Listen With EquiTeam

On this week's light-hearted podcast, Equiteam's Liz Daniels and Lou Gillings go way off-piste as they share the most ridiculous things they have done because the other one said it would be a good idea, travelling for 36 hours straight, what would be on their dating profile if the other one had to write it, and who is most likely to be late (no shock statements for that one!).

Join Equiteam's Liz and Lou on this week's podcast to chat about Loneliness Awareness Week and what it has in common with Paddington Bear. The pair chat about why being lonely poses the same health risk as smoking 15 cigrettes and day, and chat about the power of connection and feeling included in your community. As always, if you need support, please remember that the team at Riders Minds are always on hand to listen, and have an entire resource on loneliness which can be found here: https://ridersminds.org/loneliness/ Join EquiTeam at Equiteam.co.uk

Sometimes you get those emails that make you stop and think, and when the Art of Brilliance email: Busy, busy, busy, busy, busy… Dead popped into Liz's inbox; she couldn't help but click the link. The average lifespan is 4,000 weeks, and clicking the link calculates how long you've been on the planet – and how long you have left (on average). It shares how many birthdays you might have, how many springs and how many beach days… all very thought-provoking, and a little bit scary! Join Equiteam's Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings for a catch up and a reminder to have some fun. Link to the calculator: https://www.artofbrilliance.co.uk/blog/2026/05/busy-busy-busy-busy-busy-dead-2/ Link to Equiteam Confidence Camps - https://equiteamcamps.co.uk/confidence-camp-twyford-mill-equestrian/

Equiteam's Liz Daiels is joined by member Gill Birrell on Mental Health Awareness Week to chat about being accountable, taking a half halt, asking twice, the art of listening, and how actions change things. Come together to raise awareness, start conversations, and help ensure that nobody in our industry feels alone. Find out how you can get involved in Mental Health Awareness Week here: https://ridersminds.org/2026/05/09/actions-make-a-difference/

Equiteam's Liz Daniels is joined by the brilliantly inspiring Flo Dawes, a member of the Hawkstone Farmers Choir, whose unforgettable debut on Britain's Got Talent had audiences across the UK reaching for the tissues. Accomplished equestrian Flo, shares more about her day job as a professional dressage rider alongside running a livery yard, Nupdown Equestrian, in Bristol, and how answering an advert on Facebook for singing farmers has changed her life. What began as a simple audition to promote Jeremy Clarkson's Hawkstone lager quickly grew into something far bigger, attracting hundreds of applicants and shining a light on the incredible, often hidden talent within rural communities. Flo shares the choir's journey from meeting Jeremy and Caleb Cooper, to stepping out on a National platform to sing live for the first time in years, and receiving the golden buzzer from Amanda Holden for their powerful rendition of Elbow's One Day. From singing with her Mum, to bringing people together as advocates for mental health and well-being in the rural community, Flo shares a glimpse of what could be next for The Hawkstone Farmers Choir. Find out more about The Hawkstone Farmers Choir. Join the EquiTeam Community.

On today's episode, Liz Daniels is delighted to be joined by Melanie Crouch from Great Horse Products to chat about her 40-year horse owning journey and the inspiration that led her to develop her own products. Having encountered various equine skin related challenges, Melanie was struggling to find something that really worked. After 18 months, Mel realised that she had an oil based product that not only worked, but could also promote healthy skin, but a failed attempt at marketing it meant it sat back on the shelf and only used for her own horses. After an angel card reading, Mel took the £100 left from her business account and decided to spend it on Facebook marketing – and the rest is history. With the development of additional skin based products, Mel oozes passion as someone who wants to make a difference. https://greathorseproducts.co.uk/

In the follow up to The Gaucho Grannies: 500km ahead, Liz Daniels welcomes back EquiTeam member Dot Still and Hilary Barnard, as they return from the gruelling Gaucho Derby with some amazing stories to share. With a new appreciation and admiration for the hardy Criollos of Patagonia, the duo recall their highs, lows, and new skills learned as they undertook the challenge of a lifetime, which saw them navigating and camping in the wilderness, descending a cliff on horseback and learning the 'Gaucho way'. With a team of enthusiastic 'dot watchers' in the UK, the Gaucho Grannies went viral on social media, and today they share their plans for the future, in support of Riders Minds. The Gaucho Grannies Just Giving page. Follow the Guacho Grannies on Facebook

