Broke Horse Moms

Grace Speckman tracked every single dollar she spent leasing a horse and still ended up $14,000 in the hole after four months. She's a certified financial planner. If it can catch her off guard, it can absolutely catch the rest of us. In this one, we get into the costs nobody warns you about (looking at you, saddle fitting), how to budget for a sport that thrives on surprise expenses, and the uncomfortable math Grace does on what i...

We all know the feeling: standing at the rail, trying not to visibly panic, while our kid looks completely calm in the saddle. Turns out that might not be as harmless as it feels.

This week I’m talking with Courtenay Baber, a licensed professional counselor, lifelong rider, and founder of Gray Horse Counseling, about the mental side of riding for our kids, and for us. We get into why kids’ self-talk turns into a hamster ...

Before Pony Finals, I thought we knew horse shows. We had rated shows under our belt. We'd qualified for a national championship. I had even made an entire episode about what first-timers need to know. Then we got to Kentucky, and I realized this was a completely different world.

In this episode, I'm walking you through all the myths I believed going into Pony Finals and what I now know to be true after watching Chloe and her pony P...

Nobody told me that gradually, week by week, I would stop being the center of Chloe's horse life. A few weeks ago she got her driver's license, and almost overnight, everything about my role at the barn changed. She drives herself to lessons now. She works there without me. She signs up for her own shows. I knew it would change my schedule, but I didn't realize how much it would change my job.

In this episode, I'm talking through th...

Episode Summary

When we qualified for Pony Jumper Finals, I quickly realized that the official information answered plenty of competition questions but almost none of my horse mom questions.

When should we arrive? Do we really need a golf cart? What happens when we pull into the Kentucky Horse Park? How do we know where to go? What should we pack that no one tells us about?

So I invited Laura Greenstreet, mom to Pony Jumper r...

Episode Summary

When my recent article in The Plaid Horse about how confusing the horse world can be for new families was published, one comment kept popping up:

"Just ask questions."

Great suggestion! The problem is, when you're new to horses, you don't know what questions to ask.

So in this episode, I'm sharing 10 simple questions that can save you time, money, frustration, and a whole lot of second-guessing. These aren't em...

When your child starts riding, you expect to make decisions about schedules, budgets, and maybe when they get their first pair of tall boots. What you don't expect is that before long you'll be making decisions about trainers, horse shows, safety, horses, and thousands of dollars in equipment for a sport you barely understand.

In this episode, I sit down with Jen Barker and Karen Tanner, hosts of The Scope Podcast, to tackle one of ...

You know what's weird? Attending a webinar to learn how to attend a horse show.

In this episode, I tackle what I believe is one of the biggest barriers to growing equestrian sports: understandability.

While conversations about accessibility often focus on cost, there's another challenge that doesn't get discussed nearly enough. Horse shows, divisions, memberships, qualifications, prize lists, entries, and billing can feel like a fore...

If you’ve been anywhere near horse social media lately, you’ve probably seen the conversations around Dover Saddlery’s closures and liquidation sales. But what actually happened behind the scenes? And what does it reveal about the future of the equestrian industry?

In this episode, I’m joined by Orchid Bertelsen, writer of the Substack Back in the Saddle, to break down the Dover story from both an economic an...

Are horse shows teaching kids to become better riders or just rewarding expensive horses and polished rounds?

In this episode, Angie sits down with David Reichert, founder of the United Dressage and Jumping Club (UDJC), to talk about the gaps he sees in the current U.S. equestrian system and why he created an alternative focused on horsemanship, rider development, affordability, and grit.

David shares his perspective on everything fr...

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Ashley Winch to walk through what happened when our rated show at HITS Culpeper came to an abrupt end after a horse stabled in the same barn as us tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) and developed Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM).

What followed was confusion, a lot of unanswered questions, and a mandatory quarantine that completely changed our plans, and honestly,...

Horse show season is here and if you’re anything like me, it can feel like stepping into a completely different world.

In this episode, I’m breaking down everything I wish I had known before our first horse show, from the different types of shows to the very real costs (both expected and surprise) and how to navigate it all without losing your mind… or your bank account.

Whether you’re heading to your first s...

In this episode, I’m joined by Beth Sheely, head coach of the Virginia Tech Equestrian Team, to break down what collegiate club teams really look like and why they might be the best-kept secret for riders who want to continue in college.

We talk about everything from how these teams are structured and funded to what coaches are actually looking for, plus real, actionable ways to start exploring options for your rider.

We cover:

One of the biggest lessons many of us learn in the horse world is that you can’t navigate it alone.

In this episode, Angie shares why building a “horse mom village” is one of the most important things you can do—not just for your rider, but for your sanity as a parent trying to figure out a sport you didn’t grow up in.

From the horse mom bestie who helps you talk through barn drama, to the barn family wh...

What exactly is a local show association and why does it matter?

In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly Gannon, adult amateur rider and volunteer of the Central Virginia Show Jumping Association (CVSJA), to talk about how local horse shows actually run, from costs and volunteers to why they’re critical for young riders and adult amateurs alike.

We cover:

• Local vs rated horse shows
• What kids learn beyond ribbons
• The real co...

Winter showed up loud this year with ice, school closures, frozen buckets, and barns that don’t care about the weather forecast.

In this episode, Angie shares what’s actually helping her family get through an extended stretch of freezing temperatures, from the clothes that make barn life bearable to the small comforts that keep everyone’s spirits intact.

This isn’t a sponsored gear roundup or a “do it pe...

Buying a horse can feel like the most exciting and terrifying decision you’ll ever make as a horse mom. In this episode, Angie shares the real-life considerations that went into buying her daughter’s horse and the questions every family should ask before making the leap.

Whether you’re leasing, half-leasing, riding lesson horses, or just starting to wonder what’s next, this conversation is for moms navigating...

Before the braids, before the entries, before the credit card panic...there’s planning...hopefully.

In this episode of Broke Horse Moms, Angie sits down with her daughter Chloe for an unfiltered planning conversation using the 2026 Broke Horse Moms Planning Workbook. Together, they reflect on 2025, set rider goals, set MOM goals, choose shows with intention, and define a couple of mom boundaries around time, money, and energy.

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Episode Summary

It’s that time of year — show season is winding down, leases are ending, and a LOT of families start wondering… Is it time to switch barns?

In this episode, Angie cracks open one of the spiciest topics in the horse world: when, why, and how to switch barns without burning every bridge in sight.

And yes — before hitting record, she even texted Chloe’s trainer to ask, “Should...