Practical Horseman Podcast

In this episode of the Practical Horseman Podcast, sponsored by Tribute Equine Nutrition, we talk to Will Coleman, this spring’s winner of the Defender Kentucky CCI5* and team bronze medalist from the summer FEI Eventing World Championships in Aachen, Germany.In Aachen, Coleman and Diabolo, a 14-year-old Holsteiner owned by the Diabolo Group, were also the highest-placed U.S. pair in fourth individually. Shortly after that result, Coleman went back overseas with Very Dignified to finish seventh in the Defender Burghley CCI5*, and after he returned home from that adventure, he rode Box Como to an Advanced-level win at The Fork International Three-Day Event in Tryon, North Carolina. In this podcast, Coleman tells us about his very busy—and successful—spring and summer seasons, how he balances family life with an upper-level eventing string, why he loves pure show jumping, and how he thinks horses and humans are positive influences on each other’s lives.About This Episode’s Sponsor: Tribute Equine NutritionIf you've ever stood in the feed aisle comparing labels, searching for lower sugar...lower starch...and ingredients you can trust...you're not alone.Enter Equi-Librium™ from Tribute Equine Nutrition.This is a complete nutrition system designed to support metabolic health, with 9.5% NSC or less across the entire line. No grains. No soy. No alfalfa. No flax. Just purposeful nutrition developed to support horses with unique nutritional needs—and every product is formulated with digestive support, too.Whether you need a ration balancer, a complete senior feed, forage pellets or even horse treats, Equi-Librium makes feeding simpler and more consistent.Visit TributeEquineNutrition.com to receive a free personalized feeding plan, and if you're new to Tribute, your first bag is free.

Today's Practical Horseman Podcast, sponsored by Equinavia, is with eventer Kaylawna Smith-Cook. Kaylawna, daughter of top five-star eventer Tamie Smith, has become a successful eventing rider and trainer in her own right and currently has a promising string of up-and-coming eventing mounts—Quinn HSR, Remember Me and Dealas—who proved their talent at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials last spring.While she continues to help run her mom’s sales program at Next Level Eventing in Temecula, California, the 29-year-old now owns and operates her own training program, K. Smith Equestrian, with around 22 horses and has cultivated solid partnerships with owners who are invested in the sport and the horses’ well-being.Even with her eventing super-star mom, Kaylawna didn’t take riding too seriously growing up, but after high school she realized she wanted to take her eventing career seriously. Throughout her formative training days, she grew up under the tutelage of her mom, as well as Australian show jumper Scott Keach, eventers Gina Economou and Bec Braitling and dressage rider and trainer Niki Clarke. She completed her first CCI3*-L at Galway Downs in 2019 aboard her longtime and formative eventing partner Passepartout or “Pasco.”In her eventing program, Kaylawna is keenly focused on listening to her horses, learning what they’re telling her and applying that knowledge to bring her eventing mounts along at their own individual pace.In today’s podcast, she talks about growing up under the tutelage of her mom and her other mentors, her current string of super-star horses, how she balances motherhood herself with such a demanding career and how she perseveres through the inherent ups and downs of the sport as she chases her goal to be a top U.S. eventer.About This Episode’s Sponsor, EquinaviaSummer is full swing—and so is the new collection at Equinavia! From breeches to bridles, we outfit riders from head to toe, and horses from hoof to head, with everything you need to ride in comfort and confidence. Rooted in Scandinavian tradition, our gear blends timeless style with true functionality—so you can focus on what matters most: the ride. The ride begins at Equinavia.com. You can also follow Equinavia on Facebook and Instagram.

