Horse People Podcast

This episode features Danielle Henson, Sport Communications Manager at the U.S. Equestrian Federation, equestrian, Louisville native, and the person behind one of the most genuinely useful newsletters in the horse industry: CLICK HERE
She talks about what it actually takes to build a career in the horse world when you didn't grow up with industry connections, how social media in equestrian sport has transformed over the last decade, and why the best content always comes back to one thing — the horse.
Key topics we discussed:
Growing up 10 minutes from Churchill Downs and finding horses through 4-H and a little Arabian barn called Stonehurst Riding Club
The LinkedIn newsletter she started to help people find jobs in the horse world — and how it helped someone land a role at USEF
How social media has evolved from hashtags and Snapchat global stories to full video production departments
Why horse-forward, emotional content outperforms everything else
Her advice for breaking into the equestrian industry without a head start
Social Media Links:
LinkedIn: Danielle Henson (search + follow her newsletter while you're there)
Horse People Podcast:
Instagram: @horsepeoplepodcast
Subscribe to Horse People for more cross discipline content and stories.

This episode features Chloe Carabasi, a working actress, model, and social media creator who also happens to be an equestrian, former college polo player, and total horse nerd in the best way.
Joining us as co-host is former guest Jim Seilsopour.
Chloe shares her unique path from Pennsylvania hunter/jumper barns to doubling for Zendaya in major commercials, and talks about finding joy and community through horses, how equestrian skills have helped her stand out in Hollywood, and what it really takes to ride on camera at a full gallop in a ball gown.

Key topics we discussed:
How polo shaped Chloe’s equestrian journey from Pennsylvania to Texas to Los Angeles
Balancing creative ambition with competitive riding (and the budget battles that come with it)
The behind-the-scenes of doubling Zendaya in a high-stakes perfume commercial
Why learning new disciplines makes you a better horseperson and actor
Finding joy and play in a sport that often takes itself too seriously
Social Media Links:
Instagram: @chloecarabasi
TikTok: @chloecarabasi
Horse People Podcast:
Instagram: @horsepeoplepodcast
Subscribe to Horse People wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you liked Chloe’s episode, share it with a friend who thinks horses and Hollywood don’t mix. They’re wrong

Gideon sits down with Pierce Dargan, CEO of Equine MediRecord, local Irish councillor, and deputy mayor, to talk about what it takes to digitize equine welfare compliance in a pen and paper world, how COVID flipped adoption overnight, and where AI can actually make horses safer.

Key topics discussed:
Why Pierce ran for local politics, and what it means to shape real decisions like roads, schools, and community life.

The early grind of building Equine MediRecord, including two years of approvals and stakeholder buy in before anyone could ditch the paper book.

The unsexy truth of software: bugs, doubt, product fit anxiety, and the first moment someone actually paid.

How COVID forced even the biggest holdouts online, and why that timing helped push equine compliance tech into new countries fast.

Where AI can help next, from early lameness detection to colic alerts, plus why better data helps racing earn trust.

Bonus: Pierce’s first syndicate horse, Arthurian Fame, won the Microsoft Cup, then went on to run at Royal Ascot, which is the kind of sentence that only a few get to say aloud.

Social media links for the guest:
LinkedIn: Pierce Dargan
Instagram: @equine.medirecord

Subscribe to Horse People Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you do not miss the next conversation. If you work anywhere near a barn office or a racing office, send this episode to the person still guarding the paper binder like it is a family heirloom.

Michael Iavarone’s done what most horse people only dream about, he’s won the Kentucky Derby. He’s been in this game at the highest level, from Big Brown taking him to the presipice of racing to many G1 wins, but he didn’t grow up in it.
He came from a working-class family, started out getting crushed at the betting windows, and somehow figured out how to buy the right horses at the right time.
This one’s full of wild stories, buying million-dollar horses days before a race, flying around the world to race in Hong Kong and Dubai, and the highs and heartbreaks that come with it. But what stuck with me most is how much Michael still loves the game. Even after all the pressure, all the wins, all the money spent, he’s still out there watching morning works like it’s the best part of his day.

Key Topics we discussed:
Why Michael only buys horses that have already raced, and how that’s helped him win big

The story behind Big Brown and how it felt to win two legs of the Triple Crown

What it’s like to wire a million dollars for a horse just days before the Breeders’ Cup

Why elite horses have to be mentally tough, not just talented

How horse racing pulled him back in after he stepped away

Follow Michael on Instagram: @michael.iavarone

Subscribe and follow Horse People Podcast for more cross discipline content and stories from equestrians all around the world.
@horsepeoplepodcast

This episode is with Marissa Wells, who just became a 10-goaler in arena polo, a dream she's had since childhood. We talk about what that moment felt like, the years of consistency it took to get there, and what comes next. Marissa is great, a good friend and my first ever guest!!
We get into everything from $800 horses to bodybuilding prep to what kind of horses are actually best for arena.

Follow Marissa on[Instagram] and [Tik Tok]

Key topics we discussed:

The moment Marissa found out she hit 10 goals and what it meant after a lifetime of dreaming about it.

Why consistency matters more than talent at the top levels of polo.

Her surprising take on training horses for arena versus grass.

How bodybuilding and polo have started to overlap in her life—and why she could never do arena on prep.

What it means to be a role model now and the advice she gives to the next generation of young girls in polo.