Sarah Hickner's Blog, page 4

3 Tips for Great Skin

For fourteen years now, I’ve been in the skincare industry as a beauty consultant for one of the leading beauty brands. I’ll be honest from the start. I am completely, one hundred percent biased. I love my skin, and I know that is in large part to the products I use. But, brand names aside, there are some basic tips to love your skin more.

 

Here are three simple tips:1. Take care of your skin consistently – morning and evening – using a set of products designed to work together. 

I know it’s tempting to crawl into bed after a long day and put off the face care until morning, especially if you’re sans makeup. But, throughout the day your skin is exposed to so much – from the little particles you see floating in the air in a ray of sunshine, to the invisible pollution put off by society. It’s landing on your skin. Not to mention, there are oils and impurities your cells are sending out through your pores during the day.

Every twelve hours, for your happiest skin, you’ll want to cleanse the impurities from the surface.

Consistency is important.

A basic skincare routine should include cleansing, exfoliating, toning, moisturizing, and protecting. Some products will do multiple jobs, like Mary Kay’s 4-in-1 cleanser, and the day creams with SPF. For the best results, you’ll want to use products that are tested and designed to work together.

 

2. If you have things you would like to change on your skin, add supplements to target these areas.

For example, Mary Kay has a new line of boosters designed for different concerns. One helps even the skin tone, another helps hydrate, and there’s even one that provides mild chemical exfoliation for smoother skin. If you don’t have a specific concern, but you want better, more glowing skin, I recommend Vitamin C. I like to think of it as the serum that prevents and heals a lot of what ails you.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

I know we want the single cream that comes with our skincare set to be enough. It is plenty for basic skincare. But, if you want glowing, plump skin and to ward off lines and wrinkles as long as possible without turning to the needle, think about keeping your skin like a grape instead of a raisin.

My go-to hydrators are the ones that come with the Mary Kay Miracle Set, plus the Mary Kay Naturally Nourishing Oil in the evening, and Mary Kay’s CC Cream during the day.

Occasionally, I’ll sleep in the Moisture Renewing Gel Mask for an extra boost of moisture.

And I think it goes without saying, drink a lot of water.

Before we go…

One more thought: Aging is a gift. I’m not going to pretend I love seeing fine lines and uneven skin tone, but the opportunity to grow older and experience life is a blessing. Those lines are earned.

So, I’ll do what I can to fend off the signs of age, but when a line or spot powers through, I’ll smile and thank God for the years and experiences.

 (And then I’ll dab some cream on it for good measure)

Written by Sarah Hickner 2/27/2023

Occasionally I think about something other than horses 🙂

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Help me Bring Finding Gideon to the World!

I can hardly believe I’m writing this. The book that started this entire journey – the reason I built this website you’re on, started the podcast so many listen to, write for magazines – is almost here!

After years of writing, praying, editing, slogging, inspiring, sweating, late nights, early mornings, all of it, I’m down to the final steps of publishing Finding Gideon. It’s time to send it to the professionals. I can hardly believe it. The book is with one editor now, with another editor waiting, and a cover designer getting going.

But here’s the deal. This phase is expensive. Like, really expensive. And I thought, maybe you or someone you know would like to partner with me? I set up a Kickstarter campaign for the month of February 2023. 

Kickstarter is kind of like gofundme, except it helps people financially back creative projects. You get to be a patron of the arts, and get rewarded for it!

 

 For just $10 you’ll get an invitation to my exclusive virtual book launch party. I’m really hoping EVERYONE does that because I want everyone at my party!!! The sky is the limit! You could back $10, $100, $1000, or even $10,000 (I’m thinking really big here)! Every dollar helps and is appreciated.

Thank you for being a part of the journey, and for bringing Finding Gideon to the world.

 

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Retraining a Racehorse Part 1: I Feel Like a Teenager Again!