Today's Practical Horseman Podcast, sponsored by Sentinel Horse Feed, is with Tamie Smith. The five-star eventer always has a lot on her plate, but her current sights are set on the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington, Kentucky, that kicks off later this month on April 24. This year, Tamie will be competing in the CCI4* competition aboard 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood Kynan, following their stellar performance at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials at the end of March.We last talked to Tamie at the Maryland Five Star this past October after she’d announced that she would be retiring her longtime eventing partner, 19-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Mai Baum, from five-star competition.Tamie and Mai Baum, or Lexus as he’s known around the barn, first partnered in 2015 and were members of the U.S. Eventing Team that won gold at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. During their CCI5*-L debut at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2021, the pair had a top-10 finish and were named as the reserve for the U.S. Eventing Team for the Tokyo Olympics later that year.In 2023, Tamie and Mai Baum went on to a historic win in the Kentucky Three-Day five star competition as the first U.S. combination to win in 15 years and the first woman since 2011. When Tamie isn’t competing, you can find her running her training and sale horse program, Next Level Eventing, with her daughter and pro rider, Kaylawna.In today’s podcast, we talked to Tamie about her long and storied career with Mai Baum, how she decided it was time for him to step down from five-star competition and what the sassy gelding is up to these days. She also tells us about her current string of horses, including her Kentucky mount this year Kynan, her overall training philosophy and balancing motherhood (and grandmother-hood) with her eventing career. And after breaking gender barriers in the sport, Tamie also talks about the strides she’s seen women make in eventing as well as the challenges women still face.

Today's Practical Horseman Podcast, sponsored by EQUESTRIAN+, is with Cornelia Fletcher. The five-star eventer made a remarkable comeback at TerraNova’s The Event this past November. After being out of the competition field for a little over a year to give birth to her daughter, Sparrow, last June, the 26-year-old eventer and her plucky Oldenburg mare Daytona Beach 8 claimed the CCI4*-L win on a final score of 41.4.The pair, who placed 15th out of 17 horse-and-rider combinations during the dressage phase, delivered a powerhouse cross-country ride on Saturday to surge into second place overnight. One of only two pairs to jump double clear in show jumping, their sharp, accurate round cemented their victory in the CCI4*-L.While Cornelia worked hard to maintain her physical and mental fitness for eventing during her pregnancy, she credits her close-knit support team and especially her husband—four-star eventer and grand-prix show jumper Jacob Fletcher—for her success at TerraNova and enabling her to make her post-Sparrow competition debut.In today’s podcast, we chatted with Cornelia about her comeback victory at TerraNova, her incredible partnership Daytona Beach 8, her training philosophies and how she balances motherhood with the demanding sport of eventing.About Cornelia FletcherCornelia grew up in a non-equestrian family in Hamilton, Massachusetts, near the former USET headquarters and said she was born with the horse bug. After finally wearing her parents down as a horse-obsessed kid, they agreed to help her half-lease a pony at a local barn with a lot of eventing history. From her early days in the saddle, Cornelia had a hunch that eventing might be her sport as she always preferred to be out in the field instead of the arena.In middle school, she started working with trainer Babette Lenna, who helped Cornelia find her perfect and longtime eventing partner in Sir Patico MH (“Hugo”). She and the loudly colored Zweibrücker gelding went on to train with renowned five-star eventer Sharon White and had a stellar career together (including an individual bronze at the 2017 North American Youth Championships, top finishes at the three- and four-star level and a European debut at Blenheim). They were on the cusp of tackling their first five star at the 2020 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, before it was canceled due to the COVID pandemic.After spending a year training with Australian five-star rider Kevin McNab in Surrey, England, Cornelia and Daytona made their five-star debut at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in in 2022. Despite a 50th-place dressage score, the pair moved up the leaderboard after a clear, fast cross-country round and were one of only six double-clear show jumping rounds to end up finishing in 10th. And they were the top-placed U.S. rider.A few other notable highlights from Cornelia’s career include the 2023 Reserve Championship USEF/USEA Developing Horse Championship with DHI Qyaracolle Z, 2022 Houghton Hall CCIO4*-NC-S 2nd place team, more than fifteen top-5 FEI finishes,  and she is  a Five-time North American Youth Championships medalist. Cornelia and Jacob own and operate a small program in Ocala, Florida, that focuses on producing eventing and show-jumping horses.About This Podcast's Sponsor, EQUESTRIAN+From short training tips to how-to videos and insider-access to private clinics and lessons, learn from top experts in the dressage, hunter, show jumping, equitation and eventing disciplines with EQUESTRIAN+. Watch exclusive interviews and lectures, slow motion demonstrations and step-by-step tutorials taught by top-level pros and explore cross-discipline topics such as groundwork, rider fitness and stable management. Visit equestrianplus.com to sign up for a 7-day free trial with subscription.  

