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Mount St John Freestyle was 17 at Aachen. Verdades was 17 in his last season. So when Linda writes in about her rising 15 year old FEI mare, who has a joint supplement and not much else, the real question is what the next five years could look like. Laura Graves joins Nat Foxon to answer it, and it turns into a full map of how she keeps horses in work: the crisis she is always trying to head off, why she wants her vet to see the horse on a bad day rather than a good one, where steroids still earn their place alongside IRAP, A2M and stem cells, the farrier as the foundation the whole thing sits on, and the one line item she would cut first if money got tight. Plus the training side, because Laura's view is that dressage done properly should be adding years to a horse's career rather than taking them off. Chapters 00:00 Linda's question: what do you actually do for the older equine athlete? 01:24 Freestyle at 17 in Aachen, and whether that is an outlier or available to the rest of us 02:11 "What we do with our sport, when it's done well, should prolong a horse's fitness and soundness" 02:52 Verdades: born 2002, retired 2020, and the lunge line incident that really ended it 04:05 Healthy stock, conformation, and the miles you put on a young horse 05:13 Laura's number one management goal: avoid a crisis 06:29 Why joint injections feel aggressive, and the car tyre analogy that reframes them 06:51 Soft tissue is what you are really trying to avoid 08:07 Building the team: your vet early, and a second set of eyes 09:07 The hardest hire on the whole team is the farrier 09:49 The vet check Laura wants, on the horse's worst day 10:47 Least aggressive first, and why changing too much too soon backfires on a 12 year old 11:52 Steroids: glorious, fast, and genuinely risky 12:19 IRAP, Arthrimed, A2M, stem cells and what the science can do now 13:45 Supplements: what Laura feeds, and how much weight she puts on it 15:05 Balance and symmetry as longevity tools, not just marks 16:46 What Laura most wants Linda to hear Takeaways The goal is not treating lameness, it is never getting there. Laura's whole system is built around avoiding the crisis. A horse that always favours one leg wears unevenly, the same way a car out of alignment chews its tyres. Uneven loading is what turns into a strained tendon. Work the horse hard before the vet comes. Laura does not want the vet meeting the horse on its best day. The farrier is the hardest hire and the most load-bearing one. Most soundness starts in the feet. Regenerative options cost more and work slower than steroids, and carry far less risk. Balance and symmetry matter for longevity whether you are chasing 70 percent or hacking for fun. Mentioned: Mount St John Freestyle, Verdades, Aachen, Platinum Performance, Adequan, Legend, IRAP, Arthrimed, A2M, stem cell therapy

This episode focuses on how being a good horseperson means looking beyond performance and recognising what your horse needs, rather than simply chasing results or being seen as a “hero” in the saddle.

Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon discuss the balance of goals and plans, with adjusting to your horse on the day, and how that gets even more difficult on competition day.

Ready to map out your best eventing season yet? In this special workshop episode, join legendary five-star eventer Boyd Martin, Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde, top Australian dressage coach Brett Parbery, and eventing pro Lillian Heard Wood for a deep-dive into building your 2026 eventing plan. You’ll hear Boyd’s honest take on goal setting (for both rider and horse), the importance of rideability, balancing ambition with reality, and why detailed planning and flexibility are the backbone of every successful season. Peter shares show jumping secrets for eventers, Brett unpacks the dressage fundamentals that underpin all phases, and Lillian gives practical advice on structuring your training—even when facilities or confidence are limited. This episode is packed with actionable strategies, candid stories, and the kind of coaching wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re moving up a level, starting out with an off-track Thoroughbred, or chasing your next big breakthrough, you’ll come away inspired—and equipped—to make every ride count. Join the Boyd Martin Eventing Program at www.performanceriders.com/boyd

Join Nat Foxon and a panel of world-class experts—Olympian Laura Graves, coach Brett Parbery, and performance psychologist Jonah Oliver—for a dynamic workshop on mapping out your best year in dressage. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: - Reflect on your past year to fuel real progress - Craft a bold, meaningful vision for your riding and life - Build structure and set measurable, motivating goals - Focus on what matters most, even under pressure - Harness the power of community and support Whether your “Olympics” is a national event or a local club day, this episode will help you reverse-engineer your goals and create a blueprint for success, enjoyment, and growth in 2026. You can work with Laura and the team in the 2026 Gold Program, find out more at www.performanceriders.com/2026gold

Grand Prix Judge Kristen Closson inspired this topic, from her month working with the riders in the Performance Riders Gold Program. Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon discuss what connection really is, how riders are often confused and chasing the wrong feeling, and homework we can all do to improve our feel. Download the free Performance Riders App to use our fun (and super helpful!) AI training tool with Brett.

JJ Tate joins Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon to discuss the idea that 'dressage serves the horse'. Download the Performance Riders app for more free training!

Fresh off the plane from the US working with world number one eventing rider Boyd Martin, Brett Parbery discusses with Nat Foxon the Boyd-ism 'Every champion started as a beginner who refused to quit'. Download the Performance Riders app for free training inspiration and our app-exclusive Weekly Hack training segment.

Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon launch into Brett's 'no filter era' with a conversation about how he would prefer to watch a well-ridden palomino pony than a poorly trained fancy imported warmblood, any day! Find out about working with Brett and Nat to upgrade your dressage training, at www.performanceriders.com

World Equestrian Games Dressage rider and coach Brett Parbery and host Nat Foxon discuss how riders should do their due diligence when booking with visiting clinicians, to prevent being held back in their training. Find out about training in Brett's programs at www.performanceriders.com

World Equestrian Games Dressage rider and coach Brett Parbery and host Nat Foxon discuss how riders should never let their standards slip in training, and the importance of separating the half halt and downward transition aids. Find out about training in Brett's prorgams at www.performanceriders.com

Dressage coach Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon discuss the idea that although each horse has a back-story and an individual personality, at the end of the day, horses are very much the same and fall into a few categories of 'types'.

If you want to progress in dressage, you have to work harder, right? Maybe that's not the best approach, especially with horses. Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon dig into this topic about where improvement really comes from.

If we're not training our horses for their highest benefit, physically and mentally, how can we justify our partnership with horses in the sport of dressage? Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon dig into an idea posed to them by former world number one dressage rider and wonderful horseperson Laura Graves, that riders must believe in the benefits of dressage beyond the sport of dressage.

Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon discuss the concept of "lightness" in dressage, emphasizing that it is often misunderstood as solely a hand sensation. Brett clarifies that lightness should be felt throughout the horse's body, including the shoulders, back, and hindquarters, and is achieved through impulsion, balance, and proper training. He stresses the importance of riders developing a 360-degree awareness of their horse, focusing on comfort and adjustability in the reins. Lightness is described as an end product of good riding, not a goal to be actively pursued. The conversation highlights the need for riders to understand and feel the horse's entire body to achieve true lightness.