Pursuit of Wellness - Horse Girl Chat: Fighting Obesity, Grief, and Life’s Challenges with Michelle Serna (@brokeasshorsegirl)

Episode Date: November 21, 2024

Ep. # 152 On today’s Pursuit of Wellness, we’re joined by Michelle Serna, aka "Broke Ass Horse Girl" on TikTok. Michelle takes us through her journey, from growing up in a horse-loving family to becoming a go-to resource for all things horse care and riding. She opens up about the chaos of life with horses, dogs, and a massive trailer, while staying true to her no-filter approach to content creation. In this episode, we dive into everything from horse care and training to navigating grief and embracing life unapologetically. Whether you're passionate about horses, CrossFit, or just looking for real talk, Michelle's story is packed with wisdom and authenticity you won't want to miss. Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari’s Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast’s Instagram click here! For Mari’s Newsletter click here! For Michelle’s Instagram click here! For Michelle’s Tik Tok click here! For Michelle’s Website click here! Sponsored By:  Sleep is the foundation of health, and there is nothing better than waking up feeling refreshed and ready to attack the day. Use code POW for 20% off your order at dreamrecovery.io Visit www.geometry.house to shop their Black Friday sale that just started yesterday (November 20). Use code POW at checkout for an ADDITIONAL 15% off your order. That’s www.geometry.house and use code POW for an ADDITIONAL 15% off your order. Visit clearstemskincare.com and use code POW at checkout for 20% off your first purchase. Again, that’s code POW for 20% off your first purchase on clearstemskincare.com.  SuppCo is currently in beta and users can get 100% FREE access by going to supp.co/POW. Podcast listeners will also get early access to SuppCo’s founding membership when it launches in early 2025. Show Links: Ranch Dress’n Jeans Tacktical Topics Discussed 00:00:00 - Introduction  00:02:43 - Getting into horses  00:04:35 - Learning how to ride and horse people  00:07:49 - Rural vs city life  00:09:55 - Having a business mentality and Fallon Taylor 00:14:25 - There’s not a lot of money in horses  00:15:27 - Interest in horses and marketing  00:18:04 - How to get into riding and beginner mistakes  00:21:24 - Beginner mistakes  00:24:17 - It HAS to be fun!  00:26:20 - Michelle’s horses 00:29:38 - Getting over a fall  00:31:34 - CrossFit, powerlifting  00:35:55 - Weight loss tips and little shorts 00:37:31 - Weight loss goals, aesthetics, and confidence  00:38:52 - Michelle’s vlogs  00:40:20 - Body positivity and living a long life  00:43:51 - Weight and genetics  00:45:53 - Family history, motivation, and grief   00:49:26 - Building a wonderful life & the NFR 00:54:02 - Horse Greg  00:55:01 - NFR fashion, TV, and TikTok 00:57:23 - Being weird  01:00:05 - Airport lore, favorite horse supplements, rodeo queen crown 01:01:09 - Falling children, knee pain, horse racing 01:03:36 - Brokeass_____ girl  01:04:47 - Horse affection  01:10:44 - Horse expenses 01:13:28 - More on info on Red the horse 

This is the Pursuit of Wellness podcast and I'm your host, Mari Llewellyn. Michelle, welcome to the Pursuit of Wellness. Hello. This is crazy. This is so crazy. Hi, everyone. Guys, I mean, just for context, like you guys probably know Michelle as broke ass horse girl. Or not at all. Or not at all. So this is my friend Michelle. She is very important to me because I feel like we just have a lot in common. Yeah. In general.

You're like my go-to horse girl. Like you are, if I have a single question, it's going to you. I'm the horse encyclopedia. E.G. every like five minutes, I'm texting you like, why is his hoof like this? What's it? Who do I call? I'm like, what kind of hay is this? And you're like, babe, you've got to figure this out.

Like you can Google it. But guys, Michelle has like a really big TikTok following. She posts all about horses, life, CrossFit. I mean, you post about everything, really. Yeah, it's me. Just you. Yeah. And what I love about Michelle is that she's very candid.

This is me giving you a speech. This is so funny. This is like, I'm getting emotional. It's the medication. No, I really have been crying a lot. Like every time someone says something to me, I'm like, what did you say? Michelle's very candid, very real.

And I really like that and appreciate that. I think especially in content, people wanna see that. And I feel like you do not beat around the bush. No, I'm not one for, it feels like lying. Yeah, like to airbrush everything. Yeah, it's like, and for what? I also, okay, for context guys, my horse Red stayed with Michelle for a week

when I first tried him out and I got to go stay with Michelle and really see like your life top to bottom and you're like a very capable person. Thank you. You- It doesn't feel like that always. She keeps her horses at her house.

She like has a massive trailer that she hooks up to her truck. Basically you're living my dream life. Yeah. So I would like wake up and be like, okay, what do we do now? She has like five dogs. It's like a whole thing.

It's like chaos. It's chaos, but in the best way. Yeah, it is. I have a really good life. Yeah. Like it's like chaos. It's chaos but in the best way. Yeah, it is. I have I have a really good life. Yeah, like it's a lot Like I think I think most people The early emergence into my life would send them into a spiral like they'd be like, I don't know what to do here but it just

flows Cuz I'm like, whatever. Tell people how you got into horses to begin with, and where did you learn everything that you know? I'm one of the lucky ones. I was born into the industry. Literally I had ponies waiting for me when I was born. My dad had always wanted a daughter, and my dad, he started working in the livestock supply and feed store business when he was 15 years old.

My dad was one of 15 kids, didn't come from two pennies to rub together. He just loved horses, loved horses. My grandfather loved horses and I was just really fortunate that I was born into it and my parents were in the industry professionally by way of owning a feed store. And a boarding facility was connected to our property and I just always had a horse. I always had a horse and I was really lucky that my dad kind of let me discover it. And I just always had access. It wasn't fancy access, but I had access to education and to knowledge and I was really fortunate that I had a situation where my parents pushed me towards it.

It never was drawing me back which I think is a thing that a lot of kids experience is like wanting to do it and their parents are like no whether it's for financial reasonings or just not wanting to get into it because it's a lifestyle but I Just I got in horses and I say I never I never got over it. Yeah, like it never got old It really is an addiction. Yeah, it is. It's just it like There is no me that exists without horses Yeah, like I've always been Michelle that rides horses and and for me there's no realm of reality where I don't Do this like and it's so simple like to me. It's like it's just What I do that's just what I do and I guess I'm coming at it from a different angle because I didn't grow up in it

And now I'm so obsessed with it, and I almost feel this like I don't know I have a little bit of an obstacle to overcome because when you're not born into it, number one, it's like hard to... It's hard. Yeah. Like you don't really know where to begin. Well, and there's just like, there's so, you know, there is so much information and it's really overwhelming.

And the hard thing about horse people is that everyone is really set in their way. It's like this is the way I do it and you're like, but I learned it differently over there and it's like well that's wrong and it gets really overwhelming because you're like, oh my god, I'm doing it wrong and I'm gonna do something and I learned a long time ago and I learned that from my dad because I had such access to professionals and people it's just horse people my whole life has been horse people and you'd be like, you know, you can learn something from everyone. You don't have to necessarily take it with you. But there's a million ways to get, I tell you all the time, you're like, is this right?

And I'm like, sure, sure. Like try it. You know what I mean? What's the worst that's going to happen? Like it's simply a, it's a lifestyle of trial and error. But a lot of people- It's the same thing with wellness. Yes,- Dude, it's the same thing with wellness. Yes, it is.

It's the same thing with life. There is a million ways to do everything. And you just kind of have to get confidence in doing it and also having confidence in doing it wrong. Period. And just trying it. It's better to go and do it. And like, I mean, remember the first time I went to Ride Red by myself and you weren't

there and I was like tacking up the Western saddle alone watching your freaking video. You made me like five times calling you like, oh my God, this cinch is too, whatever, whatever. But like, if you make a mistake, it's fine. And honestly, it's probably better because you're going to learn never to do it again. Literally just fix it. And dude, and that is such a thing. That was such a thing for me as a kid would be like, I would do something, it would lead to ultimate failure. And my dad would look at me and I'd be like, what the heck dude? Why didn't you tell me?

And he'd be like, I had to figure it out. That is truly the only way you learn. If your saddle falls off sideways, you're never doing it again. Exactly. And I have experiences like that all the time. I did something like two weeks ago with my horse that I was like, okay, check. Never doing that one again. I think I almost just died. Wait, when the boat flipped over backwards? Yeah. What do you mean? When you were at the barrel

race? Yeah, when I was at the barrel race and it was just like chaos. It was like pure chaos. Yeah. And I was in tears. Oh yeah. And that lady was mean to you? Yeah. I get taken back sometimes. And I was in tears. Oh, yeah, and that lady was mean to you. Yeah, I get taken back sometimes and I was like, alright That's the other thing that people don't realize is how? crazy horse people are insane and that's the reason I feel like you and I Click because if you're the first person honestly in the horse world that I'm like, oh this girl's relatively normal Yeah, no, and I spend a lot of time doing that too

like I feel like I'm deeply deeply rooted in reality and I spend a lot of time doing that too. I feel like I'm deeply, deeply rooted in reality and I spend a lot of time being like, what is happening here? And I honestly think it's because I stepped away. I never stepped away from horses, but I went from growing up rural, life was all about rodeo to I'm going to move to San Francisco. I'm working tech now. And it just flipped a switch on me and like, life is not that serious.

Wait, talk about that because guys, Michelle was working at a tech company, if you don't mind me saying, like making like a really high salary, living a city life, and then completely packed up and moved to Decatur, Texas. Like what, Talk about that. Yeah.

So I, okay. So I grew up like really rural and honestly I always wanted to live in a city. Like I would say that I was like, I want to live in a city. And you know, I think in the high school I was burnt on like rodeo. I wasn't burnt on the animal. Never been burnt on horses,

but I was really burnt on the competitive nature of things. And I had had some really cool experiences in high school with like speaking at TEDx events and TED events and like normal side quests for me, but like really cool experience. And I kind of just decided that I wanted to work in the tech industry because I was like, there's a lot of money to be made there. Like full transparency, I was like, that sounds like an avenue to buying a nice horse. Like I'm going to go off and do that. And so I did that after I was like moved to San Francisco

and I worked in the tech industry in med tech actually, and had like kind of this entire career. And I think ultimately it one, it solidified that the lifestyle that I enjoy is one is the one that I live now of just being with animals and being far away from town and having nothing but an all steps available to me in a Walmart 30 minutes away.

But it was almost like I just needed to do it. Because- To try it. Because what is life if you just live the same day over and over again? And that's kind of what rodeoing in college would have been for me is like, and not to speak down on anybody that did it but like it was like I

Never would have met any new people I never would have gotten like a better grip on reality and on and on what's important and I Think I would be just as insane as other horse people Yeah, because your whole life is about it's just the whole thing is like and don't get me wrong my whole life is about that. It's just the whole thing is like, and don't get me wrong, my whole life is horses, but also like, they'll always be there. It's never going to go away if I take a week off to go gallivant somewhere. You know what I mean? And I also feel like you have a different mindset with everything I noticed because

you have this like business mentality. You almost, with your content and your horse life, I feel like you have this like discipline and drive that I don't see with other people. Yeah, and I honestly like that for me, I think one, I've always been kind of like high achiever-esque, not something that I've achieved high, but I've always kind of wanted to do something different. And I think with the horse industry, there's certain individuals like Fallon Taylor, right, who

have made this a business. She's business woman. Tell everyone who that is because they're not going to know. Fallon Taylor, she's a professional barrel racer. That's her occupation. But she's also the founder and CEO of Tactical and Ranch Dressin, which are two companies. One is a apparel company and one's a tat company in the Western world. And honestly, she was kind of the first horse influencer. She really did walk so that the rest of us could run.

And she had to walk through fire, nails, and broken glass. And she made it a business. And that is what a lot of people don't Do they never break that point of it's not just about horses Yeah, it is everything about is so monetize well especially in today's day and age right everybody's everybody loves Cowboys guys The jeans that you are always asking me what brand they are they're ranch dressing yep, right? That's yeah, they're like the low rise denim. I always ride in them. Super comfortable.

Really flattering. Don't rip. Obsessed. Yeah. And I order all my stuff from Tac... And accessible. This is a plug. Is this sponsored?

And accessible. You know, Fallon's been an incredible friend to me. She's a lot of help to me with my horses and she's also like extremely supportive of me and the path which I'm going down, which is kind of hard for a lot of people to wrap their heads around, I think. ["Dream Recovery"]

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There's not a lot of money profiting. Not very liquid. There's not a lot of liquidity happening in these parts. Me, myself and I. Liquidity, low. Broke ass ports, girl. Yeah, it's literally, it's in the name, people. But there's just like, with anything, horses right now actually reminds me of what surfing

looked like 15 years ago. What BMX and skateboarding and even tennis. Tennis has seen the same revolution, which ultimately is just the corporatization of the sport, which I think a lot of people are struggling with. But unfortunately, if anybody ever wants to make a dollar, we have to begin to go far past the animal. And at the end of the day, it's an entertainment sport. Do you think the amount of interest in horses is going down? Yes.

Like in Western ad English or just in general? It is literally, research has shown that, yes, while media interest is, phew, Like the aesthetic of it. Skyrocketed. Yeah. The actual performance data of course showing and all those things is down.

Yeah. And that's one from an accessibility standpoint because who can afford, right? Who can afford it. Who can afford, who can do the longevity of this game. And that is where I come back with, but from a media standpoint, from a cultural standpoint, massive uptick. I also feel like how you were saying horse people can be really stuck in their ways.

I feel that way about the marketing of it. Because even me trying to find a barn to board Redat was impossible. Everything is a handshake. Everything is very family. I mean, even from a corporate standpoint, I have a big following, right? I've got a big following. I've got really solid analytics. I can name 20 companies that would say

they won't touch me with a 10-foot pole because of my username. Blu works with you, babe? Dude, and that's how we know we're going in the right direction. Period. But it's, you know what I mean? That's the problem, right?

Is companies like you are gonna be able to come into our world and like have an impact and take a grasp. It's hard. Yeah. They don't make it easy. Nothing about this world is easy. You gotta know somebody's cousin all the time. Yeah.

And so it just, it flounders. Mm-hmm. Literally, it flounders. And it happens all the time. These projects pop up and it's going to be the next big thing. Somebody's father puts in $20 million for their son to start a company, and they print a bunch of t-shirts and baseball caps and pass them out at rodeos. And then three years later, what happened?

Nothing. This is so funny to me because now that I'm so obsessed with it, I just am like, I want more. Yeah. Like why aren't people doing more? Let's provide. And it's very interesting to me that an area inundated with such wealth provided by people that have done great

things is simultaneously inundated with a wealth provided by people that have done great things is simultaneously inundated with a bunch of mediocrity. And that's harsh for some people, but facts don't lie. This is what I meant. I'm so excited about this episode. You're gonna make people upset. Reality says. The horse people are gonna listen and be like, oh my God.

Oh no. Wait, okay. So back to people listening who maybe want to like get into right? Yes. Where do they even begin? Okay So I have opinions on this. Okay. Um, I Truly believe and this is coming from a barrel racer that the best foundation You can gather in a swift introduction to horses, but please don't stick around, is that English lesson barns. I really do feel that way. That's what I did. I think that lesson barns truly are like the backbone of equestrian sport because, sorry,

some poor woman out there needs to get all these children interested in it and needs to get them off on a good foot. A lot of adults, I think they're scared to like, oh, I'm gonna like go learn with a bunch of kids. Dude, everybody has to learn at some point. Like, it's just gotta happen. And so I really do urge people to like take, like dude, my dad was a lessons guy.

Like a lot of my philosophy on learning how to ride comes from my father because I was really lucky that my father wanted everyone to ride like he was the kind of guy that was buying lessons for my friends to go get on a lesson horse because he knew that riding horses isn't about riding horses that's not like that's not what this is it's not not it's not about that. It's about everything else that encompasses it and what it teaches you and what it can provide you. So I urge people like go take lessons for two years. Like figure out if this is something that you like and you know it's hard to get educated but I always tell people the moment you feel like you're being taken advantage of run. Like you know just because you don't

know anything about horses doesn't mean you don't know anything about horses doesn't mean you don't know anything about not getting taken advantage of. You know what it feels like to have your money stolen. Everybody does. You're like, wait a minute, am I being robbed? I think also people are really afraid to establish relationships with people that have experience. That was kind of the foundation of our relationship was like, you just kind of asked me some me some questions and I'm like yeah I'll answer your questions like I don't have a chip on my shoulder here like at one point I didn't know anything. Yeah. Like we're always learning. Um so I tell people go go find a lesson barn. Don't dump a bunch of money into it. Don't go buy a young horse. Don't don't go do crazy things. Take it. simmer, make your mistakes, we're all gonna do it. I bought horses I shouldn't have bought.

And you know, and then like you hit your two year mark where I'm like, all right. You're Western now. Do Western, but time to do it by yourself. Totally. And I was so reliant on other people, that's the thing. So like for context guys, I started riding two to three years ago now,

and I kind of went off the deep end. I wasn't even adolescent born. I was at like a private showing facility. Yeah, you went hardcore. I went hardcore, but like, I'm kind of glad I did that honestly, because I was writing so much. Yes.

