In Stride

In This Episode of In Stride
Sinead is joined by 5* event rider Emily Hamel to talk mindset, partnership, and what it takes to compete at the sport's highest level.

Meet the Guest: Emily Hamel
Emily Hamel is a 5* event rider and founder of Emily Hamel Eventing, based year-round in Aiken, South Carolina. After years in Phillip Dutton's program at True Prospect Farm, she launched her own boutique training business and co-founded The Whole Equestrian podcast with Tyler Held. Emily and her horse Corvett, known as Barry, made history as the first North American pair to complete all six Northern Hemisphere CCI5* events before Barry's retirement in 2026 after 11 five-star completions.

In This Episode, Sinead and Emily Discuss:
How mindset, fitness, and wellness work led Emily to co-found The Whole Equestrian podcast
What she learned from Phillip Dutton's program and how she's built her own identity as a trainer
The tools she uses to manage nerves and stay present at the five-star level
What makes Barry's unconventional jumping style work, and the trust behind their partnership

Episode Sponsor

Connaway & Associates
The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance.

Visit www.connaway.net or call 501-868-8084 to explore your options.

Equine Emergency Vet Care Guide
Created by equine veterinarian Dr. Erica Lacher, the Equine Emergency Vet Care Guide app helps horse owners recognize the signs of a true emergency, know when to call the vet, and understand what to do while help is on the way.

Download from the App Store or Google Play at EquineEmergencyApp.com

In Stride Is Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ helps everyday riders ride with more clarity, confidence, and purpose through on-demand audio lessons from world-class coaches.

Members also get:
Weekly live Q&As with equestrian experts
Exclusive podcast episodes
Dressage test prep resources
A supportive learning community

Start your free 14-day trial at Ride-iQ.com

Got a question for Tik and Sinead?
We're doing another call-in episode with Tik and Sinead Maynard, airing July 3rd! Send in your questions one of two ways: leave a voice message, or if you'd rather stay anonymous, type your question instead.

Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/in_stride_voicemail
Submit your question in writing: https://form.typeform.com/to/oQwgnrxJ 

Submit within the next 5 days, and please keep voicemails under 90 seconds. We can't wait to hear what you've got!

This Week on In Stride 
Sinead Halpin-Maynard sits down with Mary Wanless to explore the physics and biomechanics beneath conventional riding wisdom, and why understanding your body at a foundational level can transform both horse and rider.

Meet the Guest: Mary Wanless 
Mary Wanless is a British riding coach, author, and founder of the Ride With Your Mind approach to rider biomechanics. A BSc physics graduate and British Horse Society Instructor, she has spent 40+ years uncovering the science that underlies effective riding. She is the author of the bestselling Ride With Your Mind series and runs an international coaching platform at dressagetraining.tv, working with riders from beginners to team-level competitors.

In This Episode, Sinead and Mary Discuss:
Why conventional riding cues like "grow tall" and "sit deep" are advanced concepts masquerading as basics
The discovery of "bearing down," the core skill most elite riders unconsciously use but can't teach
Expertise-induced amnesia and why the best riders often make the worst teachers
How the fascia connects rider and horse as one system, and why improving your position changes everything beneath you

Episode Sponsor

Connaway & Associates
The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance.

Visit www.connaway.net or call 501-868-8084 to explore your options.

Equine Emergency
Vet Care Guide Created by equine veterinarian Dr. Erica Lacher, the Equine Emergency Vet Care Guide app helps horse owners recognize the signs of a true emergency, know when to call the vet, and understand what to do while help is on the way.

Download from the App Store or Google Play at EquineEmergencyApp.com

In Stride Is Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ helps everyday riders ride with more clarity, confidence, and purpose through on-demand audio lessons from world-class coaches.

Members also get:
Weekly live Q&As with equestrian experts
Exclusive podcast episodes
Dressage test prep resources
A supportive learning community

Start your free 14-day trial at Ride-iQ.com

This Week on In Stride 
Sinead Halpin-Maynard sits down with Ken Ramirez to dig into the science of positive reinforcement and what it really means to care for the animals in our lives.

Meet the Guest: Ken Ramirez 
Ken Ramirez is one of the world's foremost animal trainers and a leading advocate for positive reinforcement-based training. With more than 50 years of experience spanning over 500 species, Ken has served as Executive Vice President of Animal Care and Training at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium and now teaches hands-on training courses at his own ranch. A self-described "crossover trainer," he brings a rare combination of scientific rigor, real-world experience, and a non-judgmental approach to how we train and care for the animals in our lives.

