating mince pies in October and ‘Driving Home for Chritsmas’, the duo cover all things festive… Baileys anyone?

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas,
With Love from Liz, Lou and Liz x

In this episode EquiTeam’s Liz and Lou chat about dealing with setbacks, why it’s important to allow yourself time to process, acknowledge and take control of the situation, how to learn from mistakes, and why sometimes setbacks can help you to develop skills and move forwards.

As they reflect on and share some experiences, the duo chat about having tantrums, hiding the biscuits and Lou turns the tables as Liz answers the quick-fire questions.  

As Horse Riding with Confidence Scotland approaches its 20^th Birthday, EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels chats to confidence coach Jane Brindley about the changing landscape of mindset in horse riders and coaches.

The pair take a little trip down memory lane to chat about how confidence is viewed and how mindset techniques have evolved.

You can contact Jane at https://horseridingwithconfidencescotland.co.uk/ and follow her on Facebook and Instagram 

In this week’s episode, Liz Daniels chats to Advanced Practice Pelvic Health Physiotherapist Kate Leishman about all things pelvic floor.

With 1 in 2 women experiencing bladder problems, often going many years before seeking advice, Kate explains what a pelvic health physiotherapist is and why problems are more common than many people realise.

Bladder weakness often leaves people feeling embarrassed, but Kate reassures us that people do not need to suffer in silence as there is lots that can be done.

Kate even shares some easy to follow exercises that can help improve your pelvic floor muscles with a message to ‘clench it or drench it’.

Find out more about EquiTeam www.equiteam.co.uk 

“He just doesn’t feel quite right” Sound familiar? If you have owned and ridden horses then you’ll understand that feeling of dread when you realise that your precious horse that you have invested so much time and money in is lame. But knowing when they are lame can be really difficult especially if they are quite stoical and not showing the classic head nod that most of us associate with lameness.

In this episode Liz, Lou & Liz from EquiTeam share some top tips on how to identify the early warning signs that something isn’t quite right. Knowing what is normal for your horse is key so feeling their legs and checking for digital pulses every day is really important to pick up any soft tissue injuries or early laminitis.

They also discuss some of the less obvious signs of lameness including napping, not wanting to jump, refusing to go forwards, a sore back, going round bent to the outside, not wanting to work in an outline and toe dragging behind, and talk you through how to trot up and what to look for with both a front leg and hind leg lameness.

If you are an #EquiTeam member you can watch our video on how to trot up your horse properly here and if you haven’t joined us yet you can sign up here

This week Liz is chatting to one of our EquiTeam members Jen Craig about her rather special and very hot Ginger Ninja, Troy.

Troy came into Jen’s life at just a week old and despite his hot and slightly unpredictable nature, Jen had high hopes for her special boy. After a make or break trip to EquiTeam’s Confidence Camp in 2017 helped Jen re-define who was in charge in their relationship, she set herself the goal of getting him to the Royal Highland Show for the HOYS Working Hunter qualifiers.

Sadly a bout of laminitis and a subsequent diagnosis of EMS meant Jen had to re-evaluate what her goals were and after a long recovery and rehabilitation period Jen set about planning what was next for her and Troy.

She chats about how much of a loss it was to have to give up on her showing goals but also how much fun they have had setting some new goals, culminating in them both qualifying for the Riding Club Dressage Championships with 74% and a win in a huge class of 50 other horses.

Jen’s drive, motivation and positive attitude is inspirational. From 5am alarm calls to juggling a full-time job and a young family, she is sets us all a great example of how if something is important enough to you, you make it happen.

www.equiteam.co.uk 

This week’s guest is Melody Hames, the lady behind The Horse Barber brand, creative clipper, and the UK’s first horse clipping educator.

In this episode EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels finds out more about how Melody got started in the clipping business and how she has managed to combine her creative flair and passion for art with clipping horses, a business that has taken her over to America to show case her clipping skills, and seen her demo at Your Horse Live  

Liz & Melody wrap up the podcast with their top tips on how to get the best clip for your horse, in as stress free a way as possible for both people and horses…..enjoy!

