Fear shows up differently for every horsewoman.

Sometimes it’s the fear of getting hurt. Sometimes it’s wondering if you’re good enough, worrying about what other people are thinking, choosing the wrong horse, making a mistake—or questioning whether you’ve simply waited too long to come back to horses.

In this episode of At The Fence, Michelle and Adrienne have an open conversation about fear and the many ways it can appear when we return to horses later in life.

Adrienne shares her own experience of coming back to horses after years away—from worrying about doing things wrong and being judged, to learning to trust herself and her horse. Michelle shares a different perspective from a lifetime with horses and explains why a little fear isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Because fear can also be information.

It can remind us to prepare, pay attention, ask questions, choose the right horse, listen to our instincts, and sometimes simply get off and try again another day.

They also talk about ego, clinics, buying horses, riding bareback, the pressure of being watched, and why leaving your ego on the other side of the gate might be one of the best things you can do for yourself and your horse.

The goal isn’t to become fearless.

It’s learning when fear is protecting you—and when it’s keeping you from something you still deeply want.

If horses are calling you back, but fear is standing at the gate, this conversation is for you.

🎙️ At The Fence — real conversations about horses, confidence, care, courage, and the next chapter of life.

What happens when the thing you love most is suddenly taken away—and it takes 40 years to find your way back?

In this episode of At The Fence, Adrienne shares her deeply personal journey with horses. From growing up with horses just outside her back door and finding confidence, freedom, and belonging with her beloved Appaloosa, April, to the devastating day her father unexpectedly sold all six of the family’s horses, Adrienne talks about how that loss changed the course of her life.

For decades, the love of horses never disappeared. She watched from the other side of the fence, finding small ways to be near them while protecting herself from ever experiencing that kind of loss again.

Then came forgiveness, a chance encounter, and eventually a horse named Hank.

Adrienne shares what it was like to return to horses after 40 years, rebuild her confidence, find the right people, and finally become a horse owner again.

If you've ever stood at the fence wondering whether you're too old, too rusty, too afraid—or simply don't know where to begin—this episode is for you.

Sometimes the dream doesn't disappear. It simply waits for you to come back.

Follow Empower Equine on social media and join the conversation. We'd love to hear your story: Are you finding your way back to horses too?

The Horse Has Always Been There

From a little girl in Scotland racing her pony alongside a train, to representing Scotland in the show-jumping ring, Michelle’s life has always had one constant: the horse.

In this episode of At The Fence, Michelle shares her journey through a lifetime with horses—and how that relationship changed as her life changed.

She talks about leaving competitive show jumping behind as marriage and motherhood took her three hours from home, the heartbreak of selling a beloved horse, raising children alongside horses, and eventually making the enormous move from Scotland to the United States.

That move brought homesickness, financial struggles, and years when the horse life she had always known seemed almost impossible to recreate. But somehow, horses kept finding their way back in.

From a miniature horse named Boogie, to Western Pleasure, off-track Thoroughbreds, and eventually discovering a completely different approach to horsemanship, the journey didn't look anything like she once imagined it would.

Today, Michelle can look out her kitchen window and see her horses in her own backyard—and recognize just how much they have carried her through every chapter of her life.

This is a conversation about identity, motherhood, starting over, resilience, and the quiet way horses can anchor us when everything else around us is changing.

The dream may change. The horse may change. We may change. But sometimes, the horse has simply always been there.

Follow Empower Equine on Instagram @EmpowerEquineUS, and join us next time At The Fence.

At The Fence is a podcast for women returning to or entering into the equestrian world in middle age, the issues that arise, the mindset that is needed, the learning required, tips and tricks for horse care, training, safety, barn care and much more. It's a place where community can grow and confidence can rise.

In this very first podcast episode, Michelle and Adrienne talk about who they are, their journey with horses, why this podcast, why now and what you can expect going forward.