This week’s Practical Horseman Podcast episode, sponsored by Tribute Equine Nutrition and Farnam, is with hunter/jumper trainer and rider Kelsey Epperson. We spoke with Kelsey in early May as she was gearing up for summer horse shows with her horses and clients.

To give you a little more background on Kelsey, she started riding at a young age alongside her mom and competed on the local hunter circuit in Michigan. As a junior, Epperson decided she wanted to become a professional trainer. She made the leap after getting her college degree, and today she works with Heather Irvine at Hillside Farm in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Some of Kelsey’s notable achievements are winning the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby with Didgereedoo VDL at the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival and being the reserve champion in the $10,000 WCHR Developing Professional Challenge with More Fun at the 2025 Capital Challenge Horse Show.

In our discussion, Kelsey talks about what she enjoys about the hunter and jumper disciplines, her training philosophy, how she handles show nerves and more.

If you’re serious about your horse’s performance, nutrition matters—and not all feed programs are created equal.

At Tribute Equine Nutrition, their team only makes changes when research shows they can truly improve horse health—supporting gut health, efficient nutrient use, and overall performance.

That’s why Tribute Equine Nutrition is upgrading every formula in their lineup, building on improvements made to their best-sellers and rolling those advancements out across 2026.

As updated products reach shelves, riders might even find something extra… golden tickets hidden in select bags, worth up to a year’s supply of feed for one horse.

For those not sure where to start, Tribute’s team will create a free, personalized feeding plan—and new customers receive their first bag shipped free, with no purchase required.

Visit TributeEquineNutrition.com and click “Get a Feed Plan” to get started.

This episode is brought to you by Farnam, celebrating 80 years of trusted equine care, and Endure Gold Killer Fly & Mosquito Control, a new fly spray for horses.

When your horse needs to stay focused, it helps to take flies out of the equation. Endure Gold uses brand-new, EPA-approved ingredients never before seen in equine care to annihilate flies, ticks, and mosquitoes.

This advanced formula delivers fast knockdown and up to 14 days of fly protection you can trust. Discover fly protection with Endure Gold from Farnam.

This week’s Practical Horseman Podcast episode, sponsored by Dechra, is with eventer Tommy Greengard. We talked to Tommy in spoke in early April after his 1-2 placing in the Galway Downs International CCI4*-S.

To give you a little more background on Tommy, he started riding at the age of 6 at a local dressage and eventing barn in Malibu, California, training with Robyn Fisher. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, he began training with Andrea Pfeiffer. After graduating with a degree in environmental science in 2021, Tommy decided to become a full-time trainer at Pfeiffer’s Chocolate Horse Farm in Petaluma, California.

In recent years, he has amassed several top placings with his horses. In 2022, he won the USEA Young Event Horse West Coast 5-Year-Old Championship with That’s Me Z. Two years later, the pair competed in the FEI Eventing World Championship for Young Horses in the seven-year-old CCI3*-L division, finishing in 16th place. Fast forward to 2025, Tommy won the Aspen Farms CCI4*-S with Joshuay MBF and the CCI3*-S with Balladeer Kilbrackens Lad. Later in the year, Tommy and That’s Me Z won the $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final at the USEA American Eventing Championships.

In our discussion, Tommy talks about what he enjoys about eventing, his training philosophy, how he handles disappointment and more.

Every horse deserves to feel their best. That’s why veterinarians trust Dechra Veterinary Products—a global leader in equine health. From joint comfort and mobility to reproduction, skin and eye care, and essential fluid therapy, our solutions support horses through every stage of life. When your veterinarian recommends Dechra products, you can be confident your horse is receiving high-quality, proven care. Because at Dechra, we’re dedicated to helping your horse live healthier, longer, stronger.

Thanks to Dechra for our coverage of the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. It includes lead-up events, rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more.

This week’s Practical Horseman Podcast episode, sponsored by Zoetis, is with Derek Braun, the competition organizer of the FEI World Cup™ Finals Forth Worth 2026. We talked to Derek in mid-February as he and his team were busily preparing to host this premier event in Fort Worth, Texas.

To give you a little more background on Derek, he grew up in New York and competed on the hunter/jumper circuit as a junior, winning the 2001 U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) Talent Search Finals – East and team gold at the 2002 USEF Junior Jumper National Championships at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. After graduating from Rollins College in 2007, Derek turned professional and started his training and sales business, Split Rock Farm. He competed successfully at the national and international levels, including as a member of the U.S. Nations Cup team in Brazil in 2013.

Derek realized he wanted to shift his focus from competing to organizing competitions, and in 2015, he created the Split Rock Jumping Tour. Today, the hunter/jumper series runs 10 shows in four cities, stretching from Lexington, Kentucky, to Los Angeles, California. Derek and his team are also taking on the job as the organizers of the FEI World Cup™ Finals Forth Worth 2026 from April 8-12, which consists of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final and the Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.

In our discussion, Derek talks about special horses from his riding career, how he got into competition organizing, details about the FEI World Cup Finals and more.

Has your horse experienced lameness? Did you know that your veterinarian can use the healing power of your horse’s own blood to help manage lameness, joint pain and more? The Pro-Stride APS regenerative medicine device is designed to help keep horses feeling and performing at their best. Ask your vet if Pro-Stride APS may be a great option to help support your horse’s joint health journey. Zoetis is always by your side in the barn, down the centerline and everywhere in between.

Learn more at zoetis.com.