Be Your Best Horsemanship

Each year, I always pick a word to guide my focus and my efforts for the coming season. This year, my word is: believe. Join me for this episode as I share the inspiration behind this choice and how making simple mental shifts can change your outlook, self-belief, and follow through on your goals and plans. Whether you are a trainer, horse enthusiast, or are just looking for a little motivation to send you into the new year, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I'm talking about my first time welcoming interns into my training program. From training young horses to learning the ins and outs of facility management, responsibility, and work ethic, this episode is about more than riding—it’s about mindset, commitment, and understanding what it truly means to make a living training horses.

Challenging conditions have a way of exposing holes in your foundation—both in your horsemanship and your mindset. Those who are willing to saddle up on the days that others might not be have a unique opportunity to accelerate their growth in meaningful ways.Tune in as I share a story from the training pen this week where my interns and I braved the elements on a day with less-than-ideal weather conditions—and what we learned in the process.

In this week’s episode, I'm recapping my recent trip to Las Vegas for the World Series of Team Roping Finale. The week didn’t end with a win—or a big paycheck—but it also wasn’t a loss. It was an opportunity to learn.Tune in as I share some reflections on my preparation, how I showed up in the arena, and why I can still be proud of the way I competed. I also tip my hat to the NFR competitors and the level of performance, resilience, and professionalism they displayed through the ups, downs, and moments of adversity on the biggest stage. At the end of the day, there are no true failures—only lessons that help us grow.

During the ten days of the NFR in Las Vegas, we all get to watch the product of a year-long—and often lifelong—journey to the Thomas & Mack. What we don’t always see is the small army behind each competitor who helps make that run possible.In this episode, I’m thrilled to sit down with Lorissa Jo Merritt— sister of Katelyn Scott and sister-in-law to Halyn Lide, who both qualified for this year’s National Finals Rodeo. While Lorissa is a talented horsewoman herself, her role behind the scenes is one we don’t talk about enough—and it is a pivotal role in the road to the NFR.Lorissa shares how she's embraced her role as the “horse finder” and “accountability partner" in Katelyn's journey, the story of how Peanut Seed—Katelyn’s main mount for this year’s finals—came into their lives, how he got his name, and the team effort that goes into an NFR qualification.