You can find out more about Melody here www.thehorsebarber.com and follow her on Instagram @thehorsebarber

On this week’s episode, Liz Daniels chats to equine vet Dr Jenny Croft about equine gastric ulcers.
Jenny explains in a way that everyone can understand about the causes, clinical signs, diagnosis and what a gastroscope involves, before discussing treatement and most importantly management and prevention.

Liz and Jenny explore the new thinking of feeding fibre before riding and why this is important, as well as tackling the confusing subject of supplements.

A must-listen for anyone wanting to learn more about equine ulcers and what management strategies they can put in place for every horse to potentially reduce the risk of ulcers developing.

Topics include: 

• Why do horses get gastric ulcers 
• What are the clinical signs of equine gastric ulcers 
• How do we diagnose equine gastric ulcers 
• How to we treat and manage equine gastric ulcers 
• How to we prevent equine gastric ulcers 

To find out more about EquiTeam Connected head over to https://bit.ly/3n0eXmR or follow us on our social channels 

Facebook - https://bit.ly/3Gse5R3 

Instagram - https://bit.ly/3k5SaYA 

There is no denying that this time of year for horse owners comes as a challenge. With the constant battle of rain, mud and dark nights the EquiTeam trio discuss how they stay motivated in winter, and share a few tips along the way.

With a mutual love for the sunshine Liz, Lou and Liz can totally relate to the struggles of horse-owning in winter, but balance that up with a welcome reminder that the shortest day is almost here.

This week’s episode is the perfect companion when mucking out on a dark cold morning, or whilst trudging through the mud, and acts as a reminder that you are very much not alone! #horseownerstogether

EquiTeam founders, Liz, Lou and Liz reflect on 12 months of EquiTeam, sharing what they have learned along the way, what they would do differently, and how they would like to celebrate their first birthday!

From providing a safe community, to sharing some amazing feedback and comments, the trio proudly looks back on a very busy 12 months.

Of course reflection is welcome when it’s to evaluate progress – but what is in store for EquiTeam in the next 12 months?
The exciting search for two scholars is underway, as well as some exciting plans for filming with some very special guests… And EquiTeam share what they are most looking forward to and what new skills they would like to develop.

Happy 1st Birthday EquiTeam and thank YOU for celebrating with us.

In this episode we meet Lou Gillings, also known as Loubird and one third of the Equiteam partnership. Liz and Lou talk all things Equiteam and share more about how their confidence camps started and the ethos behind their success.

Liz also puts Lou on the spot with some quick fire questions around who inspires her the most and who she would like to have dinner with! Richard Branson, Sir David Attenborough and Bradley Cooper were mentioned!

If you would like to access some of the downloads and videos mentioned in this episode, you can join us here at www.equiteam.co.uk/register/equiteam/ 

On Anti-Bullying Week (13-17^th November 2023) we chat to Mental Health Coach and Riders Minds Consultant, Sylvia Bruce about the sensitive topic that is bullying.

Most equestrians have experienced or witnessed bullying within the industry, but it is not something that people like to talk about and still makes people feel uncomfortable.
But what exactly is bullying, and what is it not?

Bullying has a huge impact on mental health and well-being and in this episode Sylvia shares an insight into understanding how bullying is characterised, what to do if you are being bullied, what to do if you see someone being bullied and where to go for additional support.  

If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

For more resources on bullying head over to the following webistes:

https://ridersminds.org 

https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week-2023-make-noise-about-bullying 

#listenwithequiteam 

In this episode Liz Daniels chats to EquiTeam member Lucy Barclay-Carr about her equestrian journey of ups and downs over the past 18 months.

Busy working Mum Lucy describes herself as an open book and in this podcast she openly shares the ups and downs, chats about her pelvic floor wins, EquiTeam Connected, and why she needs horses in her life.

Liz and Lucy reflect on the first time they met when Lucy made an entrance at the Equiteam Confidence Camps on a homebred mare which resulted in one of Liz’s most memorable moments, and discuss why Lucy thinks everyone should join EquiTeam Connected.

An open and honest podcast full of moments that many equestrians will relate to – with an added streak of humour and a touch over sharing!