This week's Practical Horseman Podcast, sponsored by Cosequin®, is with the Practical Horseman 2024 Trainer of the Year Leigh Berman, owner and head trainer of Two Bit Farm in Boyertown, Pennsylvania.The Practical Horseman Trainer of the Year Program is designed to honor the unsung heroes of our sport—trainers who work tirelessly to improve the education of both their riders and horses. Entrants were nominated for the contest by individuals in the horse community. Out of all the trainers nominated, 10 finalists were selected, with one earning the title of Trainer of the Year.About Leigh BermanLeigh started her career as an Amateur, winning many awards aboard her off-the-track-Thoroughbred Catch 22. As a professional, she spent years showing and training at top-ranked horse shows in both hunters and jumpers. She even ended up on the cover of Practical Horseman magazine in 1995 and was featured in an article about her and Catch22 who should found at the New Holland Horse Auction.As head trainer of Two Bit Farm, Leigh focuses on helping riders of all ages and skill levels develop genuine partnerships with their horses. She’s helped her students achieve success in the Junior Hunters and the Amateur Owner divisions—but more importantly she strives to instill confidence in her riders and encourages them to be their best selves in order to communicate with their equine partners.Leigh’s talent is also apparent when she’s working with young horses or those with training challenges. She often imports unbroken horses from overseas to develop them into well-rounded show horses.In her submission for the Practical Horseman Trainer of the Year, Leigh’s students noted her unbridled passion for helping them achieve their riding goals and enhancing the relationships they share with their horses—all while having a blast along the way.Leigh also recognizes how much horses have to offer and pays that forward by supporting her local riding community and the Boyertown community in general. She hosts biannual derbies to provide high-level competition experiences for riders who might not be able to afford rated shows or have the time to travel to them. And she partnered with a local gym to introduce middle-school students to two of her horses to teach them about physical wellness and the beautiful partnerships we can share with these amazing animals.In today’s podcast, we talked to Leigh about receiving the 2024 Practical Horseman Trainer of the Year title, how she sets up her students and horses for success and happiness in the saddle and why she feels it’s important to share horses with her local community.About This Week's Sponsor, CosequinCOSEQUIN®, the #1 veterinarian-recommended joint health supplement brand, is excited to bring you, COSEQUIN® ASU Balance. This formula supports joint, immune, and digestive health. COSEQUIN® ASU Balance helps moderate the inflammatory responses that can cause immune and GI tract disturbances through the innovative inclusion of postbiotics and beta-glucans. The formula also includes the joint support COSEQUIN® is known for, with ingredients such as ASU, Hyaluronic Acid, and Boswellia serrata Extract. With over 30 years behind the COSEQUIN® name, you can rely on COSEQUIN® products when performance matters. To learn more, speak with your veterinarian or visit Cosequin.com.

Welcome to the PHOD pod, the Practical Horseman Podcast's Minisode series where we share audio clips from our subscription video site, Equestrian Plus. At Equestrian Plus, you can enjoy over 5,000 videos and get insider access to exclusive interviews and lectures, slow-motion demonstrations, and step-by-step tutorials taught by top-level pros in the hunter jumper, equitation, eventing, and dressage disciplines.On this week's episode, dressage and event rider Chelsea Canedy leads a short, guided meditation to realign yourself before interacting with your horse. She helps get you to a place where you can find stillness and internal quiet and locate that gratitude for your horse and your time with him.When you tune into the PHOD Pod, listen closely for a promo code for 15% off your Equestrian Plus subscription!To sign up for Equestrian Plus, click here.COSEQUIN®, the #1 veterinarian-recommended joint health supplement brand, is excited to bring you, COSEQUIN® ASU Balance. This formula supports joint, immune, and digestive health. COSEQUIN® ASU Balance helps moderate the inflammatory responses that can cause immune and GI tract disturbances through the innovative inclusion of postbiotics and beta-glucans. The formula also includes the joint support COSEQUIN® is known for, with ingredients such as ASU, Hyaluronic Acid, and Boswellia serrata Extract. With over 30 years behind the COSEQUIN® name, you can rely on COSEQUIN® products when performance matters. To learn more, speak with your veterinarian or visit Cosequin.com.