#23 Balancing equestrian goals with motherhood and a career

This transcript was created by AI and has not been proofread

[SPEAKER 2]Welcome to the Equestrian Connection podcast from wehorse, the online riding academy. My name’s Danielle Kroll, and I’m your host. On this episode, we’re talking with Taryn Young, a USDF bronze and silver medal amateur dressage competitor, and the woman behind the social media presence Warm Bloods and Wine. Taryn is a director of marketing by day, an avid equestrian by nights and weekends, and a 24-7 new mom. One of Taryn’s priorities with her social media has been to showcase the working women equestrian lifestyle. So join me for this conversation as we discuss balancing competitive riding goals, being a new mom, and having a full-time career. It’s one you won’t want to miss. Taryn, welcome to the WeHorse podcast. I’m so happy to have you here, and I feel like our conversation today is going to be really resonating for a lot of our listeners, so I’m really excited to dive in.

[SPEAKER 1]Yeah, thank you guys so much for having me. I’m excited.

[SPEAKER 2]Let’s go back to the beginning. How did you get into horses, and what were your first few years like as an equestrian?

[SPEAKER 1]So it’s funny because I get this question a lot from friends who want to put their kids in horseback riding. And so I always revisit the story, but my mom loved horses when she was younger. She had ridden when she was younger, not as seriously as me. Um, so she. Scheduled a lesson nearby. And so she took my sister and I, who were only about a year and a half apart to our first riding lesson. And back in those days, it was. A few months, it felt like of just grooming and learning how to tack and learning how to wrap before we ever set foot in a stirrup. And so we definitely had a fun time taking care of the horse and learning all of those prerequisites before. Hopping in the saddle. So it was a treat when we started doing that. I think I was around seven or eight years old. So it’s been, uh, quite a ride, almost 30 years, which is just wild to think about. Mm-hmm.

[SPEAKER 2]I totally get it. I was like that kid that I would beg my parents to just drop me off at the barn that I took lessons at and I would just like go clean stalls and brush all the horses and just anything I could do to like be around them. And now I’m like, oh my gosh, I don’t want to clean stalls. But then it was like, oh my God, I want to clean a stall.

[SPEAKER 1]That was 100% me. And I think my mom taking us to the barn was thinking maybe one lesson a week or every other week. And then that bug bit me and I just wanted to be at the barn full time, so much so that I began as a working student, you know, a few years in working at shows or tacking up on the weekends. So my mom would drop me off on a Saturday morning and I would spend all day there and working for whether it was trainer or the barn, turning out, feeding, picking stalls. And that was the only way I could really do it once a week or multiple times a week because the expense is just so costly. And so it kind of started, you know, the working off my lessons and all of that. So yeah, cleaning a stall is something I’m very familiar with and loved it just like that.

[SPEAKER 2]Funny. So you have your gelding rain who we all follow and love. And I think it’s so cool. the story that you leased his mom first, right? I think that’s so cool. Tell us a bit about your journey with Reign. I feel like there’s been such a document of it on your social media. Tell us about Reign, how the two of you came together, and how your journey has been. Are you feeling inspired to start introducing dressage movements to your horse? Or do you dream of advancing through the levels? No matter where you and your horse are in your journey, WeHorse can help. Check out WeHorse.com to access over 175 online courses with top trainers from around the world. We have courses on everything from dressage, to groundwork, to show jumping, to bodywork, including specific courses on starting your horse with dressage, learning and practicing specific dressage movements, and all the way up to advancing through the dressage levels. And as a member, you get access to everything in our WeHorse library to watch whenever you want. Oh, and we also have an app, which means you can download a course or a video to watch without Wi-Fi, which is perfect for those days at the barn when you want a quick dose of training inspiration before your ride. So what are you waiting for? Go to WeHorse.com and check out our free seven day trial to access our WeHorse library and see if it’s a good fit for you. We can’t wait to see you in there.