I leased a horse named Cosette. She hated me, I hated her, but she taught me a lot. Yeah. We did not vibe. She was kind of a bitch. She hated me. I hated her, but she taught me a lot. We did not vibe. She was kind of a bitch. She was a mare. Mairs. Mairs. Anyway, so I was learning on Cosette and I would go down there like, I mean, it was an hour away from me plus, and I would drive down there three, four times a week. I was obsessed. So within a couple of months, I was like, I'm buying a horse. And my mistake, obsessed with what color it was.

Yeah, dude. Big beginner mistake. Big beginner. Dude, beginners, the other thing too is like beginners are like, I want something, you know, cute and like pretty and like young because like, I don't want it to get old. No. Okay. Here's what you need to do when you're a beginner.

Go find the oldest, been there, done that, slowest. Like I didn't have, honestly, I didn't have a fancy horse until I was an adult. I think that's reasonable. I never had a fancy horse. Most of my horses, you know, were older, had been there, done that. Like the best, the greatest horse I probably have ever owned

in what they taught me was that mare Coco. $1,200 pony. I mean, literally bought off the side of the road type of deal. And was not fancy. She's a Welsh quarter horse pony. But she allowed me to gain education on my own time. I did have a lot of success on her, but all of the best horses I ever owned were kind of like older. Been there, done that, not fancy to look at, but they taught me so much. So much. Now that I'm in a position where I finally, for the first time in my life, I have nice

horses. I kind of wish... Bo was incredible and I was obsessed with him and we did a lot together. where I finally, for the first time in my life, I have nice horses. And- I kind of wish, I mean, Bo was incredible and I was obsessed with him and we did a lot together. Like I won ribbons on him, which was like my childhood dream. And he was awesome, but like in retrospect, I mean, I learned to jump on him. I think I learned a lot of the basics.

He was probably too nice to begin with. Yeah. And then also very injured, which I didn't know. Um, happens. We all get a lemon. But I think you're right. I think lesson bond, just like look for local lessons near you, get the basics down. And I would also say like, I reached a point where I got, and maybe we're going too far off the deep end with horses here, but for anyone who's still here, they're probably a horse person. So I probably went a little too... When I was doing English, close to the end where I was calling you, crying, leaving the

barn, I was so obsessed with being good and like, I need to get better. I was just so obsessed with that, that it sucked the joy out of it for me. And I was like, wait, I doing this for fun, and I hate it Yeah, you know and then it got sketchy because he was bucking and whatever right like besides the point I was like they they make it feel like you have to show To even be riding and it's like no literally not the case I say all the time if I reached a crossroads where somebody was like hey listen You may never show a horse again. I say all the time, if I reached a crossroads where somebody was like, hey listen,

you may never show a horse again. I'd be like, okay. Yeah, you're all right at my house. And I say that all the time with people and horses. And again, that was another thing that my dad deeply ingrained in me. He was like, you're not having fun? What are we doing here? Like, scrap it.

You have a really good attitude around it, I feel like. It has to be fun. And what is the point? And I always like, and I tell you the same thing and I tell myself the same thing. Sometimes I'll get a little bit like, you know, and it's like, dude, there are a million girls who literally would do anything to take one lesson a week. No, that makes me cry. Like walking around on an old broke down horse.

And I've got to spend my entire life with the creature. I have nothing to complain about ever. Yeah. Like I could hit all three cans and you're probably gonna see me laugh about it because. That's a barrel racing joke guys. Oh yeah, sometimes when we're running around them, I have a, you're supposed to go around them but I like to go through them oftentimes.

You know when I, okay, not that I'm, the one time I fricking barrel raced at that whatever we were at, I hit my leg on one of them and I had a bruise Yeah, I know I literally have scars because I'm good at going through them, but But it's like For what? Yeah, life's too short guys. I the horse I have now I literally just go right and I go around the ring a few times and I go on a trail ride and I am

ecstatic he was a great purchase and. And he is the personification of the tried and true horse that every nervous amy needs. And you didn't need to go spend $3 million on him. He was accessible, and yeah, maybe you're not gonna go like win the one D on him. But it's not about that. It's about graduating to the next to the next level. Like you can't get there until you're ready to get there. And he's just nice. He's just a nice guy. Like, dude, I was gonna keep him if you didn't want him. I was gonna be like, he's mine now. Okay. But question like when I'm super pregnant, should I send

him to your house? Back in my house. Okay. Because I don't know what I'm going to do. He can take a gander with me. Yeah. You've seen how mine live? Yeah. He loved it up there. They got potions.

Oh my God. He's going to see Bam Bam and be like, my girl, long lost love. That was sad when she left. That was actually sad. It was kind of traumatizing. I was like. She has an impact on horses. I know she's so stunning.

They're obsessed with her. It's because she's a narcissist. Yeah. She has an impact on horses. I know, she's so stunning. They're obsessed with her. It's because she's a narcissist. Yeah. She's blonde, she's depressed. Yeah, yeah. She's all of us. You guys know I'm so particular with my skincare.

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SUPCO is currently in beta and users can get 100% free access by going to sup.co.au. Podcast listeners will also get early access to SUP Co's founding membership when it launches in early 2025. Okay question also, people ask me all the time, like how to get over a lot of horse people ask how to get over a bad fall miles Just get back on get back on I Unfortunately, I got nothing else for people people be like I'm scared. I'm like do it more No, literally do it more literally like I even had that like when I bought bird my fraternity horse Who is a lot of she's a lot of animals? She's a very very nice animal and very fortunate to have her

She scares the hell out of me. She scares me. She scares everybody. She scares a lot of, she's a lot of animals. She's a very, very nice animal and very fortunate to have her. She scares the hell out of me. She scares me. She scares everybody. She scares a lot of people. I would never get on that. She's misunderstood. I could never get on that.

She's misunderstood and she has a good heart and she has a solid mind and luckily she's really good when you run her, but everywhere else you better, like dude, I puck her. Like I'm scared when I'm on that horse. And genuinely it comes down to every week when I'm like I'm getting nauseous on a Sunday thinking about the barrel races. I'm going to I'm like I just got to go. Mm-hmm

Good mentality. I mean even with red who literally is never gonna do anything wrong I get a little anxious if I if I take a week off, I feel differently about riding if I go every day I'm sort of unfazed. Yeah, no and like that's one thing that Fallon has told me a lot about that, Mare. Like, I'll send her a video and it'll be good. It's coming together and she's like, good, go again. Yeah.

Good, go again. And my dad had the same mentality. He'd be like, oh, you're scared of that? Guess we should go do it 17 times. Dude, that's life though, isn't it? It is. It's like you literally, and this is so silly, but it was something. Dude, that's life though, isn't it? It is. It's like you literally like, and like this is so silly, but it was something that my dad used to always say.

And it's not like he was saying anything, you know, divine, but he would always like, he would go, he would just be like rock and roll, like any, with anything in life, I would be scared or whatever. And he'd be like rock and roll. And like, it was like. Do it anyway. Do it anyway. That was my whole finished journey like, it was like... Do it anyway.

Do it anyway. That was my whole fitness journey every single day. Yeah, do it anyway. Literally do it anyway. Tired, do it anyway. Scared, do it anyway. Keep showing up. Yeah, that's all you can do.

So you do CrossFit. Yeah. Tell us about the CrossFit journey. So I was adamantly against CrossFit. I only got into CrossFit because I have a thing where I will not go to corporate gyms. I like to go to family-owned establishments. I got a weird thing about it.

I don't know why. I get that. I got a weird thing. Like a gym in my basement. Yes, exactly. Family-owned. Family-owned. Okay, so essentially how this all happened was like three years ago I had, one,

I've been heavy my entire life. Like genes are not gene and my entire family has issues with their weight. And I always had a good manage on it, you know, I was pretty athletic and then I got into my 20s and I kind of just kept getting heavier and heavier and heavier. And then in 2020 I, we're not going to get into the story, but I broke both my legs at the same time. Yeah, it was not my best work. I was not riding a horse. It was crazy. Michelle, you've never told me that.

Oh, I didn't? No. No, that's like- Yeah, no, dude, I broke both my legs. In 2020, rock climbing, like side quests. Yeah, side quests. Major side quests. Side quests. And I didn't walk for like eight months. Yeah, side quests. Major side quests. Side quests.

And I didn't walk for eight months. Okay, end of the story. I got up to 250 pounds. That was my weight. Red dick. You're way taller than me. I'm 5'10". Yeah, okay.

I'm down seven inches below. We got different breezes. I would love to see a side by side photo of the difference. What's sad is sometimes I'm like, I'm like, dang it, I look the same, but I know I don't, but you know what I mean. But anyway, so I got up to being way too heavy and ultimately it wasn't even like looking in the mirror

that did me in, it was that I couldn't ride my horse worth of crap. Yeah. I couldn't ride, I mean, it does period point Blake. I couldn't ride the same. And I was like, you gotta do something. Like, this is not cool dude. Like you're not doing your animal any justice.

