Kirstie Dobbs, Ph.D.

12/26/2025

"While I spent a lot of time debating colleges, degrees and career paths, I always knew that I wanted to do something with horses. Many young people who want to work in the horse world have the idea that a college degree is unnecessary. They think it’s ultimately a waste of money and four years that could be spent working and riding. But as a third year student majoring in Equine Studies, I can say that higher education is not a waste. As I reflect on insight from college graduates and experiences of my own, here are some of my takeaways.

You have something to fall back on.

The equine industry can be volatile. Even though you may think you’re invincible, there is a good chance that at one time or another, you might get injured and find yourself unable to work or ride. You’ll need a backup plan. Nicole Mandracchia, a graduate of Centenary University, discussed the importance of this with me saying, “For those of us who work in the equine industry in the barns (trainers, riders, grooms, vets, farriers, etc.) it’s not a question of “if” we will get hurt, but “when.” I believe everyone should have a degree of some sort to fall back on when the inevitable happens. For years I believed that it would never happen to me, but a knee injury last March finally caught me and I needed surgery. During my recovery period I was able to use my Equine Communications degree to do some blog writing for Excel Supplements—an opportunity that I am grateful for. Always have a back up because things change quickly!”

You need the communication and business knowledge that working in a barn can’t always give you.

Yes, many of these classes might seem pointless at the time, but you will use their teamwork and problem solving skills every day. Learning to persevere through something that is difficult or not ideal will only help you when you have a client that you struggle to communicate with or a horse that you just can’t seem to get through to. They will teach you how to keep your books in order so your business doesn’t fail, the best ways to advertise for yourself, and what goes into running an effective social media account or writing a solid sales ad.

You will be involved in real-life situations every day with experts to show you how to handle them.

Cori Babcock of Centenary University noted, “Going to school allowed me to learn a lot of ‘on-the-job skills’ in a safer environment. I learned how to handle colic, injuries, illnesses, and even about postpartum complications where I had someone experienced helping me along the way. I didn’t have to learn on the fly in an emergent situation where important decisions need to be made quickly.” Many schools have a large number of horses on property (some have 100+!), each with their own individual needs and problems to be solved. Whether it’s learning to ride many different types of horses, or practicing what to do in emergency situations, having this many horses at your disposal will help you develop strong skills anywhere in the barn.

College teams give you exposure and lifelong friendships.

Not only are college riding teams, such as Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) teams, a great way to get in some extra ride time, but they are also able to help you get your name out to more people in the industry. Riding on these teams allows you to meet equestrians from all over the country, some of whom are likely to be your mentors, peers, or employers some day. Aside from the professional benefits, these teams are where you are likely to meet some of your closest friends. There’s nothing like 3:30 AM wake-up calls to bring a group of people closer together.

It will help you decide what niche of the industry is for you.

There are so many areas of the industry that you can go into. It can almost be overwhelming once you realize how many options you have! Your college professors are there to help you find what you like through their own experiences, jobs and internships, and different types of classes that the school might offer. A former Centenary University student, Lauren Buettner, now works for Zoetis as an Equine Inside and Digital Sales Specialist. She explains, “From a young age I knew I wanted to do something heavily ingrained in the equine industry, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what. With the help of my professors at Centenary, I devoted a lot of time to trying out jobs in so many facets of the horse world. Everything from grooming and riding, media, veterinary technician work, to pharmaceuticals… until it clicked! Equine Pharmaceuticals is where I was meant to land, and I am convinced I would not have found this career path any other way.”

You are going to make so many connections.

This ultimately is the biggest reason why your education will be worth your while. Your professors in college are going to give you connections with people you otherwise would only dream of working with. And who knows, if you work hard enough and meet the right people, you just might end up being their peers a few years down the road. Odessa Thacker, graduate of Emory and Henry College, explains, “The equine industry generates $102 billion dollars annually in the US alone. There are, quite literally, always horse related jobs available and never quite enough people to fill them. One of the most important things you learn with an Equine-related degree, however, are the connections. Being able to graduate and immediately go work for the Tori Colvins, the Scott Stewarts, the Maddens, the Havens Schatts, etc because of the connections that professors and alumni of the college have with them is pretty incredible, and personally as a high schooler, not something I had connections or the knowledge to do immediately after graduating. College was absolutely essential in my journey as someone who works in the equine industry, no matter the job, the education, friends, and connections I made will absolutely travel with me through the rest of my life. I never regret a single minute of earning a degree in Equine Studies.”

📎 Save & share this article by Haylie Kerstetter at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2021/03/09/college-isnt-a-waste-of-time-for-aspiring-equestrian-professionals/
📸 © The Plaid Horse

11/20/2025

"He feels unbalanced, like he's limping! We need to stop," my student says.

"The tempo is too slow, he needs a greater stride. As soon as he can get the right tempo he will be more balanced."

My student goes into a kind of fetal mode, half urging the horse forward, half hauling the horse back. "It isn't working, she says."

"You need to let the reins out so he can go forward," I say.

She starts to cry. And this is where I realize the problem -

It's not really a riding lesson. This is so often the case - and I think back to my 20's, where I didn't have a clue about these inner workings. The horse needs to go forward to be safe internally and physically, and yet this is the human's greatest fear - and somehow the two of them have come together, and the human is the only one who can bridge this gap.

So we pause the riding and we talk. Logic is not the answer, I remind myself - where are these feelings coming from? It all stems back to a childhood bolt.

"If it's hysterical, it's historical," I remember to myself, a quote I heard from a friend

So what is missing here, and how can we go forward? First understanding the root - we are not riding in the now, we are riding in that childhood bolt. So we ground - how does your horse feel, sound, smell, look? What do you see around you?

And then, we discuss what skills we need to go forward. What the horse needs, and what she needs.

