This week on The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel share all the highs, nerves and hilarious moments from their first local hacking show experience — from soggy rugs and rain-soaked mornings to reserve champion ribbons and proud pony mum moments. The girls chat about stepping outside their comfort zones, the unexpected thrill of the show ring, and why hacking might just become their new obsession.

Meanwhile, Marissa continues her chaotic “horse dating” journey, uncovering one very suspicious shirtless seller and reflecting on the emotional rollercoaster of trying to find the right horse.

Then the ladies welcome special guest Kim Costa from Georgia, USA, a former equestrian turned real estate expert, author and podcast host. Kim shares her deeply personal story of surviving a devastating riding accident, rebuilding her life, and discovering how our homes should reflect who we truly are. Together, they dive into identity, midlife reinvention, horses as lifestyle anchors, and why creating a home that aligns with your soul might just change everything.

It’s heartfelt, funny, reflective and packed with relatable conversations about horses, homes, family, and finding yourself again in midlife

This episode of The Mounting Block is a powerful mix of real-life horse struggles, personal breakthroughs, and an incredibly inspiring conversation with global powerhouse Amy Kunrojpanya.

The girls kick things off with the highs and lows of horse shopping—navigating confidence, capability, and knowing when a horse just isn’t the right fit (even when she’s beautiful). There’s also a huge personal win in the arena, conquering fear and finally cantering calmly over poles, proof that progress isn’t always flashy, but it’s deeply meaningful.

Then the episode shifts gears into a deeply moving and eye-opening conversation with Amy. From growing up in rural Queensland to leading communications for global giants like Google, Uber and Netflix, Amy shares her extraordinary career journey, but it’s her personal story that hits hardest.

She opens up about living with stage 4 endometriosis, taking nearly 30 years to diagnose, and the systemic gaps in women’s health that still exist today. The conversation dives into the “gender pain gap,” the lack of research and funding for women’s health, and what needs to change, from funding female founders to normalising conversations about our bodies.

It’s a raw, honest, and empowering episode about resilience, redefining success, backing yourself, and pushing for a better future for us, and for the next generation.

In this special in-person episode of The Mounting Block, we’re joined by the man behind the magic — Will Shaw from Equine on the Move. The calm voice in our chaotic horse journeys, Will shares the real secrets behind horsemanship, confidence, and why sometimes… it’s not actually the horse that needs fixing.

We dive into everything from float-loading disasters and gate dramas to the psychology of horses (and riders). Will breaks down the concept of a horse’s “two brains,” how to shift them from panic to calm, and why timing — not force — is everything.

But this episode goes deeper than riding techniques. We talk about fear, rebuilding confidence as adult riders, and the mental load we bring into the saddle. Will explains why so many riders struggle — not from lack of skill, but from a missing foundation in true horsemanship.

You’ll also hear Will’s incredible backstory — from cattle stations in Western Queensland to playing rugby overseas and even rubbing shoulders with royalty — before building a business that’s now helping riders across Brisbane feel safer, calmer, and more connected to their horses.

This episode is equal parts practical advice, mindset shift, and reassurance that you’re not alone in your horse journey.

Because as Will reminds us..
Stop trying to fix the horse. Start working on yourself.

Horse shopping sounds exciting… until you’re dodging bucking broncos and questioning every listing like it’s online dating for horses. This week, we’re deep in the reality of finding “the one” for Marissa, the highs, the red flags, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it.

From unexpected pig roots in the arena to the sobering truth that great horses set a very high bar, Oriel and Marissa unpack what they’re learning about risk, confidence, and trusting their gut (and sometimes, not the ad).

Then they shift gears into a powerful conversation with returning guest Fiona Spence, diving into something many of us don’t even realise we’re carrying — micro trauma. The small, repeated experiences that quietly shape how we react, perform, and show up in life… from the arena to the office.

If you’ve ever wondered why your confidence dips, why certain situations trigger you, or why you keep repeating patterns — this episode connects the dots.

It’s raw, honest, a little chaotic… and a reminder that whether it’s horses or life, there’s always more going on beneath the surface.

