“You have to be willing to look dumb...”

👉 “You have to be willing to look dumb, be uncomfortable, and keep going anyway.”

Kari Klingenberg said that in this week’s podcast episode and it might be one of the most honest things I have heard about what it actually takes to improve as a rider.

Because that right there is the part most riders do not want to do.

Not because they do not care.
Not because they are not capable.
But because being uncomfortable in your riding can feel incredibly vulnerable.

Especially when you know people are watching.
Especially when you want to do well.
Especially when you know what you should be able to do.

And that is part of what made this conversation sooo good!

In this episode of the Resilient Reiner Podcast, I sat down with Kari Klingenberg—NRHA Professional, Team USA representative, and reining trainer at Pinnacle Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona—to talk about what actually holds riders back, what improvement really requires, and why so many riders stay stuck even when they have the talent, the horse, and the desire.

This was one of those conversations that goes deeper than “ride more” or “try harder.”

We talked about what happens when riders get in their own way, what pressure brings out, and why growth often asks you to go through a phase where it feels messy before it feels solid.

Inside this episode, we get into:

• what keeps riders from improving, even when they want it badly

• why discomfort is often part of progress

• why your horse feels different at shows (and if it’s a training issue or not)

• how belief affects the way a rider shows up

• what separates riders who grow from riders who stay stuck

• Kari’s take on the biggest thing holding riders back

• Kari’s honest perspective from working with riders at every level

There is a lot of gold in this one.

Listen to the episode here → Podcast Episode 204

And fair warning: you may hear yourself in this conversation.

Ride on,
Nicole 🤍