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Revisit: Join us today we we hear some of the most iconic interviews from Radiothons past. Greats like Charlie Daniels, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Peggy Rowe (Mike Rowe's Mom) and Martin Clunes. Can you believe it has been 10 years since the first Radiothon? Listen in...HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3822 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreSubmission form for Holiday Week Entries: Guest: Charlie DanielsGuest: Kristian BushGuest: Peggy RoweGuest: Martin ClunesAdditional support for this podcast provided by: State Line Tack, Daily Dose Equine, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 04:00 - Charlie Daniels17:10 - Kristian Bush34:00 - Martin Clunes48:00 - Peggy Rowe
Karen and Robby get to know Kentucky based, 4* Eventer Kate Sands. Kate shares her story of growing up in Kentucky and convincing her Dad to purchase an OTTB as a "re-sell" project and naming him after Bourbon only to end up keeping him and taking him all the way to the Advanced/4* level. Kate and her husband, now have their own farm in Georgetown, KY and loving every minute of it. We had a great time getting to know Kate and hearing her story and we hope you do too!PC: Gold Horse MediaFollow Kate's journey:https://www.instagram.com/shamrock.eventing/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/shamrock.eventing.ky/Please support our sponsors:https://cowboymagic.com/https://manentailequine.com/https://exhibitorlabs.com/https://www.triplecrownfeed.com/Sign up for our mailing list!https://mailchi.mp/b232b86de7e5/majorleagueeventingllc?fbclid=IwAR2Wp0jijRKGwGU3TtPRN7wMo-UAWBwrUy2nYz3gQXXJRmSJVLIzswvtClECheckout the Major League Eventing store!https://www.majorleagueeventing.com/shop
Revisit: Join us today we we hear some of the most iconic interviews from Radiothons past. Greats like Charlie Daniels, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Peggy Rowe (Mike Rowe's Mom) and Martin Clunes. Can you believe it has been 10 years since the first Radiothon? Listen in...HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3822 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreSubmission form for Holiday Week Entries: Guest: Charlie DanielsGuest: Kristian BushGuest: Peggy RoweGuest: Martin ClunesAdditional support for this podcast provided by: State Line Tack, Daily Dose Equine, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 04:00 - Charlie Daniels17:10 - Kristian Bush34:00 - Martin Clunes48:00 - Peggy Rowe
Revisit: Join us today we we hear some of the most iconic interviews from Radiothons past. Greats like Charlie Daniels, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Peggy Rowe (Mike Rowe's Mom) and Martin Clunes. Can you believe it has been 10 years since the first Radiothon? Listen in...HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3822 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreSubmission form for Holiday Week Entries: Guest: Charlie DanielsGuest: Kristian BushGuest: Peggy RoweGuest: Martin ClunesAdditional support for this podcast provided by: State Line Tack, Daily Dose Equine, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 04:00 - Charlie Daniels17:10 - Kristian Bush34:00 - Martin Clunes48:00 - Peggy Rowe
Auburn equestrian podcast with host Auburn Elvis. The main discussion covers week 8 of the NCEA 2025-26 season.ALL IN ONE LINK (Content, Social Media, Support, Contact, Etc.) ➡️ https://linktr.ee/e2cnetwork
In this episode we cover:The Italian origin story of For Horses and how Giovanna and Andrea fused fashion design with textile innovation.Anita Sguigna's role as U.S. Sales and Marketing Manager Inside the brand and how FH selects riders, retailers, and collaborators.A look into FH's design process, rider feedback, and what's trending in equestrian fashion right now.What's next for For Horses and where riders can find the brand.Thank you to our partner For Horses for helping to make this podcast possible.
On this episode, host Katy Starr chats with Greg Hammond, Standlee's Director of Operations, to learn more about what it takes to turn premium western hay into the consistent, high-quality forage your animals depend on, including:What the Standlee Performance System is and how it drives efficiency and qualityTechnology and checks that protect product consistency and safetyWhat horse and livestock owners should know about how their hay products are made, from the field to the shelfGreg also talks about the strong sense of purpose his team feels, knowing their attention to detail and commitment to quality directly support the health of horses and livestock across the country.
Denise Heinlein on seeing, observing and working with wild horses in Patagonia. Plus, a HITM Holiday Week update and many other random horsey things! Listen in…HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3820 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreSubmission form for Holiday Week Entries: Guest: Denise Heinlein on visiting Patagonia to work with wild horses.Link: REOLINK Argus PT Ultra+Solar PanelLink: REOLINK 4K LTE Cellular Security Camera WirelessAdditional support for this podcast provided by: US Rider, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 06:00 - Daily Whinnies22:11 - Denise Heinlein35:30 - Horse News48:15 - Auditor Post Show
If slowing down feels wrong but your body is begging for rest, this episode is for you. In this episode, I'm talking to the woman who has always been the go-hard achiever — the early workouts, the hustle, the I-don't-need-rest mindset. But now your body feels like it's pushing back, and slowing down feels uncomfortable or even scary. I've been there, and I want to help you make sense of what your body is trying to say. Instead of guessing or feeling guilty, I'm giving you a simple, practical five-question check-in to help you know whether your body needs rest or whether gentle movement will actually make you feel better. Because in a healing season, both rest and movement are powerful — it's just about choosing the right one for the day you're in. You'll learn why the signals you're feeling are a sign of recovery, not failure. I'll walk you through what this looks like in different phases of healing — from burnout, to rebuilding, to thriving again. We'll also talk about the mental side of this: letting go of the belief that discipline only counts when you push harder. Resting doesn't make you weak. It makes you wiser. And the more you listen to your body, the faster your energy, hormones, and confidence return. By the end of this episode, you'll have a tool you can use anytime you're unsure of what your body needs. This is how you build trust with yourself again — one decision at a time. So take a breath, tune in, and let's help your body feel safe and strong again. Time Stamps: (1:17) Mood Lighting(2:02) Pulling Back From Exercise(5:47) Movement and Discipline(8:14) Your Hormones Are Recalibrating(9:59) #1: How Did I Sleep Last Night?(11:57) If You're Averaging 5-6 Hours of Sleep A Night(13:12) #2: My Stress Level From 1-10(14:32) #3: How Does My Body Feel Physically?(16:00) #4: What's My Emotional State?(17:41) #5: How Do I Think I'll Feel After?(21:56) Save This One For The Future---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!
Denise Heinlein on seeing, observing and working with wild horses in Patagonia. Plus, a HITM Holiday Week update and many other random horsey things! Listen in…HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3820 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreSubmission form for Holiday Week Entries: Guest: Denise Heinlein on visiting Patagonia to work with wild horses.Link: REOLINK Argus PT Ultra+Solar PanelLink: REOLINK 4K LTE Cellular Security Camera WirelessAdditional support for this podcast provided by: US Rider, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 06:00 - Daily Whinnies22:11 - Denise Heinlein35:30 - Horse News48:15 - Auditor Post Show
Parlons cheval - Le podcast de l'Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation
La consommation de viande de cheval, sans cesse questionnée à travers les époques, continue à décroitre en France, mais qu'en est-il réellement de ce marché ? Comment et que consommons-nous en France ? Quels sont les freins et avantages à la consommation et à la production de viande chevaline ? Que produisons nous en France et dans quels objectifs ?Dans ce podcast, Céline Vial, chercheuse en économie et sciences de gestion, et Xavier Dornier, chargé d'études économiques, tous deux à l'IFCE, reviennent sur l'histoire de l'hippophagie en France et présentent la conjoncture actuelle de ce marché. Ils partagent également les résultats d'une étude menée en 2019 et 2020 auprès de consommateurs de viande chevaline, de non-consommateurs et de chefs cuisiniers.Les conclusions soulignent les intérêts nutritionnels, organoleptiques et environnementaux de cette viande qui attirent pourtant peu de consommateurs. Un réservoir de consommateurs potentiels existe néanmoins, les leviers de développement potentiels du marché reposant sur la promotion du produit et de ses atouts, et sur le développement de la disponibilité du produit en magasin mais aussi au restaurant afin de favoriser les occasions de découverte du produit.Pour aller plus loin :• Fiche équipédia - Histoire de la consommation de viande chevaline• Fiche équipédia - Le marché de la viande chevaline en France : vers une typologie des (non-)consommateurs • Livret - Recettes à base de viande chevaline• Note - Chiffres clés de la filière équine• ECUS - Annuaire des chiffres clés de la filière équine• Article JSIE 2020 - Freins et leviers à la consommation de viande chevaline en France• Article équ'idée - Système d'identification des équidés et utilisation ou non de la viande chevaline pour la consommation humaineSi vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur le sujet, rendez-vous sur notre site internet equipedia.ifce.fr où vous trouverez tous les travaux de nos experts. Vous pouvez aussi nous rejoindre sur notre groupe Facebook équipédia, sciences et innovations équines pour plus de contenus. Pour ne manquer aucun épisode, abonnez-vous, partagez, commentez et n'hésitez pas à laisser 5 étoiles sur Apple Podcasts et Spotify.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
