Two Point Perspective

Elizabeth Vagnoni
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Society & Culture
  • Weekly

Two Point Perspective brings together two riders from very different eras of the sport: Elizabeth “Lizzo,” a former 1970s junior rider now actively navigating today’s modern, high-pressure show world, and Reynolds, a millennial adult amateur, new mother, and equine insurance agent who grew up doing the hands-on work and now sees firsthand how the system has changed. Together, they explore the conversations riders are actually having — and the ones most people avoid. Tradition and technology. Horsemanship and convenience. Trainer dynamics. Accessibility. Show costs. Social media pressure. Generational shifts in riding culture. And what it really takes to stay engaged in a sport shaped by history and sharpened by its audience. Real talk from real riders — grounded in one sport and a shared passion.

  1. 3d ago

    Is Florida Worth the Trip?

    Florida has become a winter destination for the horse show world. But is spending the season there really necessary? Elizabeth remembers a very different Florida circuit, when she managed to turn her high school senior project into a month of catch-riding a pony at the Sunshine Circuit. Reynolds has a few questions about how she pulled that off. From the old Winter Haven shows to today's Wellington and World Equestrian Center in Ocala, the two compare how much Florida has changed—and what those changes mean for riders, horses, trainers, and the people paying the bills. They talk about the extraordinary facilities, the experience of visiting these venues, the costs of operating a barn in two places, and the pressure riders can feel when everyone else seems to be heading south. In this episode: The original Sunshine Circuit and Elizabeth's unusual senior projectHow Wellington became an equestrian communityWhy WEC Ocala feels like Disneyland for horse peopleWhat horse shows can offer people who don't rideThe real costs of taking a barn to Florida for the winterWhether staying home puts an amateur at a competitive disadvantage And by the end, a conversation about whether Florida is worth the trip turns into something neither of them quite expected. Is Florida part of your winter show season? Or have you found that you can accomplish just as much closer to home? One sport. Shared passion. Two perspectives.

  2. Oct 22

    Members Comment. Boards Decide.

    Members comment. Boards decide. So does your comment actually count? USHJA has more than 60 rule change proposals out for member comment right now. Elizabeth and Reynolds read the proposals and the comments, and found that the rules people speak up about aren’t always the ones that could affect them most. In this episode #008, Adult Amateur Floating Split: Would split Adult Amateurs into three equal sections regardless of age. Every comment so far is against it.#048, Horse of the Year, Top 15 Shows: A member-written proposal to count only a horse’s best 15 shows. Is it about welfare or affordability?#036 and #037, Suspensions: Two competing rules on what happens to the people around a suspended trainer, from USEF CEO Bill Moroney and attorney Bonnie Navin. No comments on either.#061 and #062, USEF Lite Shows: Rules out for comment that a presidential modification already puts into effect December 1.Why it’s so hard to take part: two tracking numbers per rule, duplicate proposals, and a draw-rein proposal whose explanation says “Coming soon.” Key dates USHJA Rule Change Town Hall (Zoom): Monday, Nov 2, 7 p.m. ETMember comments close: Sunday, Nov 8USHJA Rule Change Forum, Orlando: Tuesday, Dec 8 How to comment: Log in to your USHJA account and use the USHJA tracking number (USEF numbers its proposals differently). Even one sentence counts. Links USHJA rule change proposals: https://hjdata.ushja.org/rule-changesComment period and town hall registration: https://www.ushja.org/news/ushja-news-1/member-comment-period-opens-2028-competition-year-rule-change-proposals Companies mentioned in this episode: United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA)USHJA FoundationUnited States Equestrian Federation (USEF)U.S. Equestrian Trainers AssociationLizzo Rides

  3. Oct 15

    Three Inches: When the Goal Costs More Than You’ve Got

    Sixty riders in one division. Twenty-seven in another. And a proposed 2'9" division that has everybody talking. Three inches doesn’t sound like much. But it can change the horse you need, what that horse costs, and whether the goal you’ve got still fits the life you’ve got. Elizabeth and Reynolds talk about quality versus scope, buying for the goal you might have someday, why Reynolds bought Loki off a video, when leasing makes sense, and what to do when the horse you need costs more than you’ve got. And because they’re two generations apart, they don’t agree on how much time any of us has to get there. In this episode: Why quality and scope aren’t the same thingBuying for the goal you might haveImporting off a video: what you save, and what it really costsLeasing, half leases, and goals with an end dateWhen the goal costs more than you’ve got“Your life can change a long time before your goals do.” Read the 2'9" proposal and the other rule changes: https://hjdata.ushja.org/rule-changes Have you changed divisions, leased instead of bought, or bought young and waited? Tell us how you made it work. elizabeth@twopointperspective.com

  4. Oct 8

    When the Ride Changes—with Anne Moss

    One difficult ride can follow you into the next. Sometimes you know exactly what scared you. Other times, riding starts to feel different, and you’re not sure why. Licensed professional counselor and horsewoman Anne Moss of When the Ride Changes joins Elizabeth Vagnoni and Reynolds Martin to discuss riding anxiety, the pressures riders carry into the barn, and how counseling and mental skills work can complement each other. Reynolds shares how a fall at Pennsylvania National changed her confidence at trot jumps—something she previously felt comfortable doing. Anne discusses her approach to counseling, introduces EMDR, and explains why working with someone who “speaks horse” can make it easier to begin the conversation. We also talk about: Expectations heading into finals and indoors.When parental encouragement can feel like pressure.What to say—and when to give someone space—after a disappointing round.Privacy and working with a counselor in a small horse community. Connect with Anne: When the Ride Changes Subscribe to Two Point Perspective for more conversations with Elizabeth and Reynolds. This conversation is for general information, not individual mental health advice. Treatment needs and results vary.

