The Dressage Anywhere Podcast

Back in 2019 I started volunteering with my local Riding for the Disabled Group. It's been a hugely rewarding experience and I'd like to share more about it with you all.

In this episode, I talk about signing up as a volunteer, the training in leading a pony and side walking with a rider and what we usually get up to.

If you find yourself with a couple of hours to spare I urge you to have a look at the RDA website and check out their supportive volunteer training programme and contact your local group!

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Have you ever had a dietary MOT for your horse? It's not all about overhauling your horse's diet though, it's about getting the basics right and looking at scientific evidence to support adding in other things.

We caught up with Donna Case, aka The Horse Feed Guru to talk about when to call on an independent equine nutritionist and what they look at to make sure your horse is on the best diet and ultimately in the best shape they can possibly be in.

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It can seem so simple to pop out for a quick hack or have a jump session or even ride in a competition but for some, the comfort zone can become ever shrinking and you start to limit what you do and where you go.

That's where Jane Brindley of Horse Riding with Confidence Scotland comes in! Jane is a horse riding confidence and mindset coach and works with riders at all levels, from people who are frightened to get on their horse right up to riders competing at a high level.

Using techniques such as hypnotherapy, NLP and performance coaching Jane can really help with mindset and confidence issues and ultimately help riders to get back to enjoying their riding.

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I was absolutely made up when my good friend, Rhea Freeman, said she'd come on the podcast!

Rhea Freeman PR is an all-round whiz on everything PR, marketing and social media related, working with riders and equestrian and country brands helping them to tell the world about what they do. And I thought, who better to talk about building your presence on social media, without it taking over your life?

In this episode we explore why it's a good idea to build your social media presence, the top three things you should do, how to make it more fun and how to avoid burnout.

You don't have to be an influencer with a gazillion followers to listen to this, it's great for any brand or rider building their own personal brand online and I'm eternally grateful for these super tips from Rhea. 

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Equidance want to help everyone to have a more level playing field. We can't all ride a top horse or afford the most expensive equipment, but we can all now invest in a music arrangement that would sound just as at home at the Europeans or a Premiere League event. Just because you are riding a Prelim doesn't mean that your music should be of a lesser quality.

In this episode we chat to Mrs Equidance, Kelly, about all things dressage to music including some top tips!

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This one's a solo session with me, Ruth, from Dressage Anywhere. I'm sure that many who listen to this know who we are because you ride with us or follow us on social. There might just be a few who have stumbled across us because of some of the great guests we've interviewed so far. So this is for you guys, and for anyone who already knows us, stick around because there might some useful points which are a bit of a reminder!

In this episode, I talk about what online dressage is, who it's for and some of the benefits. I also touch on rules and filming and bust a few myths!

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Many in the dressage world will be familiar with Gaynor's unique approach to freestyle music; her talent and ability to play live music during test riding is one to be watched.

Back in the 1980s, Gaynor, Jennie Loriston-Clarke and our own Nereide Goodman devised the very first dressage to music competition at Wellington Riding, which has gone on to become a national and international sensation.

With over 10,000 freestyle winners under her belt, we caught up with Gaynor to get her top tips on planning and riding your freestyle to music test.

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Part 2 is here! Doctor Diane Fisher joins us again in this episode.

Have you ever worked with a sports psychologist to get the most out of you and your horse? Diane talks about how important it is to get in the right headspace and how we should focus on having fun and not putting pressure on ourselves.

All The Kings Horses launched during the pandemic and is a great social media space for Diane to combine her medical knowledge and love of horses. Would you know how to describe a riding injury to make sure you get the right medical attention? Give Diane's page a follow!

*Since recording this podcast Diane has been graded as a Grade V para rider and also taken up the role of Chief Medical Officer at BETA.

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Our next guest on the Dressage Anywhere Podcast is Doctor Diane Fisher.

So many people did amazing things during the height of the Covid pandemic and Diane is just one of those people. We're so excited to share this podcast with you all about Diane as a trauma surgeon and a para rider with goals.

We catch up on where Diane's journey with horses started, the process around para grading, training at Talland, and what it was like to work through a global pandemic.

And this is just Part 1! Watch out for Part 2 coming soon.

*Since recording this podcast Diane has been graded as a Grade V para rider and also taken up the role of Chief Medical Officer at BETA.

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Our first guest on the Dressage Anywhere Podcast is Liz Hayman from UK equestrian clothing manufacturer, Equetech.

Equetech sponsor this year's British Dressage Equetech Online Championships and we wanted to catch up with Liz to find out more about the brand. 'Reassuringly equestrian', the emphasis is firmly on the technical abilities, style and quality of all Equetech products.

In this episode we catch up on:

• where it all began
• Liz's equestrian background
• design and tailoring
• how Equetech is innovating and pushing boundaries.

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