Welcome to Season 3! Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover ways to better connect with their horses. Plus, we like to feel safe and have fun. Fitness, of mind and body, the ability to think critically about your horse work as well as embracing a beginner’s mind are all parts of this lucky equine equation that Jec and I hold dear. We hope you do, too. This episode is our kick-off for Season Three. In it, Jec and I chat about what we’d like to accomplish, and we discuss some listener input. Before segueing to our conversation, though, I’d like to give a few shoutouts – not just to our generous sponsors, but to us! Did you know that Jec and I have written books? Yep. Jec has a whole, library that is focus on exercises, movement, and conditioning. I have books that I’ve written on brain science, best practices, as well as titles from Katrin Silva and Amy Skinner. Find 'em here. Also, I’m really digging Handful. It’s a small sports company that makes excellent bras for running, riding, and however else you’re being active. They support, literally and monetarily, women with breast cancer. And, well, the bras are great – stylish and functional. Skratch Labs makes drinks and energy bars and chews. They all have less sugar than most sports drinks and have more sodium. If you are sweating, which I bet most of us our these days, you need to replace your electrolytes. Try the sports drinks. Pineapple is my fav. Our title sponsor is Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds.  And Lucerne is this fantastic company in northern Maine. We’ll be talking more about Lucerne in upcoming episodes. Here is the Cliff Schadt bit that I mentioned: Horsemanship and humanship are so similar one to the other. I can’t expect to build a partnership with a young horse if I only go out and work with him occasionally or when I think of it. The partnership is built and cemented in the fact that I go out there almost every day and spend some sort of time with that horse, even if it’s only running a brush over his hide. Friendships are made through the investment of time and sometimes when we have so little time to give is when we make the biggest investments by giving it anyway.  Good horses and good friends are not made only in the good times. Good horses and good friends are made when you go through the fire together. It’s the tough moments that show you what you really have and show you what you have been investing in all along.  We thank Kate’s Real Food and Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Did you know? All ya gotta do is comment or suggest a podcast topic or send us a training question here and you’ll be automatically qualified for our monthly Patagonia WorkWear giveaway.