  5. Oct 1

    Where Does All the Money Go?

    The U.S. horse industry has an economic impact of about $177 billion. So why does it still feel so expensive just to participate? This week, Elizabeth and Reynolds follow the money — from horse-show bills and USEF fees to tack stores, prize money, media, real estate and the outside investors who increasingly see opportunity in the horse industry. They look at what Dover Saddlery’s collapse says about equestrian retail, why Greenhawk chose only some of its former locations, and what companies like CVC and McCourt Global may see that traditional horse businesses haven’t figured out yet. They also compare the enormous prize money already available in some western disciplines with what riders see in the hunter/jumper world, and ask whether ventures like Premier Jumping League can bring new money into the sport from spectators, sponsors and media instead of relying on the same riders and owners to keep paying more. Because everybody may have a perfectly good reason for what they’re charging. But the rider or owner is still the one paying all of it.

  6. Sep 24

    What Is Equitation Worth Now?

    Equitation has always been about learning to ride well. But today it can also mean major finals, college opportunities, specialized horses — and maybe even prize money. This week, Katherine Schmidt Butler joins Elizabeth and Reynolds for a conversation that started with USHJA’s recent discussion about prize money in equitation and quickly became something much bigger. Katherine came through Heritage Farm as a working student before riding for the University of South Carolina, where she became the all-time NCEA career wins leader with 101 wins, was part of the 2015 national championship team, and later became the first NCEA athlete to have her jersey retired. Reynolds brings a different college-riding experience. She rode IHSA at Randolph College and won the 2014 IHSA National Championship in Novice Equitation on the Flat. Together, they talk about what equitation is actually supposed to teach, why riding unfamiliar horses matters, how much money it can take to build a college résumé, and what happens when talented riders don’t all have the same financial opportunities. Katherine also reacts to the 2026 Division I recruiting numbers — an average of 21 shows, roughly 200 classes and nine horses shown — and talks candidly about horse longevity, working-student opportunities, access, and why she doesn’t believe prize money fixes the larger cost problem. And eventually it comes back to something much simpler: whether you’re headed for the Maclay, a college team, or an Adult Amateur class, you still have to learn how to ride the horse you’re on. One sport. Shared passion. Two perspectives.

  7. Sep 17

    Trainer, Coach, or Online Fix?

    It doesn’t take much to get an adult amateur’s attention. Miss a distance. Struggle with your position. Have one frustrating lesson. Suddenly your feed is full of people who seem to know exactly what’s wrong — and, conveniently, have something to sell you. In this episode, we talk about why those messages work, the difference between useful outside expertise and another layer of “coaching,” and whether trainer, instructor and coach are really separate jobs in the programs we know. We get into video critiques, remote lessons, riding homework, physical limitations that may need expertise beyond your trainer, and why sometimes a different explanation really can make something click. The question isn’t whether online information can be useful. It can. The harder question is what you’re actually buying — a useful exercise, a fresh set of eyes, or an entirely different training system — and how that fits with the horse, rider and program you already have.

  8. Sep 10

    What Does This Horse Actually Need?

    We have more ways to care for horses than ever before — bodywork, therapeutic equipment, joint maintenance, supplements, better diagnostics and more. And much of it genuinely helps. But once something helps, it can quickly become part of the routine. Then the question changes from “Could this help?” to “Is this something we do for all the horses?” This week, Elizabeth and Reynolds talk about modern horse care, what previous generations may have missed, why competition horses are treated more like athletes, and how easy it is for owners to become hyperaware of every small change. Steve Guerdat’s approach to footing, turnout and letting horses be horses adds another piece to the conversation. The question isn’t whether we should do less. It’s whether we know why we’re doing something for the horse in front of us.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Two Point Perspective brings together two riders from very different eras of the sport: Elizabeth “Lizzo,” a former 1970s junior rider now actively navigating today’s modern, high-pressure show world, and Reynolds, a millennial adult amateur, new mother, and equine insurance agent who grew up doing the hands-on work and now sees firsthand how the system has changed. Together, they explore the conversations riders are actually having — and the ones most people avoid. Tradition and technology. Horsemanship and convenience. Trainer dynamics. Accessibility. Show costs. Social media pressure. Generational shifts in riding culture. And what it really takes to stay engaged in a sport shaped by history and sharpened by its audience. Real talk from real riders — grounded in one sport and a shared passion.

Information

  • Creator
    Elizabeth Vagnoni
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Two Point Perspective
  • Show Website
    Two Point Perspective

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