2024, you were a really rough assignment for a lot of people. You brought heartache and chaos to many parts of the world, both horsey and not. You caused pain. You caused angst.

And I feel like a heel, because you were one of the best calendar years of my life.

I’ve been joking-not-joking with people about how this was the year in which I officially Arrived: I was asked to give a lecture to the US Pony Club, I won a National Championship, and I’m now sponsored by Mrs. Pastures Horse Cookies. I have MADE IT, y’all. 

And it wasn’t just those three things. I wrote a little book, and I’m finalizing a contract on a big one. I put together my second syndicate to buy another stellar horse, and between the two syndicate horses and my own, I’m sitting on the best horses of my career. I was given an amazing opportunity to own an incredible senior Grand Prix horse, on whom I was able to make it possible to let some people I love show FEI. I taught more clinics and lessons than I’ve ever taught in a calendar year. My staff is phenomenal. My clients are wonderful.

I’m terrified.

I know there’s nothing holy about January 1, no magic happens at 12:01, but it’s easy to look back and think of the year 20blahblah as good or bad, and I’ve had some bad. The year that everything died. The year(s) that I was broke. The year where what I thought was my path to success was suddenly uprooted. I’ve been in those years. We’ve all had those years. One human constant is failure, whether by our own choices or by the universe slapping us with some calamity.

And I know that there’s always dark within the light, and light within the dark. The worst year of my life, the year that I nearly went bankrupt, which was followed by the year in which everything died, was also the year that my now-husband waltzed in. This year, in which there was so, so very much good, had its ick times: a death of someone I cared for deeply, some staffing challenges, having to get real about horses in my life and what they wanted to be when they grew up. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, just as the down times can have their moments of joy.

But it just feels like there’s been too much good, and what goes up must inevitably come down. So I’m going to prepare for it. I’m trying hard to do right by my people, setting up a 401k for my employees, and focusing hard on finding them learning opportunities (as I always do). I’m checking off some deferred maintenance, so at least when chaos descends, it’ll hopefully be unpreventable chaos, because that’s less painful, somehow, in my weird little brain. And I’m writing things like this, to remember all the triumph, all the glory, all the bright shining success of this year’s good times, because I can look back and remember what it felt like, when things go inevitably to shit.

I expressed this thought to a friend recently, who said, “that’s not planning ahead. That’s a trauma response.” And maybe it is. But I think, then, that life is inherently traumatic. But for me, the worst days in this horse business, the days when all hell has, truly, broken loose, are still a price worth paying for all the good. So cheers to you, 2024, and onward.

It’s holiday shopping time! And as a professional rider who is not remotely nice to her equipment, I’ve got some great ideas for hard-wearing and pragmatic gifts that a rider at any level will appreciate. If you’re shopping for a horse enthusiast, here’s what I suggest:

– A pair of cozy winter gloves from Roeckl. My favorite is the Roeckl Grip Winter, which is just thick enough to keep me cozy while not leaving me too bulky to actually use my hands. Pick up a pair from Misty View Equestrian here.

– While you’re checking out Misty View’s website, treat yourself to a pair of Kingsley custom boots, and then up your matchy-matchy game by adding a Kask helmet with matching leather. My Kingsley Capris are tough as can be, even with the massive amount of riding, walking and general abuse I subject them to. And I LOVE my Kask Starlady with matching leather. Learn about custom ordering here, and be sure to keep an eye on their stock sale starting November 29!

– A (free!) feed consult from Tribute Equine Nutrition. We started feeding Tribute more than a decade ago, and our horses have never been shinier and healthier from less concentrate. That’s good for their bellies AND good for our wallets. And their team of nutritionists will do a free nutrition consult to come up with the best feeding plan for your horse, including our personal favorite product, Essential K with Fly Control. You may not need fly control over the winter, depending on what part of the country you’re from, but switching my barn over to that product has DRAMATICALLY reduced our fly population both in VA and – even more remarkably, because we’re right next to a canal – in FL. Fill out the form here and get your feed plan.

