Laura Mollrich, the first para rider to achieve the Dressage Foundation Century Ride, joins the Dressage Radio Show to share her inspiring journey in the equestrian world. The episode also features insightful discussions on the importance of downtime for horses, with expert tips from Nicole Harrington and Jessica Gaston on how to effectively give horses breaks during the busy holiday season. Listen in...

GUESTS AND LINKS DRESSAGE EPISODE 759:

• Co-Hosts: Reese Koffler-Stanfield and Megan McIssac | Instagram | Facebook
• Guest: Laura Mollrich on her Century Ride | Article | Facebook
• Guest: Nicole Harrington | Website | Facebook
• Guest: Jessica Gaston | Facebook
• Dressage Radio Show: Website | Facebook
• Please visit our sponsors, who make all this possible: Kentucky Performance Products, US Rider and Equestrian +

Time Stamps:

11:14 - Laura Mollrich

14:56 - Nicole Harrington

24:34 - Jessica Gaston

You are listening to the Horse Radio Network, part of the Equine Network family.

This is episode 759 of the Dressage Radio show on the Horse Radio Network, brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products.

The Dressage Radio show is the official podcast of the United States Dressage Federation.

On today's show, we chat with Laura Mulrich, who is the first para rider to accomplish the Dressage Foundation Century Ride.

We have two great tips for you from Nicole Harrington on Downtime With Horses and Jessica Gaston on what she does for the holidays.

This is Reese Koffler Stanfield in Georgetown, Kentucky.

And I am Megan McIsaac from Oregon, Wisconsin, and you're listening to the Dressage Radio Show.

Hi, Megan.

How are you?

I'm great, but how are you?

You sound terrible, everybody.

I apologize.

I sound terrible.

I actually feel a little better than I have been feeling.

It got cold and my body doesn't.

Apparently do cold, so.

No, no, no.

It's time to head south.

My body is telling me.

So, yeah, I've got a little bit of a cold.

So I'm going to throw it to.

You because you have some exciting news that you've just started, right?

Yeah, it's a cool, exciting new thing for me.

This old dog is learning new tricks.

It's a YouTube channel which, like I said, I know nothing about, and it's called Barn Besties.

But when you search us, you have to look up Barnyard Besties, Wisconsin.

And the whole goal is it's two friends, Stephanie and I, we've gotten together and we went over our farms and we're sharing what we've done, what we've done wrong, and the tips and tricks that may help people.

And we've been visiting a lot of farms and I hope we grow into, you know, talking about business plans, permits, mental health, and just.

Just discussing what it's like to develop a farm and all the ins and outs and we hope to save people time and money.

I love this so much you were able to come visit me.

It was super fun.

We did some videos so you can see my farm.

I'm on Barn Besties, which I love.

Yes.

So much fun we have.

I love this idea.

Four parts of Reese's farm and we could have done even more.

And it's just such a blast because I love going to other people's farms, seeing how you've done it.

You inspired me on storage and I love your arena and also having the stalls.

So we just want to share and build a community to help everyone who's Building a farm or who has built a farm and you're not alone.

And yeah, I wish this was out here when I built a farm, because that is such a huge thing and I love it because you can reach everybody in the equine industry, not just dressage.

This is for everybody.

It's for everyone.

And discussing all of the things, you know, it's for every discipline.

It's how to handle horses, what's safe, what's not.

Yeah.

And also I think it's really fun to see how other disciplines do things.

Also, the dairy industry has some great ideas.

Not all, but.

And also sharing what's not good, you know, it would have saved me a lot of money, so much time and energy.

I love it.

So hopefully it'll really grow into something big and it'll be a resource for all horse owners, horse lovers.

So there's been some pretty amazing tips.

So I.

I can't wait to share it.

So, yeah, come and check it out.

I love it.

So how can, how can we find it one more time?

Yeah, we are on Facebook under Barn Besties, but please go to our YouTube channel.

You can Google Barn Besties, but the like handle is called Barnyard Besties wi, Wisconsin.

So come check us out and there's some funny, goofy videos, have some laughs and.

But also use us as a resource.

Love it.

Love it.

Oh, my gosh.

I'm literally following you right now on Facebook.

This is so great.

I love it.

So everybody, let's.

Let's join with Megan because it's so cool.

And I mean, as we go through our journey together, we want to be supportive of everybody.

So I absolutely love it.

Well, we've also got some great stories today and we're going to get right to it after this break from Kentucky Performance Products.

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Well, tonight we are so happy to have Laura Mulrick from California.

She is just one and was the first classified para dressage rider to win or perform the Century Club for the Dressage Foundation.

