Dressage Life with JJ Tate

Does your horse have a favorite exercise? Have you ever asked yourself why they like it?

In this episode, JJ talks about taking accountability and the decisions we make both in and out of the saddle. Learning to embrace feedback without attachment is a huge part of improving as a rider, and as a human!

This episode was originally featured in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Want more JJ? Check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

In this podcast episode JJ welcomes two special guests, her husband Richard Malmgren, and their friend and fellow dressage trainer, Harley Sarge, to discuss the transformative 75 Hard program.

Harley and Richard share their experiences and delve into the details of the 75-day mental toughness challenge created by Andy Frisella.

They discuss the program's five key tasks and share the physical and mental changes they underwent, how the program builds discipline, commitment to self, and confidence.

They also discuss the surprising difficulties and the rewarding outcomes, and why they choose to repeat the program periodically.

For more information on the 75 Hard program, check out this podcast by Andy Frisella: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tDHTAgvqC6BVeHL9Fedha?si=d1defea147814497

For more about Richard:https://www.richardmalmgren.com/

And Harley Sarge: https://harleywhittaker.wixsite.com/hw-dressage

One of the most influential figures in American dressage, Lendon Gray sits down with JJ to share some great stories—from her humble beginnings in the middle of nowhere Maine, to competing the Olympics, and now creating educational programs for equestrians of all ages.

Through her tireless efforts to bring young people into the sport, regardless of their backgrounds, Lendon is shaping a new generation of riders with a well-rounded, complete horsemanship education—an impact that will be felt for decades to come.Lendon's lifelong dedication to horses is an example of truly serving the horse, and reminds us all of how very fortunate we are to have horses in our lives.

You can learn more about Lendon's educational programs here: https://dressage4kids.org/

JJ goes off script a little in this heartfelt episode when she shares some recent challenges with horses in her barn.

As custodians of these incredible animals, we need to do them the service of hearing them when they are having difficulty, whether that's pain, the memory of pain or confusion.

We also need to teach them resilience, so things like riding when everyone else is being fed, or at different times than they are used to strengthens their ability to cope with being inconvenienced.

Tune in for this thought-provoking discussion about honoring our horses generosity in a partnership that they never asked for.

This episode was originally featured on January 18, 2025 in JJ's online community, Team Tate TV, a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you.

If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there. Want more JJ? Check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

JJ kicks off her return to podcasting with a thought-provoking conversation with her sports psychologist, Annette Paterakis.

Riding and caring for horses isn’t just a passion—it’s a lifestyle filled with endless challenges and opportunities for growth.

In this episode, JJ and Annette explore how the transformative power of presence can help riders quiet the mental noise and build a deeper understanding and connection with themselves and their horses.
If you are interested in working with Annette and The Equestrian Mind Academy, you can email her at ap@annettepaterakis.com

In this episode, JJ sits down with 6-time Olympian and dressage legend Steffen Peters for a heartfelt conversation about life both in and out of the competition arena.

They explore the importance of hobbies and downtime, especially after big shows, and the consequences of neglecting this balance.

They also discuss the Paris Olympics and the qualities Steffen finds most important when looking for a top dressage horse.

Another not-to-be-missed podcast!

Join us for this special bonus podcast where JJ sits down with Brett Parbery, this year's Dressage at Devon Masterclass presenter.

Brett offers a glimpse into his distinctive Australian upbringing and background, along with some entertaining stories that highlight his well-rounded experience as an equestrian. He also discusses his training philosophies and what he hopes to convey to the Devon audience on Thursday, September 26, 2024.

We all want our horses relaxed and happy to work with us, but what does that actually mean? And how do we achieve it?

JJ adds dimension to the concept and reminds us that we are here to help, not harass, the horse.

This episode was originally featured on July 4, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Want more JJ? Check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

How do you train a horse? This week, JJ shares her thoughts on the parallels of evolving as a human and training a horse, and 2 things we need to not be afraid of doing: Weeding and Cooking.

This episode was originally featured on June 24, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Want more JJ? Check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

In what JJ hopes to turn into a regularly visited theme, she talks about how so much of being a good rider goes against our normal human instinctual responses.