In This Episode, Sinead and Ken Discuss:
Why behavioral training is a necessity that ranks alongside vet care, nutrition, and environment in responsible animal care
The science behind positive and negative reinforcement
Why giving animals the choice to say "no" actually produces better performance
The Zambia conservation project where Ken rerouted an entire elephant herd away from poachers, and why it earned him a price on his head

Episode Sponsor

Connaway & Associates
The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance.

Visit www.connaway.net or call 501-868-8084 to explore your options.

In Stride Is Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ helps everyday riders ride with more clarity, confidence, and purpose through on-demand audio lessons from world-class coaches.

Members also get:
Weekly live Q&As with equestrian experts
Exclusive podcast episodes
Dressage test prep resources
A supportive learning community

Start your free 14-day trial at Ride-iQ.com

This Week on In Stride 
Sinead Halpin-Maynard sits down with legendary horseman Buck Brannaman to dig into the philosophy behind great horsemanship, from feel and presence to discipline, partnership, and what it really means to connect with a horse.

Meet the Guest: Buck Brannaman 
Buck Brannaman is one of the most recognized and respected horsemen in the world. Based in Sheridan, Wyoming, he has spent over four decades traveling the country running horsemanship clinics for riders of every discipline and background. Known for his ability to transform troubled horses and help riders find a deeper connection with their animals, Buck has built a reputation that goes far beyond the horse world. He is the author of The Faraway Horses and Believe: A Horseman's Journey, served as a consultant on Robert Redford's film The Horse Whisperer, and is the subject of the acclaimed 2011 documentary Buck.

In This Episode, Sinead and Buck Discuss:
The difference between discipline and punishment, and why only one of them actually works
Why feel and presence in the saddle can't be faked, bought, or replaced by equipment
How to build genuine confidence with a horse starting from the ground up
The shift from riding 90% physical to 90% mental, and why experience is an asset in horsemanship

Episode Sponsor

Connaway & Associates
The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance.

Visit www.connaway.net or call 501-868-8084 to explore your options.

In Stride Is Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ helps everyday riders ride with more clarity, confidence, and purpose through on-demand audio lessons from world-class coaches.

Members also get:
Weekly live Q&As with equestrian experts
Exclusive podcast episodes
Dressage test prep resources
A supportive learning community

Start your free 14-day trial at Ride-iQ.com

This Week on In Stride 
Sinead Halpin-Maynard sits down with Amber Marshall to explore the surprising parallels between horsemanship and acting, and what it looks like when a teenage English rider finds her true home in Alberta's cowboy culture.

Meet the Guest: Amber Marshall 
Amber Marshall is best known for her role as Amy Fleming in Heartland, CBC's beloved drama and Canada's longest-running one-hour scripted drama, now in its 19th season. Born and raised in London, Ontario, Amber began riding at age five and started pursuing acting in theatre at eight. As a teenager, she moved to Alberta to film the pilot of Heartland and never looked back. Today, she lives on a hobby farm outside of Calgary with her husband. She is a passionate advocate for animal welfare, with a focus on fostering and spay/neuter initiatives.

In This Episode, Sinead and Amber Discuss:
How growing up as an English rider and transitioning into Western and cowboy culture shaped both her identity and her character of Amy Fleming over 19 seasons
The unexpected overlap between acting and horsemanship and why the subtle body language you learn with horses translates directly to compelling performance on screen
The behind-the-scenes reality of working with horses on a TV set, from casting and sourcing animals to the concept of "actor action" (creating the illusion of training without actually training)
What working ranch horses taught her about partnership, trust, and the true meaning of a horse with a job

Episode Sponsor

Connaway & Associates
The friendly and knowledgeable team at Connaway & Associates brings together more than 30 years of experience to offer a wide range of insurance services, including horse insurance, farm insurance, and liability insurance.

Visit www.connaway.net or call 501-868-8084 to explore your options.

In Stride Is Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ helps everyday riders ride with more clarity, confidence, and purpose through on-demand audio lessons from world-class coaches.

Members also get:
Weekly live Q&As with equestrian experts
Exclusive podcast episodes
Dressage test prep resources
A supportive learning community

Start your free 14-day trial at Ride-iQ.com