Topics include: 

• Coming back to riding after a break
• Fitness struggles
• Pelvic floor issues 
• Confidence issues 

To find out more about EquiTeam Connected head over to https://bit.ly/3n0eXmR or follow us on our social channels 

Facebook - https://bit.ly/3Gse5R3 

Instagram - https://bit.ly/3k5SaYA 

EquiTeam’s coach, Liz Daniels, chats to Louise Gillings about the relationship between a coach and rider.

From being able to be honest and ask questions, to knowing when to move on, Liz and Lou draw on their own experiences from both sides of the coaching fence.

The episode that blew our minds! Pauline Cox, functional nutritionist, entrepreneur, and author of Hungry Woman: Eating for good health, happiness and hormones chats to EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels about bad habits and three simple things that can change your health.

How many of us are guilty of being fuelled by multiple cups of tea, crave the next biscuit, suffer from a lack of sleep/feel tired all the time, or have constantly changing hormone levels? We know we certainly do!

Pauline shares the science behind why your diet affects your health, happiness, hormones and mental health and why implementing just a few small changes can make a monumental difference.

When Caeleigh Kean posted on her social media about a recent success, the start of the post caught our eye.

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels chats to Caeleigh Kean about winning a sash, being crowned champions, and why she feels that good things don’t happen to people like her.

Like many people, Caeleigh wasn’t in a position to buy a ready-made horse, so instead she invested in a nice youngster to produce herself. Six years later and after a lot of blood, sweat, tears, logistical struggles, and battles with her health, Caeleigh is now loving every moment she spends with the horse of her dreams.

In today's episode of Listen with EquiTeam, Liz Daniels chats to
international show jumping rider and British Showjumping Coach Hannah
Jackson.

With a hugely successful showjumping career starting on ponies, Hannah has
an impressive list of achievements, having competed at HOYS and been on
several Nations Cups Teams.

From working for the BBC to now running her own yard and coaching, Hannah
shares the ups and downs of her journey, what she loves about being a coach
and how she takes great pleasure in helping others.

Offering her advice for anyone starting on their showjumping journey, it is
clear to hear how passionate and supportive Hannah is about her sport and
how much she loves to give back to both coaches and her clients.

Find Hannah on Facebook or Instagram 

www.britishshowjumping.co.uk 

Topics include:

Coaching 

BHS exams

UKCC Level 2 & 3 Coaching 

Showjumping 

BS Club Classes 

Confident jumping 

The time between Christmas and New Year is a great opportunity to review the past year and start setting some goals for 2023. As the title of this podcast says we have 365 days of opportunities, so dream big, set some goals and get ready to take action.

In this episode the team from EquiTeam chat about how to go about setting some goals, making sure they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART) and also share some tips to help you achieve your goals. Sharing your goals with others is a brilliant way to keep you motivated and accountable, especially if you have a couple of friends who will encourage and push you when you need some support and being aware about what might get in the way of you achieving your goals is also a great exercise for you to work through.

You can get help with your goal setting by using our EquiTeam Goal Setting download, which is available to all of our EquiTeam members. If you aren’t a member yet but would like to come and join the most supportive and inclusive equestrian community, who will be your biggest cheer leaders, and support and encourage you to achieve your goals, then here’s the link to sign up

Have you got a question about your horse but you’re worried you’re going to sound silly? Not sure where to go for recommendations you can trust? Or maybe you feel that you are the only person feeling nervous or out of your depth? Everyone else seems to have their s**t together…right?

Over the last year our EquiTeam members have blown us away with their enthusiasm to engage, ask questions and support other horse riders in our Facebook Connected group. So much so we wanted to share some of the questions and topics that have come up to encourage everyone to find a safe and supportive equestrian community where no question is considered a silly question. From bridle recommendations, whether to remove cobwebs, finding lost mojos and handling competition nerves this amazing bunch of people come up with the goods every time.

If you haven’t found your own safe and supportive community yet you can check us out at https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm or follow us on social media

Facebook - http://bit.ly/3Gse5R3

Instagram - http://bit.ly/3k5SaYA

Fast forward a few years and lockdown gave her the time and opportunity to start researching and learning about this period in a woman’s life and armed with Liz Earle’s E-Book on HRT she plucked up the courage to go and speak to a doctor. Caroline shares with us some of the different options for HRT and also some fantastic resources if you want to learn more.

The crazy thing is 50% of the population are going to go through the menopause and yet we still aren’t talking about it enough and women are still struggling to get help. Dr Louise Newson, Davina McCall and Liz Earle amongst others have started the conversation and we need to continue it.

On top of that as riders we take risks every day when we get on our horses so protecting our bones against osteoporosis which can happen as a result of low estrogen levels, has never been more important if we want to continue riding as we get older.

Massive thanks to Caroline for being brave and speaking so articulately, we hope you enjoy listening!

Find out more and join our EquiTeam community https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm

Liz Earle’s E-Book  https://lizearlewellbeing.com/product/menopauseguides/

Dr Louise Newson https://www.balance-menopause.com

EquiTeam’s Liz and Lou chat about the importance of riding your own race and not comparing yourself to others.

Following on from her well-received and timely EquiTeam blog, Lou delves deeper into being proud of your journey, not judging your progress on others around you, why smiling is infectious, and why you should be proud to sparkle!

From lightbulb moments  to dinner with Ryan Renolds, we challenge you not to take something away from this insightful, yet humourous podcast which is a great reminder to ride your own race.

Read our blog here https://bit.ly/3VvI9m4 

As the 2022 Equiteam Confidence Camps have come to a close, camp organisers Liz Daniels and Lou Gillings reflect on the highs, the lows, the memorable parts and share when the 2023 camp dates will be released.

Although not directly connected to the EquiTeam membership, Liz and Lou offer an insight as to the inspiration which came from their residential camps, which ultimately led to the formation of EquiTeam Connected.

From the challenges of rock hard ground and the unprecedented Scottish heat which 2022 will be remembered for, to Lou disclosing that she isn’t always very ‘peopley’, the duo offer a taste of life behind the scenes at camp.

At EquiTeam we love nothing more than chatting about confidence, and so this week’s guest is the perfect fit as we welcome confidence coach and sports psychologist Daisy Smith to the Listen with EquiTeam podcast.

After suffering a crisis of confidence Daisy was able to draw on her own personal and professional experiences to help others, which led to the formation of How Very Horsey.

Daisy has a very refreshing slant on ‘being brave’ as she shares her own story, and explains how a background in theatre has given her additional techniques to share with other equestrians to help them put the fun and love back into riding. 

You can find out more about Daisy here:

Website: https://howveryhorsey.co.uk/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/HowVeryHorsey
IG: @howveryhorsey

And join EquiTeam here

After a recent post in the EquiTeam Connected member’s group, Liz and Lou chat about the word ‘should’ and when it can be damaging.

 ‘Should’ can be a really pressure-fuelled word as the duo chat about self-pressure, external pressure, and why the most important part of training is positive repetition.

Remember that your journey is your own and should be taken at your own pace. Maybe the only thing you should be doing is having fun along the way.  

Having been on every diet plan out there, Carolyn Macdonald shares how a change in mindset kickstarted her weight loss and fitness journey.

After 40 years of being unhappy with her weight and suffering from a huge loss in confidence both on her horse Bobby and in her personal life Carolyn realised she had to make a change. Fast forward and she has lost an incredible 4.5 stone. In this episode she chats to Liz about her biggest achievement to date and the impact it has had on every area of her life.

Having coached Carolyn before her weight loss journey Liz has seen first-hand the benefits to Carolyn’s riding and confidence levels with her horse Bobby.

Carolyn shares some brilliant tips from her own journey whilst at the same time acknowledging that everyone’s journey will be different. Importantly it has got to be the right time for the individual, and whilst in an equestrian setting it is right to talk about someone’s fitness, it is never appropriate to tell someone else that they are overweight.  

You can find out more information on the plan that Carolyn used here or sign up to Equiteam to access both our exclusive member work outs and a supportive community ready to cheer you on https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm

This week Liz Daniels has her Confidence Coach's hat on to answer some of your confidence related questions.

From competition nerves to learning to ride a new horse, knowing when to move up and when to consolidate or how to get back on after a nasty fall, Liz chats through the different ways you can build your confidence, recover from set backs and most of all enjoy spending time with your horse. 

If you want to access any of the confidence related resources we mention in this episode head over to www.equiteam.co.uk and come and join the most incredible, supportive bunch of people, where no question is a silly question. 

This week’s episode is a good one! After reading about David’s story on Team Oakden’s Facebook page we knew we had to interview him. After a break from riding and not intending to start again, a chance encounter whilst at the dentist, led to David and his wife Krishna finding themselves at Dunbog Farm with two new horses.

David chats to EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels about the ups and downs of his inspiring journey, including how close he came to giving up after disappointments with his first horse George and an injury shortly after buying the very lovely Hamish. Luckily for David, after sending a message to his trainers Sarah and James Oakden telling them he was giving up, they decided to ignore it for a few weeks and slowly built David’s confidence back up. Roll on the end of the season and David and Hamish have completed Blair BE90, been out pointing their toes to win at British Dressage and recently came home from show jumping with a second in their first British Novice.

Massive thanks to David for being so candid about his journey, we can’t wait to follow your journey with Hamish

Setting yourself up to succeed is something that certainly seems to have worked for this week’s very special guest, Catriona Williams.

Catriona joins EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels from the airport, the day after completing the Cycle4Caroline 1100km marathon bike challenge, in aid of Spinal Research and the British Eventing Support Trust. 

Not only did New Zealand rider Cat complete the challenge, but even more inspirationally she completed it on hand bike after a fall in 2002 left her a tetraplegic. Although Catriona is paralysed from the base of her neck down and has limited use of her arms and hand, she is clearly driven to make a difference to all those around her.

Donate here: https://givewheel.com/fundraising/4699/cycle4caroline/ 

Find out more about Catriona here: https://www.catwalk.org.nz/ 

This week we have an episode with a difference. We're super excited to be collaborating with The Podcasting Equine Vetsand share an episode Liz recorded with Donna Case aka The Horse Feed Guru. An independent Equine Nutritionist, Donna talks about how she got into the industry, the best and worst bits of her job and shares her top feeding tips. She also de-bunks some of the myths surrounding feeding and the labelling of feeds and the use of supplements.

Donna has over 18 years of experience working in the equine feed industry and works with horses and ponies at every level, from the high performance yards to the one horse owner. She has worked at some of the biggest events in the world, as well as with British Equestrian and Team GBR.

You can follow Donna on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thehorsefeedguru and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thehorsefeedguru/

Liz Daniels chats to International Italian Event Rider Daniel Bizzarro about his journey from Italy to England, and his desire to share his knowledge by making it widely accessible.

Growing up on the outskirts of Turin, Italy, Dan began his riding journey aged nine.
A few years later he was given his first taste of Eventing as a Young Rider and his desire to follow his passion was lit.

In 2011, Dan left his home with his cat, horse and dog, and found himself working for a season with William Fox Pitt where he learned an incredible amount about riding, horse care and yard management.

Dan is passionate about sharing his information to help riders of all levels and regularly shares information on his social platforms and through an app that he has recently developed.

If you want to find out more about Dan you can find him on the following channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dbeventing 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danbizzarro 

Website: https://www.dbeventing.co.uk 

App: https://www.danbizzarromethod.com 

In this week’s episode Liz Daniels chats to Liz Somerville who is wearing her Loch Leven Equine Practice hat, to discuss the very relevant subject of laminitis, overweight ponies and just how dangerous this devastating condition can be.

With the grass growing at a rapid rate, vets are currently seeing a massive spike in the number of horses and ponies with laminitis. We chat about the risk factors and what triggers laminitis, how we all need to be better at recognising when our horses are overweight and why horse owners struggle to implement a successful weight loss plan.

However it’s not all doom and gloom, there is lots that we can do to minimise the risks and help our horses and ponies. If you want to learn more, here are some of the other resources that we discussed during our chat.

A conversation about laminitis with The Podcasting Equine Vets

A conversation about equine obesity with The Podcasting Equine Vets

EquiTeam’s blog on ‘How you can prevent laminitis’

EquiTeam’s Body Condition Scoring download

On this week’s podcast EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels has the pleasure of being joined by Tony Hobden from Equidance.

After meeting Mrs Equidance (Kelly Jewel), music producer Tony was taken to watch dressage to music for the first time and came away with one clear aim – to make the freestyle music better – and that is just what they did!

Founding the business 10 years ago, Tony shares how he approached top riders, offering to produce their music to get the Equidance brand known, and shares how during lockdown he tried to break the barriers to make dressage to music feel accessible for all levels.

With an all time high of watching Becky Moody dance to his music production at the Paris Olympics, Tony shares why he loves his job, the sport and of course his biggest inspiration.

Follow Equidance here:

https://www.facebook.com/equidance

https://www.equidance.co.uk/

We are a little bit late to the party as Breast Cancer Awareness Month is held every October, to raise awareness about breast cancer and promote early detection and prevention, but it is such an important topic that we wanted to cover it.

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels welcomes Claire McDougall to chat about her honest journey of breast cancer and why she has shared her story through her book, ‘Embracing the Scars’ to raise money for Maggie’s Glasgow.

For more info on Maggies Glasgow - https://www.maggies.org/our-centres/maggies-glasgow/ 

Follow Claire on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/embracing_thescars/ 

You can buy Claire's book here - https://c09d83-dd.myshopify.com/products/embracing-the-scars-book 

We have another brand new show for you! In the Vet’s Corner this week EquiTeam chat to Hugh Somerville MRCVS from Loch Leven Equine Practice about horse insurance.

Should you insure your horse in the first place, what type of policy and cover should you choose, what’s covered and what’s not and why checking the small print is so important.

Whether you choose to insure your horse or not will depend entirely on your own financial situation, your horse and your feelings around risk. In this episode Liz and Hugh chat about the very murky area around claiming for the value of your horse should you have to make the heart-breaking decision to put them to sleep, and Hugh explains about the BEVA Guidelines that set out when an insurance company will pay out and when they won’t.

Excesses, exclusions, how much cover you need and loss of use are all covered as well as the relatively new practice of insurance companies splitting injuries into multiple claims. Good news if you need more money to cover the treatment not so good if you have chosen a policy with a high excess.

www.lochlevenequine.co.uk

www.equiteam.co.uk

Read the BEVA Guidelines on Euthanasia for Mortality Insurance https://bit.ly/3vekxpV

In this second episode from EquiTeam’s ‘Coaching Uncovered’ series Liz Daniels chats to Liz Somerville about how to go about finding the right coach for you and your horse, when it is ok to cheat on your regular coach and how many is too many coaches!

Finding the right coach can take time and effort. This week Liz D explains about the different types of qualifications, and the importance of insurance, which is a question that very few people actually ask before booking a lesson for the first time! We chat about how to avoid getting confused if you are using multiple coaches, the value of feedback for your coach and how to recognise when it is time to move on.

Read our recent blog on finding the right coach here https://bit.ly/3znO9UB

Come and join us at www.equiteam.co.uk 

Today’s episode sees Lou Gillings getting her own back and putting Liz Daniels firmly in the hot seat. If you have listened to our recent ‘Coaching Uncovered’ series you will already know a bit about ‘Liz the Coach’, but in this podcast Lou gets to ask more about what makes Liz tick, who inspires her and who she would most like to have dinner with. Lou also finds out that after enjoying her time grooming (and partying) a little too much, Liz headed back to school, and came out of university with a First in Journalism… not just a pretty face and a non-stop talker!

But as well as the fun Liz also shares what her hopes and dreams are for EquiTeam and how we can support the wider equestrian community, so if some of what she has to say resonates with you then head over to our website to find out more about EquiTeam and our online educational platform for horse riders of all levels. We would love to welcome you inside the membership!

On this week’s podcast EquiTeam Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings chat about the importance of listening to your body and recognising when to take a half halt, and when to push through when the going gets tough.

As Louise faces the prospect of having to admit physical defeat and the feelings of frustration that come with that, the duo draws on personal experiences as they share some of the highs and lows as ‘middle age’ starts to rear its unfortunate head!

Equiteam’s Liz Daniels chats to Olympic medal winner and dressage superstar, Becky Moody.

Becky sprung into the mainstream spotlight ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics in a challenging time, and yet managed to steal everyone’s hearts, with her homebred partner in crime, Jagerbomb.

Currently ranked seventh in the FEI World Rankings, Becky takes a trip down memory lane and reflects on where her equestrian journey began.

In a brilliantly honest podcast, Becky chats about Bomba’s blog and where the inspiration to write from his viewpoint came from.

You can follow Becky here:

https://www.facebook.com/Moodydressage
https://moodydressage.co.uk/

Sponsors: https://equidance.co.uk 

With access to so much information, EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels and Lou Gillings chat about when too much information can lead to overload, simple tasks not being processed and the danger of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

The pair recall instances when they have both felt bamboozled and situations where they have seen riders under stress not being able to process straightforward directions and look at some of the things that can help.

This week Liz, Lou and Liz S are back together for a special EquiTeam catch up. As well as all of the educational and fun content we have enjoyed producing for our EquiTeam members, our Facebook group EquiTeam Connected has been busier than ever with posts and questions about Atypical Myopathy, how to get started with British Dressage, confidence blips, HRT, and loads of encouragement and support when needed.

Have a listen to find out more about our exciting Christmas advert competition and how you can be in with a chance to win some incredible prizes. Our new recommend a friend scheme has also just launched and every time you recommend us to a friend and they sign up, we're giving away one of our awesome EquiTeam bobble hats or hat silks.

Find out how to join our supportive, kind and fun group, and experience a bit of the EquiTeam magic for yourself …here

In today’s episode Carmen Cumminskey, Managing Director and Founder of FOMO Protection chats all things body protectors, from creating the prototype as a final year Sports Engineering Student using a £12 sewing machine purchased from Amazon, to creating an award-winning business.

Carmen explains the theory behind some of the technology and design, and shares how being a horse rider herself inspired the comfort and fit of the body protectors.

Coupled with an ecliptic dinner table choice, this is an informative and inspiring episode not to be missed.

To find out more about FOMO Protection head over to their website https://fomoprotection.com/ or get connected over on social media:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FOMOProtection 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fomoprotection/ 

Where you decide to livery your horse is going to depend on a multitude of things but how do you find the perfect yard for both you and your horse?

In our latest episode the team from EquiTeam discuss what questions you should be asking when you start looking, and discuss insurance policies, contracts, yard rules and routines, and that all important list of ‘must haves’ and ‘would like to haves’

Liz, Lou and Liz share their own experiences of being on livery yards as well as some of the positive and negative stories they have seen and heard through their own day jobs. The key take home message is all about the importance of support networks and the power of positivity….. in short avoid those negative Nancies who have nothing nice to say!

We also share some resources including the Equestrian Employers Association’s template contract for livery yard owners and Riders Minds who provide mental health and wellbeing support and resources for anyone experiencing bullying on their yard.

What happens when you reach and achieve a goal, but yet you are left feeling a little disappointed?

EquiTeam’s Lou Gillings shares how she achieved her goal and yet the achievement was tarred by the feeling of disappointment knowing that she could have done better, or worked harder.

This is a situation that many equestrians can relate to – yet when looking at the bigger picture and drilling down into details we often find that the goal posts have been moved! In this honest podcast Liz and Lou discuss the next plans, the take-home messages, and why it’s okay to be proud of yourself.

#listenwithequiteam 

On this week’s episode, EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels and Lou Gillings chat about the importance of running your own race, in your own time, and how external factors can influence your pool of resistance.

The duo take a look a grasping opportunities and how it is OK to take the pressure off when it comes to your horse, as they remind us all that it should be fun.

On this week’s episode Equiteam’s Liz Daniels welcomes International Endurance rider, Iain Paterson to the show.

Having represented Scotland seven times, won a 100 mile endurance ride through the Cairngorms after finishing the race in 21 hours, and spent four days in South Africa to complete the 350km ‘Race the Wild Coast’ on horses he didn’t previously know, his Mum’s decision to take him on a pleasure ride as a young boy after seeing he was losing interest in Pony Club certainly seemed to be a good life-shaping decision!

Filled with passion and enthusiasm for both the welfare of his horses and the sport, Iain shares an insight into endurance riding, and his family's involvement in the sport and building the Tannasg Arabians Stud.

Follow Iain or find out more about endurance:

https://www.facebook.com/Tannasgarabians
https://www.tannasgarabianstud.com/
https://www.scottishendurance.com/