Kirstie Dobbs, Ph.D.

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

10/17/2025

Do you ever find yourself in a dark place? Yeah, me too. But we often don’t talk about the “dark spaces” we encounter during your equestrian journeys.

This article is a great example of the downsides of perfectionism and how resiliency and a reset and lead us back to finding joy again the sport.

10/16/2025

Perfectionism is lying to you! Joy does not come from being perfect. It comes from being present with your horse 🐴

10/14/2025

I do love a fall day in Boston. Especially when I get to work at a coffee shop on one of my exciting projects that is just about finished!!

Ever wish there was a “manual” to help you navigate your path towards confidence as a bad a$$ horse girl?

Girl, I got you. 😉

10/12/2025

There are some things that just need to change.

What do you see happening in the barn or at horse shows that decrease young people’s confidence?

Share with me in the comments so we can raise awareness and work together on promoting positive transformative spaces for young people!