You're not doing yourself any justice. Like you're a talented rider and simply put, you're not showing it. So I got into powerlifting. Cause like straight up, I just found a gym on the street, walked in and for the first time in my life, I enjoyed the environment. And also for the first time in my life,

I was like, oh, I'm strong. Yeah. Like I didn't have to be fast. I didn't have to be super like agile. I didn't have to be super coordinated. I was just like, I started picking stuff up and people were like, oh, you're good at that. So I got into powerlifting and then I moved

and I moved to this new town and it only had one powerlifting gym and it was like a non-drug tested gym. And I was like, oh, like that, it was like, it was a lot of like, they like were wearing shirts that said like cocaine hookers and you know what I mean? Like I was like, I got really nervous. And so I look up like the next thing

and I find a CrossFit gym and I'm like, oh no. And the thing, Lore, I'm from Aromas, California, which is where the first CrossFit gym was. So I was like adamantly against CrossFit. I was like, I shall not, I shall not. I go to CrossFit, so embarrassing. I've been working out for a year. At this point, I had lost like maybe 15 pounds that year. Not bad, but I was still heavy. I mean, I walked into CrossFit weighing like 235 pounds. First day, I got around 400

meters. Can't. They make you run in CrossFit. Yeah. You do a little sprint. It's short term. It's short sprints. And I was like, ooh, I hate this place. I literally was like, this is horrendous. I remember we would have to run to this garbage can and I damn, I couldn't do it.

And I still don't get me wrong, I'm two, almost three years deep on CrossFit now and I still can't run for crap. But what I learned was I'm strong. And I can move under a barbell. And it was like empowering because finally, like being short and stocky in nature was like, nice, that's super cool. And I could scale everything and I could yap

and make friends and I just got really into it. And then I just started like losing weight and losing weight and losing weight and losing weight without making literally many changes. The changes I made to lose weight, honestly, I stopped drinking soda, I stopped drinking lattes every day, and I started going to CrossFit. Sick advice.

Three things. Three things. The lattes is tea. Three easy things. Stop drinking whole milk every day in your coffee. Stop drinking a Coca-Cola three days a week with dinner, go run around for an hour with a bunch of big people, jacked up people in little shorts. And I'm just now getting into the little shorts.

I see you in the little shorts. Well, you know, I came to Texas and I only had leggings because I've been adamantly against shorts my entire life. I'm not a shorts girl. Like denim shorts in me. Yeah, but I feel like you have great legs. Dude, like people say that and then I see and I'm like, I don't know how I feel about this, but it's too hot in Texas. I thought I was going to die and somebody said, you need to buy a pair of shorts. And I said, I will die before I buy shorts. And then I literally, I had to lay on the floor at the gym one day in the bathroom because I was

like, oh my, like, this is it. This is it for me. I will die in my leggings. I died at a CrossFit gym. Great. Local TikTok star dies at CrossFit gym. You know what I mean? And I bought shorts. And now I'm a short, I got like eight pairs of those black Lulu lemon bike shorts. That's progress. I freaking love that. And now I'm like, you know what? Who cares? Who cares? But you've lost like 50 plus pounds.

I've lost 50 pounds, like 55. And how do you feel? Like I can walk up a hill. Yeah. Yeah. Honestly, that was my thing too. That's the thing about it is like the weight loss isn't even about, you know.

Aesthetics. Aesthetic, like, you know, I still struggle with, I'm like, I look in the mirror and I'm like, I looked the same as I did three years ago. You know what I mean? Like I realize that's not the reality, but I also, I think I struggle with online. I get called fat like at least seven times a day.

Really? You know what I mean? Oh my God. Dude, if they're not calling me fat because they don't like me, they're calling me fat in a like relatable way, but it hurts my feelings. You know what I mean? Like people will be like, you give me so much like as a big girl,

you give me so much confidence to go outside. And I'm like, don't tell me that. Don't say that. I mean, should I be nervous? You know what I mean? Leave my house. Yeah. Oh, no. I was like me with my acne.

Like, why do I need the confidence to exist? That's crazy. Nobody even cares. Nobody even cares what I look like at the end of the day. You know what I mean. Yeah. Oh, no. That was like me with my acne. Why do I need the confidence to exist? That's crazy. Nobody even cares. Nobody even cares what I look like at the end of the day. You know what I mean? Yeah. But dude, I'll catch myself. I don't even know.

I was in Yosemite recently and I was just walking up a trail and I was like, wait a minute. Here I am. Here I am. I'm enjoying the outside. I'm beating obesity and like, that's my favorite thing that you say. Guys, Michelle does these vlogs where she does timestamps of a step by step of her day and 9 a.m. fighting obesity

is my favorite thing, but also it keeps coming back. Every day. 6 p.m. fighting obesity. Fighting obesity. At any point of the day, I am fighting obesity. I guess me too. Every single day and everything that I do. Can I put that in my vlog?

Yeah, I'm not trademarking that. Are people gonna cancel me? People can have that, fight obesity. People don't know that I'm- You would get canceled. I have set my career up to where I can get away with saying things because people know I don't care You could literally say anything look

Like and I tell that to people on social media all the time. They're like, I'm so afraid of getting canceled I'm like just make it known from the beginning that like like tanimojo. Yeah, like what do you like? What am I saying? That's that bad? No, you're not saying anything. I believe in many things and all good things. I also believe in fighting obesity. And I'm sorry if that hurts somebody's feelings, but I'm in the civil war against obesity. This is the clip. And even if it's just me there.

This is me on Instagram. This is gonna be the Instagram clip. You know what I mean? I'm wielding the sword against obesity. Well, join me if you want. First of all, you've made so much progress and I like lived at your house and you eat really clean and this is like a big part of your life

and you're also lifting shit and throwing hay and trailering and you're active all day long. So you've made so much progress. You look great, you're feeling great. But I also appreciate that you're down to talk about it because I think a lot of people like dance around the subject and don't want to be straight up about it and they don't want to be like, people don't want to say stop drinking soda because it's going to trigger

someone. You know, I like recently put some stuff on my Instagram story and I'll say, you know this, I have been passionate about fitness for the last few years. I got more passionate on a very personal level this year because my dad died. And he was 59 years old and I love him, but I'm extremely mad at him because at the end of the day my dad died because he didn't eat well, he consumed too much alcohol, and he didn't consult medical professionals enough. And he died at 59 years old.

And I'm sorry, but that's a crock. Like, that's baloney. I'm sorry. I was robbed. He left me here all alone with all of these people and nobody to call. And he's not here. And I was like, okay, you know, and here's the thing. I am all about body positivity.

I, that was literally what my, started my career, was talking about body positivity when I was 15 years old. And I love myself now, I appreciate who I was at 250 pounds, I'll appreciate who I am in another 30 pounds. It's not about that. It's about appreciating myself enough to know that I wanna live a long time and that I don't want my 25 year old daughter

to wake up one day in January and get a call, hey, yeah, your dad died. Oh, cool, that just ruined my life a little bit. Thanks, Manuel. For things that are simple changes. And you know, I made like this slide on my Instagram story recently because I get a lot of questions about weight loss

because I post about it because it's part of my life but I also don't try to like shove it down people's throats and I don't talk a lot about what I eat and this and that because honestly it's simple. I started eating less and shopping on the outside of the grocery store. I haven't gone down a cracker aisle in three years. And don't get me wrong, nobody loves a bag of Takis more than me.

I appreciate the little things in life at times and me and RedDie40 will get along once a month. It's very simple what I did. I made a story and I was just like, listen, I get a lot of questions about what I did. Here's what I did and I made a story and I was just like listen I get a lot of questions about what I did Here's what I did. I started moving more consuming less calories Period What did people say most of it was? Yes, that is science That is science you do that you lose and then there was a couple of people, because you know me, I'm extremely

point blank period about stuff. Sorry, no ifs, ands, or buts. That's kind of how it's done. And trust me, it takes me a lot to lose a pound. I think if any of my friends worked out as much as I did, eat as well as I do, they would have lost a lot more weight than me by now. And I can gain a pound like that. I mean, I look at Snickers and it's like, okay, seven pounds. But that just means I have to be more rigid. And I got responses that were like, you know, lots of people, you know, I tried this and it didn't work. Well, how long did you try it for? Because I'm three years deep. I'm probably got another three years. I'm moving real slow

with this, but I'll tell you what, I've never gained a pound back. No, I think that's so fair to say. Do you know Dr. Tina Moore? Yeah. She came on my show. She was talking about the genetic component of weight and how there's trauma tied into it, genetics, hormones. Like there's reasons that people, and I won't lie when I lost weight, I mean, I lost weight naturally. I didn't have loose, I'm big or whatever.

