Team Behind the Rider: Meghan Laffin

Originally from NY. Meghan Laffin swapped her career working for CBS news to follow her heart and work with horses. A talented rider herself, Meghan is now an assistant trainer and groom for Kasey Perry-Glass based in Wellington, Florida.

 

Can you share your journey so far?

I grew up in the suburbs of Long Island, but every summer my family and I would take a trip to Cochranville PA, where my aunt and uncle had a fifty plus acre farm, and horses. My aunt is an avid dressage rider and has always had 2-3 horses. She’s in her seventies now and still does all her own barn chores. When I was little, I would follow her around tirelessly, asking a million questions and jumping at the chance to participate in any way. Eventually my mom arranged for me to spend an extra week or two with her every summer, for “horse camp.” She has always been my connection to the horse world. As a kid I preferred eventing, but when I attended Devon with her and got to see dressage horses move in person, I was hooked.

Despite my horse obsession, I honestly never thought I would work in the horse world. I suppose I just didn’t believe in myself enough to think I could make a good living. I also feared that basing my livelihood off it, could run a high risk of spoiling the fun. I think I’m practical, perhaps to a fault, and didn’t dare to dream that big.

In middle school I was recruited for the volleyball team, and that quickly turned into travel teams, high school programs, and college recruitment offers. I went on to play D1 volleyball at Coastal Carolina University. I was a 4-year starter and 3 year captain. I studied Business Management and Journalism. After graduating I went and worked for CBS News in NYC for three years. I worked for the morning show, then called “CBS This Morning” – I still regularly visited my aunt and uncle in PA, and rode whenever possible, but it wasn’t enough. I knew I had to make a life change. My practical plan wasn’t panning out. I needed to figure out how to leave the big city and have horses back in my life. I ended up deciding to go back to school for an MBA, and accepted a job managing Iron Rock Dressage in Fairfield CA at the same time. Ironically, it was my high school volleyball coach who connected me to the owners of that farm.  I worked full time at the farm and did my MBA classes at UC Davis on the weekends and evenings. I still imagined that after a few years I’d graduate, get a higher paying business job, and live somewhere where I could afford my own horse (see, still trying to be practical)! But in the summer of 2019, right as I was concluding my MBA, I saw Kasey Perry-Glass advertising a job opening. I figured it’d be the experience of a lifetime to join her team, even if for only a year… and then I’d go get a business job. But six years later, here I am! I kept convincing myself to take the practical path, but my heart had different ideas. Luckily, I listened. Eventually I had to accept the fact that the life I thought was impossible to live, was happening for me. So here I am!

 

What does your role as a groom involve?

I feed the horses every morning, then turn them out shortly thereafter. Usually by 9am Kasey and I begin working through the day’s schedule of pre-ride therapies, rides, and post ride therapies. Some horses get the magnetic blanket before we ride. Others prefer our class 3 laser. Anything to gently cue their muscles to start warming up. Then Kasey or I ride, and then it usually ends with some variation of a bath, ice, and/or theraplate. By 4pm the horses are usually inside and having their dinner.

We usually only have about 3-6 horses at a time. So, it’s a small herd and Kasey and I are able to manage it mostly on our own. Once show season picks up we have a few local girls who are able to help pitch in on a freelance basis so that we can split our time between home and the showgrounds.

 

What makes what you do special?

I think Kasey and I have hacked our way into making this individual sport, a team sport. I think we both admire each other tremendously. I see the life that Kasey has lived, all that she’s accomplished, and I’m just dying to learn everything I can from her.  Not to mention the fact that Team Believe is a family affair. We have Kasey’s daughter Tru running around the farm. Cracking us up and adding so much joy and levity. And of course, Kasey’s mom, Diane, is the sponsor to our program. She sets really high standards, but also loves us and supports us so purely through good times and bad. Getting to work with horses is a gift, of course. But getting to do it with such wonderful people is beyond special.

 

What tasks do you least like doing?

Clipping! It’s so hot and humid in Florida, and I’m quite OCD. It’s multiple hours of being sweaty, itchy, and covered in hair.

 

What have been some memorable moments?

Kasey rode at Aachen this past summer, and did such an amazing job showcasing what consistent, soft, elegant training can do. Our boy Heart can have a tendency to get hot and tense and in the warm-up before the Grand Prix, he did just that. But she went out and delivered a gorgeous test, and I just burst out in tears. Heart has come such a long way, and Kasey piloted him there. To see them crush it in that iconic stadium just completely overwhelmed me.

 

What are the hardest parts?