Laura, welcome to the show.

Thank you for having me.

I really appreciate this.

This is so exciting.

Well, we actually, we picked up your article.

I was, we were at final and I saw Jenny from the Dressage foundation and I was asking her and she said this was so cool.

So, Laura, tell us a little bit about yourself.

All right.

I have been in love with horses since I knew what they were.

And that's basically looking out my front door.

When I was a little girl, I think I was about six years old and I lived out in the country and people would ride up and down the street with their horses and I used to cry, oh, mom, I want a horse so bad.

And back then we didn't have briar dolls and horses.

And so what I used to do was my mom would buy me magazines with horses in them and I would cut them out and I'd tape them up to the wall above my bed.

Yeah.

And so that's I, they were with me all the time and through the night when I slept.

So horses have always been my first love.

Tell us about your partner, your current horse.

Okay.

I have two, actually.

Awesome.

That's the best way to do it.

Yeah.

Well, Pablo is, he's 27 and a half.

I bought him in when he had just turned eight years.

He had just come in from Holland and I bought him from farm up in Woodenville, Washington, Northwest Dressage.

And the woman that owned Northwest, I'm not really sure if she still does, but she said, laura, I've got a boy that's coming in and I think you ought to come up and see him.

So my husband bought plane tickets, and we took a woman with us that was a trainer at the stable where I boarded originally.

And the three.

The three of us went up there and I fell in love with him.

He's just got this.

He's got this aura around him, and he was very calm.

It was opening day hunt season, and you could hear.

It was out in the country.

And even though I was in a covered enclosed arena, you could hear the guns.

And here I am riding him.

Hear this boom, boom, right?

And.

Yeah, so what?

Yeah, so good.

So my husband figured, okay, this is a good one.

He's not going to be bothered.

Yeah, that we like that.

Exactly.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So he wrote the check and homie came to San Juan Capistrano.

Awesome.

And how long he's been.

Been with me ever since.

How long have you had him?

20 years.

20 years last month.

Yeah, 20 years.

And he.

Actually, I have to tell you, quite frankly, I didn't have.

I was coming off of being housebound for about two years.

Two years.

Plus I had epilepsy.

Really, really bad.

I'd gone through chemotherapy for a year.

I had lupus cerebritis, which.

It was attacking my brain.

Oh, my.

So, yeah, I'm sitting in the house and finally, when things calmed down a couple years later, I told my husband, I want a horse.

And I don't know why, but I just said that.

And so we went out looking and I found a horse, but I didn't know what I was doing.

I.

At the time before that, I was riding Western.

So I got me a western horse, and I kept him for about a year because what was going on at the stable at that time were all these beautiful dressage horses and riders, and I thought, wow, I want to do that.

Well, you can't really do it on a quarter horse.

That.

Yeah, not him, anyway.

I mean, they're out there and they can do it, but he wasn't the one.

When did you decide to go for the Century Ride and explain that to everybody, what that is, Just so they know what that is.

All right.

The Dressage foundation has their century.

What they call their Century Ride, and they're basically a 501.

And they take donations and contributions, and this allows them to give grants that they have set out for up and coming people and people with dreams of being something in dressage.

So it's a great cause.

USDF writer of the year, grade four, grade four para.

And my mayor was grade four champion Holstein.

Thank you.

So.

And we are again this year, so.

Wow.

So let.

Yeah.

So last year my husband and I went to Omaha for the Adequan USDF Convention and Awards Gala.

So we, we met everybody there and I met the ladies at TDF and we talked a bunch and they told me all about this century riot.

And my husband and I have been pretty avid sponsors for the Olympics, the Paralympics, every show that I showed this past year, and there were six of them we've donated to and we've sponsored arenas and that sort of thing.

But anyway, I just, I don't have children.

We couldn't have children, so horses are what we.

Oh, donate to.

I love it.

The Century Ride is a good cause and I just believe in it.

And I can't wait to see the ladies this next month and at the.

I know it.

I know it's gonna be so fun.

No, not Omaha.

Houston.

Houston.

Wrong place, everybody.

Conventions in Houston.

Sorry.

Yeah, wrong place.

We're going.

Awesome.

Well, I can't wait.

Oh, I can't wait to meet you.

And I have to say, I.

I love your quote.

I don't have time to stop.

I just am gonna keep going and so what are your future plans?

Wow.

Right?

Good girl.

Yeah.

I did the Del Mar Halloween dressage show and I got one qualifying score and so I need one more.

I do Grade 4 Grand Prix and so I'm going to do.

I need to do one more to qualify for year end and then do a total of four shows.

So I've got three more to go.

Fantastic.