And when I first started hearing about it, I was super against it. And I also never understood like, how could someone not, cause I lose weight relatively easily. Like if I decide I wanna do it, it just kind of happens And I I don't have obesity in my family. Yeah, so for me it was difficult to understand But now i've had so many experts on the show I get like there's people who physically like cannot yeah like fee

Yeah, I will say there was an aspect and this is like the last 15 pounds that I've lost I had to like literally cut some crap in my life Like trauma shit. Yeah, like dude, I Won't talk about it online ever but like the things I have experienced I could write a book I could get a lot of views But I respect myself. I respect myself more than airing out all of my dirty laundry But I cut out a lot of crap this year because I took a very deep dive look at my life, which is something I do every couple of years. I'm like, okay, hold on. We got to fix some stuff. I lost

15 pounds. And it simply was like, let me remove a few things from my life that are weighing me down. And so I do definitely think there's an aspect to that and I think that's why like a wellness journey Is all-encompassing. Yeah, you can't just do one thing and expect everything You can't eat amazing and exercise every day but have toxic relationships in your life and expect anything to happen. Yes 100% it's like you got a but that's like the whatever that's like the evolution of being an individual. Mm-hmm, right? You just gotta like constantly, constantly be working, constantly be changing. Right? This is everything that everybody knows.

But I like that you brought, I mean with your dad, sounds like he was a super special guy from everything you said at the beginning. Fantastic person. And your wiener dog is named Manny. Yes, I named my wiener dog after my dead father. We love Manny. Yes, she's an icon. She, sorry.

Did I call him a he? No. Did I call her a he? No. I tend to do that though, because I think of her as like, My dad. Your dad.

She is the personification of my father, yes. Yeah, we love her. She stayed at my house, she's amazing. Yeah. But I love that you bring up the like Your family history for anyone listening who maybe has had that in their family Like my family has diabetes type 1 there's everyone has stuff Yes, that is such a good reason to take care of yourself. Yeah, like such a great I mean not great awful and a huge learning lesson

I know you've like put a lot of work into like grief and talking about it. Yeah, it's just like, what am I to do but to get better? You know what I mean? Like, I said this a lot, like, I felt really fortunate that, you know, I had a really good dad, like, like, dude, I did, like, I think the world would be such a better place if more fathers loved their daughters the way that my dad loved me. But you know, when he died, there was like never really a moment for me where I was like, what am I going to do? You know what I mean?

Like, he died and I was like, okay, this is horrific. And I hate him and I hate this and everything's horrible. But it never was a like, what am I going to do without my dad? It was kind of like, okay, we keep on keeping on. And there was like a moment and a lot of people are like about this in grief where I was like, I'm never going to laugh again. I'm never going to this again. I'm never going to that again.

And then I was like, dude, you haven't even scratched the surface. And like, what an absolute disappointment it would be if you like gave up now. And I do think it's funny, literally the day after my dad died I was in the gym. No. Dude, I went across it. Everybody was looking at me like, what are you doing here? And I was like, I got to move. Were you crying?

No, you know, I was pretty, you know. Shell shocked. Dude, my grief has been me crying in the car and in the shower. You know, and writing and writing a a lot, and writing things down. I mean, at the end of the day, I think I've really accepted it. I think the way in which my father lived was a grand lesson on people to live because

my dad died at 59, totally unfair. I don't feel like my dad missed much because he lived well. He spent time with his family. He went on trips. He did the things he enjoyed. He was kind to others. I mean, my dad's funeral was huge.

Couldn't even fit everybody in the building. And so that allowed me to grieve in a way where it's like, you know, yeah, I'm sad for what my father will miss, but he lived well and he had a divine impact on his community. I mean, he's not world renowned and he never made a million dollars, but I think he had more impact than a lot of people that we know. And so it was kind of like, okay, did that, check, had a great father, learned some lessons on health, and now I move forward. And I mean, what am I gonna do?

And that's, you know, that's what I feel about life in general. Yeah. What am I gonna do? It's great advice. And also like, I don't know personally, but I've had a few people on the show who have experienced similar things and I know everyone grieves super differently and it comes in waves and things change and whatever but as long as you're like bettering

yourself and showing up every day I mean from what I see from what you do every day you're like constantly just chipping away. Well and I honestly think I've shown up more this year than I ever have because of losing my dad. Yeah. And I keep saying like there's a lot of gratitude to be found in grief because I'm extremely happy with the point where my life is right now. I've got a beautiful home.

I've got very nice horses. I have really good friends, like really, really good friends. Shout out Gail. Shout out Gail. Shout out to all my friends. I have such a solid friend group because I think I'm pretty good at like with people. I feel appreciated and I just, like, I'm happy. And none of it would have come to fruition

if my dad hadn't died. I think I would be still living in a very unhappy revolving door. It almost like kickstarted you doing everything you've always wanted to do. Exactly, I was like, I gotta go. I mean, you just got back from Vegas doing a photo shoot for NFR.

Can you tell everyone what the NFR is, by the way? Oh, so the National Finals Rodeo is the best 10 days of the year in Las Vegas. It's the second largest event for the city of Las Vegas. 200,000 cowboys and cowgirls and fans alike show up to watch the top 15 in the world in each event compete for the world title. It's nuts. It's like it's dude.

It's like New York Fashion Week meets the Super Bowl. We're going meets Cowboys. Dude, I live in Vegas for two weeks. Yeah, she's going to be there the whole time. I'm going December 14th through 16th. Yeah. Marathon, not a sprint. Yeah. But you're going with Double D Ranch and Resorts World and Bloom and Bloom. It's like so we're going to go on. we're going on one of the finals, right? Yeah, we're going the final night and I got us pretty good

No, I'm excited. Yeah, we got pretty good seat like I'm freaking out about my outfits because okay I know you told me it's a big deal and I believed you like a little bit and then you looked then I started posting my Frickin rainbow fringe jacket on my story all of my DMS were like you need a little bit. Then you looked. Then I started posting my fricking rainbow fringe jacket on my story. All of my DMs were like, you need a stylist for the NFR. What did I say when you bought the jacket? You said you didn't like it. I didn't say I didn't like it.

I said I liked the other thing more and we can work with it, but. I got a bolo. I got turquoise. You're just, I got leather pants. You're running rogue, which is a thing that you do. I got leather pants. Yeah, we're gonna figure it out.

I wanna vest. It's important. No, I know. I personally do believe though, and this is just me having a big head for 15 seconds. It'll deflate again. I think I'm gonna be like the best dressed. No, yeah. And I'm going with you and I'm gonna look like an idiot.

No, because you're tall. When you're tall, you can get away with so much. That is not true, babe. No, it is. It is. As somebody that exists down here. But you keep sending me links for things that are like $5,000. And I'm like, what budget do you think I have here? Sell more cans. I don't know. I don't know. Sell more cans.

Because cans are selling well. Thank you. I just can't spend $5,000 on a shirt. I know, but... Guys it's wild. So stay tuned for our NFR outfits. No, it's going to go hard. It's going to go hard and we're going to make a lot of content.

Yeah. But I need to buy things. Okay, so there's something called Cowboy Christmas. Yeah, dude. Yeah. I need to buy things. Okay. So there's something called Cowboy Christmas. Yeah, dude, dude. Even normal people. I'm telling you, normal people need to go to the NFR. Like you do not have to like rodeo to go to the NFR. It's free concerts all over Vegas, free country concerts. Every country artist you could ever think of free, free. They're roaming around. There's Cowboys, which for many people, exciting. For me, it's not my thing. I look at them and I go...

Greg doesn't get jealous in general. Dude, it's not even about that. It's just about knowing the inner... Cowboys are not the people we believe that they are. But let us enjoy from afar. No, look at them. Look all day. Dude, ain't nothing standing between my eyes and a steer wrestler. You know what I mean? I love a big boy. I'm, you know, big. Big.

I want you to watch Greg's face when I'm there because... They're big. I mean, it's crazy. Remember when I came to Weatherford and I met you there and that was the one time that Greg was like, so like who's going? Like are there cowboys there? Big men. And guys, this is a fricking joke. Like I'm obviously not gonna cheat on Greg with a cowboy.

No, but like they're fun to look at. I want Greg to dress like a cowboy. Yeah. We can figure it out. Like, you know, he couldn't even get off of red because his jeans were too tight. I had to, I had to lift him off. Well, he's also just too big.

He's too big. But you know, he's solid. I told you he loved Red so much that he wants that to be his. I have a vision. Yeah. You know, I see you riding off in the sunset. I found a Palomino that's a good age and I'll have to show you. I sent them a DM, but I forgot to check.

Okay. You also need to help me register my horse. Yeah, I know. I don't know how to do it. It's so confusing. This is what I do. I have my little card and I need, I need... Yeah, we'll fill out the paperwork.

Okay, fine. They don't make anything easy. Nothing's digital these days. Anyway, the NFR is crazy, dude. Yeah. And also just like, even people, the staff of Las Vegas, like I talk to them and they're like, NFR is our favorite time of year.