[SPEAKER 1]And now back to the episode. So going back to his mom, after college, I wanted to get back into horses. And so we saw this beautiful barn. We were passing by and I said, I wonder who trains there. And I had been out of it, you know, during college, but I wanted to get back into it because after college, I felt like I had no hobby and what do I do on nights and weekends? And so we contacted the barn. There was a renowned trainer there that I had followed when I was younger, and so she mentioned she had a few horses to lease, and one of them was Luna, which was Rain’s mom. Fast forward, regionals, national championships, she taught me so much. They decided to sell her so I could no longer lease her and I felt like I wasn’t in a position to buy the horse at the time. I was newly engaged, also living in Chicago, so it was kind of hard to get here every night or every weekend. And she mentioned Rain was for lease. Well, he was four years old and so he didn’t know much at all. And I felt like the world was ending when Luna got taken away from me. Like how will I ever recover a rebound from this? I start writing Rain and I always like to say everything’s meant for a reason because truly it was like he was made for me. And so so many people ask about how did you find him? What was the sales process like? He fell into my lap. So from like four, four and a half and up, it has been him and I, and so we know each other so well. And I really started documenting him. I think when he was six or seven on warm blood, it’s been a few years now. And so people who have followed me from the beginning have seen him, you know, train up, you know, go through first level all the way to where he is now at I won. And it’s just been a journey that a lot of people. Like to follow and his quirkiness makes a lot of people smile. Mm-hmm.

[SPEAKER 2]And where do you plan to go with rain? I know that now you have your three-year-old that you’re bringing along But I mean it’s gonna be a little while before he’s fully ready and rain is is I feel like he’s right at his peak Where do you foresee and hope that the two of you continue to go?

[SPEAKER 1]The rain was never a superstar when it came to gates, but he is the biggest heart and his brain is excellent. So that’s where he’s been able to go where he’s been. I thought for sure he would max out fourth level PSG at most, but we have a lot of resources at this barn and one of them is a trainer who specializes in PF and Passage. And so with rain, it’s not a matter of collection and PF Passage is part of the trot or the gate. It is almost teaching it to him like a trick. So he is getting to know these grand prix movements, which is just insane. We’re a little bit backwards than most people and how you train it, but it’s kind of like one of those things. Consistency is key and why don’t we keep on doing this to see where he could end up. anything past what we’ve done is just icing on the cake. You know, I’m not expecting him to do I2 or Grand Prix, but we keep at it. You know, I enjoy riding him and he is a horse that needs a lot of movement. He’s big. And so, you know, five, six days a week riding for him is good for his body. And so who knows, honestly, I really don’t know. Again, Geo is the focus, but that’ll take a while and we’re not going to be busting out in the show ring at, you know, first, second level this year, I don’t think. But again, they surprise us a lot of times. So Who knows?

[SPEAKER 2]Yeah, absolutely. And when I say I’m looking back and I’m like, I said rain was at his peak. I meant he’s in his prime.

[SPEAKER 1]I took it at the same way. A lot of people mentioned that I get so many messages, especially when I post writing videos and everyone keeps saying he looks so much stronger. He’s getting so much stronger and he, His gaits are opening up and just the cadence and expression and all of that you look for in an upper level horse is just now developing, which is really exciting to see. His muscle is just insane and his body conditioning. is the strongest and greatest I’ve seen it so far.

[SPEAKER 2]I love that you say that you look at the Piaf and the Passage as a game with him. I think especially with the quirky horses, it’s neat to rephrase the training in that sort of way. So rather than it being just like, a training. It’s like, oh, okay, cool. We get to do that again. This is so much fun. Like, how am I going to do it now? I think that’s a really cool way to look at it, especially, like I said, like the quirky horses that may need that.

[SPEAKER 1]We’ve had to get very creative when it’s come to that. But the one trainer here said, Taryn, just trust me. And so for a while, it made no sense in my brain. Like, what are we doing here? And so we were teaching Spanish walk and we were teaching how to shift weight onto his back end more so than you would do just from collection. So a lot of in-hand work and driving, things like that from the ground, which has improved his body conditioning, which is really what it comes down to is the strength to carry. He’s such a big horse and he’s so long. So that’s a lot of strain on their body. I have had so many people, not so many, but a few people message me, this is incorrect. This is not classical training. And it’s kind of like, yeah, I know. I’m fully aware, but with this horse, this is what it takes. And not every horse is cookie cutter through a program. And I think we can respect that. If it gets the job done and the horse is happy, healthy, and willing to do the work, why not?

[SPEAKER 2]So let’s talk about that for a second. You mentioned you have people messaging you and you were saying that you essentially started your relationship with RAINN around the age of four and you started documenting it on social media at the age of six. So what inspired you to start documenting it and more specifically what inspired you to start Warm Bloods and Wine because It does open you up for some criticism, you know, unfortunately it seems like that’s a very common thread within the equestrian world that everybody that we speak to that has any sort of social media presence say that the criticism can be so challenging. So what inspired you to start it and what motivates you to keep it going?