I say, I understand your fear, I really do - but it is imperative that you guide your horse. He is scared too. But we can find a way that you can stay mentally with him - in hand, at the walk, for now, but you have to stay here with him. He needs you.

I'm not a therapist, but it turns out I'm not really a riding instructor either. And so often, we are not riding today's horse - which is why the training, the logic, the reasoning, the lessons are not helping us get where we want.

The root, somewhere deep down is buried. Our real task is to find a way to ride today's horse: to be present with today's horse and learn to honor them. They need us, desperately. And only we can bridge the gap.

And so a choice has to be made at a certain point - what will you do to honor today's horse?

11/08/2025

Sooo, ya that is def the most boss version of myself.

11/07/2025

Day 2 of in Springfield, MA! Come visit me and booth 404 in the Better Living Center to discuss how I can help you, a person you know, or your whole barn overcome anxiety and perfectionism and improve their overall wellness!

11/01/2025

🌿 It’s here! 🌿
I’m so excited to share my new book, Stride Forward: A Rider’s Journey Through Anxiety and the Mindful Path to Confidence — now available on Amazon! 🐴✨

This book is for every rider who has ever struggled with fear, self-doubt, or perfectionism in the saddle. It’s part story, part guide — a blend of personal reflection, mindfulness practices, and tools to help you reconnect with your confidence and your horse. 💫

If you’ve ever felt like your mind is your biggest hurdle, this book will help you stride forward with compassion, courage, and clarity.

📖 Grab your copy here ➡️

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

10/23/2025

Ask Dr. Holly Helbig what she worries most about for the future of the sport, and her answer isn’t about judging systems, prize money, or even veterinary shortages. It’s about kids.

“We’ve done this to them,” she said during a recent Plaidcast In Person event. “We’ve tacked up for them, been their grooms, enabled them. They aren’t getting the hours it takes to build intuition around horses.”

That loss of hands-on time—the small, daily habits that teach empathy and awareness—has become one of Helbig’s biggest concerns. And as both a veterinarian and professional trainer, she’s seen how taking those opportunities away doesn’t just change young riders; it changes the horses too.

Helbig describes herself as a “horse-crazy girl, not from a horse family.” She didn’t grow up surrounded by resources, but she found a way to make it work. “My parents went through bankruptcy,” she said. “Being a kid, not coming from a ton of money, I had to be scrappy.”

That scrappiness, she believes, is part of what shaped her success. “I didn’t have the money to pay a braider or a bunch of grooms,” she said. “You just jump in and do what you have to do. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade it. My relationship with that horse was stronger because of all the time I spent with him.”

Today, she worries that many young riders aren’t getting those same opportunities. “I think we’ve created a generation that can ride beautifully,” she said, “but hasn’t had the chance to really know horses.”

In her own training program, Helbig made sure her students stayed involved in every aspect of horse care. “My kids tacked for themselves at the horse show,” she said. “We had grooms, but they tacked for themselves.”

When something medical came up, she used it as a teaching moment. “Whenever anything happened in the barn, I’d scoop all the kids up and say, ‘Come look at this. What is it? Look at this ultrasound. Let’s look at this x-ray together.’”

Those experiences, she said, taught her students to see horses as living, breathing partners—not just show animals. “They learned to pay attention, to notice things, and to ask questions. That’s what builds confidence.”

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/10/22/let-the-kids-tack-up-why-the-next-generation-needs-more-time-in-the-barn/
📸 Lauren Mauldin / The Plaid Horse

10/19/2025

When a round goes poorly, it’s tempting for riders to shrug and say, “I’m just not talented enough.” The idea that natural ability separates the great riders from everyone else has been around forever. But Geoff Teall argues that this belief is not only false—it’s dangerous.

Most riders have fallen back on the excuse of lacking talent at one point or another. It’s an easy way to relieve pressure when things aren’t going well. As Teall puts it, “Lack of talent is a great stress reliever. It allows you to say things like, ‘I didn’t do that right. It’s not because I’m not trying hard, it’s because I’m not talented.’”

The problem with this mindset is that it creates a false barrier to improvement. If talent is all that matters, then there’s no point in trying harder or practicing longer. You either have it, or you don’t. Teall dismisses this as a “ridiculous excuse.”

In Teall’s philosophy, “talent is so unimportant when compared to interest, when compared to desire, and when compared to hard work.” A disciplined rider with modest natural ability will almost always surpass a gifted rider who lacks focus and consistency.

This is because riding, at its core, is about repetition, discipline, and refinement. Correct position, independent hands, balance, and feel aren’t bestowed at birth. They are developed through hours of practice. Riders who commit themselves to mastering the basics methodically are the ones who end up achieving the most.

Discipline, in Teall’s view, is the great equalizer. It’s not glamorous, and it doesn’t make for dramatic breakthroughs overnight. But it’s what keeps riders drilling the fundamentals, fixing bad habits, and returning to the saddle day after day, even when progress feels slow.

Discipline also shows up in the rider’s mindset. A disciplined rider doesn’t let frustration boil over in the schooling ring. They don’t look for shortcuts or gimmicks. They know that equitation isn’t about doing flashy things, but about doing the simple things, like keeping a steady pace or following softly with the hands, better than anyone else.

Teall emphasizes that “drive and determination are enormously leveling factors.” This is particularly encouraging for the average rider who may not fit the ideal body type, have limitless financial backing, or possess the innate “feel” that others seem to show.

A rider who truly wants to improve—is willing to put in the work—will often outpace a peer who relies only on raw ability. The sport rewards persistence. Every hour spent practicing correct position, every lesson spent refining basics, builds toward the rider’s long-term success.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/10/15/talent-vs-hard-work-what-really-creates-great-riders/
📸 © Heather N. Photography