We're still pumping out interviews from the Mars Maryland 5*! This week we share interviews with Sydney Hagaman, Sophia Middlebrook, Allie Knowles, Arden Wildasin, Brooke Burchianti, Monica Spencer, Ryan Wood, Mary Bess Davis, Felix Vogg, Jonelle Price and Mia Farley. We will be back to our regular interviews in a week or two but in the meantime, we hope you enjoy these fun interviews.Please support our sponsors:https://cowboymagic.com/https://manentailequine.com/https://exhibitorlabs.com/https://www.triplecrownfeed.com/Sign up for our mailing list!https://mailchi.mp/b232b86de7e5/majorleagueeventingllc?fbclid=IwAR2Wp0jijRKGwGU3TtPRN7wMo-UAWBwrUy2nYz3gQXXJRmSJVLIzswvtClECheckout the Major League Eventing store!https://www.majorleagueeventing.com/shop
In today's tip we join Horses In The Morning co-hosts Glenn & Jamie as they chat with Dr. Anna Bracken horse nutrition for winter.Host: Coach JennTodays contributors: Horses In The Morning podcast, Anna C. Bracken, DVM, MS, Clinical Instructor, Equine Field Service in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State UniversitySupport provided by Equestrian PlusAdditional support for this episode provided by HRN AuditorsListen to more podcasts for horse people at Horse Radio Network
Auburn equestrian podcast with host Auburn Elvis. The main discussion covers week 7 of the NCEA 2025-26 season.ALL IN ONE LINK (Content, Social Media, Support, Contact, Etc.) ➡️ https://linktr.ee/e2cnetwork
In today's tip we join Horses In The Morning co-hosts Glenn & Jamie as they chat with Dr. Anna Bracken horse nutrition for winter.Host: Coach JennTodays contributors: Horses In The Morning podcast, Anna C. Bracken, DVM, MS, Clinical Instructor, Equine Field Service in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State UniversitySupport provided by Equestrian PlusAdditional support for this episode provided by HRN AuditorsListen to more podcasts for horse people at Horse Radio Network
HITM: Comedian Robert Urban joins us and we answer some questions for his new equestrian book. Auditor Mel and Jamie compete in the brand new headlines game and some other random horsey talk for a Monday. Listen in…AUDITOR POST SHOW: Jamie's vet appointments and new blood rule. HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3815 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreSubmission form for Holiday Week EntriesPic Credit: Guest: Comedian Robert Urban | Facebook | AmazonLink: B&tches Love Cheddar Biscuits: & Other Facts of LifeLink: Lick the SpoonGuest: Auditor MelAdditional support for this podcast provided by: US Rider, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 06:13 - Daily Whinnies23:07 - Comedian Robert Urban42:48 - The Headlines Game54:25 - Auditor Post Show
We all want the dream body, but almost none of us want to slow down long enough to build the base it actually requires. In today's episode, I'm sharing one of the most important lessons I've learned as both a coach and a client: you can't build a strong, sustainable body without a strong foundation. I use the analogy of building a dream home because just like a house needs a solid foundation before the walls go up, your body needs metabolic stability and healthy habits before you layer on intense training or dieting. Most of us try to skip this part because we're in a hurry to see results. I get it. I used to be the impatient one who wanted the plan, the strategy, and the visible progress right away. But rushing your transformation is the fastest way to end up starting over again and again. In this episode, I break down what the “foundation phase” actually looks like, including how we assess metabolism using SHREDS and why stabilizing sleep, hunger cues, digestion, energy, stress, and recovery is non-negotiable. I share why this phase can feel slow and why that slow work is what makes everything that comes after actually stick. I also walk through the three phases of a healthy nutrition journey and how to know which phase you're truly ready for. This is about building a body that can handle real life. Vacations, busy seasons, holidays, stress, and everything in between. When your foundation is strong, you don't fall apart when your routine changes. You adapt and you bounce back. If you've been feeling frustrated with slow progress, this episode may be the reframe you needed. Take a breath — you might just be pouring the concrete. Time Stamps: (2:57) Next Stage of Homeownership (4:34) Building The Foundation (7:27) When I First Started My Fitness Journey (12:42) The Metabolic Assessment (19:42) Building The Walls Next (20:27) Vital Spark's 3 Phases (28:02) Please Share and Review---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!
Thanks for joining us on Sleep Stories for Equestrians, where we are reading a fictional tale told by a beautiful bay mare: The Elf and Her Friends - A Horse Story Founded on Fact by Isabel WortleyThis episode contains chapter fourteen of our story, featuring peaceful meditation music to help you drift off to dreamland.00:51 – Guided Meditation01:31 –The Story BeginsConnect with the host Ashley Winch, she loves making new friends!FacebookLinkedInInstagramNote: This story is in the public domain.
HITM: Comedian Robert Urban joins us and we answer some questions for his new equestrian book. Auditor Mel and Jamie compete in the brand new headlines game and some other random horsey talk for a Monday. Listen in…AUDITOR POST SHOW: Jamie's vet appointments and new blood rule. HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3815 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekJamie and Glenn's Amazon StoreSubmission form for Holiday Week EntriesPic Credit: Guest: Comedian Robert Urban | Facebook | AmazonLink: B&tches Love Cheddar Biscuits: & Other Facts of LifeLink: Lick the SpoonGuest: Auditor MelAdditional support for this podcast provided by: US Rider, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like YouTime Stamps: 06:13 - Daily Whinnies23:07 - Comedian Robert Urban42:48 - The Headlines Game54:25 - Auditor Post Show
On today's show, we're learning more about equine podiatry and how it can help our ex-racehorses with one of the best in the business, Travis Burns of Virginia Tech. Then we chat with New Vocations' Bridget Hollern for a new training tip and adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!Hosts: Leigh Beamer and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback WriterImage Credit: Retired Racehorse RadioTitle Sponsor: Kentucky Performance ProductsMedia Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse AdoptionGuest: Travis BurnsGuest: Bridget HollernNew Vocations Segment - Adoptable HorseAdditional Support Provided by: Equestrian+, Retired Racehorse Project, and Listeners like You!
On today's show, we're learning more about equine podiatry and how it can help our ex-racehorses with one of the best in the business, Travis Burns of Virginia Tech. Then we chat with New Vocations' Bridget Hollern for a new training tip and adoptable horse of the week. Stay tuned!Hosts: Leigh Beamer and Kristen Kovatch Bentley of The Horseback WriterImage Credit: Retired Racehorse RadioTitle Sponsor: Kentucky Performance ProductsMedia Partners: The Thoroughbred Makeover and New Vocations Racehorse AdoptionGuest: Travis BurnsGuest: Bridget HollernNew Vocations Segment - Adoptable HorseAdditional Support Provided by: Equestrian+, Retired Racehorse Project, and Listeners like You!
We had so many interviews from the MD5* high and plan on sharing them over the next couple weeks from the MD5* Radio which is provided by Taylor Harris Insurance Services during the Mars Maryland 5* at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory. This week is Dressage Day 2 and we talked to the Cross Country Course Designer Pierre le Goupil, Hayley Frielick, Maya Clarkson, Alyssa Phillips, Caitlin O'Roark, Maddie Tempkin, Colin Gaffney and Mike Pendelton. We are so excited to share these fun interviews with you and hope you enjoy them as much as we did!Please support our sponsors:https://cowboymagic.com/https://manentailequine.com/https://exhibitorlabs.com/https://www.triplecrownfeed.com/Sign up for our mailing list!https://mailchi.mp/b232b86de7e5/majorleagueeventingllc?fbclid=IwAR2Wp0jijRKGwGU3TtPRN7wMo-UAWBwrUy2nYz3gQXXJRmSJVLIzswvtClECheckout the Major League Eventing store!https://www.majorleagueeventing.com/shop
Auburn equestrian podcast with host Auburn Elvis. The main discussion covers week 6 of the NCEA 2025-26 season.ALL IN ONE LINK (Content, Social Media, Support, Contact, Etc.) ➡️ https://linktr.ee/e2cnetwork
Listen to Part 1 first, if you haven't had a chance to yet - we discuss feed trend terminology to help frame Part 2 of this conversation - https://www.standleeforage.com/podcast/episodes/ep-102-horse-feeding-trends-explained-forage-based-grain-free-everything-in-between-part-1/Have you ever wondered if “grain-free” really means better for your horse?In Part 2 of this Beyond the Barn conversation, host Katy Starr chats with Dr. Kelly Vineyard, PhD equine nutritionist, to dig deeper into the reality behind popular horse feeding trends to bust some common myths and help horse owners confidently balance a forage-based diet, including:Tips for balancing “grain-free” diets for individual horses or large herdsWhether statements like “grain causes inflammation,” “grain-free means low starch,” and more are myth or fact4 practical ways horse owners can sift through these feeding trends and do what is best for their specific horseIf social media has ever made you question your horse's diet, this episode will bring clarity, confidence, and a reminder that the best feeding program always starts with one simple rule - forage first.
