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April 22, 2025 51 mins

Let’s talk about the gap - the space between where you are and where you want to be in the horse world.

It’s frustrating. 
It’s overwhelming. 
And sometimes, it feels impossible to cross. 

You work hard. You love the sport. But the path to high-performance riding, a real career in horses, or even just feeling like you belong in this industry?

It’s blurry.

The people at the top make it look effortless, but the truth is, the real lessons happen behind closed barn doors—where most riders never get to go.

That’s why we’re sitting down with Baylee McKeever, 2023 Young Rider Individual Gold Medalist with her horse Formidable, and someone who grew up inside one of the most elite programs in the world.

As the daughter of Lee and Erica McKeever—two of the most respected professionals in the sport and longtime cornerstones of McLain Ward’s program—Baylee has had a front-row seat to the daily grind, discipline, and decision-making that define success at the highest level. 

Now, she’s carving her own path, learning what actually separates top riders from the rest, and navigating the realities of being a young professional in an industry that doesn’t hand out freebies.

In this episode, Baylee shares:

  • A behind-the-scenes look at high-performance sport—what it’s really like growing up inside an Olympic-level program and the daily habits that separate top riders.
  • The reality of being a young professional—balancing riding, grooming, and competition, plus the challenges no one talks about when making horses a career.
  • How Gen Z is changing the ride—from using technology and social media to redefining career paths and success in the equestrian industry. If you’ve ever felt like you’re missing the key to performing at a higher level, this episode is for you. The answers aren’t in a rulebook. They’re in conversations like this.

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You can follow Baylee on social media:

www.instagram.com/bayleemckeever/ 
www.tiktok.com/@baylee.mckeever

And learn more about McLain Ward:
https://www.mclainward.com/

https://www.facebook.com/mclain.ward

 https://www.instagram.com/mclainward.official/

 And you can follow us on instagram too!

Click here 👉  instagram.com/dearhorseworld/

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If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share with those you know in the Horse World - it really helps us grow.

And for even more expert-led workshops, in-depth courses, and exclusive lectures designed to elevate your riding and horsemanship, visit NoelleFloydPlus.com and use code 'DHW' for 15% off annual memberships!

NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a passionate community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.

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