Horse People Podcast

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 bigThe story behind Big Brown and how it felt to win two legs of the Triple CrownWhat it’s like to wire a million dollars for a horse just days before the Breeders’ CupWhy elite horses have to be mentally tough, not just talentedHow horse racing pulled him back in after he stepped awayFollow Michael on Instagram: @michael.iavaroneSubscribe 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.

This episode with Jim is great, he's a one of a kind story teller with a one of a kind story and there's so much about this episode that will leave you nodding your head and thinking about the horses that changed your life. Jim shares stories that feel more like scenes from a novel: escaping the Iranian revolution, chasing foxes in a scarlet hunt coat, and riding reindeer with native people in the Mongolian wilderness. From Tehran to Norco to Patagonia, horses have been the throughline in his life. We talk about how deep that bond runs, what it means to ride with feeling, and why he still whispers to his mares before bed.Key topics:Growing up between Iran and the US with horses always at the centerHis father's escape from revolutionary Iran on horseback with Kurdish tribalsBuilding a new life in California and returning to horses through foxhuntingRiding adventures across Mongolia, Patagonia, and beyondWhat it means to be a sensitive rider and why he always chooses maresFollow us on Instagram @horsepeoplepodcast and hit the follow button on Spotify to make sure you don't miss the next one!

Intro:This episode's a little different. I was at this years Breeders’ Cup. One of the biggest races in the world!! Big shoutout to the media relations team for letting me be around the barns at Del Mar. I just was walking around, casually met the folks who make the sport run every day, and had some quick, honest conversations. These are the people who muck stalls at 4:30 a.m., ride babies before the sun comes up, and know every twitch and snort of the horses they care for.It made me think about what this podcast has become. At the core of it all is the same question: why do we love horses the way we do?Key topics we discussed in 5 bullet points:Eddie Figueroa talks about staying calm in the starting gate and yelling at jockeys when he needs toLisa Conway shares how grooming horses is like being a mechanic with a lot more emotionRaul Alejandro explains how exercise riders have to know their horses and also have a mental stopwatchGot to talk to Steve Asmussen, who grew up in a racing family and still believes it all comes down to love of the horseWhat it feels like to be back behind the barns, hearing stories from the real heartbeat of horse racingSUBSCRIBE for more cross discipline content and stories about the people behind the horse industry.

This one is personal. I got to ride with Gianna Aycock and Colby Coltrain during the Mongol Derby, and by the first night in training camp they basically adopted me. These two became my Derby older brother and sister, gear gurus, morale squad, and a big reason I made it to the finish line. In this episode, we finally sat down to unpack their whole journey, how Gianna went from riding anything she could as a kid in New Mexico to riding 12 horses a day prepping for the Derby, and how Colby, the ultimate jack-of-all-trades, went from college baseball to welding fences to racing ponies across Mongolia.They're some of my favorite humans, and this conversation is everything I love about horses and horse people, real talk, good stories, and a lot of heart. We get into the nitty gritty of how they prepped for the world’s toughest horse race, what nearly broke them (and what didn’t), and why Gianna’s doing it again in 2026.Key topics we discussed:The backstory: how Gianna first fell into horses and how Colby got pulled into the world alongside herGearing up for the Derby—what equipment they optimized, what they regretted, and the art of ultra‑light packingThe emotional and physical highs and lows during the race: illness, navigation challenges, horse draws, and how they stuck togetherLessons from the trail: reading terrain, trusting horses, managing scarcity, and the power of small acts of kindnessHow the Derby changed them: in gratitude, relationship to food, presence, mindset—and why Gianna is doing it again in 2026