This week, she'll cover how we tend respond when the horse suddenly comes off the bit, and how we actually should respond. This episode was originally featured on May 31, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there. Want more JJ? Check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

In this episode, JJ shares how she handled a near-disastrous warmup with Denali at a recent CDI, and still managed a great test (and a win!).

How she did it applies in our daily rides, too; sometimes we need to stop stopping to analyze and just get on with it!

This episode was originally featured on May 22, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Want more JJ? Check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

Whether it's improving our own riding skills or training the horse, it all takes repetition. Sometimes it feels like we're at it forever! But, giving one big aid or working on something a couple of times, even if it feels successful, does not mean the horse now gets it and will do it that way forever, or that your position is permanently improved.

We need to continue to work toward improvement with empathy for our equine partner while remembering that over millimeters and minutes, we build up the accumulation of better balance, better strength, better aids, and better control over ourselves, and that leads to the changes we seek.

This episode was originally featured on May 8, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

You can now check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

Just like with horses, being able to give ourselves a half halt before things spin out of control is a valuable skill. In this podcast, JJ shares the inner work that she's been focusing on and how it relates to riding, showing, and everything else we do with horses. This episode was originally featured on February 7, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there. You can now check out Team Tate Academy with a free 7-day trial! ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

Do you ever go to a clinic or a lesson and have this big breakthrough? Or sometimes one thing gets better and something else gets worse?

In this short but sweet podcast, JJ shares some tips on how to use the information you learn at a clinic or lesson to craft a training plan so you can build on what you learned and be ready for next time!

This is an encore presentation of one of JJ's first podcasts that appeared first as a Live on the private Facebook page, Team Tate TV on July 15, 2020. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Team Tate Academy now has a 7-day, no obligation, FREE trial! Check us out at ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

In this recently found recording from almost 2 years ago, JJ talks about what the Grand Prix means to her.

It's not about having a fancy horse or even a well-trained one, but the qualities and life lessons learned as we work toward the top level of dressage.

No matter what level rider you are, what kind of horse you ride, or what level of training your horse has, we can all be working on becoming our best Grand Prix self.

This episode was featured on June 22, 2022, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV, a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Team Tate Academy now has a 7-day, no obligation, FREE trial! Check us out at ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

This week we're sharing something usually reserved for Academy members only! We thought our loyal listeners would enjoy hearing a partial recording of an "Ask JJ Anything" Tack Room Chat.

During these special chats, Academy members can ask JJ anything. Listen in as JJ answers questions that include helping an OTTB transition to a dressage horse, how to determine if it's the saddle, the hocks, the rider, or ? and much more. Want More JJ? If you're on Facebook, Join us on Team Tate TV, JJ's private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you.

Team Tate Academy now has a 7-day, no obligation, FREE trial! Check us out at ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

This week JJ recaps her rides with Denali and Romeo at the FEI Trainer's Conference with Sabine Schut-Kery and Sven Rothenberger.

JJ shares what they worked on and gives us an idea of what training at the top of the sport looks on a day-to-day basis.

This episode was originally featured on January 17, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Check out Team Tate Academy, now with a Free 7-day Trial: ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

An essential aspect of effective communication, an educated rider's leg is a skill to be cultivated.

More than just on or off, or a kick, the leg can be used in different ways to achieve different outcomes.

In this podcast, JJ gives an overview of a great leg position, the subtle and not-so-subtle uses of the leg, and how to develop an educated leg. Kick your riding up a notch when your effective leg meets your deep, adhesive seat!

This episode was originally featured on January 3, 2024, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

Curious about Team Tate Academy? You can try it out with our new 7-Day Free Trial. ⁠⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info⁠

In this podcast, JJ talks about how the 3 stages of training actually show up in every exercise we do, every time we ride. Being able to adjust the dials and correctly gymnastize your horse while keeping these 3 stages in mind not only helps your horse gain the strength and skill to go up the levels, it also stops what we often call "training holes" from ever becoming a deep-rooted problem that needs to be addressed after they've taken hold.

The 2 books JJ references are The Athletic Development of the Horse, and Dressage Principles Illuminated both by Charles de Kunffy.

Dave Thind is a German classically trained dressage rider who has developed a deep passion for the Feldenkrais method after discovering for himself how effective it can be.

