The Equitas Podcast

The Equitas Podcast
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The First Worldwide Equine Media Brand for Women. We Champion and Promote Women in the Equine Industry, advocate for female equestrians and give them a platform to speak / write about what matters most to them! The Equitas Podcast is a safe space for us to speak openly about the burning issues that we face in the industry as women, we will also be speaking to a variety of women about their experiences within the industry and their journey with horses. For more info please check out @equitasworldwide on Socials & Equitas.ie

  1. Oct 16

    Emma Meagher Romeo, the Raffle and the RDS

    What does a week look like when it holds four days in radiation therapy, a commute to Cork, animal physio, weekend coaching, four horses and a calendar full of competitions? For Emma Meagher, an Equitas member from County Tipperary, it looks like this, and she says she just loves work. In this episode of the Equitas Podcast, Sarah speaks with Emma, who got in touch after our call-out to members. Their conversation moves from leaving veterinary studies in Budapest to this year’s qualification for the RDS with Romeo, her Connemara cross Appaloosa, and on to what she wants next. Emma also speaks about losing her partner and what her horses meant to her afterwards. In this episode Why Emma left veterinary studies in Budapest after four or five years, nearly, and why she went back and passed her exams before she left. Training in radiation therapy in England, and how animal physiotherapy kept her veterinary knowledge in use. A Pony Club childhood: she never missed a camp, attending and later teaching, from the age of seven until two years ago, and she still helps with rallies. A working week built around the day job: four days a week, traffic that builds once September hits, and a horse that has to be ridden at least twice a week during the working week. How a ski trip won in a radio competition raffle in 2019 and a chance conversation in her village during lockdown led to Romeo in 2020. Life with Romeo: a third in the novice workers at [confirm: Cavan event name], a season of show jumping, some eventing and then the RDS, where she jumped a great first round with her family watching on Horse and Country. What came after: second place at the national hunter trials championships and a grassroots qualifier win the week before the recording. Riding as part of a team, and why it is so much easier to encourage others than to be kind to ourselves. What is next: back to the RDS, getting placed, and a foal on the way with her mare. Chapters: 00:01 Welcome, and Emma’s life right now · 01:29 Budapest, veterinary studies and the move to radiation therapy · 05:21 Pony Club, coaching and animal physio · 06:22 The day job that pays for the dream · 07:32 Losing her partner, and what her horses meant to her afterwards · 10:03 Romeo: the radio competition raffle and the chance meeting · 13:19 Life with Romeo, and qualifying for the RDS · 17:31 What qualifying meant, and how the day looked from home · 18:35 After the RDS: hunter trials and a grassroots win · 21:17 The riding club, and taking on the secretary role · 21:59 Looking ahead, and riding as part of a team · 23:41 A foal on the way, and Romeo stays About the guest: Emma Meagher is an Equitas member from County Tipperary, Ireland. She works in radiation therapy, does animal physiotherapy, coaches and competes. She rides Romeo, a 158 cm Connemara cross Appaloosa she has had since 2020.

  2. Oct 2

    Caitlin Ward: Too Young to Be a Professional

    We recently ran a feature article on Caitlin Ward, the young event rider from Australia's Gold Coast who is building a business, and a life, around horses. In this follow-up conversation, Sarah goes back to Caitlin with a different question: not where she's been, but how the plan has actually changed since real life, opportunity and setbacks got involved. Caitlin started riding at four, got her first pony at nine (her parents wanted proof it wasn't a phase first), and was eventing by twelve or thirteen. From there, as she puts it, it all just snowballed. This conversation follows that path forward, through a business built almost entirely on word of mouth, a professional identity she still isn't sure she's earned, and the goals she keeps firmly out of public view. In this episode: How much of the plan has, and hasn't, followed the path Caitlin first pictured since she started riding at fourBuilding a business on word of mouth in a saturated industry, and what growing up off-property on the Gold Coast taught her about hard workThe hardest part of running her own business: keeping a clear line between clients and friendsWhat's surprised her most: the support she's found right across the wider riding community, not just close to homeWhy she still isn't calling herself a professional, despite being paid to ride since 2023Why she keeps her biggest goals close to her inner circle rather than making them publicHer advanced diploma in equine business management at Marcus Oldham College, and the pull towards a second career in teachingHer time on the Equestrian Queensland Next Gen committee, the squad age-bracket change she pushed through, and Jett, the once horse-shy warmblood who took her to three-star levelHer five-year vision: her own farm, marriage, a business she and her partner build together, and happy, healthy, fat horses Caitlin also talks about the "slow fade" she's watched many riders make out of the sport, drifting away gradually rather than making a clean decision, and why she wants to be a visible example for younger women weighing up whether to stay. Links and resources: Catch up on our earlier feature article on Caitlin Ward at equitas.ie HERE - Marcus Oldham College, where Caitlin completed her Advanced Diploma in Equine Business Management Equestrian Queensland Next Gen committee Find Caitlin on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok: @csw.equestrian