Every once in a while, I meet someone whose story reminds me why inclusion and communication go hand in hand. My guest this week, Shabnam Asthana, is one of those people. She's a global PR leader, entrepreneur, and author who has spent her life turning words into bridges that connect people and purpose. We talk about her journey from teaching and lecturing at India's National Defence Academy to leading global communications for major brands—and what it taught her about empathy, leadership, and real inclusion. Shabnam shares how storytelling can turn data into emotion, and why true diversity is less about representation and more about respect. Her message is powerful and deeply human: being unstoppable begins with an open heart, quiet courage, and the willingness to rise again. If you're ready to lead with empathy and communicate with purpose, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends. Highlights: 00:43 – Hear how early role models and a working mother raised ambitions and set a path toward leadership. 03:39 – Learn why strong communication skills pointed her toward PR and how debates built confidence. 05:24 – See why teaching became the first step when women in PR roles were rare in smaller cities. 08:12 – Discover what it took to lecture at India's National Defence Academy and earn respect in a rigid setting. 12:09 – Understand the leap from academia to corporate PR after being scouted for communication excellence. 15:50 – Learn how serving as a spokesperson shaped internal and external messaging at a Swedish-Indian firm. 17:01 – Gain a humble view of global work and why inclusion means moving from tokenism to listening. 21:08 – Compare India and Sweden and see how representation differs from real inclusion in practice. 24:18 – Learn how small, specific acts like adding sign to slides can make people feel genuinely seen. 34:24 – Find out how storytelling turns CSR spreadsheets into human change that inspires action. 43:22 – Explore the choice to found Empowered Solutions and why entrepreneurship kept growth alive. 53:06 – Take a fresh definition of an unstoppable mindset rooted in resilience and an open heart. About the Guest: A multi-faceted Professional, who has fast tracked from being a reputed National name to a well-respected and emulated global one! Shabnam Asthana has added new dimensions to Global PR and Communications. She has to her credit, post graduate degrees in English Literature, Public Relations and Advertising, an MBA in Marketing Management & several International certifications including a prestigious Hon. Doctorate in Business Administration from the National American University USA (NAU). She has over 25 years of rich professional experience. She started her career in the educational field as a high school teacher and then moved on to the role of a Lecturer at the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadkwasla. She was the only civilian who compered for the Passing out parades, PT & Equestrian display and the Graduation ceremony of the NDA for 3 consecutive years. This was covered live on Doordarshan. It was after one of the Passing out Parades that she was compering at the NDA, that a senior position in a reputed company was offered to her and thus began her foray into the corporate world. After her successful corporate stint in senior positions with reputed companies including Multinationals in India and abroad and reputed real estate businesses, she started her own PR and communications firm, Empowered Solutions in 2005 which has been running successfully since then. Adding offices in USA and Canada as part of its international expansion. Ways to connect with Jan: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabnam_Asthana Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shabnamasthana/?hl=en Linked in - https://in.linkedin.com/in/dr-shabnam-asthana-7b174a5 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ShabnamAsthana/ X - https://x.com/shabnamasthana VyaapaarNiti Expert Profile - https://www.vyaapaarniti.com/expert/dr-shabnam-asthana- Tring Celebrity Platform - https://www.tring.co.in/shabnam-asthana About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, Hi again, everyone. I am your host, Michael Hingson, and you are here listening to or watching or both, unstoppable mindset today, our guest is a person of many talents, and I think you're going to be as amazed about her as I am. Shabnam Asthana is a person who has been involved in she was a teacher for a while. She's been very heavily involved in a variety of things at the corporate level. She started her own marketing firm in 2005 and I don't know what all my gosh, she's got so many things, it's really hard to keep up, but I'm sure she's going to tell us all about it, and I am looking forward to that. And I really appreciate all of you being here with us. So Shabnam, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. And thank you for being here. Shabnam Asthana ** 02:15 Thank you, Michael, truly wonderful to be with here, and thank you for that amazing introduction. You make me feel as if I've worn a professional cape of so many accolades and so many things. It's wonderful to be here with you. Michael Hingson ** 02:32 Michael, well, you do have lots of awards and lots of accolades. Shabnam Asthana ** 02:38 That's just one part of the journey. The true reward is in the, you know, work that I do, these stories, that I shape, the narratives that spring in that is the true reward. And of course, accolades are always welcome, and they are a way of encouragement, which do ensure that, yes, I continue doing the good work. Michael Hingson ** 03:00 Well, why don't we start back at the beginning, which is always fun to do. Why don't you tell us about the early Shabnam growing up? Shabnam Asthana ** 03:08 Okay, that's something which is very close to my heart. I was born in India in a small city called Bokaro, Steel City. It was a Steel City. It was an industrial town, and we were a very close knit community, and we had lots of, you know, interaction with people. I came from a background where both my parents, my mother and my father were working, and at that point of time, a working woman was sort of seen as a novelty, not something I'm talking way, way back. And now the people will also guess my age, I guess because it's pretty way back. And that was the time when we weren't India was still developing, and women were still not seen as the working class, you know, especially in senior corporate positions. And my mother was a senior officer in the steel plant, so that set my aspirations and ambitions very high. And I wanted to emulate her. I wanted to be someone who was working now what I would do I was not very sure of, but yes, I wanted to be working. And then later on, my sister, my both my sisters, were also working, my older siblings, and of course, that set the tone for me to also hop into the professional shoes, and, you know, chart out a career path for myself. So, Michael Hingson ** 04:44 so what? What did you do? As far as schooling? Did you go to college? Shabnam Asthana ** 04:51 Yes, I went to the local school there, which was an English medium good school called sin Xavier School. And that was some. Thing which really groomed me for the future, that set the foundations for my career. And after that, I did my schooling in the my college, sorry, in the capital city of India, which is Delhi. And then on, I moved to a place which is close to Mumbai, which is Pune, and I continued my education there. And of course, my career started in Pune. That is when I got into academics, and then henceforth, Michael Hingson ** 05:34 so when you were in college, and as you were coming out of it, what did you want to do with your life? What was your plan? Or did you have one? Shabnam Asthana ** 05:43 Yes, I did have one. Like I said, I was always good in communications, and people used to tell me that you are a good communicator. I used to win all the debates. I used to win elocution competitions. And I said, Well, yes, communication does seem to be my forte, so why don't I build on that? And then I saw my father, he was in the public relations industry, and I somehow at the back of my mind, I said, Yes, that is something I would surely want to do. So why not try my hand at PR? And that's how the seeds of my career was planted in my mind, and then it developed there on. Michael Hingson ** 06:30 But you started out in education and in teaching. Shabnam Asthana ** 06:34 Yes, that's very interesting. I'll tell you. I wanted to start my career in PR, but I was in a place which was a small city, and it was a place called Jamshedpur, before I moved on to Pune, and there, the career scope was very limited. We didn't have women in the PR. In fact, it was unheard of. So the best thing, or the easiest thing that a woman could do was to hop on the bandwagon of academics. And not saying that it was something you know, that was not looked up to. But yes, I did enjoy my role as a school teacher. That was my first job in Jamshedpur, a small it was, again, a steel city in India, and I became a high school teacher, and quite enjoyed it, because that was also communication. It was the way you communicated with your students, and, you know, sort of got them into, got them interested in what they were learning. So that was, again a stepping stone, and it was the area of communications which expanded later on. Michael Hingson ** 07:47 So how long did you stay in teaching? Shabnam Asthana ** 07:51 I was there for about two years in Jamshedpur, and then I moved on to Pune. And guess what the next opportunity I got was as a lecturer in the National Defense Academy. That was a place where the future generals were being groomed, and I was a civilian who, sort of, I was the only civilian, probably, who got into the teaching profession there and there I spent a good four years truly memorable. Worth remembering recounting. There was so many incidents, and I loved teaching. That was something which I did at the National Defense Academy too. Although that was at a higher level, it was very different from the school teaching which I had done. This was more, you know, on a national level, where you had to be more, and there was a lot of discipline which came in, because it was the future, you know, Army personnel, Navy personnel, so all that, there was a lot of discipline that came in and that groomed me better. I understood what the world of discipline meant in the true sense, because I lived Michael Hingson ** 09:10 it right. What? How did you discover the job at the defense Academy? Though that's certainly a whole lot different than teaching high school students or maybe not. Shabnam Asthana ** 09:23 It is a whole lot intimidating. Let me tell you that it's very intimidating to walk into a room full of, you know, future generals, army people you don't know who you know who you are, I mean, who they are, and you sort of get very intimidated by the kind the aura is very, very intimidating. Michael Hingson ** 09:46 How did you discover that job? Yes, Shabnam Asthana ** 09:49 that was done. We in India, we have something which is called the employment exchange. So you register there and you give your qualify. You list down your qualifications, and you know whatever you are planning to do, and they invite you for certain vacancies. So one fine day, I was just sitting and having my lunch at home when I received a letter, and the letter was an interview call for the National Defense Academy. I literally jumped out of my skin because I was a school teacher, and then being asked to appear for an interview in the National Defense Academy itself was a big leap for me. Whether I got it or not was a different thing. But then to sort of come on board and go and sort of appear for an interview was also something very exciting. And when I went there, I was like, I said, the only civilian The rest were army officers, wives and daughters, you know, related to the working personnel there. So when I went, I was interviewed by the three representatives from all the three wings, that is the Navy, the Air Force and Army. And that was a very good experience. They asked me a lot of questions, and I believe it was later on I was told that it was my confidence that got me in. So thanks to that, I Michael Hingson ** 11:23 was going to ask you why you why you got in, or why you think you got in. And yes, Shabnam Asthana ** 11:30 yeah, I did ask them that later, and unofficially, I was told that. Well, it was the way you carried yourself, the confidence and, you know, the excitement and enthusiasm that you shared, which was very, very refreshing. Michael Hingson ** 11:48 So what exactly did you do at the academy? Shabnam Asthana ** 11:53 I was teaching them English, and I was teaching them literature. I don't know how interested they were in literature, but then the feedback that I got, which was, you know, the it was a routine feedback, which we have the teachers get. So I used to get good marks, and people used to say, yes, that, you know, your classes are engrossing. It's good. And then, apart from that, there was something very interesting I did, which was I compared for their passing out parades, and I compared for all