Lauren Hayes is hitting her stride in this episode of Hitting Your Stride.
The child of Olympic rider Jay Hayes, Lauren joins the podcast and shares with Tracey what it’s been like for her to grow up in that orbit and how she’s blazed her own trail in a multi-generational family with equine roots that run deep. Recalling her days as an up-and-coming junior rider that saw her collect some pretty big prizes, Lauren talks about the passion she and her family have for horses but also about how she was grounded in a life outside of the ring to make sure this was the path she truly wanted to ride.
If her early success was the opening act of Lauren Hayes, Act 2 has been more about balance: between being a mom to two daughters who are already showing interest in the equestrian life, and wanting to return to high-level competition while also finding time to help manage the family’s equestrian business. She’s learned to accept the perfect imbalance of an equestrian athlete, and how you have to learn to put aside unfolded laundry when you’re trying to focus on performance.
Lauren makes it clear for any young riders listening that it’s possible to go after your Olympic dreams while still getting an education. It’s all part of her always wanting to do her best, whether it’s the Olympic trials during university or taking a green horse into the ring … ‘it’s just another horse show’.
As Act 2 plays out, Lauren talks about The Three Boys and how they each present different challenges for her, and about the challenges she faces as Mommy to a pair of burgeoning young riders. She’s learned to prioritize and the need to do what’s best for her and for her children, extolling the virtues of maturing in and out of the ring; she can almost mirror herself in the advice she’s giving because, well … she’s lived it.
Listen to the episode here:
