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Addressing Toxic Positivity: Why Riding At Your Comfort Level Is Perfectly Acceptable
When it comes to performance, mindset is everything. There are a lot of memes out there and accounts perpetuating toxic positivity. Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset. It’s a “good vibes only” approach to life. The trouble with that is, when you have anxiety, depression, or tend to be an overthinker, being positive is easier said than done. Sometimes you just can’t get out of your own way then feel like you are a failure because you think you should think positively. It’s a vicious circle. Truthfully, sometimes we feel nervous or we don’t want to…
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The Mental Aspect of Our Equestrian Sport
Many times others have questioned me, saying I don’t strike them as a timid person. In fact, I appear quite the opposite and for the most part there is truth to that. For me, I struggle with relinquishing control. For a person with trouble giving up control, it might seem ironic that I chose a sport where that is IMPERATIVE in order to succeed. Equestrianism is a partnership, a team event benefitted by the bond, communication, and trust between horse and rider. There must be a give and a take. In the last few years I’ve bloomed in confidence as I built my relationship with Ferrous. Owning my own horse…
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Hijinks on the High Seas
Join us for the first Adulting with Horses Podcast Cruise on August 20, 2027. Experience two days at sea on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, including stops in Bimini, Bahamas, and Labadee, Haiti. Enjoy activities like Happy Hours and live sessions, with special gifts for early bookings by July 15, 2026.
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The Comeback
Surprise, I’m back my friends. No promises, but I’m going to try writing more regularly because dammit- it makes me happy. The reality is, my life is chaos in real time. But you’re probably an adult amateur, so you get it. I am definitely not the only one. For me, it was this pesky thing called separation and divorce. I spent most of 2024 and 2025 navigating the ups and downs of dissolving a 20+ year relationship with the father of my children. No matter how well we mediated between us and the lawyers, there are bound to be heightened emotions and a whole lot of uncertainty. Uncertainty for me,…
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Bucket List Activated: The Last Frontier
If you know me at all, then you are aware I have a deep love of nature- especially the mountains. Something most people don’t know, though, is I am originally from the Pacific Northwest. I was born just east of San Francisco and shortly thereafter moved to a little town nestled between Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. My earliest memories involve going into my backyard to pick and eat wild blueberries. With my hands and mouth full, I would then follow the little deer path down into the ravine that ran along the back of the houses along our street, Bouncy moss and emerald-green ferns on the ground were sheltered by…
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Beyond Expectations
An Extraordinary Equestrian Journey from Deadly Diagnosis to the Paralympic Games by Sydney Collier and Heather Wallace Wow. I guess I’ve been pretty quiet on the blog over here. Sometimes I joke that I thrive in chaos. Perhaps, the busier I am the less I have to face the problems in my life. Of course, you probably won’t identify with that- wink wink. I’ve been working on a HUGE project behind the scenes and it’s finally coming to completion. My first traditionally-published book is now available for sale and I couldn’t be more proud! By Sydney Collier with Heather Wallace Shortly after Sydney Collier began riding at age seven, she was diagnosed…
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Can A Timid Rider Be Converted?
Yes! For me, being a timid rider is a personality trait. I’m careful, I’m overthinking, and prefer to take the slow, steady approach. My daughter was different. When she started riding at age 6, she was extremely timid. Unlike other children, she knew she could get hurt and was wary. Her first canter was an accident (like many others) and she panicked, resulting in her first fall. For a time, she needed to rebuild her confidence. She spoke up for her needs with her trainer, who agreed to go at her pace. She was supported and never made to feel “less than” because she was worried. Over the years, I’ve…
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Black Friday Blast: SMALL Business Give BIG Discounts
On this special episode of Adulting with Horses, Natalie and I want to highlight some friends of ours with amazing small, women-owned businesses! Even better, they have each offered a special promotional discount, between 15-25% depending on the brand, for our listeners. We are joined in person by several of these wonderful brands so listen in to hear about them in their own words! Below is a list of our participants and what they are offering. For each website site, enter promo code AWH23 to get big savings this November 24-December 1st (or use their site wide sale!). Don’t wait, you won’t find savings like this anywhere else! Ride IQ…
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Riding Different Horses Gives Me Confidence
I got on a horse that wasn’t mine today. It was a client’s horse that I had known and worked on for years. We had a little more time than expected so she asked, “Do you want to get on?” Now, I divide horses into two categories: ones that I would ride, and ones that I would never ride. Simple. This horse was one that I’ve always liked. So I figured, “Why not?” I donned her helmet and hopped on to do a little walk/trot around the arena. It felt great. As a timid rider that might seem strange, but I grew up catch riding and being assigned random horses…
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It’s Not All About Riding
I’ve worked with a lot of horse owners over the years in my bodywork business. Something I learned very quickly was that riding is the priority for only some of them. In reality, most people who own horses give less priority to saddling up than they do every day care, grooming, and horsemanship. So why the focus on riding we see everywhere on social media? There is nothing like the feeling of being on a horse, connected physically and mentally to make you feel alive. My husband is an extreme sports buff and loves the adrenaline rush of mountain biking, snowboarding and surfing. It might be an easy shift for…
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When Is It Time To Stop Riding? Part Two: The Rider
I’m a returning adult equestrian. I grew up riding, but decided to stop for a number of reasons. The latter was the final straw. I was a horse-obsessed child and for me to feel nothing but a pit in my stomach just before riding. Well- that wasn’t what I wanted in life. I stopped riding to focus on getting into college, going to school, starting a career in New York City, then getting married and starting a family of my own. When Is It Time to Start Riding Again? I dreamed of horses, waking in the morning, with the feeling of galloping through the woods on horseback and feeling the…
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When Is It Time to Stop Riding? Part One: The Horse
I always dreamed of having my own horse. I was an adult when I achieved that reality and knew from the beginning that any animal I had would be part of my forever family. No matter what. My experience as an equine bodyworker gave me certain advantages when I found out my little guy, Ferrous, had EPM previously and lived with anhidrosis (no sweat). I was able to work with colleagues in veterinary health to discuss supplements, boosting his immune system, and ways to reduce inflammation naturally. Then he was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme disease from tick bites and more recently, Cushing’s or PPID. The hits seemed to keep coming.…
Equestrian Author and Podcast Host
