Be Your Best Horsemanship

During the ten days of the NFR in Las Vegas, we all get to watch the product of a year-long—and often lifelong—journey to the Thomas & Mack. What we don’t always see is the small army behind each competitor who helps make that run possible.

In this episode, I’m thrilled to sit down with Lorissa Jo Merritt— sister of Katelyn Scott and sister-in-law to Halyn Lide, who both qualified for this year’s National Finals Rodeo. While Lorissa is a talented horsewoman herself, her role behind the scenes is one we don’t talk about enough—and it is a pivotal role in the road to the NFR.

Lorissa shares how she's embraced her role as the “horse finder” and “accountability partner" in Katelyn's journey, the story of how Peanut Seed—Katelyn’s main mount for this year’s finals—came into their lives, how he got his name, and the team effort that goes into an NFR qualification.

In this week’s episode, I’m talking about the importance of playing to your horse’s strengths. One of the biggest responsibilities we have as horsemen and women is to be good leaders — and a big part of leadership is recognizing the strengths of those we lead.

Just like people, every horse has a different set of strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. Our job is to identify what those are and set them up for success.

Tune in as I share tips for how to identify your horse’s natural tendencies and why doing so can strengthen their confidence, willingness, and longevity.

In this week’s episode, I’m talking about one of the simplest—and hardest—skills to master in horsemanship: the pause.

The pause is the brief moment of release and reward that tells your horse, “You did it right.” It’s the part of the process that builds confidence, clarity, and understanding between horse and rider. But it’s also the step that many of us—myself included—tend to rush through.

Tune in as I share how developing better self-awareness and patience can transform your communication with your horse, how the pause teaches effort and confidence, and why slowing down might be the most productive thing you can do in your training.