Dave has developed a rider-specific Feldenkrais method that helps you learn that ever-elusive 'feel' as a rider, but it also can help with pain and dysfunction caused by injury and past movement patterns.

A fascinating method, Feldenkrais is not an exercise program but a technique that uses thoughtful movement and directed attention.

Enjoy this conversation where Dave's passion for his work shines through and inspires us to realize we absolutely can help ourselves feel and move better.

The book Dave references in this podcast is The Brain's Way of Healing by Norman Doidge.

You can learn more about Dave and his Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement Program at https://www.davethindmethod.com/a/2147496712/RgwdhDef

In this podcast, JJ interviews Brandi Roenick, the American rider who is now the head Young Horse Rider at Schoeckemöhle Stallion Station in Germany.

You might have heard about her incredible win at the German Young Horse Championships in August 2023, aboard the 4-year-old stallion, Escanto PS, but you may have not heard her inspiring story of finding her way back to horses after difficulties with her mental health.

Brandi shares how hard work, hitting the ground a few times, and changing her mindset changed the trajectory of her life, and how at last, she has found her home and is able to look forward to exciting things to come.

Want more JJ? Check out her online community, Team Tate TV, a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

You can now join Team Tate Academy any time at ⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info

This week, JJ helps us expand our understanding of the horse's ever-changing balance; in her unique JJ style, she also gives us a new label to help us easily incorporate it into our own rides.

JJ shares an interesting observation about the German approach to riding with discipline and how not to be a reactive rider, but a disciplined, thoughtful trainer of our horse.

This episode was originally featured in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV, her private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

For more information on Team Tate Academy, you can check it out at ⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info

In this podcast, JJ fills us in on what she's focusing on with the help of her new sports psychologist, Annette Paterakis. She introduces us to Sally and Vicky, the names she's given to the parts of the brain (that we all have!) who can sometimes take over the driving duties and steer us away from our true selves. Sally and Vicky often show up when we're riding, and being able to recognize this and put them in the backseat can be a transformative experience!

JJ's sports psychologist mentioned in this podcast is Annette Paterakis. You can find her books on Amazon as well as on her website: https://annettepaterakis.com/ This episode was originally featured on August 29, 2023, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV, her private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.

For more information on Team Tate Academy, you can check it out at ⁠https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info

We all have struggles. With our horses, with our riding skills, with our jobs, family, and just in life. Totally normal. But how we respond is up to us. This week JJ reminds us that we have the power to change things, and it usually means we need to just start shoveling!

JJ also gives us an update on what's going on in Germany with her horses, including the return of one of her top horses, and how watching the German horse selections for the FEI Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Ermelo, Netherlands, really got her thinking about shoveling!

This week, JJ sits down with Suzanne Galdun of Positively Dressage. Suzanne is 1 of only 9 Mary Wanless certified biomechanics coaches the US.

Along with her considerable knowledge and good humor, Suzanne strives to teach the rider how they learn best, so they can find a new level of awareness and can positively influence the horse, no matter what discipline they ride, or what "baggage" they may bring.

Suzanne is available for clinics, email her at sgaldun@gmail.com.

This episode was originally featured on April 29, 2023, in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.
You can now join Team Tate Academy any time at https://www.teamtateacademy.com/info

In this episode, JJ sits down with young horse trainer John Amber to share the fascinating story of how he has built a reputation among top dressage trainers for his mastery of skill with young horses.  He shares his experience and irreplaceable education in the incredibly fast-paced and efficient German warmblood production pipeline which almost ended his career prematurely following two catastrophic riding accidents in two years. He miraculously made a full physical recovery both times, and overcame fear so debilitating that he nearly quit riding completely. He now runs a proven young horse program in FL, and shares his hard-won wisdom with you.

In this encore podcast episode, JJ shares her thoughts on how to live and ride in alignment with your principles, and how to find and focus on your own journey with compassion, empathy, and grace. 

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This episode was originally featured on March 17, 2022 in JJ’s online community, Team Tate TV a private Facebook group of inspired & supportive dressage lovers just like you. If you’re on Facebook we welcome you to join the conversation there.  You can now join Team Tate Academy any time at https://www.teamtateacademy.com/sign-up-now