their shows. And that was something which was covered on television, and that gave me a different kind of foothold in my profession, where I was being seen, where I was being heard, and my confidence grew by leaps and bounds. I was being accepted as a woman. I was being accepted as a civilian. And that was something which was very, very heartwarming for me, Michael Hingson ** 13:01 and I would assume, very difficult to achieve, Shabnam Asthana ** 13:05 I think so I do yes, in retrospect, yes. Michael Hingson ** 13:09 So you did that for roughly four years. Yes. And why did you leave that? What was your? Was your thought about that, Shabnam Asthana ** 13:21 okay, I would have gone on. It was such a glorious part of my career. But, you know, change, they say, is constant, and that is something which happened. I was comparing for a passing out parade when the chairman of a corporate company which was doing rather well, heard me, and he was impressed by my communication, my speaking abilities, my, you know, the way I was presenting things. And he said he offered me a job, and he said, Why don't you come and join my office and come in as a PR person for my company, and that's exactly I was actually, you know, not very sure whether I wanted to leave this an industry and career where I was already established, where people knew me, and just hop on to the corporate world. But if you remember, that was my ambition. That was what I had always won right at the start. So the moment it came, it almost felt as if it fell into my laps. And I said, Why don't I do that? Yes, and this is a good opportunity, and I must take it up. My I spoke to my family, and they too, felt that it was a good stepping stone to move on. And so I accepted it, and that was my entry into the world of PR, in the corporate Michael Hingson ** 14:48 world. So what year was that this Shabnam Asthana ** 14:53 was way back on now you are prompting me to give away my age, which is like. Like ancient, I'd be a fossil. Okay, yes, this was way back in the 90s, Michael Hingson ** 15:06 okay, and that was kind of what I was curious about. So at that time, industry was a little bit more stable than it was later on, but, but still, you You did it, and you so you stepped into that goal, into that role, and so you became part of the PR world, which is, as you said, what you wanted to do initially, anyway. So, so how long did you stay at that company? I Shabnam Asthana ** 15:39 stayed there for about four years, and then the chairman of the company passed away. Unfortunately, he was on a trip to China, and he suffered a massive cardiac arrest, so I was working very closely with him in his office, and as is the norm of the industry, once the leader is not there things you know, sort of crumble, and you know, there's reorganization. New faces come in, and normally the new people bring their own teams. So I felt as if, you know, before they told me to sort of move out or something. I don't know why I pre empted that. I said, Why don't I myself make a shift and join some other industry? I mean, join some other company, which I did. Again, I applied. It was a Swedish company, and again, it was one of the best moves that I could have made. I spent a good 12 years in that company, which Hogan is India Limited, I must name them. They were brilliant. And I spent a very, very good part of my career with that company. Michael Hingson ** 16:56 And so again, you did primarily PR, or what did you Yes, it was Shabnam Asthana ** 17:02 PR and it was handling the chairman and managing director's office. So the entire communication was handled through me, the internal as well as the external communication. I was a spokesperson, yes, Michael Hingson ** 17:18 so you became so in a sense, sort of the face of the company. Shabnam Asthana ** 17:21 Yes, I did. It's nice to feel that yes, that it was a good many years that I was the face of the company in terms of communication, yes, Michael Hingson ** 17:33 right, right. And, and where were you doing this? Shabnam Asthana ** 17:38 This was in Pune, and their head office was in Sweden. I used to sort of move between the two. It was a very global company. The subsidiary was an Indian subsidiary, but the parent company was Swedish. So we had a lot of global travel 17:56 that kept you busy. That did so Shabnam Asthana ** 17:59 there were conferences, and there were so many meetings which were happening, Michael Hingson ** 18:03 yes, right? So what did, what did you? What did you learn from all of that? Do you think Shabnam Asthana ** 18:12 it was a very humbling experience? You know, more than the excitement, I was armed with a lot of excitement, because that would have been one of my first trips outside India. I was I had a lot of excitement, lots of things were on my mind, but then ultimately, when one does travel and work in a global company, it's a very humbling experience, because you are exposed to your strengths and also your blind spots, your strengths, your weaknesses, everything comes to you and then you feel that diversity is not always about representation. It's about respect and inclusion is moving from tokenism to listening. That is what I felt, you know, adapting various voices to your workplace, working in unison, trying to empathize with people from different cultures, different streams, different departments, all that really broadened my horizon. So that was something which I learned. Michael Hingson ** 19:30 So what was the culture like, in terms of since you were at a global company, as it were, how was it different when you were dealing with Sweden, as opposed to when you were dealing with India. Shabnam Asthana ** 19:45 In India, we don't have diversity as a choice. In India, we are served diversity on a platter because you are born with being diverse. You have. Are numerous religions, you have culture. So we are adaptable people in that sense. But strangely enough, it's a paradox. If I would tell you that inclusion is still a work in progress. Inclusion isn't automatic. It doesn't come to you like that. You have to work for it. Now there is a big change, but I'm talking of the days, way back in the 90s when women in boardrooms were a novelty. So sometimes it was just purely for ornamental value. Sad to say that. But gradually you had to open up, you have to open the doors, and you have to say, look, we are here for a reason. And please listen to our voices too. And that's how we started. I started sort of, I remember once when I was moving in India. I mean, not in Sweden, but once when I was in India, and I was in a strategic board meeting. I was the only woman in the room, and the people were sort of, I could sense the expressions. People were curious, people were dismissing. People were sort of, you know, not sort of prepared to take or listen to me, that was a little bit of a setback. But then gradually, when I started moving abroad, and I started seeing more women, and then gradually, when I was moving so were the others, and they too saw the kind of change that was happening. And so it was pretty difficult in India, initially, if I were to be very honest, Sweden was more inclusive. I could see a lot of women in the workforce. And gradually, since we were sort of interacting with each other, we absorbed each other's cultures and values, and the company became very, very inclusive. So it was a pleasure to work there. Michael Hingson ** 22:08 Okay, so in a sense, there were, there are parts of Sweden that made you happier than what you were in the East initially experiencing in India. Shabnam Asthana ** 22:19 Absolutely, absolutely, and I have no hesitation in saying that, because they were welcoming. They were welcoming. And the not necessarily my company, but any company in India, the representation of women, especially in PR, was very, very limited. Now we have evolved, and it's a world of difference, and I'm so happy to see that. Michael Hingson ** 22:48 How about you, may or may not have a lot of expertise in this, but how about if we're going to talk about inclusion and so on, people with disabilities, both in India and in Sweden and so on and again. I don't know whether you really had much experience or exposure to that. I Shabnam Asthana ** 23:06 do. I did have my share of exposure, maybe not extensive, but yes, I do. I remember there's this one incident I'd like to talk to you about. It was in Paris. I was in a conference, and there was a deaf girl in the conference room. I could see people making presentations and knowing fully well, because we had the list of participants, and we had their intros, their introductions with us, my team. And you know, of course, I headed that team. We made a special endeavor to include sign in our presentation. And she was so happy because she said, you know, she came to me and she expressed to me that although I have participated so many times in meetings, and especially corporate meetings, I am so happy to see. It was the first time that I felt I was seen and I was not just a presence. So she was very happy with the kind of, you know, preparation that we did for her especially. So I believe it's very nice if people learn to respect each other and learn to believe that not everybody is similar. You may have so many strengths which I don't have. I do not see any physical disability as a handicap. I'm very, very sure about that, I do not see anybody who appears different or who doesn't have the same listening capacity, hearing capacity, to be different from me. They have their own strengths. So I truly believe that, you know, disability. In that sense, is something which does not put a person in the back seat. How. Michael Hingson ** 25:09 How was that attitude received? Well, both at the company, when you were when you were in the room with her, and you were signing and so on. How did other people receive that? And how was that kind of attitude received initially in India? Shabnam Asthana ** 25:29 Well, to be very honest, Michael, it wasn't something that is the done thing. People do not accept that. They are like, well, it's a general presentation. We really don't have to make specific I do remember a person who came up to me and said, Shabnam, why did you make a very specific presentation? It was a very general presentation by you doing that, you have set a precedent for others to sort of make them feel small, you know. So he took it in a very negative way. Said, you've made us feel very small. I said, no, please do not look at it that way. It is something where we have made her feel a part of us. It is not trying to belittle anybody, trying not to, you know, get a an edge over others. All of us are the same. It's just that I made it a little easier for her. That's what I just told him, and probably he did, walk away with a smile. I don't know whether it was a sarcastic one or whether it was a smile of acceptance, but then I got my Michael Hingson ** 26:38 point. I took was this was this in Sweden or India. This was in Paris. In Paris, okay, yes, Shabnam Asthana ** 26:46 okay, this was a conference, which was Michael Hingson ** 26:49 she said that, right? Well, you know, the reality is that's all part of the inclusive mindset and the inclusion mindset, and it is so true that most people don't tend to realize it Yes. So I hear what you're saying, Shabnam Asthana ** 27:10 yes, and realization and sort of acceptance has evolved. People are more accepting. People are more flexible. You know, the rigidity earlier, people were very rigid. Now there is a lot of flexibility. I believe that, right? Michael Hingson ** 27:32 Well, I think it's better. I'm I think there are still all too many people who tend not to really have an overly inclusive mindset. And it is, it is something that that will be with us for a while, and hopefully over time, people will become more open and realize the value of inclusion. In this country, we have, well and around the world, we have a significant number of people who have these so called physical disabilities, and the reality is that the disability is more caused by inaction mostly than it is by real action. Shabnam Asthana ** 28:12 Absolutely yes. And I also seriously believe that diversity enriches the outcomes. I have some I have practical experience, and I've seen that. So inclusion enriches outcomes in many ways, right? Michael Hingson ** 28:35 How has all of your traveling and all of your exposure in various places around the world. How has that tended to shape your understanding of diversity and inclusion? Shabnam Asthana ** 28:50 Okay, yes, that's a very interesting question. I have seen that challenges are real, biases, stereotypes and expectations that women need to prove themselves twice as much also exists in many, many parts of the world. So they have been. I mean, there have been certain cultures, certain countries, which are very easy to breeze through when you are at work meetings or you're talking to people. But there are certain countries in the let's say in the Middle East, the Far East, which are still not very open to, you know, women taking on lead roles, women strategizing, women talking things that would influence decisions. So sometimes there's also a word I'd like to put in here that sometimes it is not