#47: Marla Steinberg: A Simple Trail Ride Turned into a Life Changing Moment

This latest podcast takes a whole new turn for me. Yet it makes complete sense in terms of the Dancing the Tightrope podcast series. Remember that this series falls under the category of “it takes a village.” In my case, the village I needed was made up of the friends, family and trainers who helped me get back on the horse after my fall in 2017.   

My guest for this episode is Marla Steinberg, who happily went along with me when I finally decided to ride a horse again – in late 2018. In other words, well over a year after the fall. In this case, I decided to start with an “easy horse” at Cedar Creek Stables here in Lake Lure. 

Listen as Marla and I take you through the twists and turns of what appeared to be a simple trail ride on the surface. It turned out to be life changing for Marla and also showed me how well I hid my fear – at least at first – about the whole idea of riding a horse again. I was busted as soon as we walked into the barn. 

Marla and I share that story and many more in the episode.  

Here’s a little bit about Marla. She’s one of my closest friends. She used to have a house in Lake Lure and we have spent many summers playing together on and around the lake. My first time to meet her involved magnificent, chef-quality food, which I’ve come to understand as her normal. No one puts more love in their food than Marla! She has three grown children who I also count as good friends, as well as her husband Hank, who has never met a stranger.  

Podcasts are usually about some kind of business topic; rarely do you get to eavesdrop on two friends reflecting on some shared experiences. However, that’s exactly what you will hear in this episode. I hope you enjoy it!  

Outline of Episode 
·      Marla’s story of how she got into riding. 3:54

·      Marla’s experience with her father‘s horse. 8:13

·      How Scott never had a bad experience on a horse. 13:56

·      Horses are the ultimate uneducated human. 20:05

·      The second time we went on the trail. 23:43

·      What is a fox hunt? 29:47

·      The importance of having a vest. 36:04

·      How to deal with the fear of horses. 42:54

·      Breathing exercises to make sure your head is clear. 46:46

·      Using fear to fix fear -. 50:24

·      How to build a horse that can do anything. 56:02

·      Develop your mental tools, especially listening, to tune in. 1:01:14

·      What happens when you’re nervous. 1:06:41