Because Cowboys don't care. Yeah. Like, these people live in middle America for mostly a year. They show up to Las Vegas. What's $5,000? Absolutely nothing. I don't know why. I don't know what they do. They're throwing things down on the table. They're spending money. There's fringe. There's sequins. There's blonde women. It's crazy.

Wait, do I need sequins? No, I don't see you as a sequin person. I'm not a sequin. Sequins are out. I'm saying it. Chewgy. Like, if they're sprinkled in, you know, lightly. Okay, I can get behind a sequin. But when it's like pink and it's just too much,

you know what I mean? But also I'm not, I'm not cowgirl Barbie. Yeah, you have your own style. I'm like, I'm going for Bella Hadid. You know that. And you know, well, that's the one pod that I don't have. I do. I don't have that.

She's iconic though. Oh, iconic. Iconic. Do you think she's doing a lot for the Western world or no? Yeah, I do. Yeah. People don't want to admit it, but yeah. Like no one knew what cutting was before.

Publicity is good publicity. I agree. And that's some big publicity. Yeah, big publicity. Big, big, big, big. But I mean, you know, it some big publicity. Yeah, big publicity. Big, big, big, big. But I mean, you know, it's Taylor shared in effect, Yellowstone. Where's the frickin first episode? I can't find it. Of what? The new season. Oh, I've never seen Yellowstone. That's crazy. Yeah, I've seen like

clips on TikTok. Like it's my life every day. I don't need to watch it. I don't really watch TV. Hot take. Do you watch, you watch TikTok? I watch TikToks. People would be shocked by the content that I consume. Really? Yeah, it's not horses. I just consume horses all day. I'm obsessed with women in New York.

What? Yeah. Why? With the like, the clothes and. I feel like it's because it's. The cocktails. ...completely different. I see. I have no interest in that.

None. I always thought I would live in New York for a year. You could still do that. I think I'm in deep on the lifestyle that I've chosen, but... You could live in Connecticut. I also just get obscure things. You know, I'm kind of pretty weird. Oh, yeah.

I would agree. We send each other some funny shit. I'm a little hard for people to digest. Oh really? Yeah. Okay, like the thing with me is people either get me, or they're like, what's wrong with her? Oh, I feel like I get you.

Yeah, like I think you see me. I think people sometimes struggle to see me and I think I can be a bit abrasive for people, but it's not even necessarily abrasive. I just like, I struggle to what I perceive as lying. Yeah, you have a hard time with that. And don't get me wrong, I'm never gonna use my honesty to be hurtful.

But also, I just kind of say things that I then realize to others that's inappropriate. I'm crying. And it's not even necessarily saying the F word or the C word. Everybody knows I love the C word. Yeah, we don't drop that here on how I know. We don't necessarily like saying the F word or the C word. Everybody knows I love the C word. Yeah, we don't drop that here on how. I know, I know. We don't say cow here. I know, but I do love it.

Cow, did I just say cow? I was trying to say like, just see what it is. I came up with a new acronym, can you not talk? Can you not talk? That's good, that's good. But anyway, I think it's a great word. That's hard for people. Some people, they write me out and I try not,

I don't drop it in TikToks, but I do drop it in my stories a lot and in daily life, you know, and it's only offensive if you make it offensive. But I also just say other things that I think are... This whole footage is just going to be me cracking up for an hour straight. Well, I'm like, when I like talk about like the dead dad, you know what I mean? Like people are like, oh, and I'm like, you're good. They get uncomfortable because it's an uncomfortable topic. But I actually think it's really great that you talk about it. Yeah. And then you know, I think like sometimes conservative women struggle with me and that's okay. I'm not for everyone.

I also feel like you don't like a lot of people. It's not necessarily a not like for me. It's I'm like remember the event we went to in Weatherford? We can edit this out. We should probably edit it out. Probably but no I honestly leave it. Leave it in. No I I'm just I'm just me. Period. You want to do a Q&A. Yeah, pull out your phone. Yours are probably better than mine Do you want me to just run it or do you want to go back and forth? Read yours? How do you have the confidence to go outside? That is such an unhinged question That is such an unhinged question. Did she get dumped at the airport one time?

Who asked that? That did happen. Oh, Kara, I didn't even read it. You're like, how did you know? Yes, I did. Great. Who by who? Like dumped as if someone left you?

Dude, what's so sad is, yeah, he broke up with me, like like as we were getting on the plane. He was an iOS engineer at Apple wait Were you sitting together on the plane? Yeah? We were like walking onto the plane and he was like I actually don't want to go to Hawaii and I was like okay You want to go somewhere else? He was like no. I'm breaking up with you, and then he left and I never spoke to him He didn't go on the plane Neither of us got on the plane. Oh spoke to him ever. He didn't get on the plane. Neither of us got on the plane. Oh that's a really crazy story. Yeah it was kind of cool though. Favorite horse supplements? Oh right now I'm on an equine elixir's kick. Same. Hard. Does she

still have her rodeo queen crown? No you don don't get to keep it! You have to give it back! When were you a rodeo queen? Oh gosh, uh, 2012? How many kids has she let fall out of a horse trailer? One. What happened? Calgary was like two years old. This is the thing with children.

I didn't understand that they will just... I imagine you treating kids how you treat your dogs. She treats her dogs amazing. Let's hold on before anyone's like... No, but I let them experience real life and I'm looking at Calgary and this kid is looking at me, I'm looking at him, he's two years old and all of a sudden he just falls out of this horse trailer. And she said, why did you let him fall? I said, why did he jump? I'm never leaving my kids with you. Why do my knees hurt whenever I ride horses? Oh, that's simple.

Just athletics. Period. Like, you just got to do it more. Honestly, it's just a muscle and strength thing. You don't use this. That is a normal action on a day to day. It's also like a weird position. Yeah, it's just a weird position.

I don't think people realize how many muscles that we don't use that you have to use for riding horses. Like adductors or whatever. Unfortunately, you just have to ride through it. Yeah, and it kind of messes your body up a little bit. Yeah, a little bit. What's your stance on horse racing? Okay, I have a complicated stance on horse racing.

It's actually not that complicated because this is my stance on most things in life. There are bad people and there are good people. I think that those who are following the rules, who take pride and care in their animals, similar to rodeo livestock, when you can see the behind the scenes, who take pride and care in their animals, similar to rodeo livestock. When you can see the behind the scenes, those animals are bred to do it. They're athletes. And as long as you can treat that animal with the respect that it deserves. I wouldn't say I'm not going to sit here and I'm going to the Kentucky Derby.

Not your vibe. I might wear a hat. I heard it's expensive. I'm not gonna sit here and I'm going to the Kentucky Derby. Not your vibe. I might wear a hat. I heard it's expensive. But there's lots of things that I do with horses, barrel racing, that people go, that's abuse. It's not their bread to do it, they enjoy it. They do enjoy it, actually.

Yeah, I mean, these animals are bred for it. Yeah, every time I bring the barrels out, red is like hype, I can tell. Yeah, it's like when people get a malinois and then don't let it do malinois things. And then they're like, why is this dog crazy? It's bred for sport. Yeah, it's not doing the job it wants to do.

Yeah. If she wasn't a broke ass horse girl, what else would she be? Broke ass blank girl. Oh, if I was not a horse girl, I would, if I was not a horse girl, oh gosh, I don't know. Tech girl?

No, because I'd probably have more money. Rich girl? At that point. Oh right, right. No, I mean, honestly, gosh, what would I do if I wasn't riding horses? Honestly I have to be completely honest. If I didn't have horses I would not have the motivation that I do in life and I probably

would not be a high achiever. Oh, yeah. I'm serious. They push me. They push me to be the best person that I can be. They've taught me everything that I know about living and working hard. I think honestly I probably would have just grown up and owned a feed store or something like that. I mean really I don't think I would be much of much

of anything. Not in a depressing way. I mean we love that. Horses teach us a lot. A lot. I'm like sad I can't live with Red. Remember I told you I was like- We're getting there. I know. I want you to run my ranch. I found one. Okay, well, it's in Round Top. We'll discuss. It's in Round Top.

Yeah, I know. But I have a house in North Texas. Right. They'll come on down. Negotiation. What are some things horses do to show affection towards humans? This is a really funny question, because every time I bring someone that's not a horse person to hang out with Red, they're like, why does he hate me? And I'm like, do you want him to lick you? Yeah. Okay. So, okay. This is the interesting thing. I think horses show their appreciation for us in many different ways. Like, I really don't think like it's a horse to horse basis,

because like you've met my horses, I've got three mayors. They're all completely different personalities who show me a lot of care and affection in different ways. BamBam is more of my kind of close. She likes to be like near me. And she likes to kind of be like in my space. And she's very gentle and soft. Whereas like Bird, I noticed a lot of her appreciation for me through actions. Like when I'm running Bird, this is so horse girl, but Bird gives me a lot of confidence and I know that's like a gift from her because she doesn't have to be as kind to me as she is. And like she'll do these little things like sometimes, you know, she'll step off the backside of the barrel and I'll get a little off kilter and I tell you what, I can feel that horse move right back underneath me. Like she just wants to be good and she's very in my space.