[SPEAKER 1]The Warm Bloods was really started because I would find a cool horse piece, like home decor, or we would accomplish something in the saddle. And I couldn’t talk about it with my normal friends because they would not understand at all. But for me, it was a big monumental, you know, thing. And so I just started Warm Bloods for myself as a way to document, you know, any horse finds, certain products I like, things like that. And rain was just a piece of it. And so he was the horse behind it, but it also was talking a lot of products, home decor and things like that. With that, of course, I started sharing rain’s journey and our writing video. And I was fully transparent that I was an amateur. I was not a dressage trainer. I’m going to make mistakes. I know a lot of other people could ride better than me. But I think the good outweighs the bad and a lot of people it resonated with. I was a working amateur. I was working hard to afford my horses. I was going to shows, making mistakes, learning from them. And that’s what it’s all about. You know, again, positivity far outweighs the negativity. And for someone who chooses to be happy, I think good things follow. And that was kind of just the mantra of the entire account and. it resonated and it kind of just took off and it definitely caught the likes of USDF and USCF. And I think amateurs keep the sport going and we need to nurture that side of the sport instead of always just focusing on the professionals who are riding the amateur’s horses. And so we are a big piece to the sport and the success of it in the future. Absolutely.

[SPEAKER 2]You had mentioned somewhere, and I, I’m trying to think where I’d seen it. But you had said that one of the goals that you had with Warm Bloods and Wine was to showcase the working woman, equestrian lifestyle. We’re all here hustling, whether it’s to pay for our horses or whether it’s to fit them in time-wise. It’s this giant balancing act for so many of us. And in what ways do you find that your horses and, you know, the social media account and all of those things inspires you to keep chasing your dreams because you’ve got a lot on your plate and we’ll continue to talk about this a little bit, but I mean, just to list things off, I mean, you work full time, you have very big competitive goals, like, you know, you don’t just go and ride for fun, you do have competitive goals, you’ve got two horses and you ride your mom’s horse, you’re a new mom yourself, I could just, you have a clothing line, I could just keep listing them off of all of the things that you have going on. So what inspires you to truly embody that working, professional, equestrian lifestyle and what ways do you hope to continue inspiring others?

[SPEAKER 1]I think I’ve just always been a person that accomplishments fulfill me. And I’m also a competitive person. The competition drive from going to shows and making it to nationals is something that makes me feel fulfilled. You know, we put so much time and energy into lessons and affording the sport. So that’s just, again, icing on the cake when you do go to competition and you win or you, you know, you’re proud of your ride. Um, I’ve just always been like this and my mom or my sisters will always say you’re absolutely crazy. But I have a husband who supports my goals and is willing to help out with the baby. But at the end of the day, I’m the one that is paying and affording for my horses. And so that drives me. And so if I’m doing the work for someone else, say like a PS of Sweden or procure or a I’m working for them a lot of times, helping them promote certain things. At the end of the day, I kind of thought, why wouldn’t I do this for myself? If this could better my family, better my horse situation, potentially be something in the future that I rely on. It just seemed like a no-brainer. Obviously, with that comes a ton of hard work, and I feel like I’m constantly working. It’s funny because I’ll joke, oh, I have to do this on Wyrmwoods tonight. And it sounds like a hobby, but at the end of the day, it is so much work that people don’t realize and so much curating and educating, you know, keeping up with social media trends. It’s a ton of work, but again, at the end of the day, it’s worth it to me. And so I think everyone says, if it’s something you’re passionate about, it doesn’t feel like work. And so that’s why staying in the horse thing, Wyrmwoods and wine novella. It feels fun, not always like work to me.

[SPEAKER 2]What advice would you give to others, whether they’re equestrian moms or people that are working full time, doing all of the things, what advice would you give to other people regarding balance, time management, and anything else that may come to mind?

[SPEAKER 1]I would say identify your priorities, and if horses are one of them, don’t stop. I have had so many people while I was pregnant sharing my journeys say, I regret so much that I stopped in the horse world after having kids because I felt like it couldn’t be accomplished. And I regret it. I think a lot of us, you know, as moms, if you don’t have a hobby or something, you kind of lose yourself in that process because it is so much. And with the horses, I feel like that’s my therapy. If I can get away for an hour or two here and there, It’s better than sitting on your phone or watching a show. You know, you can spend time with horses, get fresh air, be active. I think that’s what really got me through pregnancy. That wasn’t always easy, but might’ve seemed that way because I had the horses and I had something to keep me active and motivated and getting outside. And it was the case right after I had my son too. So just keep doing it if you can, if you can afford it and you have the support system like I do with my husband and family, just keep going.

[SPEAKER 2]Let’s talk about Gio, your young horse. And we had kind of briefly spoke about this before we started recording and I just have such good vibes about him. He just looks like he’s going to be a total superstar for you. And I know you had shared on social media about having sent him away and Looking at the way that you had worked with rain as a young horse and kind of taking everything that you learned the good and the bad and then applying it to you and kind of thinking okay. I’m gonna i know i did this really well so i’m gonna do this and i know that this could have been done differently so i’m gonna do it differently with him. So what advice would you give people that are in the middle of starting their own young horses, whether it’s sending them away for training or some of the things that maybe you’re currently working out with a young horse, any advice that you have in that area?

[SPEAKER 1]So I think in the beginning, getting a young horse and starting a baby sounds so fun. But once you started it, it can be very overwhelming and also very humbling. And as an amateur, we need to trust the professionals. I was so lucky that I have a trainer here. I have multiple trainers here, but one has a record with young horses, and she always sent her young horses to the specific guy down the road who just specialized them, giving them a good start. And so I trusted her, and she said, Taryn, I promise you, if you give this start to this horse, it’ll be well worth it. as amateurs sometimes it’s like oh I’ll do it myself I’ll save a few bucks here but maybe a few months in you realize you’ve taught this horse really bad things not on purpose but by mistake and they’re like little sponges and absorb everything that one bad experience can kind of taunt them you know for the rest of their lives so I saw it three months under saddle Let’s do it. You know, give him a good start. I got to ride towards the end of it. He helped me the first week he was at my barn where rain is. And since then I’ve been working with my trainer at least once a week, whether it’s me on him or him or her on him. And so there’s checkpoints, you know, if I ever feel like I’m scared, which there are many times like that, because horses are so big, they can do a lot of damage if you’re not careful. You just evaluate throughout the process and make sure you’re on the right track. So I would say trust the professionals. Have a good trainer, let them give advice. I know it’s an ego thing sometimes, but let them get in the saddle because I promise it’ll be worth it in the end.

[SPEAKER 2]You shared a quote on social media recently that says, if you are fond of a horse and wish to do him a real favor, train him well. Teach him good manners, good habits, both in the stable and under the saddle. Can you give a little bit of an overview as to what inspired you to share that and what you think that quote means? I mean, it’s pretty obvious what it means, but how does that inspire you with your training?

[SPEAKER 1]I think a lot of times, yeah, I think a lot of times we see horrible social media stories where this horse is up for adoption or they’re going to the kill pen or slaughter, and it’s because they weren’t given that in the beginning of their career. I feel like a safe horse, a nice horse, a well-mannered horse will always have a home. And so that’s super important. When Gio was three, I felt like, OK, we should start training right now. But I kind of felt like also his body and brain could mature for a little bit. And I’d still be OK if I started him a little bit later, maybe more approaching four. It would have been a lot easier for me to keep him in a pasture for one or two more years while I had my human baby and focused on that. But I knew they’re only going to get bigger. They’re only going to get smarter. They’re only going to get stronger. So this is the time to start his career. and in a year or two, should anything happen, he’ll have a home. If it’s not with me, he’ll have a home somewhere. That’s what I really meant by that. I saw it on Facebook scrolling through and I steal a lot of quotes and that one really stood out to me.

[SPEAKER 2]Yeah, I know that it made me stop the scroll, that’s for sure, because I completely agree that there’s so many things that maybe if it’s our own personal horse we overlook. We think, oh, it’s fine, he just does that, or whatever it may be. And if for whatever reason that horse ever needed to leave us, and find a new home, it’s not always a good thing if we had let them get away with those quirks and said, just teach them correct. And like you said, it’s going to give them a better opportunity to have a good home.

[SPEAKER 1]Exactly.

