October 28, 2024 
This episode of Horse Person was made possible by our presenting sponsor, Connaway and Associates Equine Insurance Services. Have a question about equine insurance? DM us on the Horse Person Instagram and we’ll get it answered for you!
I’m steadily approaching mid-life.
In my mind, I’m still 25, but I’ve reached the age where I see college-aged kids and think, Are you guys allowed to be out in public on your own? Do your parents know where you are?
I really haven’t dreaded getting older (yet). As a woman there are all sorts of narratives around your appearance and your worth past some made-up age limit that was surely set by men, but growing up in the sport, it’s always given me a glimpse around the corner at how much success and joy we can find in horses well beyond mid-life.
When I met amateur dressage rider Marcela Pomphrey to chat with her about coming on the podcast, Horse Person, it was just the breath of fresh air that I needed—that we all need—to remind us that you’re never too late. You’re right on time.
Marcela longed for horses since she was a little girl. She got a glimmer here and there (a couple of weeks of riding camp as a teenager, and another time sitting atop a famous show jumping horse in her home country of Slovakia), but her dream of getting to ride wouldn’t become reality until she was 40, with two young children.
But then, Marcela, now 46, has never been afraid of being a beginner at anything—horses, business, even the English language.
At 27, moved to the UK without knowing a lick of English. At 30 she began working in a sporting industry she had no experience in. At 31, she started a business. At 40, she started riding.
Now, her goal is to ride at the Prix St. Georges level in dressage by age 60.
In this episode of Horse Person, Marcela shares her journey of decades of longing for horses to be part of her life, how that dream became a reality, and what it taught her about having a learning mindset, embracing the resources that are available to you, and stumbling through the process of being a beginner as an adult. So often, we are lulled into wanting a life of comfort once we reach a certain station in life, but Marcela is the inspiration we all need to wonder about the gifts on the other side of disruption and discomfort.
Don’t miss my full interview with Marcela for a hefty dose of inspiration.
This episode is also supported by Nikovian.com—luxury equestrian sport performance apparel without the unreasonable price tag. Use code horseperson15 at checkout for 15% off.
And, we are supported by We Ride Together, a non-profit on a mission to promote safe and healthy sport for all. For more info on the “Know Your Rights” resource mentioned in today’s episode, go here.