  3. Sep 25

    Bestie Button: Silent, Discreet, Safety, Peace of Mind

    Silent, discreet and something his nieces would actually wear. That was Stephen Larmour's brief to himself when he set out to design Bestie Button, a Bluetooth safety button that, he says, sends your location to trusted contacts without you unlocking your phone. In this Equitas livestream, Sarah asks Stephen where the idea came from, how it works and what it cannot do. He is clear that it is one option, not the whole answer. Abi, whom Sarah introduces as an Olympic dressage rider and a supporter of Bestie Button, then joins to talk about why she backed it, drawing briefly on her own past experience of an abusive relationship, and about riding, hacking and running on your own. You will also hear what Stephen hopes to build next. Bestie Button did not pay Equitas, gift us anything or enter an affiliate arrangement. This conversation is editorial and unpaid. If you do wish to purchase you can use Abi's code (ABI10) for a discount. Listen now, and find out more at mybestiebutton.com or https://www.instagram.com/mybestiebutton/ _________________________________________________________ If you have been affected by the topics raised in this episode, support is available. EQUISS, Equitas's independent Safeguarding Partner for the UK and Ireland, offers free, confidential support on 08000 308 800 (from Ireland or abroad: +44 8000 308 800), Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, or by email at helpcentre@equiss.org.uk. In an emergency, contact 999, or Samaritans on 116 123.

  4. Sep 11

    Double D Live Returns: Catching Up, No Notes, No Filter

    Double D Live is back on the air, or near enough. It has been well over a year since Sarah Elebert and Muireann O'Toole Brennan last hit record, and this episode picks the show back up exactly the way it always ran: two friends, no notes, no running order, just a text that morning asking, "Any chance you're free for a record tonight?" What follows is an unfiltered, unstructured catch-up between two co-hosts who had a lot of ground to cover. The conversation moves through the year in between: a genuinely tough stretch for Muireann, balancing a difficult family health situation with a full-time return to work; a lovely family story about her late aunt's house in Dublin now home to the next generation; new eyebrows and an honest verdict on microblading; a groom's-eye view of Dublin Horse Show week; the sporting moments that stopped them both in their tracks this year; Untamed, the book that has cost Sarah some sleep and that Muireann has now added to her own list; and a first cacao and reiki ceremony that did not go the way she expected. Sarah brings her own year into it too, from baby Shay to getting back in the saddle. In this episode: Why Double D Live went quiet for over a year, and why this episode happened with zero preparationMuireann on a genuinely hard year: a difficult family health situation, a full-time return to work, and what she has learned about her own routine and headspaceA warm family story: how her late aunt's house in Dublin has become home to the next generation of the familyNew eyebrows and a microblading verdict, the honest kindA groom's-eye view of Dublin Horse Show week, including her friend Claire's win, and some plain feedback on how little information grooms are given on the dayWhy Gemma Stevens's Burghley win and Katie Taylor's retirement both landed hard this week, and what the completion stats at Burghley actually showed about women at the sharp end of the sportUntamed by Glennon Doyle, and why Muireann is reading it nextMuireann's first cacao and reiki ceremony, and the release she wasn't expectingSarah's year: baby Shay, a surprise return to the dressage arena with Hallie, and her own daughters' first steps into riding Links and resources mentioned: Sarah's website: sarahelebert.comEquitas livestream on Dublin Horse Show, featuring Shane, Muireann and Claire: Find it HereUntamed by Glennon Doyle (book) Instagram handles for Sarah, Muireann & Equitas Note on this episode: Double D Live doesn't have a fixed recording schedule right now, by choice. Sarah and Muireann are recording when the moment is right rather than to a calendar, so expect more of these!

    Double D Live Returns: Catching Up, No Notes, No Filter

  5. Aug 7

    Niamh Fitzpatrick: “It Was So Woo-Woo.” Now It's the Whole Practice.