country specific. Specific. It is very individual, specific. So there, like you said, you know, there are certain mindsets which still exist. There are people who may be residing in countries that are very open and very receptive, but their own mindset is limiting. And it is a mindset which is closed, it is rigid. So that stops and that prevents any inclusion. You know that, if I were to put it that way, so I would say it's not merely, not always country specific. Yes, individuals have to evolve themselves and change their mindsets. So it's sometimes I've seen it's countries are good, but some individuals are rigid. I've seen some individuals that are good, but the countries that are rigid. So it sort of works both ways. Michael Hingson ** 30:54 And it's not just about women, it is about anybody who is different. Yes, then the so called norm, whatever that happens to be, absolutely Shabnam Asthana ** 31:03 inclusion is not limited to women. So again, I'd like to clarify that it's inclusion is a broad spectrum. So yes, of course, we are a small part of it. But yes, Michael Hingson ** 31:17 you have written a book, yes, romancing your career and and also you've done a lot of mentoring, obviously, and so on. But what do you mean when you talk about women? And I would say anybody who's different need to define success on their own terms. Tell me more about that. Shabnam Asthana ** 31:41 So women, or anybody, let's not be very specific about women, because then it would be detracting from the main subject of inclusion. Anybody who wants to be heard has to believe in one thing, that silence is not the answer. Courage is so you have to move from silence to courage. Try and portray your point of view. Speak to people if they listen to you good enough if they don't, it's not as if the doors are closed. If the doors are closed, you can surely open a window for yourself, and it works. So just being silent or being very subdued or being very you know sad that your point of view, or being upset, for that matter, that your point of view is not being listened to is not the answer. You have to show courage. You have to do your homework, right? Remember that value is something that takes anybody places. It's not about being a woman, it's not about being any nationality, any ethnicity. It's just that you have to carry value in whatever you are trying to bring to the table. Once people see value, they will forget whether you are of XYZ nationality or you're an Indian, or you are of any other you're any other gender, if I may say that. So it's the value that a person should work towards. Everybody should work towards bringing value to the table. That is what will get you noticed, and that is what will see you going places. Yes, it did. Michael Hingson ** 33:43 And again, I think one of the important things is that, from my standpoint, and I keep pushing it, but it's there is that it also is the same for for so called disabilities. One of the things that I maintain is that everybody on the planet has a disability, and the disability for most people is that you depend on light in order to function, and when suddenly light disappears, you have a big problem, unless you have a way to get light back on demand. But we are. We're not ready to accept that as a as a race yet, so people think that's cute, but, but they're not ready to accept it. It doesn't change the fact that it's really there. But the fact of the matter is that that people do have to speak up for themselves, and there are ways to do that, and there are ways not to do that. It isn't a matter of being obnoxious and demanding, but it is all about, as you expressed it earlier, being confident and showing that confidence and showing your knowledge and showing what you bring to the table absolutely well. You've been involved in PR for a long time, and I'm sure that you would agree, one of the main tools that people in the public relations world and elsewhere have to offer is storytelling. I believe the best salespeople are people who can tell stories and can help relate. But my question would be to ask you, how can storytelling bridge communities and bring people together? Shabnam Asthana ** 35:31 Storytelling is a very, very strong element of PR. Storytelling humanizes everything. It brings in a lot of connection. So people connect automatically, if your storytelling is good, so like I keep telling all my juniors as well or new interns who join in corporate fact sheets can be informative. They can give you facts, but storytelling will transform everything. So you move from information to transformation. Storytelling is the human angle to everything. All of us love you a human angle. For example, let me tell you I was in a meeting which was quite a few years ago, and the CEO of the company was telling me they've done a lot of work in corporate social responsibility. So he wanted to tell me about all the expenditure that they've done. They've uplifted so many schools. They've done so much. They've spent so much on education, they've spent so much on water, on sanitation and so many other things, which has improved the lives of the citizens there. I told him, could you tell me one story of one life that has been affected. So he was at a loss because he had not he did not dive deep into that. He didn't look beyond the numbers and the figures. So his HR person stepped in and he told me a story of a girl. She was an Indian girl. Her name was Aarti. How they had transformed her life, and she had moved on to studying in Howard, and she was being employed in one of the top American companies there. So that was something, a story of transformation. So that is so you know, I believe the power of storytelling and that connected everybody, even his own people, were not aware. The employees were not aware. They were just sort of working like robos, putting in their number of hours, doing their work, not going beyond their call of duty to actually see what was happening to the effects, the efforts of their activities. This was something which we brought out in all their corporate brochures, in all the marketing that they were doing, in all the marketing collaterals that worked wonders. We had lots of inquiries for people who wanted to support them in many ways. We had an interview of the girl, and it was something which was very we added a human angle. So like I said, storytelling humanizes the entire concept, and that is something which connects people. So, yes, it's very Michael Hingson ** 38:42 interesting. Did he learn to tell stories after that? Shabnam Asthana ** 38:46 I believe so, because he was so he was really taken aback. And he said, Wow, I never really thought about it. And you told me, You changed my perspective. You made me see it differently. And if I were to say we got a good retainership After that, because he was very happy and my contract was renewed. So that was something which sort of affected the contract too well. Speaker 1 ** 39:19 The reality is that when you tell a story, it is telling stories is something that most everyone can truly relate to, and when you tell a story that someone listens to or hears and reacts to it, Michael Hingson ** 39:40 there's nothing better than that, and it's really important that that kind of thing happens. So I'm really glad to hear that you like storytelling. I think it is so important that we have that 39:51 absolutely, Michael Hingson ** 39:54 yeah, it's so important to be able to do that. Well, you've told us a little bit. About inclusion and diversity and so on in India and in other countries. Do you think it's changing, both in India and in other countries? And how is it changing? Shabnam Asthana ** 40:15 It is changing. If you go back to the 90s to the present day, you will see that people have become I think it has a lot to do with travel. It has a lot to do with interaction. So people are interacting with each other. I speak to you, you speak to me, you tell me something about you, and I say, Hey, is that worth listening to? Yes, it is. And I try and change my mindset. I become more receptive. I try and tell you my viewpoint. You listen to me. You hear me out. So I have seen companies that have moved beyond check boxes of how many women, how many people with disabilities they've, you know, inducted in the employment stream, in their jobs, and it's become more of the CEOs or the top management asking their people, how many voices have we listened to? How many decisions have been made by these people whom we have taken in. You know, how have we evolved as a company? So that has made me see in boardrooms, in various meetings, that the top management is also very aware of what kind of decisions, what policies, are being framed with people as a diverse group. And it's not funneled or restricted to just the top few. It trickles down and it goes to the people they've hired from diverse groups, and it becomes like a voice of the company. So I have seen that changing, and I have seen that diversion is now diversity sort of is moving more towards the corporate DNA. So it is not a demand anymore. It's not a checkbox. It's more as if it is flowing in naturally, and people are more aware of it. So that's what I've seen. Michael Hingson ** 42:32 It's a mindset, it is, and people are starting to adopt that. How is it changing in India? You said that in India there's a lot more diversity. But you said inclusion isn't so much there. Shabnam Asthana ** 42:46 Yes, it is in see in India, it was globally, I saw that diversion was backed by policies, and there was a certain framework which had a set of rules. It had a set of code of conduct. But in India, it was more based on individual goodwill. So we had people, if the CEO or the top management was pro diversity, it would happen automatically, because the ones at the junior level had no choice. They had to naturally comply. But here now in India, it's become more organized, more structured, and people, there are departments now which look into issues of diversity and inclusion, and they try and make the organization work towards that. So they are big companies. They are small companies in India, all are trying to absorb this in the corporate DNA, like I said. So people are conscious. And there are conscious. There are seminars which are happening. People are being spoken to. There is workplace, you know sensitization that follows. People talk about it, people discuss it, and there is a lot of exchange of dialog which happens. So people talk, people learn, people adapt Michael Hingson ** 44:15 well. So you you work for the Swedish company, for you said, like, 12 years, and then what did you Shabnam Asthana ** 44:25 do after that? I moved on to, you know, start my own company, which was empowered solutions. That's my brain child, and it's a communications PR and communications company, and I, sort of, I'm the founder director for that the Empowered solutions is my company now, and we are completed. It was set up in 2005 October. Michael Hingson ** 44:50 2005 what? What made you decide to leave the bigger corporate world and take on all of the challenges of entrepreneur? Leadership and starting your own company, because that certainly is a major change. Shabnam Asthana ** 45:04 It is I was in the top management. I had a set job, I had the name, the recognition, everything that comes with that. But somehow there was still that kind of, I would say, curiosity, to experiment and to try on newer things. And I am a person who gets a little bored of stagnation, and I had almost reached the height of my career in these companies, and there was nothing more I could do unless I bought over those companies and sort of, you know, became the president and the chairman, which I would I could not do. So I said, Why don't I sort of diversify and take all this learning that I have, all the goodwill that I've earned over the years with the people that have been my clients, with my colleagues, with the people I've met in my business conferences. Why don't I take all this and try and set up something on of my own where I am at liberty to do whatever I want to do without the time pressure, you know, without a pressure of morning meetings and you know, things which have to be a nine to five kind of a role here, I do agree that it is a 24 by seven job that I'm doing at present, because I'm always available. And, you know, I believe that accessibility is very important if you have to be successful, you can't sort of close off and say, no, no, I'm, you know, if somebody needs you, you can't say, Okay, I'm just closing my door and my office. So that was the the, you know, the excitement of experimenting once again and seeing, of course, entrepreneurship is something which is very exciting, and that was something which I wanted to experiment and try and see how I could change that. And, you know, get it into my career. And, you know, get off the normal nine to five job. So that's what I did. I wanted to experiment. Michael Hingson ** 47:21 So tell me a little bit more about if you would what your company does and how you serve clients and so on. And where are your clients? Shabnam Asthana ** 47:29 Okay, so basically, it is a PR and communications company, and we have clients now globally. I have