I think the job demands a lot out of us. We are usually providing emotional support, physical support, love and care to both the horse and the rider. Oh, and the “office” is never closed. There’s always something, always more, always a worry, always a wonder. I think the only way to survive is by having a strong support system of your own. You need water in your cup in order to pour into others, right?

 

What advice could you give to anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

Work hard, but don’t lose sight of who you are and what you want. The right people will see your efforts and seek to raise you up. Find them.

 

What does it mean to be part of the support team?

I think having a strong support network is key. Everyone needs to be able to communicate and take feedback. Vets, farrier, bodyworkers, saddle fitters, grooms, riders, trainers, owners… There will be lots of opinions and lots of opportunities for egos to interfere, but the best teams are able to share a common goal and stay open-minded. If everyone can play nice, then there’s a beauty in brainstorming, and letting the best idea win.

 

What have been some unexpected parts?

Kasey had her daughter, Tru, in 2021. I was there when they brought her home from the hospital. I was there when she first started to smile and laugh. I changed her diapers and fed her bottles. She’ll turn four soon, and loves riding on the tractor with me listening and singing along to her favourite Disney soundtrack. I love her so much! Caring for Tru has never been forced upon me as part of my job but having her around has sprinkled so much joy and humour into life on our farm. I wouldn’t trade that part of this experience for anything.

 

A horse that holds a special place in your heart?

When I first applied for the job with Kasey, I asked about riding opportunities, and they told me about Stina. They owned her mom and bred Stina themselves. She was an adorable and friendly foal but quickly started exhibiting a lot of symptoms of GI issues. It took a long time to figure out the right balance of non-offensive hays and grains, as well as which probiotics worked best, etc… and all the while Stina went from an adorable little filly to a massive 18 hand chestnut mare. Her stomach issues made her understandably tricky to start under saddle, but by age 5 she had *mostly* joined the party, and was being ridden in western tack by Kasey’s husband Dana (who also happens to be a cowboy).  They offered me the opportunity to take over the ride on her, and I accepted.

I fell in love with Stina pretty quickly. She was WILD. Snorting every other breath, ready to run on a moment’s notice, seemingly never tired, and so brave. She’s a trail ride queen, if you can handle her energy. I did, and I loved it. Over the last 6 years we’ve climbed our way from first level to I-1. She’s gone from a wildfire breathing dragon, to a seemingly relaxed and happy dressage horse. I think she’d do almost anything for me, and it makes me emotional just to think about.

 

You had an offer for $5 lessons, what prompted that?

Yes, last summer I offered dressage lessons to everyone and anyone for $5. I did it because I felt really overwhelmed by all the negative press coming out about dressage and equestrian sports in general. I think as an industry, a course correction needed to happen. But I didn’t agree with a lot of the amplified hate playing out on social media.

In my heart I know that 99% of horse people are in it for the right reasons. We love our horses and give them the best lives possible. We respect the training process as an art, and we study it endlessly over the course of our lifetimes. I think the real culprit of some of the industry issues, is access to education.  Certainly I’m not an expert, but I do feel honoured to have learned from some incredible trainers, whose methods are gentle but fair. I’ve also always aspired to be a top coach someday, and so what better way to gain experience. Teaching the $5 lessons was incredibly rewarding. It was a way of giving back, staying connected, and trying to be part of a solution, instead of a problem.

 

What are your future aspirations?

I aspire to be a respected rider and trainer in the industry, someday. I hope I can continue bringing horses up the levels, and I’d especially love to build my abilities as a coach.

 

Your Top Tip

How you do anything is how you do everything. If you’re diligent about how you clean your tack, you’re probably also diligent about how you ride. Who you are when the consequences are low, and nobody is watching, is who you will be when the stakes are high, and the crowd can see you. Decide who you want to be.

 

Are there any products that you can’t live without?

Platinum has a supplement powder called Renew that I swear by. It’s packed with amino acids and vitamins and goes in all our horses post work mashes. I’m also a huge fan of Coat Defense’s Drying Paste. Living in Florida, I’ve had to troubleshoot through a lot of skin irritations. I think their approach is really smart. It’s essentially like a poultice textured band aid, protecting trouble areas without the hassle or further complications of bandages. It’s super helpful for me to keep flies and dirt away from irritated areas, especially as our horses turn out all day.

 

What advice can you give for planning ahead for a competition?

Write things down! Preparing for a competition is daunting, but there’s something about writing lists and getting worries out of your brain and onto paper that I find really soothing.  I also think as grooms we need to remember that as much as we try, we’re not mind readers. Take advantage of the pre-show planning to have a conversation with your rider about needs and expectations during the show.