When this episode is published, I will be really close to having a baby (my first) if I haven't already. So this is a very special episode for me. Andrea and I talk about what it's like to get back in the saddle and back in shape after giving birth and perhaps most importantly, we talk about how to not lose sight of our own goals and dreams as we start to make our children's a priority. With three young children herself, Andrea shares some great insights with me that will hopefully be...

In this episode, Andrea and I chat about some of the negativity that can crop up at horse events and how, as a new competitor, you shouldn't let it get you down. While most western folks are great, as we all know, just one bad apple can really ruin our days...but only if we let it.

I recently wrote a blog post titled, "This Part Time Cowboy Lifestyle, is it Really Worth it All?" where I wrote about the reasons, even with all the struggles that go along with it, this lifestyle is totally worth it to me. I got a lot of feedback on this post and wanted to dive into it a little deeper on the show today with my new co-host, Andrea Otley. You may remember Andrea from her interview on Episode 42 of the podcast where she talked about her passion, helping riders get in great...

I find January to be a great time to make plans and set goals for the upcoming year. I don't know about you, but I nearly always feel like I didn't spend enough time with my horses when December rolls around, and in January I'm thinking about ways to remedy the situation. But the truth is, if I don't get really serious about what I want to accomplish in the upcoming year, I will likely be disappointed once again at the end of the next 12 month stretch. In this episode, I talk about what we...

The host of the Whoa Podcast, John Harrer returns to the show to talk about his experience training a wild horse for the Vaquero Heritage Trainers Challenge in Tehachapi. John didn't grow up around horses. In fact, he didn't really get into horses until he was nearing retirement age. But this year, he decided to take on a huge challenge and train 9 year old horse that had never been handled before. Then he competed against several professional trainers at the end of the training period. I...

In this interview, I talk with Heather Smith of barrelracingtips.com about the many facets of competetive barrel racing. It's such a simple concept - take your horse around 3 stationary barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. But it turns out, there is far more to it than that. Whether you're a barrel racer or not, if you are involved with horses and the world of western competition, you won't want to miss this one. Heather has also written several books on barrel racing: Secrets to Barrel Racing...

Today's episode features an interview I did with horseman, Van Hargis for the Cowboy Champions Summit this past June. I got a lot of great feedback on this interview, so I wanted to share it with those of you who missed the summit. Van talks about how to make horsemanship simple by "reducing to the ridiculous." Just a reminder, I would still love to get your audio bumpers, bios and stories to play on the podcast. Go to www.speakpipe.com/eyspurs to leave a message that's 90 seconds or less....

Cliff Schadt Jr. is not your typical cowboy. In fact, he grew up in a family of hunter jumper trainers on Long Island, New York. Even so, he knew from a young age, that there was "cowboy" in his blood. That hankering eventually led him to the west where he worked on ranches in Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming and Montana as well as for renowned horseman, Craig Cameron. Listen in to hear Cliff's story and get a little inspiration to chase after your own dreams.

In this episode I speak to the Owner of Colorado Cattle Company, Tom Carr. He tells the story of how he came to love and later own his dream working cattle ranch/dude ranch, and why it's a great option for a vacation if you're into that sort of thing. This interview was a ton of fun and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Maybe you are familiar with National Day ofthe American Cowboy already. Perhaps you have been to one of the dozens of events held across the US and even in other countries, to celebrate the iconic cowboy hero. However much you think you know, I guarantee you will learn something from this interview with Bethany Braley who is the driving force behind this national celebration. Plus, learn how you can be instrumental in getting this special day recognized in your home state. It's coming up on...

When I ask my guests at the end of each episode what they think is the most important quality for any good cowboy to have, I get answers like, "integrity," "kindness," "honesty," and "grit." Never once have I heard, "the ability to rope two feet every time they throw their loop." Being a great cowboy is so much more than knowing how to ride a horse or rope a steer. Today's guest, Kent Noble, of The Center for Cowboy Ethics talks about how his organization is teaching people to live more...