She tries hard for you. She, dude, she tries so hard for me. And for me, that's what I noticed with horses is like, I know when my horses are trying and when they're not and That's kind of what I gather but a lot of it is just it with horses It it's hard to explain but it becomes a very quiet connection Yeah, I could sit in silence with my horses for a very very long time. Mm-hmm Nothing is said but also everything is said. Mm-hmm And they give me a comfort that that I don't think I could ever get from anything or anyone else.

I think that's a great answer. And it's all quiet. Yeah. Yeah. It's not like what you would experience from a dog. It's a very different feeling. Yeah. And it's crazy.

Like I know there's a lot of cheesy stuff and signs about like horses giving us wings and all that stuff, but there's there's a lot of truth to the the freedom that they Provide it's crazy. It has changed my life. There's just nothing else Like it and I know that it's not that for everyone. You know what I mean? But I think for those that get it There is nothing else. You can't put it in words. Yeah. And like all of a sudden, like other things in life just become not very important.

Yeah. It's a wild feeling. You know, like some people are like, ah, I want to, I don't even know. Like some people get a lot of enjoyment from like traveling and doing these things. I just like kind of being at home. Do you know what I noticed when I started writing? I stopped like shopping. Yeah. I like do, I don when I started riding? I stopped like shopping. Yeah. I like do, I don't care about stuff as much anymore. Yeah, no, literally it's like whatever.

Nothing will match up to the feeling of being around my horse ever. Yeah, no, and also they kind of, what I like about horses is, they kind of like love without judgment, but are also like, if you want to know if your character, if you're a bad character, honestly, ride a horse. They're great judges of character. They're extremely honest animals.

If I want to know something about someone, let's take a gander over to Bird's stall. And she'll give somebody a look and I'm like, eh. Did she like me? Yeah, she likes you. I'm still a little scared of her though. I just respect her, you know? She's just misunderstood. She did not like Red.

She uh, no. I don't know what that was, but. She hated Red. Bird just needed somebody to love her. Honestly, I unfortunately see a lot of myself in Bird. I was going to say you guys are the same person. Yeah, we're kind of kindred spirits. You know what I feel about Red? It's almost like the Brad situation. I don't want to call out Brad directly, but Brad who bucked me off. Like they know that accident I had. Why are you laughing? Dude, it was crazy.

We all get yeeted every once in a while. Yeah, but as you told me it was like a dirty fall. Yeah, he was pretty, yeah, he was pretty, he was pretty, he was kind of dirty to you. He wanted me off of him and it was like, it almost ruined. He let you know. Yeah, it almost ruined my. I wasn't gonna let that happen though. Relationship with horse.

Remember I was really messed up from it. I was gonna give you like two weeks. I didn't even take two. And then I was gonna tell you to get over it. I didn't take two. No, I know. I went right back to it. But I was like gonna be like, okay, get over it.

Yeah, which is a good advice, but has Red not been like the healing? Yeah, no, he's extremely caring. That dude takes care of you. I know. I love a horse that can take a joke though. What do you mean? Like Bird can't take a joke.

You think Red can? Yeah, dude. You could get on Red backwards. You could, you know what I mean? Like you can be quote unquote a gunzle on red and he's gonna roll with it I mean Greg got on him exactly Taylor got on bird is the type of animal that's like yeah hmm that's actually not gonna work with me and I'm gonna let you know right now in a million different ways that are gonna scare you she's not a beginner horse no I still got to get better at the gate

I'm like yeah I know I was good at the beginning I know I'm losing it. It takes time. Yeah, can you help me with that? Do you know how to do that? Open a gate on a horse. Yeah, it's one of the first things they teach you well I'm good at opening it and then I run through it. Well, that's yeah Also, my jeans got caught on it last time. So that was kind of a disaster Horse expenses per month, roughly. Mine? I mean, just in general, like, what should people anticipate? OK, I'm going to give you I'm going to level with the people on this right now.

And I'm going to count my whole lifestyle here. OK. Because you have to remember, I've got the truck. I've got the trailer. I've got the trailer. I've got the house. We actually have very different setups. So I can explain mine too. Yeah, I've got the horses. I'm like, I'm off the deep end here. I'm going to be completely honest with people. It is not unusual for me to have an eight to $10,000 month. That being said, that is diabolical behavior. That is insane and I'm fully aware of that.

That's like my choice kind of. That's my choice because honestly, dude, I don't care about anything else. You know, I live in a thousand square foot barn dough. Yeah. Don't care. Your whole life is your horse. My whole life is my horse's.

You came over, I didn't even have furniture. I didn't even have salt. No you guys this girl like She's showing me her full rundown of the horse's routine The horses are getting a sprinkle of their hoof stuff their gut stuff their whatever Yeah, and there's all this stuff. She's explaining each thing to me and she's like it's really expensive and I make sure I do this Then we go in her house and she's like, what do you want? I don't really have anything. I was like, oh, so you don't eat. I had like yogurt and no seasonings, no chairs. So I got a couch. Now you've now you're stepping

it up. Yeah. No. And I sent her salt in the mail. Yeah, no. So I'm fully aware that I'm a diabolical individual. It does not have to be that way. No, that's crazy. But I know people wonder. So if people have wondered, that's what I'm spending. I'm a diabolical individual. It does not have to be that way. No. That's crazy, but I know people wonder. So if people have wondered, that's what I'm spending. I'm not spending that. No, nobody should. Yeah. And I have a different lifestyle

where I'm not with my horse every day. I can't be right now. He stays at a facility. So I think I spend a thousand to $2,000 on his stall, feed. Yeah., inject, like. Inject, actually vet. Yeah, that's like a quarterly thing. But yeah, I mean, my horse has got crazy stuff going on.

We've got shoes and training and. But I also have one horse and you have four. Four? Three. Three. What about Vienna? Well, I had four, but one died. Oh, right. Coco. May she rest in peace. 26 years.

She was 36. Oh, I'm sorry. 30s. Yeah, put some respect on her name. Sorry. Sorry, Coco. 36 years old. 36 is wild. May she rest in peace. This is why I will take Michelle's advice with literally anything horse-related.

Yeah, dude, I got that horse to 36. She was healthy and sound until the day she died. Want to hear more about Redd? Pedigree bloodline height training. Pedigree? What's pedigree? It's breeding. Oh, so I actually can answer this. His dad is called Repeat Offender. He is a lovely stallion out of High Point Performance Horses. That's right. And his mom was something bull. Something bull. I don't know his mother. But that's why his full name is Red Bull. He's an American Quarter Horse. He's chestnut. Hmm, a little sorrel. Sorrel. He's sorrel. And he's big. Yeah he's big. He's 16. 16, 16, 1 maybe. Which is great for me because I'm

tall. You're a lanky girl. Lanky girl. He was raised in a family, the Carculla family out of California. They're a rodeo slash ranch family. Also hilarious that I grew up with the youngest sister. Yeah, crazy. And the dad of the family is the one who broke red and literally trained him. He was trained on a ranch around cows. He did barrels. He was just a little too slow for the big races. And he taught the kids how to ride. So he was perfect for me. He's a great horse.

I think he's a fantastic addition. I really do. I think he'll be great for your children. I think he'll be great for you and your husband. And yeah, I think he'll be awesome for your kids. I know I'm obsessed with him. I feel like guilty that I'm not doing barrels on him though. Please.

He's a horse. What does he know? I know. He likes the barrels though. He's got horse. What does he know? I know. He likes the barrels though. He's got food in front of him every day. Yeah. Bluebonnet. And he gets pet. So... He does get pet.

That's a- I have a thing about that. I got a comment the other day that, you know, Bird is a very nice horse. And Jimmy got on her and absolutely laid a rundown. And we posted about it because she was third fastest time at a jackpot and then I got a comment about oh, it's it's so Horrible that that horse is not gonna reach its full potential with you Sorry Last time I checked she is a happy animal animals don't know okay. They don't care. Oh my gosh. She has food She's so she gets carrots an acupuncture. She needs nothing more in this lifetime. Also, this was like meant to be her path, you know?

Yeah, dude, like people are dumb online. I don't take people's, I don't take opinions from strangers about my horses. I'll pay a professional for that. Period. Okay, one more question. Biggest pros and cons you've both noticed about being a part of the equestrian community?