In this episode of The Mounting Block, we sit down with Olympic three-day eventer Rebel Morrow—and let’s just say, it’s equal parts inspiring, humbling, and wildly relatable.

From buying her Olympic horse for just $300 (yes, really) to finishing 11th in the world at the Athens Olympics, Rebel shares the raw, unfiltered reality behind elite equestrian sport. No perfect pathway, no grand plan—just instinct, grit, and a whole lot of heart.

We unpack the highs of competing on the world stage, the unexpected lows that come after, and the reality of what it takes to get there (and stay there). Plus, we dive into fear, confidence, rebuilding after setbacks, and why sometimes the biggest lessons come from the horses that don’t work out.

Alongside Rebel’s incredible story, we share our own updates—from first competitions and riding breakthroughs to the emotional decision to retire a much-loved horse.

It’s a conversation about resilience, perspective, and the beautifully chaotic journey of being a horse person—whether you’re aiming for the Olympics or just trying to canter over a pole without panicking.

In this thoughtful and refreshingly honest episode of The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel kick things off with their usual horsey catch-up, sharing updates on groundwork with Hickatee as she continues to recover, and Laney’s lesson prep ahead of an upcoming dressage protocol day. From invisible lead ropes and flag coordination struggles to the realities of training transitions and halts, it’s a relatable look at the learning curves, small wins, and humour that come with horse life.

The heart of the episode is a powerful conversation with returning guest Claire Riley, who opens up about her “accidental” journey to more than 14 months sober. Claire shares how what began as a simple two-week detox turned into a much bigger lifestyle shift, and speaks candidly about grey area drinking, habit loops, social pressures, parenting, confidence, health, and what changed when alcohol was no longer part of her everyday life. It’s not a conversation about rock bottom, but about the quiet middle ground so many women may recognise in themselves.

This episode is honest, warm, funny and deeply thought-provoking — a conversation about identity, habits, self-awareness and what can happen when you give yourself the freedom to do things differently.

This week on The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel kick things off with a very real horsey debrief after a day that did not go to plan — from Hickatee feeling off in work to Laney’s unexpected leg injury during groundwork. It’s a raw and relatable chat about the emotional roller coaster of horse ownership, the guilt riders carry, and why sometimes even the calmest days at pony club can unravel fast.

Then the conversation shifts from horse dramas to parenting in the digital age, as the girls are joined by Carol Mackie-Dadds from Triple P Parenting. Together they unpack one of the biggest challenges modern families face: screen time. From iPads, gaming and TV to social media risks, family rules, neurodiverse kids, and how to create healthy habits without constant battles, this episode is packed with practical advice, reassurance, and honest discussion for parents trying to get it right.

No wine today, which frankly feels suspicious given the week that was.

Marissa kicks things off with the saga of Hickatee’s mystery lip injury — an incident involving stitches, rain-washed paddock evidence, and the shocking revelation that she is, in fact, wildly squeamish at the sight of horse blood. Nearly fainting while the vet insisted she stand on the exact side of the wound? Yes. Character building? Also yes.

What could have been a stressful horse week somehow turns into a victory tour. There’s solo float driving (accompanied by the classic “I’m not scared” internal monologue), a sore hand from aggressively gripping the steering wheel, and a surprisingly drama-free unloading.. growth all around.

Then comes the moment that absolutely no non-horse person will appreciate properly: a canter over a single pole. Objectively minor. Emotionally enormous. After extensive pre-panic and attempted psychic negotiation with the instructor, the pole is cantered. The world does not end. Confidence levels rise.

With Hickatee temporarily off duty, Marissa dives into groundwork with Will from Equine on the Move, tackling lunging, energy, timing, and the realisation that the biggest training challenge is often the human brain, not the horse. Shocking, we know.

The girls are then joined by Santa Monica author and wine aficionado Danielle Frank, who brings laughs and unexpected depth with her brilliantly titled book A Wine Lover’s Guide to Parenting: The Fine Art of WINE and WHINE Management. Between wine wisdom, life plot twists, and brutally relatable truths about happiness not always following the original script, things get both funny and surprisingly wise.

Also featured: forgotten anniversaries, marital competence comparisons, and the usual Mounting Block chaos.

Business as usual, really.