primarily in India, because that is where my office is. But I do have clients in Europe, in us, in Canada, where I am currently. And yes, it is more about public relations and communications, and that's what we do. So it's essentially a diversification of I have also taken on writing as part of one of my services. So I do a lot of book writing. I take on people who want to be either who want to tell a story, and who don't have either the time or the expertise. I write for them. I ghost right for them. We also do events. So we have done a couple of events globally, not on a very large scale, but yes, we do have. So it's events, it's public relations, it's communications, it's training, and it's writing. Michael Hingson ** 48:39 So that's it, right? Well, so you have written one book. Are you looking at doing any more books? By any chance? Shabnam Asthana ** 48:49 Now I have ghost written about 16 books. So they're all ghost written and under a contract where I don't disclose the names of the books. But yes, I've authored three books, and the first one was romancing your career, a very interesting and fascinating book. That was my first book, and later on, I went on to do two biographies, and yes, I'm doing a couple more correctly, where they are being authored by me. So I'm writing the biographies. Michael Hingson ** 49:26 So today, in all the work that that you're, that you're doing, do you, do you get involved with many international projects? Shabnam Asthana ** 49:39 Yes, not many, but yes, we are doing a slow and steady progress there. And we do, I do, keep getting a lot of inquiries. And I must say that I have got a couple of inquiries recently which are very interesting. And I. Working on those. Maybe it's a little premature to tell you that, but yes, there is one big project that has come my way, and we're planning to expand from there. Well. Michael Hingson ** 50:12 So you have experienced a lot of different countries and so on, and India is certainly becoming more of an economic and a world power in the in terms of what all is happening. Do you think that that the attitudes of India and the way India deals with inclusion and so on is making a difference, and Will that continue to happen? Shabnam Asthana ** 50:43 Well, Michael, it will, because we are moving out of our country, and we have, you know, taken spots in so many other countries. So if we want to be included, it's high time we practice the same. So we have to welcome other cultures. We have to welcome other nationalities if we hope to be welcomed in other countries as well. So that is something which has really influenced the thinking of people, because we can't be rigid. We can't be, you know, thinking in our own way. And say, Well, let's not do it, because we have to welcome other countries if we have to work and move out of India. So yes, Michael, I will say that very hard. It's very heartening to note that it is changing, and it will continue to do so. In fact, you know, India is moving from being seen as an outsourced to something which people sort of welcome with open arms. But then, yes, things are changing. There are things which are happening which may limit the movement of people, or it may increase the flow of people. But then, well, we have to adopt, adapt and move on. Michael Hingson ** 52:04 Yeah, well, there's always going to be some of that which makes which makes sense. Yes. What kind of advice would you give to someone, especially young professionals, women and others who are different? What advice would you give to someone who may feel excluded or undervalued in their careers. Shabnam Asthana ** 52:25 The best thing that I would like to say is that if you hear a no, don't let it bog you down, because be sure that tomorrow you will hear a better yes, it will be something that is shaping the way for your future. So you must not let any naysayers or any projects that fail bog you down just because you're a woman or because you're different or anybody you know. You have to show your courage, you have to be resilient, and you have to lean on your inner strengths. The best magic, the you know, time tried and tested formula, which I would advocate, is leaning on your inner strengths. All of us have a lot of strengths, believe you me, we may not know it, but all of us have a lot of strengths. So when you see a situation that is not to your liking, just lean on your inner strengths. Take a deep breath and say today's no will be a yes tomorrow, and that is the courage that you must move ahead with anybody, irrespective of whether you are a woman or you are any person who is stepping into the corporate world. Just value yourself. Always Be confident. Wear the confidence. And that's the best accessory that you would have. Michael Hingson ** 54:03 How would you define unstoppable mindset? Shabnam Asthana ** 54:08 Unstoppable mindset is not something which is something which rises beyond limitations. And by limitations, I don't mean only individual limitations. It may be the limitations of the other people. Let that not define your limitation. Your the term unstoppable, to me, is a term which shows resilience. It shows something where you can fumble. It's very natural to fumble, to stumble, to fall down, to face challenges, to face, you know, rejections. It's very normal, but unstoppable is. Being able to get up again with greater strength, with a better mindset, more courageously, and more importantly, with an open heart, which says, Yes, I will do it. You cannot say you cannot. You know, sort of put me down in any way. My courage is there, my inner strength is there. I am unstoppable in that sense. Michael Hingson ** 55:28 I think the most important thing that you just said is that you have to do it with an open heart. I think everyone should do that you may learn that your idea may not be the best solution, and it might be the best solution, but you won't know that until you truly have an open heart and an open mind. Shabnam Asthana ** 55:46 Truly, yes, absolutely, an open heart, I would say, is really, really key. It's very, very important. Michael Hingson ** 55:56 What keeps you motivated as you continue to advocate for adverse diversity and inclusion and equity and so on. Shabnam Asthana ** 56:04 What keeps me motivated? Michael, are many things, but then what i If I could just zero down on a couple of them, I would say that what keeps me motivated is the trust that people had in me, and, you know, to give me certain jobs, roles, the trust that they had to sort of say, okay, you can do it. And then I did it. And the people, what keeps me motivated is something also very nice, which somebody came up to me at a recent conference in Germany, and they said, you know, the reason why I didn't give up is because of you. That is me, because I motivated them to do something, and that was your motivation for me, I was like, Okay, if I can motivate you, I too can stay motivated for a long, long time to come. And that's something which I do. I try to inspire and I try to inspire myself as well in the process. Michael Hingson ** 57:07 Well, if you could leave everyone who is involved in hearing this podcast and so on today, if you could leave them with one powerful message about embracing diversity and so on. What would that message be? Shabnam Asthana ** 57:23 Well, that message would be that whatever is happening today, if you feel that there is even a little bit of acceptability, that is because somebody else has worked towards it, so now it is your chance to give it back to society, to keep working, to keep opening doors for people, for a better tomorrow, for a more inclusive tomorrow. And diversity doesn't and inclusivity doesn't happen overnight. You have to work towards it. There is a it's the whole process, and you have to work towards it relentlessly. Continue working. Somebody else has worked. They have pushed you forward. They have done a whole lot of things. Now it's your turn to do your bit and ensure that the people who are coming after you come to a better tomorrow, a more inclusive tomorrow. Michael Hingson ** 58:27 It also, by definition, means that we need to learn how to work with each other and support and help each other, Shabnam Asthana ** 58:34 of course. And empathy. Empathy is the key, empathy, sensitivity, all that. Michael Hingson ** 58:41 So if people would like to reach out to you, maybe use your company services or talk with you. How can they do that? Shabnam Asthana ** 58:48 They could contact me. You can write to me at my email id, which is Shabnam, S, H, A, B n, a m, at empowered solutions, my company name, E, M, P, O, W, E, R, E, D, S, o, l, U, T, I O, N, S, dot, I n, that's my name. The emails will reach me. That's an inbox which you know I'm monitoring myself, and be sure that you will receive a reply. I'd love to hear from people, and I love to communicate. I love to write back. So very welcome. Michael Hingson ** 59:30 And I would ask, just sort of on principle, if anyone reaches out to Shabnam, who has heard this podcast, please mention that, just so that she knows where you where you discovered her, and I think that would be a good thing to do. Well, I want to thank you for being here. I think this has been absolutely wonderful. I think we've learned a lot I have and I value the insights that you bring. So I hope that other people will take the. Those same insights away, there's there's a lot to learn here, and there's a lot to gain from this. So I want to thank you again for being here, and maybe we'll have to do this again in the future. Shabnam Asthana ** 1:00:12 I'd love to do that. And Michael, I'd like to thank you for hosting this wonderful, wonderful show. I have seen your episodes. They are brilliant, and it's really nice. I was so looking forward to this. It's been an absolute pleasure to interact with you, and I hope that we'll be doing more of this in the near future. Michael Hingson ** 1:00:35 Well, we'll have to explore that, and I want to thank all of you who are out there watching and listening. I want to thank you for being here. We appreciate you very much. Wherever you're listening or watching. Please give us a five star review. We value that very highly. We really would appreciate you saying good things about us. A five star review is always a wonderful thing. I'd like to hear from you as well. I'd like to hear what your thoughts are about this podcast. Feel free to email me at Michael M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, love to hear from you. Love to hear your thoughts. We value them, and we take all the comments that we get from people very much to heart. So we appreciate you doing that. And if you know anyone else who ought to be a guest on our podcast, who you think ought to be a guest, let us know. Introduce us. Shabnam, that's also true for you, please. If you know anyone who ought to be a guest, we'd love to meet people and have them come on the podcast and also help us show how we're all more unstoppable than we think we are, or we thought we were. So once again, though, I want to thank you for being here. Shabnam, this has been wonderful. Thank you very much. Shabnam Asthana ** 1:01:51 Thank you, Michael, thank you to all the listeners. **Michael Hingson ** 1:01:59 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.
We are pregnant! In today's special episode, we want to dive into our fertility story, how we planned for this season, and what shifted in our hearts and lives leading up to trying. I open up about her early fears around motherhood, how family jokes once shaped her identity, and the moment she knew Omar would be an incredible father. We talk about praying for guidance, timing, and acceptance — and how those prayers brought a deep sense of peace. We also want to share the unexpected way this journey began: a planned fast interrupted by getting sick, a wedding we stayed home from, and Vanessa's Oura Ring signaling that something was different. You'll hear the story of the very earlypregnancy test, how she surprised Omar at the airport, and his reaction when we took another test at home just to be sure. From the beginning, we made the intentional choice to tell our community and loved ones right away, so we could walk through this experience with the people we care about, not in secrecy or fear. I want to talk through the supplements I'm taking, the changes in my energy, and what nutrition and movement look like right now — including six smaller meals, simple foods, ginger and peppermint tea, and keeping 10k steps and workouts while paying close attention to my body's signals. And yes… the Mexican flavor cravings are very real. We're honored to share this part of our story with you. If pregnancy, family planning, or listening to others' journeys has ever brought up emotions for you — we see you, and this episode is shared with so much love and compassion. Time Stamps: (1:19) We Are Expecting!(3:47) Some Beginning Context(6:32) Health Issues In May(7:44) My Faith and Motherhood(15:36) Vanessa's Health Tracking(16:42) The Fertility Journey(26:14) The First Pregnancy Test(32:32) Prenatal Supplements(36:22) Current Nutrition Protocol(41:20) Craving Mexican Flavors---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!
