Tag: lauren-mauldin
An Adult Amateur’s (Unrealistic) New Years Resolutions
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
It's that time of year again when everyone is focused on self-improvement—and I'm no exception. For most of my life, I've fallen into the resolution trap. You know, when you start to...
I’m Done Letting Show Goals Determine My Horse Girl Happiness
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Life—and horses—have seasons. When I set out to purchase a horse capable of getting me into the adult hunters, I thought this would be the time for me to buckle down, train...
Self-Compassion for Equestrians
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
If you're anything like me, you're pretty tough on yourself. In fact, it's a trait I see that's pretty common among equestrians. We're always striving for better. We work exceptionally hard. We're...
It’s Never “Just a Horse”
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
“She talks about these horses like they’re people. All of their different personalities and stuff. I don’t get it. I mean, it’s just a horse!”
I’ve heard different versions of this conversation my...
A Step-by-Step Body Clipping Guide for Adult Amateurs
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
It's that time of year. When you don't know if you'll go to the barn to find your horse covered in blankets or covered in mud. In Texas, we have the added...
How Taking Antidepressants Improved My Riding
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
In a circle of people I'm comfortable around, I've always been fairly vocally opposed to psychiatric medication. I declared they're over-prescribed and rarely taken alongside proper counseling/talk therapy. The majority seek happiness...
Questions to Ask Yourself if You’re Afraid of Jumping
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I've been thinking a lot about fear lately. For much of my equestrian career, I've been afraid of jumping. Afraid of the horse stopping. Afraid of missing my distance and crashing through...
How an Average, Working Amateur on a Budget Ended Up Importing
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I've been a little hesitant to tell this story. After all, I've been writing for years about my deep love of OTTBs, what it's like to come up in this sport from...
20 Things That Scare Adult Amateurs Way More Than Goblins and Ghosts
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
It's officially spooky season, and that means a lot more to riders than the average person—especially us adult amateur folks. We're on the lookout for "spooks" all year round. But it's not...
The Science Behind Why Riding is So Therapeutic
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Mindfulness is a word that gets tossed around a lot lately. I originally threw it into the same bucket that holds a lot of other new-age ideas I consider "granola." You know,...
An Adult Amateur’s Honest ISO
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I’m in the middle of the best worst activity—horse shopping. Some mornings I wake up and think, Okay! This is going to be the week I find the one. But mostly, especially...
Are Negative Core Beliefs Holding Your Riding Back?
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Core beliefs aren’t about religion, though I imagine most of us have cantered to a single oxer in a “Jesus take the wheel” situation at least once. I’d be lying if this...
The Ridiculous First World Problem of Whining About Horse Shopping
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
If a non-horse person hears you’re looking for a new horse, they often have two primary responses:
Horse shopping? That sounds so fun!Oh my god, they cost HOW much?!
And if you tell a...
To The “Backyard” Rider With Big Dreams
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
No matter how old you get, you won’t forget the afternoons you spent alone at the place that invited you into the magic of horses. Later when you walk into spotless facilities...
5 Equestrian Spring Cleaning Projects
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Blooming flowers and warmer temperatures mean a lot of things. For equestrians, summer horse shows are on the horizon. Many of us are enjoying a pause after winter circuits before things get...
Is Mental or Physical Strength More Important for Riding Success?
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I, like many horse and horse showing obsessed people, spend a lot of time watching videos of riders I admire. There's something unspeakably beautiful about a flawless round. Hunters that ride off...
They’re Coming for Our Sport, and We Have to Be Better
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
In this digital age of social media, I think most equestrians are used to the idea that someone who thinks they know our horses better than us watches with a critical eye....
So Much More Than a Diploma: St. Andrews University Equestrian Studies
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Picking a college is the first step of adulthood for many, and there are countless factors that go into determining which school is the best fit. But add horses into the mix?...
Ashwood Farm: Built on Honesty, Thriving on Hard Work
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Mary Ann Thomas & her daughter Abby Funk open up about their small, standout program
Equestrian programs aspire to have a barn full of exquisite horses, rippling with talent that snap their knees...
Appreciating What We’ve Learned From the Craziest Year Ever
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I know I'm not the only one that's ready for 2020 to bite the dust. It's been one thing after another, and we've all been in this muck together. I don't have...
If Hallmark Made a Holiday Horse Movie
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
This time of year, Hallmark holiday movies are my guilty pleasure. I’ve watched a “dog therapist” fall in love with a Silicon valley tech guru (and save the day before Christmas), a...
I Love Horses, But I’m Tired
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
My story is not unique in our sport. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love horses. Begged for lessons, was fortunate enough to ride as a kid. Worked hard and...