Biggest pro has been this year in losing my dad. Here's the thing about cons in the equestrian community, and this is an opinion that I have. The horse world is as bad of an experience as you let it be. I am extremely conscious of the people that I let in my circle and I have to be honest, I don't really have bad experiences. I'll run into some people here and there that I'm like, Jesus, you were rude.

And then I never see them again. If I see them at a bar, I always start walking the other way. But honestly, I had this great moment the other day. I just moved to North Texas, right? I mean, granted, I know some people already, and granted, I've got a following on social media, but I went to this jackpot in North Texas, small Wednesday jackpot.

I had like six people offered to record my run, and in the background of my run is just a bunch of people being extremely supportive. And I have people that are very helpful and very kind, and I think it's for two reasons. One is I'm very conscious of those that I let in my circle. And that's just life. Don't allow crappy people around you.

That is like, all the time I hear people, this person's taking advantage of me. Stop talking to them. That's not your friend. Sorry, I don't care. What, I don't wanna make any waves or problems. Trust me, they don't care about you that much. That's why they're mean to you.

So just cut them out. They're not gonna care that much. But two, I'm nice. I'm nice to others. And in this year losing my dad, more people have helped me. Because I've said this year, I really dove headfirst into barrel racing and I keep telling people this is not about barrel racing. Everything that I'm doing this year, this is not about barrel racing. Everything that I'm doing this year, this is not about barrel racing. This is about pursuing something that will light my fire after facing the worst thing that I ever have. And so there's been so many pros in that I've put a lot of good out there.

I'm the first girl that's going to walk somebody in the arena or help them or I'll pull my horse trailer over on the side of the road if I see another trailer broke down and therefore people return. And when I hear people constantly complaining about the horse world, it's so negative, so negative, so negative. You're negative. Period. And you're allowing negative people in your circle and that's why your life sucks. And at the end of the day we're spending way too much time and money on this doing something

that a million other people would like to do. So be more conscious of who you hang out with, because there are bad people in this sport. There's bad people in life. And so I think a pro of the horse world is I've got a million people that have my back. I do. I mean, really, I have a million people that have my back. And I think that's something that is really special to the horse world. I think that normal people aren't like that. Yeah, I have experienced both. And I think that's something that is really special to the horse world. I think that normal people aren't like that.

Yeah, I have experienced both. Yeah. And I think with the English world, I cut it off right when I needed to. And getting into Western, I have to say I did feel way more welcomed. I found you. I mean, Michelle literally kept my horse at her house for a week, trailer him down for me, stayed with me, showed me how to do everything, like really took me under her wing and like, that was crazy. I think sometimes it can be difficult to recognize like, is this person trying to help me? Not you before, like in the English world, is this person trying to help me or are they taking advantage?

I think the biggest lesson from Michelle that I learned is that independence is so valuable. And I think I spent a couple years learning how to ride and getting the basics down, but really being too reliant on other people. I didn't even know what my horse was being fed. I didn't know what they were giving him supplement wise. I didn't know what was happening at the vet appointments. Like I just felt really out of it. And now I feel very involved and I could take care of my horse probably top to bottom without help. Yeah, well, knowledge is power.

And I think in general, you're just nice and trusting of people, which is honestly a great character trait to have. But I keep getting screwed over. Yeah, it can hurt you. And that's why I tell you, I'm like, stop doing stuff. This has been my year of realizing that. But it's a good thing to have. You're trusting.

You know what I mean? Not anymore. But knowledge is power. I mean, I would say that the only con that I have from the horse world is like, dude, I got like, every time I think I'm going to more money, it's just like, dude, it's just spent. Yeah, it's a black hole. You know what I mean?

Like, I could make $10 million a year and I'm telling you right now, I could spend it all. And I would be out of money by third quarter. It's a black hole. Yeah, it's a black hole. So I'd say that's the only con is like, I'm just out of control. But that's personal. You know what I mean?

Some people can reel it in. I can't. Yeah. I can't. I'm like, I need that for, you know what I mean? Some people can reel it in. I can't. I can't. I'm like, I need that for, you know, I need more. I need another horse. You know, why? What are your, last question, what are your goals with riding? Do you have any? I do. You know, I want to get more comfortable riding higher level horses. You know, Bird is a very nice horse. She's very quality animal, you know, top dollar animal. And right now I'm probably not doing her a lot of justice, though we get better every time.

And so on that level, on the riding level, you know, I just want to get better, but I want to have fun doing it. Yeah, I'm not going to do it if it's not fun. That's such a waste of time for me. But honestly, I think I'm more on this journey with horses now of like, how can I make the world around me better through horses? And that's why I like sharing horse content and I want to do more.

I'd love to start my own brand in the space. I would love to like, my ultimate goal honestly is I'd love to start a brand in the horse space. And I don't know what it's going to be yet, but I want it to be a company that gives back. I would love to be able to pick five kids a year throughout the nation that, hey, we'll pay all your horse bills. And I think I'm progressing to that of what's the impact that I can have through horses because horses have changed my life. They've made my life, honestly. I would be nothing, really, truly.

I wouldn't be anything that I am without the relationship that I have with these animals. I think that they can have a great impact on the world and that's kind of the journey that I'm on. If it means that I'm going to less barrel races because I'm spending more time going to events and educating people on horses and getting people involved in horses and Getting more people to take lessons and do things. I think that's where I'm headed You know channeling something positive through What has ultimately like kind of been the greatest privilege of my life?

I through what has ultimately been the greatest privilege of my life. I feel like even doing a show like this and talking about it will do that too. Yeah. I think there's so much to learn through horses and there's so many different avenues and there's so many different people in the industry. I think there's so much positivity and I think there's a lot. I think horses are really healing for a lot of people and that's kind of why I'm happy that there's such a trend right now. Yeah, aesthetically they're a trend.

They're aesthetically a trend but I think there's a couple of people going and riding horses and taking lessons and it's changing their lives. I get a lot of questions about it. Changing their lives and you know, 10 minutes with a horse is a life-changing experience. I've honestly really, really met many many people that don't like horses And when I find out they don't like horses, there's usually a reason why it's usually because horses told them something about themselves so I Love their horses are a trend. I want more people to take lessons and go find trail rides and go pet a horse

Yeah, I think it's really healing. So that's kind of the Ride just to be around them. Yeah, dude. Just looking at them. Michelle, where can everyone find you on the internet and watch your content? Broke-ass horse girl, TikTok and Instagram. Don't find me on Facebook. That's my personal page. Don't go there. It's personal.

Don't go there. It's personal. No, that's just where I find like barrel races. Do you have any like products you want to promote? No, I got nothing. I want Michelle to make a guide about horses and supplements. I'm scared. A PDF workout guide.

PDF guide. PDF guide. A horse guide. PDF horse guide. Yeah, you know, look out in the new year. I think 2025, big year for Michelle. I agree. What's the name of the fly company?

Spalding Labs. Spalding Labs sent me some lovely natural fly products and you guys know how I feel about toxins. Yep. So thank you to Spalding Labs. Fly predators are actually really cool. It's guys it's sick. It's really cool.

Okay. So it's give a quick look. Give a quick look. Do you have a code? It's a bug. Yeah, I do actually. It's Michelle 10. Oh, use Michelle 10. So basically it's this bug and you release them and they eat the fly larva before it hatches.

And the life cycle of that bug is not very long. So that's why you have to get a new batch, you know, every month and stuff like that. But I'm being dead honest, I don't have flies. We have horrible flies in my home. Like I don't endorse products without knowing that they work. And I was suspicious. I was, I was like, I'll try it. I don't have flies.

Guys, and for anyone listening who's in the horse world, flies are kind of a big deal. I hate them. And they can be really, really annoying. They ruin my life. Also, fly spray has so much crap in it. They also have a product though. It's called Bye Bye Odor.

It's honestly just good for people that have animals. Oh, he sent me that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's an odor eliminator. It activates the molecule. You activate the molecules with water and you can spray it on your clothes and stuff like that. It's literally non-horse people use it.

And it's just an odor eliminator, but it's an actual good one one it has a really good smell and spalding was like spalding louts started by a family it's a it was originally family owned it's owned by equine network now but it's actually kind of a cool story started by a woman use Michelle 10 yes thanks Michelle thanks Maureen. Thanks for joining us on the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. To support this show, please rate and review and share with your loved ones. If you want to be reminded of new episodes, click the subscribe button on your preferred

podcast or video player. You can sign up for my newsletter to receive my favorites at marielawelland.com. It will be linked in the show notes. This is a Wellness Loud production produced by Drake Peterson, Fiona Attucks, and Kelly Kyle. This show is edited by Mike Frye, and our video is recorded by Luis Vargas. You can also watch the full video of each episode

on our YouTube channel at Mari Fitness. Love you, Power Girls and Power Boys. See you next time. The content of this show is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual medical and mental health advice and does not constitute a provider-patient relationship. As always, talk to your doctor or health team.