We are still on our MD5* high and plan on sharing our interviews over the next couple weeks from the MD5* Radio which is provided by Taylor Harris Insurance Services during the Mars Maryland 5* at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory. This week is Dressage Day 1 and we talked to Lainey Ashker, Jessica Phoenix, Tommy Greengard, Olivia Dutton, Shannon Lilley, Rory Frangos, Isabel Bosley, Lindsay Traisnel, Kiersten Miller and Anna Buffini. We are so excited to share these fun interviews with you and hope you enjoy them as much as we did!Please support our sponsors:https://cowboymagic.com/https://manentailequine.com/https://exhibitorlabs.com/https://www.triplecrownfeed.com/Sign up for our mailing list!https://mailchi.mp/b232b86de7e5/majorleagueeventingllc?fbclid=IwAR2Wp0jijRKGwGU3TtPRN7wMo-UAWBwrUy2nYz3gQXXJRmSJVLIzswvtClECheckout the Major League Eventing store!https://www.majorleagueeventing.com/shop
Auburn equestrian podcast with host Auburn Elvis. The main discussion covers week 5 of the NCEA 2025-26 season.ALL IN ONE LINK (Content, Social Media, Support, Contact, Etc.) ➡️ https://linktr.ee/e2cnetwork
Piper hosts Plaidcast in Person in front of a live studio audience at BTH Equestrians in Sloughhouse, California with guests Brittany Massey, Hilary Van Tatenhove, Dr. Kelly Miller-Jimenez, DVM and Hayley Johnson.Host: Piper Klemm, publisher of The Plaid HorseGuest: Brittany Massey is the owner and trainer at BTH Equestrians. Brittany has been training for 17 years with an emphasis on horsemanship. Brittany blends training techniques and traditional training models with new science, horse welfare, horse brain development and proper care of horses' physical and emotional centers.Guest: Hilary Van Tatenhove has owned and developed Centered Equine Therapies for seven years. She specializes in Cranio Sacral Therapy, muscular therapy and equine emotional/physical balancing. She has a hands-on, non-invasive approach to helping horses reach optimal performance and health. Guest: Dr. Kelly Miller-Jimenez, DVM is the owner of Select Equine Sports Medicine, formerly Granite Bay Equine. She is a California native who grew up competing in Hunters, Jumpers and eventing. She earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at Texas A&M University and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Oklahoma State University. Following graduation, she completed a rotating internship at Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery in Weatherford, TX, where she gained extensive experience in sports medicine and surgery. She has a deep appreciation for both the western and English disciplines and her practice centers on performance horse care with an integrative, evidence-based approach.Guest: Hayley Johnson is a 2009 graduate of Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School. Specializing in sporthorses and their performance, her applications range from traditional steel shoeing to today's modern advances in farriery including glue on composites. Hayley thrives professionally while collaborating with training staff and their veterinarian teams to provide optimum care and an individualized approach in shoeing applications, no matter the competition level of the horse.Subscribe To: The Plaid Horse MagazineRead the Latest Issue of The Plaid Horse MagazineSponsors: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services, BoneKare, Great American Insurance Group, Virginia Horse Industry Board, Equine Affaire and Windstar Cruises Join us at an upcoming Plaidcast in Person event!
Ever feel like you “blew” your diet after a weekend of pizza, dessert, or a few too many drinks? You're not alone and you're definitely not broken. In this episode, we're unpacking the truth about “messing up” your diet and why those moments don't actually undo your progress. You'll learn why perfection isn't the goal, how your body responds after overeating, and what it really takes to bounce back without guilt or restriction. We will shares a personal story about one of her own “off” weekends and the mindset shift that changed everything. You'll discover five powerful lessons about progress, sustainability, and why joy is a crucial part of health. From reframing “failure” as feedback to practicing the simple Two-Minute Rule for food guilt, this episode gives you practical tools to stop spiraling and start recovering with grace. If you've ever thought, “I'll just start over Monday,” this is your permission slip to stop that cycle for good. Because real consistency isn't about never slipping up — it's about what you do next. So tune in, take a deep breath, and let's rewrite what getting “back on track” really means. ✨ If this episode hits home, screenshot it, share your takeaways, and tag me on Instagram. And if you know someone who needs this reminder, send it her way — we could all use a little more grace on this journey. Time Stamps: (1:15) What Omar Is Looking Forward To(3:02) Does This Sound Like You During The Weekend?(5:22) Getting Back To Feeling Good Without The Guilt(9:17) Wedding and Drinking Example(12:42) The Biggest Differences(13:12) 1) Your Body Is Not Broken(15:32) 2) Progress Isn't Erased Overnight(18:22) 3) Food Is Apart of Joy(21:52) 4) Sustainability Over Deadlines(24:02) 5) The Comeback Matters More Than Mess Up(28:22) Acknowledge and Address Your Feelings(32:10) Please Share This Episode---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!
Do You Dream of Relaxed, Happy Group Rides? Most riders do! The image of cantering across open fields with friends is magical — until reality sets in. Will your horse stay calm? What if someone else's horse spooks? This week on The Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians, we're revisiting how to socialise your horse for riding in a group, and how to prepare both of you for calm, confident trail rides. Inside the episode, you'll learn: How to choose the right riding companions (horses and riders!) Why starting in an enclosed space builds confidence faster How to teach your horse to listen to you, not just follow the herd The best way to find your horse's ‘happy place' in the group Why slow and steady rides build the foundation for future adventures Whether you're preparing your OTTB for their first hack or getting your young horse ready for trail adventures, these steps will help you both enjoy the experience; without the drama! Inside Connection: Train with Riders Who Get It If you're ready to build confidence and calm both in and out of the arena, you'll love Connection, the membership that helps you create rhythm and progress in your riding. Each month inside Connection, you'll join live virtual group riding lessons where we work through focused themes together. Things like rhythm, balance, and yes, group riding confidence! You'll get the replays, private podcast access, and real community support to keep your momentum going. https://stridesforsuccess.com/join Your Signature Ride Challenge Want to test your focus and fun? Join the Signature Ride Challenge; a free, interactive mini-event where riders “write” their name using seat and leg aids alone. It's a playful way to improve coordination, clarity, and connection with your horse (and there's a prize up for grabs each quarter!). https://stridesforsuccess.com/ride Restart & Reschool: Private Coaching If your rides are feeling stuck, scattered, or stressful, you don't need to start over; you just need a plan. Through Restart & Reschool Private Coaching, we'll work together 1-to-1 to rebuild your confidence and create a clear, tailored training path for you and your horse. This is ideal for riders bringing a horse back into work or retraining alone. https://stridesforsuccess.com/rr Join the Conversation I'd love to hear your experiences with riding in a group; what's worked, what hasn't, and what you're planning next! Share your thoughts and stories inside The Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians Online Community, our free, friendly Facebook group for riders all over the world. Enjoying the Podcast? If this episode helped you, please subscribe, rate, review, and share The Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians. Your support helps me reach more riders who are working alone with their horses and want to make every ride great.
Thanks for joining us on Sleep Stories for Equestrians, where we are reading a fictional tale told by a beautiful bay mare: The Elf and Her Friends - A Horse Story Founded on Fact by Isabel WortleyThis episode contains chapter thirteen of our story, featuring peaceful meditation music to help you drift off to dreamland.00:51 – Guided Meditation01:31 –The Story BeginsConnect with the host Ashley Winch, she loves making new friends!FacebookLinkedInInstagramNote: This story is in the public domain.
Auburn equestrian podcast with host Auburn Elvis. The main discussion covers week 4 of the NCEA 2025-26 season.ALL IN ONE LINK (Content, Social Media, Support, Contact, Etc.) ➡️ https://linktr.ee/e2cnetwork
The next small group round starts on the 3rd of November (and my goodness the group that is forming is so intuitive and incredible - we are going to go on a POWERFUL THREE MONTH JOURNEY TOGETHER). Enrolment closes on the 31st of October. If you feel the calling, click here to join - https://www.felicitydavies.com.au/thefield See you in the field, Felicity x
Piper hosts Plaidcast in Person in front of a live audience at Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta, GA with guests Cheryl Sims and Kelly Berry.Host: Piper Klemm, publisher of The Plaid HorseGuest: Cheryl Sims's involvement in the horse industry spans decades. Her love of the sport and passion for running horse shows was driven by her daughter Alison who grew up riding and is now an Atlanta area professional. Cheryl saw how much joy the horses and showing brought Alison and wanted to be able to see that same joy happen for more riders. For many years, Cheryl served as a show secretary and in 2003, she founded Cheryl & Co. Since then she has became an influential member of our sport in the southeast. She has served on the GHJA Board of Directors for many years and is responsible for much of the growth and development of our sport in Georgia. Cheryl is influential in working with the city of Alpharetta, and in 2018 she founded the Wills Park Equestrian Foundation, which will help benefit the renovation of Wills Park Equestrian Center.Guest: Kelly Berry is the visionary entrepreneur behind KB Media, recognized for its captivating visual storytelling. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and a passion for equestrian life, she expertly captures her clients' unique narratives while empowering them to achieve their business dreams. Driven by dedication and the wisdom gained from her four-legged partners, Kelly crafts stunning content that propels her clients' brands forward, making each project a testament to her unwavering commitment to their success. Subscribe To: The Plaid Horse MagazineRead the Latest Issue of The Plaid Horse MagazineSponsors: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services, BoneKare, Great American Insurance Group, Virginia Horse Industry Board and Equine Affaire Join us at an upcoming Plaidcast in Person event!
Feeding your horse shouldn't feel overwhelming, but with all the buzzwords floating around, it's easy to wonder what's truth and what's fiction.On this episode of Beyond the Barn, host Katy Starr chats with Dr. Kelly Vineyard, PhD equine nutritionist, to break down today's most talked about feeding trends - like forage-based, forage-only, grain-free, low-starch, organic, and natural diets, and what those terms really mean for your horse's health.The key differences between forage-only, forage-first, and forage-based feeding (and what's right for your horse)What grain-free and low-NSC actually mean (and when they matter most)Why social media can make horse feeding sound more complicated than it isIf you've ever felt confused by feed labels or online advice, this episode will help you cut through the noise and get back to the basics - feeding your horse for health, not hype.
