What does it mean to build a life with horses – both inside the rodeo arena and at home?

On this episode of Beyond the Barn, host Katy Starr chats with Mitch Pollock, NFR saddle bronc rider, rancher, and Backyard Bash producer, for an honest conversation about horsemanship, mindset, and the values that shape life beyond competition, including:

• How his very first saddle bronc ride landed him on the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) rodeo team
• Why mindset and horsemanship matter just as much as physical ability
• The hard truth about rodeo careers that most riders don’t want to talk about and how he’s planning ahead

Whether you’re a rodeo fan, horse owner, or someone who values the Western way of life, this episode offers meaningful insight into what it looks like to live with purpose.

🎧 Listen now on the Beyond the Barn podcast

Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com

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Connect with Mitch on:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• The Western Grind podcast
• The Western Grind podcast on Instagram

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*Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*

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• Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306
• Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZa
• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com
• Share our podcast and learn more about our hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

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• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from our PhD equine nutritionists at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

On this episode, host Katy Starr chats with Greg Hammond, Standlee’s Director of Operations, to learn more about what it takes to turn premium western hay into the consistent, high-quality forage your animals depend on, including:

• What the Standlee Performance System is and how it drives efficiency and quality
• Technology and checks that protect product consistency and safety
• What horse and livestock owners should know about how their hay products are made, from the field to the shelf

Greg also talks about the strong sense of purpose his team feels, knowing their attention to detail and commitment to quality directly support the health of horses and livestock across the country.

🎧 Listen now on the Beyond the Barn podcast

Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com

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Episode Resources –

Ep. 033: The Secret to Growing High Quality Forage – with Jason Stanger, VP of Standlee Ag Resources

Contact Customer Service - https://www.standleeforage.com/company/contact-us/ | customerservice@standlee.com

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*Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*

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• Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306
• Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZa
• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com
• Share our podcast and learn more about our hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

_______________________________

• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from our PhD equine nutritionists at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

Listen to Part 1 first, if you haven't had a chance to yet - we discuss feed trend terminology to help frame Part 2 of this conversation - https://www.standleeforage.com/podcast/episodes/ep-102-horse-feeding-trends-explained-forage-based-grain-free-everything-in-between-part-1/

Have you ever wondered if “grain-free” really means better for your horse?

In Part 2 of this Beyond the Barn conversation, host Katy Starr chats with Dr. Kelly Vineyard, PhD equine nutritionist, to dig deeper into the reality behind popular horse feeding trends to bust some common myths and help horse owners confidently balance a forage-based diet, including:

• Tips for balancing “grain-free” diets for individual horses or large herds
• Whether statements like “grain causes inflammation,” “grain-free means low starch,” and more are myth or fact
• 4 practical ways horse owners can sift through these feeding trends and do what is best for their specific horse

If social media has ever made you question your horse’s diet, this episode will bring clarity, confidence, and a reminder that the best feeding program always starts with one simple rule - forage first.

🎧 Listen now on the Beyond the Barn podcast

Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com

_______________________________

*Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*

_______________________________

• Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306
• Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZa
• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com
• Share our podcast and learn more about our hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

_______________________________

• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from our PhD equine nutritionists at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

Feeding your horse shouldn’t feel overwhelming, but with all the buzzwords floating around, it’s easy to wonder what’s truth and what’s fiction.

On this episode of Beyond the Barn, host Katy Starr chats with Dr. Kelly Vineyard, PhD equine nutritionist, to break down today’s most talked about feeding trends - like forage-based, forage-only, grain-free, low-starch, organic, and natural diets, and what those terms really mean for your horse’s health.

• The key differences between forage-only, forage-first, and forage-based feeding (and what’s right for your horse)
• What grain-free and low-NSC actually mean (and when they matter most)
• Why social media can make horse feeding sound more complicated than it is

If you’ve ever felt confused by feed labels or online advice, this episode will help you cut through the noise and get back to the basics - feeding your horse for health, not hype.

🎧 Listen now and be sure to follow so you don’t miss Part 2 where Katy and Dr. Vineyard answer real horse owner questions, bust common feeding myths, and share practical tips for balancing a forage-based or grain-free diet.

Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com

• Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306
• Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZa
• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com
• Share our podcast and learn more about our hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

_______________________________

• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from our PhD equine nutritionists at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

Learn more behind the meaning of the Grab & Go® to Give campaign and the incredible nonprofits we’re partnering with to show support for those impacted by breast cancer - https://www.standleeforage.com/promotions/grab-go-give/

On this episode, host Katy Starr chats with Jane Beshear, former First Lady of Kentucky and founder of Horses and Hope, about how she turned a lifelong love of horses into a movement that brings breast cancer education and mobile screenings to medically underserved individuals in the horse industry, including:

• How Horses and Hope began and why they focused on racetracks and backside of the track
• The impact of fundraising $1 million for a mobile cancer screening van that now provides thousands of mammograms and cancer screenings all across Kentucky
• Practical steps every listener can take for early detection

Plus, we talk about her equestrian background, the important role horses have played in her life, and how connecting with survivors at the Horses and Hope hosted events has changed her life.

🎧 Listen now on the Beyond the Barn podcast

Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com

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*Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*

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Connect with Horses and Hope –

• Website - https://kcp.louisville.edu/horses-hope
• Facebook - @HorsesandHope
• Instagram - @kycancer1

Donate to Horses and Hope - https://give.uoflhealthfoundation.org/horsesandhope

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• Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306
• Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZa
• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com
• Share our podcast and learn more about our hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

_______________________________

• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from our PhD equine nutritionists at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

🎉 We’ve hit 100 episodes! That’s 100 conversations, 100 lessons learned, and 100 chances to grow together as horse and livestock owners - thank you for being part of this journey!

Listen through the episode for your chance to win our giveaway - email the specific details mentioned in the episode to podcast@standlee.com

**Giveaway closes Tuesday, October 21, 2025**

On this episode, host Katy Starr chats with Dr. Kris Hiney, Equine Extension Specialist for Oklahoma State University, about how Extension connects science to the stable and why it’s one of the most valuable (yet underused) tools in the horse industry, including:

• Why pasture management is one of the toughest challenges horse owners face
• What every owner should know about metabolic horses and carbohydrate sensitivities
• How relying on Facebook advice could be hurting your horse

Plus, we talk about Dr. Hiney’s own podcast, Tack Box Talk, and how Extension can save horse owners time, money, and frustration. Be sure to tune in to this episode to see how you can have a chance to win Standlee free product coupons and swag to help us celebrate 100 episodes!

🎧 Listen now on the Beyond the Barn podcast

Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com

_______________________________

*Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*

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Connect with Dr. Hiney:

• Learn more at her University page
• Email - khiney@okstate.edu
• Tack Box Talk podcast
• Facebook
• Instagram

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• Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306
• Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZa
• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com
• Share our podcast and learn more about our hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

_______________________________

• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from our PhD equine nutritionists at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok