Episode Description
In this episode of The Long Ride Home, Alex Husner sits down with Sara Spaulding for a conversation about returning to the saddle after 22 years away and what it means to come back to something that has always felt like part of who you are.
Alex and Sara share a similar path. Both stepped away from horses for decades as life, work, and other priorities took over, and both eventually found their way back to the Saddlebred world they had never completely left behind.
For Sara, that return became real with “Astrology”, the young Saddlebred who has become her heart horse and an important part of a new chapter in her life.
Together, Sara and Alex reflect on rebuilding confidence, learning to trust the process, navigating the pressure riders put on themselves, and the unexpected emotions that come with finally pursuing a dream you have carried for years.
🐴 In this episode, Alex and Sara discuss:
01:49 - Returning to riding after 22 years away
15:20 - How Sara found Astrology and knew he was the horse for her
22:19 - Developing a young show horse and learning not to rush the process
30:36 - The pressure and perfectionism that come with competing again as an adult
31:38 - Why Sara shares the mistakes and imperfect rides alongside the wins
38:12 - How returning to horses helped Sara reconnect with herself during a major life transition
40:05 - Why Astro became Sara’s heart horse
49:18 - Sara’s childhood dream of riding into Freedom Hall
53:35 - Why sharing the real equestrian journey can help bring more visibility to the American Saddlebred world
Connect with Sara:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarakolloff/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saraspaulding_
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