So that's my goal.

We are so excited and thankful for your time tonight and you're just an inspiration.

That's why we saw your article and we had to have you on the show.

So thank you.

Thank you so much for coming on the show and oh my goodness to see you in Houston, but also catch up with you and see your whole journey next year as well.

So congratulations.

Thank you very, very much.

I really appreciate it and I can't wait.

Well, tonight we are so happy to have Nicole Harrington, international dressage rider and trainer based out of Ohio and a good friend of mine and Megan's.

Nicole.

Welcome back to the show.

Hi.

Hi.

Well, we have.

It's December now and, you know, it's that time of the year, the holidays are coming up and we were talking about this off air and I Don't think we've had this discussion about downtime for horses, and I just thought this would be a great one to talk about.

So, Nicole, start us off on this sort of roundtable of how do you give your horses downtime?

What's your thought on that?

I think it's well needed for all horses.

I really like to give my horses some time here and there.

It doesn't have to be a tremendous amount of time, a week or two longer for some horses, but I think it's just, just like us.

They need vacations and they need refreshers.

It just helps their body relax and come back to where it needs to be and then.

And then start over and, and then you can build some new muscles.

Versus if the horses are going, going all the time, they get burnt out.

They need a vacation just like we do.

Yeah, no, I completely agree.

And you and I, Megan, you are in California.

Like our horses are a lot of times kind of doing a season all of the time.

And I don't know about you guys, but like, I kind of try to pick one or the other.

Like, I try to say, okay, I'm going to show in Florida and train in Kentucky or I'm going to do it the opposite way.

Like, I try not to, you know, I try to give some blocks of time that I know, okay, I'm going to be really focused on showing or I'm going to be really focused on training.

And I typically.

It's so hot here in July that I typically.

It's usually my family goes on a beach vacation every July.

It sort of happened my entire life.

So I kind of look at July as being our time for a little downtime.

So when I'm on vacation, the horses get a little bit of time off.

They get.

Get to hang out and relax.

And then I typically will, you know, as we're settling into sort of Florida or, or into back home, when we travel, I usually give them not quite a week, but I give them a few days for sure to get over the travel and get into the new routine.

And that's kind of what I do.

Megan, what do you do?

Like, for instance, for nationals, I gave them two days off.

And this week it's like slow, long and low work.

When we don't have ra, we're going to go out on the trail.

My small tour horse, I actually gave her three days off the other after regionals and she was wild.

She doesn't want downtime, but she's getting like very slow, no collection, long and low.

That, like, that's her version of downtime because she's an overachiever or I do lunging or even light jumping with them.

What about you, Nicole?

I kind of take it again by a horse.

By horse basis.

You know, it depends on their age bracket.

It depends on what they mentally need.

My one of my younger horses in my program, although he's a 7 year old this year, this was his first show season ever because he was imported last year and had never shown or done anything.

And so, like, after regionals, he had like four or five days off just because we were there from Wednesday through Sunday.

And, you know, I judge the horse and when they start coming to the stall or coming to the paddock gate and saying, hey, I'm ready, then I say, okay, it's time to go back to work.

And I feel like then, then they want to go to the horse show.

You know, if they come home and they're put right back into the grind day after day, they're like, why do I want to do this?

Yeah.

Versus if they like to show, they're going to go out there and show off for you.

So.

Well, and I try.

I don't know about you guys, but I might come back really spoiled from the show.

Like, I try to give them treats.

I try to spend extra time with them.

I try to give extra snuggles and grooms and, you know, I want them to like, oh, I really like horse showing or, oh, I really like going to clinics.

Yeah, I make it a really.

I try to make it fun because I think we all do forget, like, it is actually supposed to be fun to go to the show.

I mean, whoa, novel concept, but it is supposed to be fun.

And I want the horses to enjoy going and being with us.

And like you said, Nicole, like, not make it this horrible thing where they're like, this isn't fun.

Like, you know, I don't, I don't like it.

So I'm kind of like you.

I do know my inventors.

A lot of my event horses will get a significant block of time off in the fall, but that's.

That's kind of trained into them from the time they're little.

You know, they will, they really give them.

They'll do a, you know, do a big event, and then they'll get two or three weeks off or a month off.

But, you know, those horses are like marathon runners.

Right?

I have found with dressage horses, like, yeah, giving them more than a couple days.

And I'm with Nicole, like, I kind of Watch them and see when they're coming to the gate or seeing when they're.

But, like, in general, my horses, they don't understand.

They like.

They don't understand.

They're like, did I do something wrong?

Like, that I'm not getting played with every day.

That's the way mine are.

That's why I do.

I choose to do, like, less intense trail riding.

Just, you know, slow, easy, maybe even walk work.

But I.

You know, I slow it down and the intensity isn't there.

But they don't like it.

They.

My horse, aj, he'll pound on the stall if I try to give him too many days off.

He's like, where are you?

And why are you not giving me attention?

Yeah.

Yeah.

And, you know, with the holidays coming up, I don't know what you guys do over the holidays, but I do try to give them a couple days sometimes.

Actually, like, over Thanksgiving, I actually give them their vaccinations that week.

So, yeah, I've always kind of done that.

I try to give them vaccination actually Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

So Thursday, there is no feeling bad that they have off.

Like, the barn is quiet, everyone's not feeling so good.

And then Friday again, a lot of times, I'll take that day off as well.

So they'll get a little.

A little break.

Over Thanksgiving, my family comes into town, and it's my brother and his girls, and I don't see them that often, so I really do try to spend time.

And then I don't feel bad.

I'm like, the horses were just vaccinated.

They are fine.

So that's one thing I do over the holidays.

And then over Christmas, my sister and I like to go on a Christmas trail ride, actually.

So if we can.

Like, we do.

But sometimes now it's a little bit more complicated with all the family stuff.

But usually Christmas Eve, my sister and I go on a ride together, and my niece comes over.

She likes to ride my big horse, Bingo.

So one of the things.

Yeah, over the holidays.

How about you guys?

What do you do over the holidays?

For me, it kind of depends on whether I'm south or whether I'm north.

Christmas Day with Nicole, by the way, we have done brunch on Christmas, and it was a blast.

I have had a Christmas Day with Nicole.

Yeah, I usually.

If I'm.

If I'm home, I'll go in and help my barn guy, and then we kind of run around, and I love to see the horses and give them a carrot and, you know, say, merry Christmas.

To them.

And so anywhere we are, that happens.

But I typically definitely give them Christmas off.

Yeah, I think that's more for us.

Like, I'm taking Christmas off.

Love y'all.

Well, in Florida, I think we rode.

Because it was fun.

Like, we were just having fun.

Like, again, I'm with Nicole.

When we're south and you don't have all the family obligations, like, you have brunch with your friends, Like, a lot of times we'll work.

It's a little bit different there.

But Megan, what do you do?

Usually Thanksgiving, we take off.

I love feeding them.

Like, that's my favorite.

That's my favorite thing to do is feed them.

And so I love it.

There's no one in the barn.

There's no staff, and it's my fiance and I.

We feed on Thanksgiving.

And then usually for Christmas, it's the same, but we actually go on a little ride together, which is always really special because he.

He's not really a rider.

He would like to be a cowboy, which I would prefer.

I don't.

I don't want him in dressage pants.

No, no.

And so it's just such a special time to share with each other.

So I enjoy it a lot.

Yeah.

Fantastic.

Well, both you ladies, merry Christmas to you and your horses and your staff and everybody.

And Nicole, how can our listeners find you online?

If they have any more questions, Facebook.

On Harrington Dressage or Nicole Harrington.

Either one of those is a great way to reach me and as my contact number as well.

Awesome.

Well, Merry Christmas, girl, and we will see you soon.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

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Well, tonight we are thrilled to have Jessica Gaston.

I call her my barn daughter because she's been with me for many, many years and she's a trusted advisor now.

Jess, welcome back to the show.

Thanks for having me.

Glad to be here.

Well, happy holidays.

This is our December episode and we are asking everyone, what do you do with your horses during the holidays?

I think that's a great question.

My biggest thing is horses can be horses and it won't kill them.

So if you're going for family or the weather's bad, have them have turnout and let them have a little downtime, which is fine if you have a young horse like I do and sometimes the downtime is not super productive, meaning they get very bored and tear apart their neighbors clothes.

Always, always a great thing, right?

Yep, yep.

I really like to do kind of the extra fun things.

So I was talking with a client of, hey, during the holidays let's teach your horse to long line or let's do some in hand stuff and why don't we teach him to Spanish walk or why don't we teach him a fun thing on the ground just for fun that he gets a reward based system out of.

That's totally different than the normal dressage training that we do.

I like doing stuff like that with them, especially the young ones with their curious brains because it opens them up to learning and it's no stress, no pressure.

We're never going to go to a horse show and do it right.

So if they learn it, cool.

If they don't, no worries, no one's going to get upset and it gives them something to think about and sit out instead of tearing up their neighbor's clothes they can think about, oh, how did I get that cookie today?

You know?

Yeah, no, I mean I think that's right because your guy, he's three turning four and he's coming, he just imported and is coming back to work.

And that makes sense, you know, it's like let's keep his little brain engaged and, and I think that's super fun.

And do you guys go to the barn on Christmas or do you take the day totally off?

What do you and Ethan do?

So I've always had this tradition since I was a kid is I'll make apple pie for Christmas and I take all the cores and appeals to the horses.

I've always done that since I was like, since I can remember.

So I like going to the barn on Christmas if I can, if the weather allows it.

And I honestly, I go, I'll dress up my horses, I'll take pictures with them, I'll give them cookies and I keep them like my family.

Right.

Like they don't have to work on Christmas.

None of us are going to be Olympics tomorrow.

Yeah, exactly.

Like end of the day I want to enjoy my horses and if that means letting them have a week off so I can have a life, that's fine.

I love it.

I love it.

No, I think that's super important to remember.

Like, you know, a little bit of downtime is not going to hurt anybody.

And I'm with you.

I love to go to the barn and give everybody kisses.

Well, I live at my barn so I like to be out there and usually I feed breakfast so it can be a little bit later start for everybody.

Or we try to take shifts with who's working that day or a lot of times I end up working, which is fine.

You know, again, I quickly do the barn and my husband even comes out to help.

That's a big one.

Yeah, he's pretty good about it.

He'll come out and help, which is so sweet.

And we kind of rock through it and have Christmas carols on.

And I like that time too with the horses.

And then my family's local so I'm able to go and spend time, some time with them.

So it's good.

So I love it.

I love the tradition of the apple.

I never knew that.

That's fun.

Yeah, it's just my little thing that I do.

I love it and tell us.

My horses are family, so.

Yeah, I like seeing them on Christmas.

And downtime with the youngsters.

I mean, in general, do you have a set time that you give them downtime or little time over Christmas or a little.

Like how do you, how do you do that?

Yeah, it depends on the horse.

Like I don't have a set rule.

Some horses love being turned out, are super content not working and I don't mind giving them a week to two weeks off when I need a break or vacation or holidays and stuff like that.

Some are a little bit busier in the mind.

Right.

And so with those types, I like to see if I can give them three or four days and then maybe pull them in and do something fun with them.

Right.

Like spend 30 minutes playing with them and then give them three or four days.

And that seems to keep their mind content while their body rests.

And typically with the young ones, when I start them back, I'm obviously smart about it.

I don't just pull the four year old in and climb right on.

Right.

Like we're going to go and we're going to start the system again and we're going to have a lunging day and then maybe two lunging days and then, okay, we're going to lunge and then we're going to ride.

Yeah.

You know, so I start them back very systematically after they have a break.

And I've never had a young horse come Back worse for the wear after a little bit of downtime.

Yeah, I'm knock on wood.

But you're smart about anything.

Yeah.

They come back better.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No, I think that that's smart.

Yeah.

And again, I think that's kind of the consensus we've had, you know, lots of, lots of different questions on this and professionals and I think it does.

It depends on the horse.

And then be smart when you bring them back, don't just pop on them.

Even maybe an older horse.

Just be careful.

You know, even.

Even the older trained horses, a lunging day after two weeks off is always a good idea.

You never regret lunging.

Never regret.

Never, never regret it.

Well, Jess, we want to wish you and your husband Ethan a very, very merry Christmas and happy holidays.

And if our listeners want to find you online or they're in Colorado or that or out west, how can they get a of you?

Thank you.

Merry Christmas, too.

My best place to find me is on Facebook or Instagram.

I am Majestic dressage or Jessica Gaston.

You can look up both and you'll probably find me.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas.

You too.

Thanks so much.

Well, everybody, we are recording this episode a little bit early, so Megan and I will have a full report in our next podcast about convention.

Our book club.

We're so excited.

This is our first in person and Megan and I get to.

We're co hosting.

Megan, are you ready?

In person, in the flesh.

I cannot wait.

I'm so excited.

We're gonna really looking forward to seeing everybody and so we'll have more book club news after our session.

And I've got a trip to Denmark plan, so I'm excited.

So we can't wait to see you guys and keep you guys up abreast of what we're up to.

As always, you can find our show notes and links to today's guests on our page@horseradionetwork.com search dressage radio show.

Like us on Facebook.

Just search dressage radio show.

My website is maplecrestfarmky.com and my email.

Is reese@horseradionetwork.com my website is lindenhoff.com and my email is lindenhoffllcgmail.com we'd like to thank our friends and show sponsors, Kentucky Performance Products.

If you'd like to support our show and the horse radio network, you can do that through the auditor program found@horseradionetwork.com keep on kicking on until the next show.

Talk to you soon.