Why Michael Pollard Quit the Sport at the Height of His Career

12/12/23 • 74 min

Michael Pollard had what most of us could only dream of - a meteoric rise in the discipline of Eventing (including winning a Pan Am Games team Gold Medal in 2011), a string of talented horses, a strong non-horse business that supported his riding career, and a supportive group of sponsors, friends and family.

But then, to the surprise of many, Michael retired from the sport in 2016, selling all of his horses. He went from spending most of his time training and riding, to not sitting on a horse for several years.

In a strikingly candid conversation, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Michael to get the story behind this difficult decision; the events that led up to it, the immediate aftermath, and how he’s come back to the sport now as not only a different rider, but also a different person.

This special, not-to-be-missed discussion also touches on many taboo, yet common, aspects of horse sport, including:

A frank dialogue about addiction, and how it nearly derailed his entire early riding career
Financial strain of competing, especially at the top level
Addressing the holes in your training
Dealing with the loss of a horse (and in Michael’s case, multiple horses at once in a devastating trailer accident)
Balancing riding with family, and the tough calls that are made along the way
How to allow yourself to be OK with changing paths while deciding what truly matters in your life
Why taking a break from horses doesn’t have to be a thing you avoid doing at all costs
3 little things to do if you’re getting back into riding after a break

This special, not-to-be-missed discussion also touches on many taboo, yet common, aspects of horse sport, including:

A frank dialogue about addiction, and how it nearly derailed his entire early riding career
Financial strain of competing, especially at the top level
Addressing the holes in your training
Dealing with the loss of a horse (and in Michael’s case, multiple horses at once in a devastating trailer accident)
Balancing riding with family, and the tough calls that are made along the way
How to allow yourself to be OK with changing paths while deciding what truly matters in your life
Why taking a break from horses doesn’t have to be a thing you avoid doing at all costs
3 little things to do if you’re getting back into riding after a break

Previous Episode

Why a Hot Bran Mash Doesn’t Keep Your Horse Warm, and other Blanketing Myths Busted with Dr. DeBoer

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, the time comes once more for the biggest decision of the winter: Do you blanket your horse, or not? And, which one? (Heavy, medium, medium-light, neck or no neck?!)

Some riders put a sheet on at the slightest sign of a chill, while others keep their horses bare regardless of outside conditions. And of course, there are the temperature charts that pop up each year, which are meant to apply hard and fast rules to blanketing, but never actually seem to.

In this episode of Equestrian Voices, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Dr. Michelle DeBoer of the University of Wisconsin, who has a PhD in Animal Science and whose research delves into this singular question of horse ownership.

In their extremely informative discussion, they discuss all things blanketing, and some of the ancillary topics blanketing invariably brings up, including:

Thermoregulation, and how horses use it to keep themselves warm (and how clipping alters that process)
Why thinking that if you’re cold, then your horse is also cold, is incorrect
How breeds, body size, and age should affect your blanketing choices
Why a hot bran mash doesn’t actually help keep our horses warm (though it does warm our hearts!)
Whether or not blanketing early in the season means you have to continue to blanket all season
What outside factors to take into consideration when thinking about blanketing besides just the weather

To learn more about Dr. DeBoer's work, check out her Equine PhD page. You can read a summary of the Norway study referenced in this episode here.

Next Episode

Rewind the Year With Us! 5 Favorite Moments of EV from 2023

It was a record-breaking year for Equestrian Voices, as we won two more awards (W3 Awards) and topped the Goodpods chart. We couldn’t have done it without you, our listeners! From the entire EV team - THANK YOU.

To celebrate this remarkable year, host Caroline Culbertson is rewinding 5 favorite moments of the pod in 2023 with colleague and longtime media friend, Sally Spickard.

Many of you will already know Sally Spickard–you’ve definitely read her content before. Sally has written over 4000 equestrian articles, currently produces Equestrian Masterclasses for NOELLE FLOYD, and is the co-publisher of Eventing Nation.

Sally and Caroline are breaking down our most memorable moments in 2023, including:

How more equestrians can embody athletic identities to match the fitness expectations we have for our horses
How we can merge honoring our horses’ best selves with our own ambitions
What it means to be confident in the saddle, and how self-awareness and self-dialogue can get you there
How we can begin to repair our relationships with our horses and with ourselves

Listening to this recap will ensure you don’t miss some of the most powerful, transformative moments of the year. Not only can these clips uplevel your riding, but they can enhance the way you relate to your horse, yourself and the sport.