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.

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 

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.

This week Liz and Lou discuss EquiTeam's recent blog 'Are you letting yourself down?' which it would be fair to say caused quite a reaction from some of our readers.

Whilst we can recognise that a better title may have been something like "Are you getting the most from your lessons?' the fact remains that if we are tired, this impacts our riding and therefore what we get out of our lessons. If you can't breathe properly because you're not fit enough, your brain can't function, your muscles get tired quickly and you and your horse will suffer as a result.

The irony is we all put so much into our horses who want for nothing, but how often do we really invest time and energy to look after ourselves.

The bottom line is you get out what you put in and we want to encourage, support and if needed, push people in the right direction, so whilst the title was perhaps a bit punchy, the topic needed to be shared.

If you are super busy and want some quick and effective workouts to build your fitness levels then 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!

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/ 

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.

Want to give yourself the best chance of jumping a successful course of show jumps? Walking the course properly is a good place to start and in this episode the team from EquiTeam share their top tips on exactly what you need to be doing

How many of us run round the course usually because we are short of time or worse still spend most of the course walk chatting to friends as we go! It's so important to walk the course through the eyes of our horse and see what they see as they jump round, so be aware of the collecting ring, the Judge's box, spooky water trays and fillers at the side of the ring. Liz Daniels also explains how to accurately stride out your distances in the doubles or for related distances and how the distances you walk may alter how you want to ride the course.

EquiTeam members can access our handy download with all of the distances between fences here and if you aren't a member and would like to sign up then come and join us

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

Want to nail your dressage test but unsure how to warm up properly? Liz Daniels and Liz Somerville share some of their top tips to help you warm up and go into your test feeling prepared and ready to go.

It's too easy to feel intimidated by a busy warm up or to go in without a plan so in this episode we chat through timings, how to make sure your horse is warmed up properly, relaxed and in front of your leg, and with you both ready to ride the test. Whether you ride through the whole test in the warm-up may depend on your horse but we also share how you can break the test down into the individual movements to make sure you both know what to expect and how important it is to give yourself enough time to run through your test in your head before you go in.

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 

In the first of our 'In the Saddle With' series, EquiTeam's Liz Daniels chats to aspiring BE eventer Sara Bryans about returning to riding after a break, managing her anxiety and her journey to her first BE80.

Sara shares the ups and downs of her journey in an honest and relatable account that will resonate with many equestrian listeners.

Find out how Sara juggles work, life, family, competing and her drive for wanting to compete again on her young horse Johnny.

www.equiteam.co.uk 

This week EquiTeam's Liz Daniels chats to Daniel Reed, from DAR Vet Physio to find out more about equine salt therapy.

After investing in the medical-certified equine salt therapy system (New Market Salt Therapy System), Daniel explains how the system works, the benefits to the horse and what it can be used to treat.

Although Daniel stresses this is not a replacement for veterinary advice and treatment, the complimentary system which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects can be used to soothe skin conditions, help with allergies and pollen, promote a healthier respiratory system, and can boost overall performance.

Follow Daniel on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/darvetphysio 

In this episode we kick off our new 'Coaching Uncovered' series with an interview with EquiTeam's resident coach Liz Daniels.

Usually in the interviewer's chair this week roles are reversed as Liz Somerville finds out more about Liz Daniels 'the Coach' and hears about her passion for helping people and their horses through her own and Lou Gilling's EquiTeam Confidence Camps, and now through  our own EquiTeam membership. 

We chat all things coaching including how Liz got started, what she loves about her job and also what really gets on her goat. She shares some incredible highs including getting to ride the legend that is Valegro and some horrible lows, as well as some epic words of advice for those looking for a regular coach. Brutally honest at times about her own insecurities when it comes to coaching others, Liz's passion to help people learn and build a three way partnership between client, horse and coach shines through. 

If you want to access some of Liz's coaching skills you can sign up to EquiTeam's membership platform here for weekly video coaching sessions, blogs, downloads and lots more!

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 

"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

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 

Liz, Lou and Liz share their own preparation tips including making sure you have put in the training at home so you can go in full of confidence and knowing you deserve to be there, how to plan with plenty of time to spare (Liz S not Liz D!), tips to help manage those pesky nerves beforehand and how to navigate the warm up, and the importance of making sure you avoid those 'Negative Nancys' and take along someone to cheerlead and support rather than make you feel rubbish.

Top take home messages…..Trust in your training and trust the process and always focus on the positives. No matter what has gone wrong on the day, there will always be lots more that has gone right!

Insta verses reality, keyboard warriers, authenticity and finding your community

If you are an equestrian trying to navigate your way through the world of social media then this episode is for you. Rhea Freeman joins our own Liz Daniels to share their experience and words of wisdom when it comes to the ups and downs of social media. With many years of experience in marketing, PR and social media there's not much these two ladies don't know about this topic.

From how to mute someone, or how to full on block those nasty keyboard warriers Liz and Rhea discuss the importance of controlling the controllables and being aware that what we see on social media every day is just a snapshot in time and not the reality of every day life.

The reality of life with horses is that it goes wrong more often than it goes right and we all need to be better at sharing the good and the bad. Authenticity builds trust and where we have trust we can connect with other likeminded horse lovers and find our own safe community to laugh, support, commiserate and have fun.

If you would like to join EquiTeam's own community you can find out more here

Rhea can be found at www.rheafreemanpr.co.uk or in her own awesome Facebook community, Small & Supercharged which provides inspiration and support for small businesses, influencers and bloggers in the country and equestrian space  https://www.facebook.com/groups/small.and.supercharged/

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

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

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.

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

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 

Riding, fitness, work or lifestyle goals? Do you set yourself lots of goals or are you struggling to get going with some goals for the year ahead?

In this episode Liz and Lou talk about setting goals, why they are important, and how to go about making sure the goals you set are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely). Lou shares how valuable it can be to tell a close friend about your goal to give you some much needed support and Liz explains how small visual reminders can be great motivators to keep us all on track.

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

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 

In the episode Equiteam's Liz Daniels is chatting to Jane Brindley about Confident Riding. 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.

Listen for free across all podcast platforms 

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

The recent 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 

Because not everyone can attend our sell-out equestrian camps, we are bringing all of the learning, fun and unmatched EquiTeam support to your fingertips. 

EquiTeam is the home of equestrian development and safe learning in an inclusive and supportive community. We are delighted to bring you some of the magic whilst supporting you to develop your skills, share your experiences and meet lots of like-minded equine enthusiasts.

Coming very soon......

The podcast that might change your life… well maybe not your life, but it might help change your outlook.
On this week's episode, Equiteam's Liz Daniels is a little bit overly excited to welcome best-selling author Dr Andy Cope to the show to chat about changing the narrative and instead of focusing on what is wrong with people, looking at what is right with people.

From mood hoovers and the 2%ers, to clearing out your pants draw and finding the positive equilibrium, this is one podcast that you don't want to miss.

To get one of Andy's books check out his website https://www.artofbrilliance.co.uk/ 

And follow him on social - 

https://www.facebook.com/artbeingbrilliant 

https://www.instagram.com/artofbrilliance/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/art-of-brilliance/ 

And if you would like to be part of the most positive and happy online equestrian community then head over to EquiTeam to join us!

This week Equiteam's Liz Daniels is joined by Anna Black, Manager at Lindores in Fife.
In the last 10 years, Lindores has grown from a family farm with a small cross country course, to one of Central Scotland's premier equestrian training centres, boasting holiday houses, Scottish experiences, a link with Lindores distillery and some TV appearances!

Anna shares her memories of the first phone call from Equiteam Confidence Camps with a new concept of running residential camps for adults, how the diversification of the farm started, and how the ethos of the business is built on a team of passion, support network alongside love and respect for the land.

When Liz Somerville qualified for the Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships in 2023 she was elated – but she had no idea how bumpy the road to get to Badminton would be.

Just a few months later she found herself getting her first ever 20 penalties following a run out at Blair Horse Trials, followed by her first public elimination at British Showjumping.

Liz's honest account of the highs, the lows, the challenges, and the importance of her support team are shared with Equiteam's Liz Daniels, in a podcast that anyone suffering from confidence issues, or a lack of self-belief will be able to relate to. 

If you want to be part of our amazing EquiTeam community you can sign up here:

www.equiteam.co.uk 

In 2021 the equestrian community was shocked at the tragic death of event rider Matthew Wright following his battle with poor mental health.

EquiTeam's Liz Daniels chats to Riders Minds founder Victoria Wright on Mental Health Awareness Week, about piecing her world back together, the formation of mental health charity Riders Minds and how she still managed to drive Caunton Manor Stud forward despite the fact her world was in turmoil. 

Please note, this podcast mentions suicide which some people might find triggering. If you need support you can contact Riders Minds free of charge on 0800 088 2073.

Mental Health Awareness Week takes from 13-19th May 2024. 

Riders Minds details are here:

Website: https://ridersminds.org/

Live text support: 07480 488 103

Call the helpline: 0800 088 2073

You can find out more about Caunton Manor Stud here:

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

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

Website: https://www.cauntonmanorstud.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.

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 

Following a recent social media post, EquiTeam's Liz Daniels is joined by equine and human physiotherapist Maeve Sheridan, creator of 'Activate your Seat' and EquiTeam member Carolyn Macdonald, previous podcast guest of 'how getting fit and losing four stone changed my life'.  

After talking about the rider/horse weight ratio at an educational day Maeve was inspired to weigh herself in her riding clothes whilst carrying her tack and was so surprised by the findings that she shared her numbers on social media as an educational post.

The post attracted both positive and negative comments and so we wanted to discuss the topic further to find out more.

You can follow Maeve here:

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

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

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

On this week's episode, Equiteam's Liz Daniels chats to Senga Riches, Director of All-Steps Formation Riding.

Formation riding is something that the Equiteam founder knew very little about, so when Senga likened it to synchronised swimming, with horses instead of water, we were instantly intrigued.

From being inspired by the Spanish Riding School, to helping with basic schooling, and assisting in confidence growth, Senga's passion to make formation riding accessible to all is very clear.

With a strong ethos on inclusivity, All-Steps Formation Riding host clinics, competitions and demos all over the UK and are looking for people of all levels to have a go.

Find out more about this fascinating discipline: https://allstepsformationriding.co.uk/

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

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

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

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 

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 

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. 

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.  

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 chats to Sarah Giddings about how her ingrained passion for horses inspired her to found The Stables Retail Consultancy in a bid to help other equestrian businesses.

Juggling horses alongside school, college and a degree in Fashion Marketing, Sarah went on to work for some major high-street brands including Next, before following her heart to the equestrian industry.

Now Sarah is passionate about helping equestrian brands to grow using a mixture of her retail knowledge and experience, combined with her affinity with horses.

Coming from a non-horsey background Sarah shares how she uses the Yellow Pages to hint to her parents, was terrified of her instructor, and why she had to prove her commitment for seven years before finally getting her own horse Leo.

Follow Sarah on Facebook and Instagram

https://thestablesretailconsultancy.co.uk/ 

https://www.equestrianbusinessawards.co.uk/nominate 

Join EquiTeam as we celebrate 100 podcast episodes. Liz, Lou & Liz discuss the top three most downloaded episodes as well as share their own personal favourites.

We aren't stopping here though, the team have lots of exciting plans for the show and would really appreciate your feedback on how we can make Listen with EquiTeam even bigger and better. We have put together a short survey and everyone that submits a response will be entered into a prize draw to win three months membership to EquiTeam. 

Complete the survey here: https://bit.ly/ListenwithEquiTeam 

And if you missed any of the episodes we mentioned in this recording, you can find them all on the following links:

Most Downloaded - 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/how-losing-four-stone-and-getting-fit-changed-my-life/ 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/hungry-woman-uncovered/ 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/more-then-just-hacking/ 

Our Favourites - 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/i-overheard-them-saying-i-was-too-fat-to-ride/

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/the-value-of-time-2/ 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/coach-trainer-rider-producer-james-oakden/ 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/one-woman-a-cob-and-a-connie-dancing-at-psg/ 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/a-conversation-with-shannon-lorimer/ 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/riding-the-menopause-with-caroline-wilson/ 

https://www.equiteam.co.uk/in-the-vets-corner-all-about-joint-medication/ 

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.