In this episode, we're joined by Alex Cocking, fresh from appearing on the hit series All Stars on Horse & Country TV. Equiteam member Alex shares what it was really like stepping into the spotlight on the show, the inspiration for pushing out of his comfort zone to apply, some behind-the-scenes moments, and what the experience meant for him personally and professionally. From thinking 'I won't get picked' to realising he had made the final eight riders and getting the opportunity to train with some equestrian icons with his home-produced Orla, Alex tells us who he really bonded with, and getting the Golden Horse Shoe. Tune in to hear Alex's story and discover what happens when passion for horses meets the pressure of national TV.

Fostering independence and personal growth whilst staying in your lane. EquiTeam's Liz and Lou talk about achieving goals, being honest with ourselves about how much effort we are putting in, and if we need to take more responsibility for what we do in between lessons. The pair emphasise the importance of setting personal goals and focusing on what you can control despite challenges like weather or horse health. EquiTeam is passionate about giving riders the right tools and resources to improve their skills in and out of the saddle in between their coaching sessions. The Focused Equestrian Boot Camp is available for just £12 for 12 months access and gives riders mindset resources, rider fitness videos, riding exercises, horse care tips from Alan Davies and delicious recipes. Join the Focused Equestrian Boot Camp Sign up to EquiTeam to access a huge content library and the Equiteam Connected by joining EquiTeam for just £15 a month.

Social media can be amazing and damaging in equal measures and on today's episode Equiteam's Liz Daniels and Louise Gillings explore the positives and negatives of social media, recognising when it's not healthy, and how you can manage your own feeds. From sharing top tips and their own personal experiences to celebrating the wonderful safe spaces created online, this is a podcast to get you thinking about your own social media use, as well as a reminder to always be kind, as you never know what other people are going through, despite what picture they paint on their social media feeds. Find your safe community at www.equiteam.co.uk

There is one thing that Liz loves as much as fermented products, and that is spreadsheets and numbers – add the two together and you'll probably find her sitting in a dark room, so if you want to hear Equiteam's Liz squirming in her seat, then this is the podcast for you! All well-being banter aside, on this week's episode Liz welcomes Financial Advisor, Craig Anderson from Strathtay Wealth Management, to chat about budgeting and managing your equestrian finances in a practical but strategic way. From monthly budgeting, accountability, buffers and forward planning, horsey husband and Financial planner Craig shares his brilliant advice. You might know what your monthly outgoings for things like mortgage repayments, utility bills, phone etc but do you know how much your horse costs each month?! Join EquiTeam to access the budget planner and many more useful resources. Join here.

After countless rave reviews in the EquiTeam Connected group about the Cuddlr Fleece Lines Weatherproof Trousers being the best on the market, we wanted to go straight to the horse's mouth and chat to the man behind the brand. On this episode, EquiTeam's Liz Daniels welcomes Mike Westwood, founder of clothing company, Cuddlr to dig beneath the cosy clothing and find out more about the story behind this successful side hustle. Mike shares the inspiring story behind building a successful equestrian side hustle, from the initial idea and product development, to the challenges of launching a clothing brand and making the bold decision to leave the security of full-time employment. 🎧 In this episode you'll hear: How Cuddlr was created and what makes the products stand out The realities of starting an equestrian clothing brand Lessons learned from growing a side hustle into a business Advice for entrepreneurs considering the leap into self-employment 👉 Listen now for inspiration, practical takeaways, and an inside look at one of the fastest-growing names in equestrian wear. Website: https://cuddlr.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094786608247 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuddlr.co.uk/ Join EquiTeam

Liz and Lou chat about their Christmas plans, quiz each other with some fun questions including debating which EquiTeam members would get over excited at a party and which horses could take the place of Santa's reindeer if needed.