    In this episode of the Equitas Podcast, Sarah talks to Niamh Fitzpatrick of Equine Therapies Ireland — a former ten-year AIG finance professional turned equine bodyworker and energy practitioner. Their conversation moves from a corporate redundancy that forced a total reinvention, through years of hiding the intuitive, energetic side of how she actually works, to the home-based practice in County Wexford where she no longer has to. The moment — involving a dog, a stack of hay bales, and a sudden realisation she had “zero tangible skills” — that pushed Niamh out of a decade-long finance career. Why she calls her first horse, Dan, proof that she was “certainly overhorsed,” and what that taught her about reading an animal properly. Training in the Masterson Method, physio, craniosacral work, osteopathy and more — and why she says the learning “has not stopped” since. The years she spent “keeping a persona alive” — presenting as a purely structural, physical bodyworker while, by her own estimate, most of her actual work was energy-based. What a remote session actually involves, and why her business has run for years on word of mouth alone. Building a home practice on her own land in County Wexford, and why she burned out from the travel, not the work. The new podcast she's launching with a friend in New Zealand — Hooves, Paws and the Higher Realms. Links: Instagram: @etiwellness | Facebook: Equine Therapies Ireland Resources Mentioned: https://thetelepathytapes.com/

  6. Jul 31

    Jem Croft: Not a Paralympian, Not Therapy - Just an Equestrian

    What do you do when the one relationship in your life that's never let you down is with a horse, and everything else has just fallen away? In this episode of the Equitas Podcast, Sarah welcomes back Jem Croft (@jemcroftpararider), a disabled equestrian and advocate who's spent the last few years pushing the industry to make space for riders who are neither Paralympians nor therapy stories - just equestrians who happen to be disabled. Their conversation moves from the ex-racehorse mare who reads Jem's body better than she reads it herself, to the year Jem lost almost everything and rebuilt her life, quite literally, around one horse. In this episode: Why Jem relearned to ride a horse before she relearned to walk. Meeting Joy: the ex-racehorse mare with a mind of her own, and how she learned to read Jem's seat, voice and subtle hip movement within twenty minutes of their first ride. The moment Jem seriously doubted whether she was physically strong enough to handle Joy, and what she did instead of giving up. Rebuilding a life, a job and a home around one horse after leaving a dangerous relationship. Why Jem refuses to be filed under “Paralympian” or “therapy”, and what representation actually looks like in the equine industry. The exam system that nearly stopped her finishing her qualification, and the phone call that got her into university anyway. Why she stepped back from social media, and what she's learned about boundaries since. What peace looks like for Jem and Joy, five years in. Links: Instagram: @jemcroftpararider

  7. Jul 24

    Rhianna (The Eleventh Hour Concierge) on Making It Happen and Sniffing Out a Flaker a Mile Off

    What does it take to go from grooming at two World Games to building a business where clients call you, quite literally, at the eleventh hour , and trust you to make it happen? In this episode of the Equitas Podcast, Sarah speaks with Rhianna, founder of The Eleventh Hour Concierge, an equestrian and lifestyle concierge business built out of more than a decade spent behind the scenes as an international show groom. Their conversation moves from the riding school where she started as a ten-year-old volunteer, equestrian admin, to the new "experiences" of her business today, exploring what it means to build something entirely your own out of a lifetime spent quietly making things work for other people. The unlikely start: how a babysitter's part-time job at a local riding school turned into a decade grooming at two World Games and countless five-star shows. What being a groom actually involves — and why Rhianna calls it “being everything all in one.” The years-long battle with self-belief that came before she trusted her own skill. Why the name “The Eleventh Hour” is personal before it's practical. Running a concierge business with ADHD Inside Chapter 11 Private Experiences, including the fully styled Beach & Brunch days she runs for clients and their horses. Why she has no interest in growing The Eleventh Hour into anything bigger than she can still do herself. Links: eleventh-hour.co.uk  |  Instagram & TikTok: @eleventhhourconcierge

  8. Jul 17

    Maeve Sheridan - "I found my brave pants in my 40s."

    After qualifying for the Badminton Grassroots Championships, Maeve Sheridan joins Sarah to reflect on the journey that took her there. From buying Pronto as a newly-backed three-year-old to producing him herself while balancing work, family life and horses, Maeve shares the reality behind one of the biggest milestones of her riding career. Together they discuss preparation, confidence, setbacks, rider fitness and what it really feels like to gallop across the famous Badminton turf. It's an honest conversation about consistency, resilience and why you're never too old, or too late to chase ambitious goals. You can follow Maeve and her journey @ActivateYourSeat

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About

The First Worldwide Equine Media Brand for Women. We Champion and Promote Women in the Equine Industry, advocate for female equestrians and give them a platform to speak / write about what matters most to them! The Equitas Podcast is a safe space for us to speak openly about the burning issues that we face in the industry as women, we will also be speaking to a variety of women about their experiences within the industry and their journey with horses. For more info please check out @equitasworldwide on Socials & Equitas.ie

Information

  • Creator
    The Equitas Podcast
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    151
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Equitas Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Equitas Podcast

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