In this episode, I speak with equine clinician Tim Hayes. Tim never rode a horse until he was 48 years old, but was fortunate enough to learn with some of the greatest horsemen to ever live. Today he travels the country giving his own clinics and he recently came out with a book, Riding Home: The Power of Horses to Heal. He explores the power of horses to act as a catalyst for healing and rehabilitation in prisoners, military personnel and people with disabilities. Some of the profound...

This week's episode features the president of American Hat Company, Keith Mundee. He shares some helpful information about how hats are made, how to judge the quality of a hat, and what the "kids" are wearing these days. And if you are a connoisseur of fine hats yourself, Keith shares an amazing tip about treating hats as family heirlooms and what he is doing for each of his grandkids.

Andrea Otley is a health and fitness coach who specializes in helping riders reach their goals. As a barrel racer and reined cowhorse competitor, Andrea understands firsthand how developing your fitness can be a huge asset for having more success with your horses and better results in the show pen. She is also a mother of three and knows that getting and staying fit takes work.

The Cowboy Champions Virtual Summit features top horsemen and rodeo athletes sharing their expert knowledge about what it takes to be a champion. The sessions will boost your confidence and help motivate you to push yourself to the next level. In this episode of the podcast, I share some previews from a few of the speaker sessions. Register for Free at www.cowboysummit.com.

Today's episode features Brand Manager for Olathe Boot Company, Steven Kahla. We talk about fit, function and fashion of the modern-day cowboy boot. And I can almost guarantee you will learn something new (I know I did!)

Bret Beach is a multiple time NFR qualifier and the founder of totalteamroping.com. He loves to rope and he loves teaching newcomers how to get started and how to win. In this episode, Bret offers some great advice to those looking to get into the sport of team roping on roping, riding and finding the right horse.

Laura Jean Schneider is one half of a young ranching couple, neither of who grew up with any experience in ranching. Her husband, Sam, is a Yale architecture grad. We talk about how they were able to get their cattle business started, what it's been like learning the tricks of the trade, and what it is really like living in a solar-powered camp trailer.

If you listened to the Christmas episode of the show, you already met my brother Bryce. But I wanted to have him back on in a more "official" capacity. So today's episode is all about what he does as the assistant rodeo coach at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. It's a great episode for anyone who wants to get into college rodeo or just wants to learn how rodeo and higher education collide.

Today is a special bonus episode of the Earn Your Spurs podcast where I am going to introduce you to my friend, John Harrer of the Whoa Podcast. If you love the Earn Your Spurs podcast, you have to check out the Whoa Podcast. And this is a special episode, because the Whoa Podcast wasn't always the Whoa Podcast. It actually started out as the Downunder Horsemanship Podcast, inspired by John's journey with Clinton Anderson and "the Method" video training series. And this is the 100th episode...

If you're looking for inspiration inside the world of rodeo, look no further than Kaila Mussell. Kaila started breaking colts as a kid, moved onto trick riding and just to turn the intensity up another notch, she started riding broncs. And she did it so well, she became the only woman in the history of professional rodeo (so far) to earn a PRCA card in the saddle bronc riding. In this episode, we talk about her career, the obstacles she's overcome and why she keeps climbing back in the...

One of the biggest struggles riders at any level have is building and maintaining confidence. After all, being an effective rider requires a strong grasp of your attitude and knowing how to use it to your advantage. Today, Barbra Schulte is my guest on the show and she is going to give us a bit of an attitude adjustment to help us build confidence and become better riders and competitors using the power of our minds.

Karen is a Top 50 Riding Instructor with American Riding Instructor's Association and after talking with her, it is no surprise. Karen has a unique ability to teach her clients proper riding technique and form. But beyond that, she can explain the practical reason behind each command, which makes it much easier for her riders to understand and replicate the maneuvers. She travels the world lecturing on horse and rider biomechanics, which we discuss in this episode.

I have always been interested in psychology, coaching and how the mind works. In fact, I was even a psychology major for one semester (more on that another time)... So, when I heard about life coaching and therapy using horses, I just had to learn more. Today's guest and fellow Montana resident, Jaimie Stoltzfus explains just exactly how she uses horses as a vehicle to initiate change and allow the people who come to see her to let go of the baggage that is holding them back.