What if your “food sensitivities” weren't really the problem—but just the message your body's been trying to send you? In this episode, we unpack what most food sensitivity tests get wrong and why the MRT (Mediator Release Test) is one of the few tools that can actually reveal what's really inflaming your body. In today's episode, we'll share my personal journey of years of bloating, fatigue, and restriction—before finally discovering how MRT testing offered real answers instead of endless guesswork. You'll learn how popular IgG tests often mislead people into cutting out 20+ foods unnecessarily, and how MRT goes deeper by measuring your actual inflammatory response—not just antibody exposure. We'll break down what the results actually mean, why some “healthy” foods might be triggering your system, and how to use that information to heal, not just restrict. This episode also explores the root causes behind sensitivities—like low stomach acid, leaky gut, chronic stress, and dysbiosis—and how to rebuild tolerance instead of living in fear of food. Through my own experience of reintroducing foods and repairing gut function, I show how MRT can shift you from feeling reactive and confused to calm and confident in your body again. If you've tried every elimination diet, still feel inflamed, and are tired of playing food detective, this conversation will help you see sensitivities for what they really are: signals, not sentences. By the end, you'll understand why healing the terrain, not just removing the foods, is the key to lasting relief—and how using data the right way can bring back freedom, flexibility, and trust in your body. Time Stamps: (1:42) Country T-Swift Fan (2:47) Being An Optimizer (4:57) Food Sensitive/MRT (9:27) Overactive Immune System (11:57) Note on MRT Test (16:52) What Foods To Eat When (20:22) Lowering Inflammation---------------------Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!
The Dressage at Devon Report!! Reese & Megan bring you highlights straight from one of the most iconic dressage shows in the U.S. - Dressage at Devon. First, they chat with Susanne Owen Hurtt about her experience at Devon and her unique perspective as commentator!! Then, they catch up with Stacy Brass, who shares her behind-the-scenes stories of what it's like to be a handler in the prestigious breed show.GUESTS AND LINKS DRESSAGE EPISODE 779:Co-Hosts: Reese Koffler-Stanfield and Megan McIssac | Instagram | FacebookGuest: Susanne Owen Hurtt - Facebook | WebsiteGuest: Stacy Brass - Facebook | WebsiteBook Club: Begin and Begin Again by Denny Emerson Dressage Radio Show: Website | FacebookPlease visit our sponsors, who make all this possible: Kentucky Performance Products, Chewy, and Equestrian+!TIMESTAMPS:Susanne Owen Hurtt - 8:40Stacy Brass - 50:55
Today we listen in on Retired Racehorse Radio co-hosts Joy & Kristen as they discuss how to make using a farm or horse sitter successful.Host: Coach JennTodays contributors: Retired Racehorse Radio podcastSupport provided by Equestrian PlusAdditional support for this episode provided by HRN AuditorsListen to more podcasts for horse people at Horse Radio Network
The Dressage at Devon Report!! Reese & Megan bring you highlights straight from one of the most iconic dressage shows in the U.S. - Dressage at Devon. First, they chat with Susanne Owen Hurtt about her experience at Devon and her unique perspective as commentator!! Then, they catch up with Stacy Brass, who shares her behind-the-scenes stories of what it's like to be a handler in the prestigious breed show.GUESTS AND LINKS DRESSAGE EPISODE 779:Co-Hosts: Reese Koffler-Stanfield and Megan McIssac | Instagram | FacebookGuest: Susanne Owen Hurtt - Facebook | WebsiteGuest: Stacy Brass - Facebook | WebsiteBook Club: Begin and Begin Again by Denny Emerson Dressage Radio Show: Website | FacebookPlease visit our sponsors, who make all this possible: Kentucky Performance Products, Chewy, and Equestrian+!TIMESTAMPS:Susanne Owen Hurtt - 8:40Stacy Brass - 50:55
Auburn equestrian podcast with host Auburn Elvis. The main discussion covers week 3 of the NCEA 2025-26 season.ALL IN ONE LINK (Content, Social Media, Support, Contact, Etc.) ➡️ https://linktr.ee/e2cnetwork
Today we listen in on Retired Racehorse Radio co-hosts Joy & Kristen as they discuss how to make using a farm or horse sitter successful.Host: Coach JennTodays contributors: Retired Racehorse Radio podcastSupport provided by Equestrian PlusAdditional support for this episode provided by HRN AuditorsListen to more podcasts for horse people at Horse Radio Network
The Mary Fields Horse & Heritage Museum in Connecticut is now open — the nation's first museum dedicated to Black equestrian history. Named after “Stagecoach Mary” Fields, the first Black woman to work for the U.S. Postal Service, the museum highlights her fearless legacy and the long-overlooked contributions of Black cowboys and horse culture in America. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if the reason you're bloated isn't because you're eating too much, but because you're not eating enough? In this episode, we dive into the surprising truth about how eating more food, especially the right kinds in the right amounts, can actually reduce bloating, improve digestion, and help your body finally feel calm and regular again. For many women, undereating or intermittent fasting seems to help at first. You feel “lighter” and less puffy. But over time, that same strategy can backfire, slowing digestion, stressing the gut, and throwing hormones completely out of rhythm. This conversation breaks down why that happens and what to do instead. You'll learn how adequate food intake reactivates your digestive fire, boosts stomach acid and enzyme production, and supports smoother motility. We also explore how eating enough improves bowel regularity, fuels gut repair, and even reduces bloating by calming inflammation and supporting the nervous system. We unpack why skipping meals or surviving on “clean” salads can actually make things worse, and how building balanced meals with protein, carbs, and healthy fats can reset your digestion and hormones. Plus, we'll talk about the hidden link between undereating and the binge-restrict cycle and why eating more consistently throughout the day helps you break free from it. If you've been stuck in the loop of doing everything “right” but still feeling bloated, tired, or puffy, this episode will reframe everything you thought you knew about food and gut health. By the end, you'll understand how more food can mean less bloat, better energy, and a calmer, more predictable digestive system and why sometimes, healing starts with giving your body permission to eat. Time Stamps: (1:44) Dealing with COVID(3:17) Reduce Bloating By Eating More?(5:27) How Is This Possible?(10:26) Eating More and Being Regular(15:27) Saw This Recent Reel(21:12) Omar's Math and Weekly Calorie Intake---------------------Follow Annie on Instagram: @ohannieruth Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!
Thanks for joining us on Sleep Stories for Equestrians, where we are reading a fictional tale told by a beautiful bay mare: The Elf and Her Friends - A Horse Story Founded on Fact by Isabel WortleyThis episode contains chapter twelve of our story, featuring peaceful meditation music to help you drift off to dreamland.00:51 – Guided Meditation01:31 –The Story BeginsConnect with the host Ashley Winch, she loves making new friends!FacebookLinkedInInstagramNote: This story is in the public domain.
Jamie goes one on one with Tad Coffin, an American eventer who won two gold medals at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He shares some amazing stories of his family that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Plus, hear how he acquired Bally Cor and how he helped him win Gold. A look back at an incredible life, a podcast you don't want to miss. Listen in...HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3792 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekPic Credit: Jamie JenningsGuest: Tad Coffin, of Tad Coffin Performance Saddles, Thera-tree, eWell PuckAdditional support for this podcast provided by: Daily Dose Equine, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like You
Jamie goes one on one with Tad Coffin, an American eventer who won two gold medals at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He shares some amazing stories of his family that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Plus, hear how he acquired Bally Cor and how he helped him win Gold. A look back at an incredible life, a podcast you don't want to miss. Listen in...HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3792 – Show Notes and Links:Hosts: Jamie Jennings of Flyover Farm and Glenn the GeekPic Credit: Jamie JenningsGuest: Tad Coffin, of Tad Coffin Performance Saddles, Thera-tree, eWell PuckAdditional support for this podcast provided by: Daily Dose Equine, Equestrian +, Equine Network and Listeners Like You
Auburn equestrian podcast with host Auburn Elvis. The main discussion covers week 2 of the NCEA 2025-26 season.ALL IN ONE LINK (Content, Social Media, Support, Contact, Etc.) ➡️ https://linktr.ee/e2cnetwork
Have you ever been lunging your horse and found yourself saying, “Whoa there, Tonto!” a few too many times? That moment when your horse suddenly goes from calm and focused to rushing around the circle, tripping over their own legs? In this episode of The Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians, Lorna dives into why rushing on the lunge is rarely about disobedience, and almost always about balance. You'll learn how to use half halts on the lunge to help your horse build rhythm, relaxation, and self-carriage, while becoming more aware of how your own posture, tone, and timing shape every stride. If you're ready to create smoother, more connected rides, on the ground and in the saddle, this one's for you.
What if you were doing everything right? Tracking your macros, lifting weights, eating clean and your body still felt inflamed, puffy, and broken? That was Annie Kundis's reality. A former bodybuilder and competitive powerlifter turned mom and influencer, Annie spent over a decade following every fitness rule in the book only to watch her energy crash, her digestion spiral, and her confidence disappear. In this episode, Annie shares how DUTCH and GI-MAP testing completely changed her life after years of feeling dismissed by traditional doctors who told her to “just eat less and exercise more.” For the first time, real data revealed what was actually happening: low hormones, flipped cortisol, gut infections, and nutrient malabsorption. With that clarity, Annie finally had a roadmap for healing, not more restriction. She opens up about pressing pause on hard training, cutting caffeine, and learning to rest without guilt, plus the simple protocols that led to her first regular digestion in over a decade. We also dive into the emotional side: body dysmorphia, burnout, and rebuilding self-trust after years of fighting her body. Annie's story is raw, hopeful, and deeply relatable, showing that healing isn't about perfection, it's about understanding your body and giving it what it truly needs. If you've ever felt inflamed, exhausted, or unseen by the medical system, this episode will hit home. Tune in to hear how Annie went from survival mode to thriving and why she says today, “I don't feel sick anymore. I finally feel free.” Time Stamps: (3:22) Annie's Health Journey Before Vital Spark(9:37) Navigating Depression(12:52) GI Map and DUTCH Test Results(16:22) Learning To Slow Down(21:12) Trusting The Process(32:59) Where To Find Annie---------------------Follow Annie on Instagram: @ohannieruth Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching---------------------Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. ---------------------Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program---------------------Join the Women's Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!---------------------Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we'll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!---------------------Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!---------------------Check out our Youtube Channel!---------------------Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!