Welcome to Married with Mares: a raw, reflective, and uplifting podcast for equestrians, creatives, and anyone learning to balance love and life in all its beautiful chaos. Join hosts, Madelyn and Barrett Houser, as they navigate the real-world journey of partnership, horses, and the emotional terrain that comes with both.
From the everyday chaos of managing horses and relationships, to the lessons learned along the way, Married with Mares is about showing up as you are: imperfect, evolving, and laughing through it. No highlight reels. No pretending. Just real stories, real conversations, and a whole lot of heart (and humor).
If you love horses, value authenticity, and appreciate a good laugh with your life lessons, you’re in the right place.
In this episode of Married with Mares, we’re sitting down with equine nutrition advisor, Connie Flores of 17 Hand Equine Nutrition, for a real, honest conversation about horse nutrition without the overwhelm.
Whether you’re a seasoned horse owner or just trying to make sense of the feed room, this episode is packed with approachable education, relatable conversation, and plenty of “wait… I didn’t know that” moments.
If you’re interested in working with Connie, you can find her here:
IG • @17handequinenutrition
https://www.17handequine.com/ (https://www.17handequine.com/)
Body Condition Guide •
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mcZQnYluYPNhDL2qC-WOH8gE4hJQUdQp/view?usp=drivesdk (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mcZQnYluYPNhDL2qC-WOH8gE4hJQUdQp/view?usp=drivesdk)
1 May 2026
Our Truths About Confidence. Ep. 10
In this episode of Married with Mares, we’re talking about riding confidence in a way that actually reflects real life. Not the polished version you see online, but the doubts, the setbacks, the moments that shake you, and the work it takes to keep showing up anyway.
Confidence in the saddle isn’t something you either have or you don’t… it’s something you build, lose, question, and rebuild again and again.
From fear after a bad ride to the pressure of feeling like you “should” be further along, we’re unpacking what confidence really looks like for us and how it’s less about being fearless and more about trust, consistency, and partnership with your horse.
If you’ve ever questioned yourself in the saddle, felt behind, or wondered why confidence seems to come so easily to everyone else… this one’s for you.
21 Apr 2026
Life Has Been Life. Ep. 9
On this episode of Married with Mares, we’re catching you up on all the latest happenings in our world. Recent travels and exciting adventures, updates on our new house and progress on the barn build, and of course, life with the mares. Nothing fancy, just a short behind-the-scenes check-in and “proof of life” on everything going on lately. Pull up a chair, and hang out with us.
16 Mar 2026
Why Quarter Horses? Ep. 8
In this episode of Married with Mares, we’re talking about one of the most versatile and beloved breeds in the horse world: the American Quarter Horse.
From team roping to dressage, Quarter Horses seem to do a little bit of everything. But what actually makes them so special?
We touch on the history of the breed, the traits that make Quarter Horses so unique, and the reasons they’ve earned a reputation for being steady, athletic, and incredibly versatile partners. We also talk about how these horses have personally impacted our lives - proving that heart, work ethic, and trainability can take you a long way.
Whether you grew up around Quarter Horses or you’re just curious about what makes them such a staple of the horse world, this episode explores why they’ve captured our loyalty across our respective disciplines.
9 Mar 2026
Let’s Play Catch-up • New House, Horse Updates & More. Ep. 7
In this episode of Married with Mares, we’re catching you up on everything happening behind the scenes. We talk all about the new house and property as we get closer to the move, what this next chapter might look like for our barn and horses, and the reality of navigating a big life transition.
We also share updates on Addie and Paloma, how things have been going lately in the saddle, and the day-to-day realities of life in a multi-horse household. It’s a true catch-up episode: part horse talk, part life update, and a little in between.
27 Feb 2026
Cross Discipline Marriage. Ep. 6
In this episode of Married with Mares, we’re talking about what we’ve actually learned from living in a western and English riding household. Madelyn shares what team roping has taught her about grit, timing, and letting go of perfection. Barrett shares what dressage has shown him about biomechanics, feel, and the details that matter.
If you’re part of an equestrian marriage, a horse couple navigating different disciplines, or you’ve ever wondered how western vs. English riding can coexist in one barn, this episode is an honest look at building something strong across two very different arenas.
13 Feb 2026
The Retirement Rollercoaster. Ep. 5
In this episode of Married with Mares, we share the story behind Leah’s retirement: how we knew it was time, what the decision really felt like, and the emotions that came with closing one chapter and beginning another.
Retirement isn’t just about riding less. It’s about honoring a horse who has given you everything, navigating the identity shift that follows, and redefining partnership when the saddle comes off.
Leah has been our steady leader, teacher, and soul horse for years. Our conversation is about gratitude, growth, and choosing what’s best for them, even when it’s hard.
30 Jan 2026
Our Secrets of Social Media. Ep. 4
In this episode of Married with Mares, we walk through our social media journey from the very beginning: how we each got started, what worked, what didn’t, and how our approach has evolved over time. We talk through the strategies behind building an engaged audience in the equestrian space, how we think about content, consistency, and storytelling, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way. This episode is a practical, honest look at growing online with intention, staying aligned with your values, and using social media as a tool to express your creativity.
23 Jan 2026
The Unspoken Rules. Ep. 3
In this episode of Married with Mares, we’re keeping things light and honest - talking about the unspoken rules of being married to a horse girl.
From early mornings and late nights, to horses always coming first (yes, really), this episode dives into the things no one tells you before you marry into horse life. It’s about compromise, humor, patience, and learning that loving a horse girl (and guy) means loving the lifestyle that comes with them.
No heavy lessons here! Just laughs, recognition, and a little appreciation for the partners who sign up for this life whether they realized it or not.
16 Jan 2026
Blue and Smoke. Ep. 2
In this episode of Married with Mares, we’re talking about Blue and Smoke - two horses who shaped us, grounded us, and changed the way we understand love, partnership, and loss.
This episode isn’t so much about outcomes or lessons we learned. It’s about who Smoke and Blue were, their untold backgrounds, what they represented in different seasons of our life, and how loving them prepared us for the reality that grief doesn’t end when the chapter closes.
Blue and Smoke are still part of this marriage. Still part of the barn. Still part of us. We’re choosing to “honor” the boys through this conversation.
9 Jan 2026
Our Origin Story. Ep. 1
Welcome to Married with Mares - podcast about horses, marriage, identity, and the beautifully complicated life that exists somewhere between the barn aisle and real life.
In this first episode, Madelyn and Barrett share the story behind the name, the journey that led them here, and a question she gets asked the most: How did this become my life?
This is a candid, reflective introduction to the realities of loving horses, loving people, and learning how to hold space for both. No advice. No how-tos. Just honest conversation about where it started, what changed, and why this podcast exists in the first place.
Because sometimes the most important stories begin with, “So… how did we get here?”
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