[SPEAKER 2]So when we had spoke about criticism in social media, I kind of, you know, mentioned it and then switched around. And I want to go back to that for a second. Like I said, I feel like there’s so many people that I’ve spoken with here on the podcast, whether it’s Maddie Hauser with the Blonde in the Bay, Anna Buffini, Catherine Dufour. Everybody has spoken about the challenges with social media and criticism. And so how do you deal with criticism. What do you recommend moving forward if somebody was to post something about their horse or themselves and they got some rude messages or comments? What is your advice for dealing with criticism on social media?

[SPEAKER 1]I just had this conversation with my trainer this morning And at the end of the day, you’re the one out there doing it and they’re not. So if they have something nasty to say, do they have that horse? Are they at that competition? Have they put in the work like you have? Usually the answer is no. Maddie with the blonde in the Bay, she is going through a journey with Ryder, you know, a quarter horse right now, which most massage people behind a keyboard might stop and say, he’s not fit for that, whatever, but she’s out there. She’s doing it. She’s going to regional, she’s qualifying all of that. It takes grit to get through that. And so at the end of the day, they’re not doing the same thing. I think a lot of us, you know, dressage people, we are looking at scores in Wellington and at those really high ranking crazy events and saying, Oh, what happened there? Whatever. Again, I’m not there. I would never probably be there or make it to that point. So how can you criticize someone? who is living their dream and maybe it doesn’t always work out the way they’ve planned, which is everything with horses. If you’re sitting on the couch or you’re at your little barn in Illinois, criticism is just funny to me because someone’s always gonna have something negative to say and you just have to brush it off because at the end of the day, that screams insecurity. That person’s insecure and so they have to deal with them, their own selves. I just keep on going, right? And so wherever I can get to and be proud of, at the end of the day, that’s what helps me, you know, brush off the criticism because it’s sad that people feel the need to do it.

[SPEAKER 2]It’s like that Brene Brown quote about, actually, I don’t think it’s her quote. I think it’s somebody else’s quote that she mentions, but it’s about like, unless you’re in the arena, And ironically, or coincidentally, she uses the word arena. But she, within that, it’s like, unless you’re in the arena getting dirty, yourself, like, I don’t want to hear what you have to say.

[SPEAKER 1]Exactly. And with horses, it’s, unless you’re in the arena and there’s rain trickling down today with a horse fly, there’s so many factors when it comes down to the horse and you. it’s not just you controlling yourself it’s you controlling this animal you know that weighs 10 times the size of you so it’s just amazing when things do come together and we do achieve a lot and that far outweighs you know sometimes the bad rides or whatever Karen had to say that’s sitting at the barn checking scores you know absolutely

[SPEAKER 2]So let’s talk about motherhood and balancing being a horse person and a competitive equestrian and also a new mom. And I have to say when I saw you going to your first competition after like how many weeks after giving birth and like your baby was seven it was crazy crazy I was like oh my gosh that woman could do anything.

[SPEAKER 1]Exactly. I am, you know, crazy. And so when I looked at the show, the prize list, I’m like, I think it’s possible, I could probably knock out both my scores for regionals and then get to regional like, I had no plans to show this past year at all. And then look where it took us. It was nationals at the highest level we’ve ever competed. So again, when I say icing on the cake for rain, it’s just It’s pretty crazy.

[SPEAKER 2]Absolutely. What is it like having to balance your goals of the competition, the horses, all the hours that you put in at the barn, as well as, you know, being a new mom? And I know you had mentioned the support from your husband, but is there anything else that you find helpful in terms of finding that balance?

[SPEAKER 1]Well, I’ve mentioned this before, but I work from home, which has helped so much. Prior to COVID and the world changing completely, I used to travel a ton. And so traveling on top of reporting to an office and commuting, I never thought having a child was possible at all. And if I was still doing that, I probably still feel that way because I would never be home. And between the horses and career and a baby, one or two of those things would have to go away. And so again, all my priorities shifted. during COVID when I was able to have more time at home, spend more time with my husband, things like that. Because then I felt like there was a way I could fit all of these in and also just kind of feel complete in my life. I joke that up until a couple of years ago, I would have cracked up if you ever thought I was even thinking of having a baby because it was just not something I had thought about. I thought I’d be someone who just never did that. And it has been the most fulfilling part of my life. But I knew that horses would have to be a part of it too, because at the end of the day, that’s my therapy and that’s my alone time. I seem like an extrovert on social media, but I actually need alone time. to recharge. And that’s where I gain my energy. And so barn time allows for that. And so whether it’s before my workday, or after my workday, or when the baby goes to sleep, it’s like six or 7pm. That’s when I make time for myself so I can rest, recharge, and be the best possible version of myself for the next day to accomplish what I need to.