– A container of Mrs. Pastures Ring Ready treats. Unless you’re a snowbird, the next show season is, in fact, not soon. But these are just the freaking BEST treats for year round – they’re small enough for a horse to take even with a double bridle on, they contain a gut buffer to help sooth stressy tummies, they don’t disintegrate in your pocket (even when it’s hot as heck out!), and they’re super tasty. Check them out here.

– A Finesse bridle from Horse By Horse, and a Bridle Mattress to keep it in good condition. Man oh man, the Finesse bridle is just stinking magical. In a world of gimmicks in the name of horse comfort, the Finesse has actual science proving its claims, and they’ve been effective for me on a huge range of horses – ones who were great in the bridle are better, ones who want to be too light in the bridle take contact nicely, and ones that want to lean or bear down are better in the self-carriage. It’s pretty dang remarkable, and you can order them from Horse By Horse here. Then get yourself a BridleMattress here to protect it (and get a SaddleMattress to protect your saddle too!).

– New winter rugs from Bow Horse. Let’s face it – unless you’re a snowbird, your horse is, at some point midwinter, going to render his rug so foul that it’ll basically stand up on its own. Having a second set means you can always have one clean and ready to go. Bow Horse rugs are incredibly hard wearing (just ask my little chaos monkeys!), without the expense of bigger brand names. And the colors are to DIE FOR. Check them out here.

– A Ride iQ membership. Unless you’re in a full training program, you need Ride iQ, an audio lesson subscription app that grants you access to ride-along lessons with big time pros like, well, me! From grassroots to FEI, there’s a mountain of rides on Ride iQ to chose from, from warmups to teaching new skills to whole rides, all with a top professional in your ear. And your membership also gets you access to a private Facebook group that is truly the nicest horsey community on the ‘net. Click here to learn about a free trial!

– A new pair (or two!) of white Pro 2.0 show breeches from Esprit. If you show more than a handful of times a year, you know how dingy white breeches can get after multiple washes. They’re a dumb thing to spend a lot of money on, which is why I’ve loved showing in Esprit breeches this year. They hold up amazing – they’re my daily wear as well, and lord knows I’m not gentle on my equipment – and the price tag means that they’re easy to replace when they come to the end of their lifespan. I prefer the white/white, but I always keep a white/black seat in my bag in case it rains. Click here and use code lauren to get 5% off your first order.

– While you’re thinking about getting show ready, treat yourself to a new show shirt from Novella. When coats are waived, I switch to the Devin model shirt, so I’m still protected from the sun with its long sleeves and zip collar, but I don’t have to melt in my jacket. Check out their gorgeous line here.

– And as you get yourself ready for show season, Bex Bar Shampoo is a fabulous stocking stuffer for your barn mates. Shampoo bars have been my own personal go-to for years, as they’re long lasting with SO much less plastic waste. Bex Bars are formulated for animal use, smell AMAZING, and are super easy to store and travel with. Learn all about ’em here.

– Tired of having to replace your rubber Fillis stirrup pads when they lose tread? Upgrade to one of the Tech Stirrup dressage models. Go traditional with silver or black, or tart it up with the GORGEOUS titanium pair I just got. Click here to see all their options.

– Lastly, all of Spectra Therapy’s product line is phenomenal, but if you want the most bang for the least buck, bring home the neck/body wrap and two tendon bootkit. The neck wrap can be used way more places than just the neck – I put it on top of the saddle area before rides on tight days, or I’ll flip it upside down to use on the belly for horses who have an upset tummy. And the leg wraps are great for legs, but they’re also easy to wrap around my own legs or back when one of them is flaring up. Spectra Therapy offers Class 3 Lasers in wearables, so you can literally set it and forget it for hours, even overnight. Laser therapy is the best modality out there for healing and reducing inflammation. We use ours every day! Check out that package here, and check out the rest of the site for more wearables for you, your horse and your dog.