Listeners in over 35 countries!
OTTB on Tap
OTTB on Tap is a podcast focused on all aspects of Off Track Thoroughbreds. Hosted by Emily Kocubinski and Niamh O'Connell, the podcast explores the care, retraining, and experiences of OTTBs after their racing careers. The show features special series like the 'RRP Trainer Chronicles,' highlighting trainers preparing horses for the Retired Racehorse Project, and 'OTTB Underdogs,' sharing stories of horses overcoming the odds.
Sponsors
Recent
8
June 9, 2026
S3 E8: Manifesting the Kentucky 5*: Alex Conrad & Malibu Preacher
n this episode of OTTB on Tap, we’re joined by newly minted 5* rider Alex Conrad, fresh off his incredible Kentucky debut with his OTTB superstar, Malibu Preacher. What we expected was a great conversation about eventing, Kentucky, and producing an off-track Thoroughbred to the top of the sport. What we got was something even more special: a genuinely heartwarming, thoughtful, and unexpectedly emotional conversation with one of the warmest guests we’ve had on the show. Alex takes us back to the
7
April 15, 2026
S3 E7: From Office Burnout to Galloping Racehorses: Courtenay Brown's OTTB Journey
What happens when you stop playing it safe and finally choose the horses? In this episode of OTTB on Tap, we sit down with Courtenay Brown, who went from a stable remote career to riding racehorses full time. Her path is anything but linear, and it will hit home for anyone who has ever felt stuck in a job while dreaming about being at the barn. Courtenay shares how she grew up around racehorses, stepped away for years, and came back to the saddle later in life. She talks about producing her own
6
April 9, 2026
S3 E6: Not Just the Highlight Reel: Chelsey O’Brien on Training a Stakes-Winning OTTB and Going Viral (Part 2)
In Part 2 with returning guest Chelsey O’Brien, we catch up on what life looks like after the Retired Racehorse Project and what she’s working on next. Chelsey introduces her 2026 prospect, Rustler, aka Rusty, a stakes-winning OTTB owned by Pastured Place. He’s a very different ride from the horses she’s brought along for the Makeover in previous years, and this one is pushing her in new ways as a trainer. We talk about what that process actually looks like day to day, including the moments that
5
April 2, 2026
S3 E5: Putting the Horse First: Chelsey O’Brien’s RRP Makeover Story and Lessons in Horsemanship (Part 1)
Chelsey O’Brien returns to OTTB on Tap for a long-awaited catch-up, and this one starts with the real story behind her 2025 Retired Racehorse Project Makeover experience. Chelsey, a Northern Virginia trainer who rides for Pastured Place , is known for restarting off-track Thoroughbreds across multiple disciplines. In this episode, she walks us through what it actually takes to bring not one, but two OTTBs to the RRP. From hunters and Western dressage to barrels and ranch work, she shares how she
4
March 13, 2026
S3 E4: She Set a Top 10 Goal and Achieved It: Stephanie Parkot’s 2025 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Recap | OTTB Competitive Trail & Freestyle
In this episode of OTTB on Tap , we catch up with Stephanie Parkot for a recap of her journey to the 2025 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover with her Off Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) , Sterling Honor. Stephanie went into the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover with a clear goal. She wanted to finish in the Top 10 in Competitive Trail . Not only did she set that goal, she achieved it. Stephanie shares how she adopted Sterling Honor through New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program and what it took
3
Feb. 12, 2026
S3 E3: Why OTTBs Belong in the Hunter Ring with Madison Barnett & Caden Nolt
What happens when you take an off-the-track Thoroughbred (OTTB) into the hunter ring and stop treating it like an “alternate” to a warmblood? In this episode of OTTB on Tap , Niamh flies solo for our first truly hunter/jumper-focused OTTB episode with Pennsylvania pro Madison Barnett of MB Equine (USEA event rider + hunter/jumper trainer) and standout junior rider Caden Nolt . Madison breaks down why Thoroughbreds became the backbone of her program, what retraining her first OTTB taught her abou
2
Jan. 23, 2026
S3 E2: “There’s No Prize for the Harder Horse” An OTTB Buyer Reality Check | OTTB on Tap Unscripted Vol. 1.
Plus, Niamh shares a fascinating lesson on rider biomechanics using a mechanical horse. In this first-ever OTTB on Tap Unscripted episode, we hit record with no outline and dive straight into an OTTB buyer reality check that every rider needs to hear. We start with an honest conversation about rider self-evaluation and why choosing the right Off-Track Thoroughbred should begin with you, not the horse. From green horse readiness and riding confidence to time commitment, training support, barn env
1
Dec. 30, 2025
S3 E1: OTTB on Tap Returns: Burnout, Balance & the Year of the Horse
After a season of intense growth, big goals, and even bigger emotions, OTTB on Tap is back for Season 3. In this return episode, Niamh and Emily come up for air and reflect honestly on burnout, boundaries, and what it really looks like to fully commit to something and then choose a new way forward. Inspired by a quote from Matthew McConaughey about the clarity that comes from fully committing instead of living in the limbo of a half-assed effort, and a reminder from Taylor Swift that energy is e
35
Sept. 18, 2025
S2 E35: Expect the Unexpected: Harley Whittaker on Training OTTBs for Dressage, Rider Fitness & the Road to Kentucky | RRP Trainer Chronicles
In this RRP Trainer Chronicles update from OTTB on Tap, we sit down again with dressage trainer Harley Whittaker of HW Dressage in Kirkwood, Pennsylvania to hear the latest on her 2025 RRP Makeover partner, Juancho (“Jack”) . Harley shares the ups and downs of Jack’s first dressage show experience, why she’s choosing to keep him in dressage as his primary discipline, and what kind of home she sees for him after the Makeover. Beyond Jack’s journey, Harley gives us an inside look at her training b
34
Sept. 4, 2025
S2 E34 | Double the OTTBs, Double the Disciplines: Chelsey O’Brien’s Journey with Peppy & Fuzzy | RRP Trainer Chronicles
In this installment of RRP Trainer Chronicles , an OTTB on Tap Original Series , we catch up with returning trainer Chelsey O’Brien as her 2025 RRP Makeover journey takes shape. This year, Chelsey is retraining two very different OTTBs—each with their own story and style. ✨ Peppy ( JC name: The Pepsodent Show ) has stepped into the hunter ring, showing the elegance Thoroughbreds can bring to the discipline. His second Makeover division is still undecided, but one thing is certain—he’ll be availa
Listen On