[SPEAKER 2]That’s good advice as well. Like you had said, you know, making sure that you’re fitting in the things that fill your cup and that way you show up, you know, to everybody else as the best version of yourself.

[SPEAKER 1]Exactly. And that’s horse time to me. You know, some others might think that’s the gym or cooking a good meal, things like that, you know, or going for a run, but it’s, it’s the horses that make me feel refreshed and revived for sure.

[SPEAKER 2]So Novella Equestrian, your new clothing line, which you had launched in the fall, is that correct?

[SPEAKER 1]Yeah, and that just happened very last minute because I was sitting on it for quite some time. So September 1st, I think it was.

[SPEAKER 2]Okay, yeah. What inspired you to start that? I know you had mentioned earlier, you know, about doing all these different brand partnerships with other companies and thinking, you know, well, why can’t I do this for myself as well? Now, mind you, that’s a very large undertaking. It’s, you know, to do all that. So what made you say, you know what, I am going to do that? And how did it all get started? It has a really cool story to it, you know, about the inspiration with the horses. So tell everybody about it. I’d love to hear more.

[SPEAKER 1]So it was during COVID when I felt like I didn’t have job security. And so that’s what made me start looking into different manufacturers or how to even start a brand. And so that was pre-baby. So I had a lot more time at home. There was also a time I was locked out of the barn for 50 to 60 days because of COVID shutdowns. So it gave me more time than ever to be at home. And so that’s when I started investigating. Obviously, there were so many parts that went into it between manufacturing and designing and a website and fulfillment and all of that. And I just learned as I started the process, I did take all of my fit and fabric preferences from all of my, you know, experiences with different horseback riding brands. And so that’s kind of how it was born. Designing was never something I thought I would do, but it’s been so fun and a passion project. Every single shirt is designed after a horse and their story. So I started with Valentina and Gio, which is my mom’s horse and baby Gio. And you can see the characteristics and the designs definitely reflect in their personalities. I’ve continued on since September. I’ve had four different shirts come out, a few more this summer dropping, and have gained attention from other tech shops. um getting into the wholesale game so that’s been really exciting. I think obviously this is the first season in Wellington since they were launched and they’re being carried by a few tech shops there so I keep seeing riders tag me and look at Novellas here or there here’s a rider at Global wearing the brand which is so exciting because I never thought it would take off as much as it did.

[SPEAKER 2]Absolutely. I just feel like that’s huge, the fact that it’s been however many months and you’re already in Wellington stores and things like that. That’s huge. It’s really good. Do you feel that your existing social media presence played a role in the success of the business so far? 100%.

[SPEAKER 1]I mean, that laid the groundwork for Novella, which I that was never the mission of Warm Bloods, but it allowed me to meet so many influencers that have now turned into friends. And like you, we talked how many years ago, probably five, you know, and so tech shops and all of that, it really laid the groundwork for it. So it was such an easy in because everyone’s like, Oh, my gosh, Taryn, welcome. This is great. You know, welcome to the club. And so again, it’s just taken off way more than I ever thought possible. Absolutely.

[SPEAKER 2]What do you hope with that company? Like where do you hope it’s going to continue to go?

[SPEAKER 1]Well, at this rate, it can’t just be me eventually. And so, uh, who knows, you know, if we’ll hire on a person or two in the next year or so, whether it’s fulfillment or website design, even social posting, it’s hard for me to keep up with all of that just because I have my, so many different things I’m working on right now, but I feel like it could be my end game one day, who knows? Maybe I would leave corporate America and stick with Novella and enjoy some more horse and baby time. But who knows? Again, right now it’s just a passion project and I’m enjoying doing what I’m doing and we’ll see where it goes.

[SPEAKER 2]Awesome, that’s so exciting for you. We have four questions that we ask every podcast guest. So the first one is, do you have a motto or a favorite saying?

[SPEAKER 1]It sounds so cliche, but everything happens for a reason. I truly think that. I say that at work. I say that in life with horse stuff. It really does. Even if it feels like the end of the world or something’s not going your way, it’ll shine through in the next week or few months or years that it was meant to happen that way.

[SPEAKER 2]And so,

[SPEAKER 1]Again, as cliche as it sounds, everything happens for a reason.

[SPEAKER 2]Who has been the most influential person in your equestrian journey?

[SPEAKER 1]I can’t pinpoint one. I’m really lucky to be surrounded by a lot of supportive people. I have a friend, Sarah, who I’ve known for quite some time. And she’s a mom of two. She works full time. She’s trained up her own horses. So she has really shown me the way that you can kind of do all the things and feel fulfilled and continue on with your horse dreams, as well as my trainer, Agata. She’s a mom as well. And so they were the two that really were like, come on, dear, you can do it. We want another baby, you know, the crew. And so if it weren’t for them, I probably wouldn’t be here with Dunham right now. But there are so many horse friends I have and trainers available to me that have pushed me in ways that I didn’t think possible and never put a glass ceiling on me. And so I have a lot of positive people in my corner that have definitely helped me. And then my mom, who isn’t an equestrian, you know, riding herself right now, but she’s super into it and has always been my greatest cheerleader who keeps going and is so proud anytime we accomplish even the smallest of feats for sure.

[SPEAKER 2]If you could give equestrians one piece of advice, what would it be?

[SPEAKER 1]Keep going. Every day you don’t put your foot in the stirrup. You can’t learn something from that. You know, even if it’s scary or you’re tired or it’s too late, whatever. That’s what I, I gave that piece of advice to a lot of people that were following me during the pregnancy journey and now it’s their turn. So like, what would you do? What would your advice be? It’s just try every day. And some days it might not happen, but, um, you’re not going to learn something from doing nothing.

[SPEAKER 2]Please complete this sentence for me. Horses are East.

[SPEAKER 1]I think they are. They’re total peace. You know, when I get to the barn, I just feel this sense of peace and tranquility. And even if we’re running around like crazy at a show, it still is so peaceful to me, especially those times where there’s no one around and it’s just you and the horses. I think morning feedings at a show are some of my favorite times ever in my life.

[SPEAKER 2]I totally get it. For me, horses are the only thing that stops time. It’s the only thing that I forget. There’s always that joke, I see it on social media different times, where it’s like, I’ll be back in just a second and then you come back four hours later. But I find that everything else I do, I’m thinking of something else, or my mind isn’t there, or I’m checking the clock, or whatever it may be. Horses are the only thing that time stands still, and my head, I’m just so focused on the task at hand, and it’s absolutely addicting.

[SPEAKER 1]Well, that’s because when you are at the office or everything else, you’re thinking about horses. Right. It’s true. I demand your full attention always. That’s true.

[SPEAKER 2]Is there anything else you’d like to add for our listeners?

[SPEAKER 1]No, I’m just so appreciative of the opportunity. I really Look forward to everything on WeHorse. It’s definitely exciting looking at the platform. And again, thank you for the opportunity. And if you ever need to reach out to me or follow me on Warm Bloods and Wine, the handle is Warm Bloods and Wine. I have an Etsy shop there. But I do respond to most all messages and comments. And so I make it a priority just because I know that we’re all in this together. And it takes a village in the horse world for sure.

[SPEAKER 2]We’re going to link the Warm Bloods and Wine handle and then also the Novello Equestrian website, so everybody can check that out as well. And Taryn, I personally took a lot from this interview. there was one thing that you said in particular and it was answering the third question there about the one piece of advice and that was every time you don’t and you use put your foot in the stirrup but it can go in so many different things every time you don’t do XYZ You know, you’re not learning, you’re not growing. And that’s kind of been a little bit of a theme throughout this entire interview where, you know, you had mentioned that you have to essentially define your why. Like, what makes you want to keep going? Like, there’s so many things that life is going to throw at you, whether it’s work, family. whatever it may be and you have to define your why and then keep going from there. And I’m personally taking a lot from that. So thank you. And I hope that our listeners will, whether they also find that helpful or they find some other nuggets in here, I think that this is going to be an inspirational episode. So thank you.

[SPEAKER 1]Awesome. Thank you so much.

[SPEAKER 2]Thank you for listening to this episode of the Equestrian Connection podcast by wehorse. If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world to us if you could leave us a rating and review, as well as share us on social media. You can find us on Instagram at wehorse underscore USA, and check out our free seven day trial on wehorse.com, where you can access over 175 courses with top trainers from around the world in a variety of topics and disciplines. Until next time, be kind to yourself, your horses, and others.