I feel like a teenager again! Well, a teenager plus about 20 extra years of hard-learned and well-appreciated lessons. Meet Danny! Danny is a 4-year-old recently retired racehorse and an answer to a lot of longing and prayer. If you listened to my podcast episode, How to Self-Coach Through Tough Emotions and Build Break-through Habits, with Melynda Benlemlih, you’ve heard a little about us. Mainly you heard how incredibly and unexpectedly difficult it was to make this shift.

A little perspective: Silas has been my sole horse for over ten years. He’s carried me into motherhood, through overcoming fear, on lots of adventures, and even though he has a bit of a grumpy personality, we eventually made our way into each other’s hearts. But, Silas and I had also hit a bit of a stalemate a couple years back. Because of his physical limitations, I wasn’t growing much as a horseman. I missed feeling like I was improving as a rider or helping the horse improve. 

I needed to find a temporary home for Silas with the perfect person who would love and take care of my boy. 

God answered my prayer and then some! Silas is in the perfect home just 5 minutes from my house! I can drop in whenever I want and spoil him, and he has a teenager who is a fantastic rider and absolutely adores him! 

I was planning a trip to Kentucky to get a horse, when my friend Caitlin sent me a message, “Hey there’s the horse my MIL has. He’s really nice. I wanted to get him but I can’t right now. You should go check him out.” The next morning I was on the backside of Charles Town Racetrack watching a leggy black 4-year-old gallop around the track. He was calm and kind with a gentle eye, not to mention heart-meltingly handsome. I cut a check and we put him on the trailer.

Danny spent a month living in a lush field with one other horse before moving to Caitlin’s and starting our new training program. 

I’ll be updating his training on this blog, but most importantly, after years of taking life and horses a little too seriously, I’m simply having fun! I’m not sure how long I’ll have Danny before he moves to his next perfect family. I’m not sure what adventures we’ll have or how fancy he’ll jump. But I do know that I’m grateful for all of it.  

As you can see, some of the fun has included a photo shoot at sunset in a fancy dress. The good times have been rolling, and I’m making a lot of reels on Instagram! If you want to see some of the fun, follow me here: www.instagram.com/liveridelearn.

Stay tuned to see my simple training techniques and to follow Danny’s progress!

Happy Trails,

Sarah

 

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“My Stories from the Barn Aisle”

Dive in and explore your love of horses through this prompted journal!You can expect:a detailed guide on writing your own “Stories from the Barn Aisle”horse knowledge puzzles and gamesjournal promptsdoodle & color pageswriting tips& more! Order Here Enjoy some printable exerpts from “My Stories from the Barn Aisle”

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How to Self-Coach Through Tough Emotions and Build Break-through Habits, with Melynda Benlemlih

Have you ever had a dream come true, only to be met with tough emotions you didn’t expect? Have you ever been on vacation and found yourself frustrated because you’re pulled from your daily routine or to-do list? 

This week something I have been working toward for months finally came together, and I was heartbroken over it. It was the last thing I expected. I thought I would be giddy, like a school girl who walked out to the mailbox to find a new pony! Instead, I’ve spent the week swallowing back tears at inopportune moments.  

When I logged onto my computer to interview Melynda for this episode, the last thing I expected was a coaching call with me at the center. Melynda guides us on a deep dive into choices, habits, emotions, and how to gain better control of all of them. 

I hope this interview enriches your life as much as it has mine. 

~Sarah

All the details we promise during the episode:

Melynda refers to a previous episode where I talk about making lists! Here’s the link. (PS this was one of my first episodes and WOW have things grown!)

Melynda is AMAZING and gifting us a FREE habit tracker! Just go to this web page and scroll down: https://www.cognitiveagilityllc.com/habit-tracker

Have some stuff to work through? I HIGHLY recommend booking a discovery call with her. Honestly all those negative emotions are GONE after our interview (I’m honestly wondering where they wondered off to). https://course.cognitiveagilityllc.com/bookacall

To get your free short story, “Three Horses and a Wedding”, just go here! http://www.liveridelearn.com/freeshortstory/

Follows and Gratitude 

Instagram: Find me here: @liveridelearn 

Follow Streamhorse.tv here: @streamhorsetv 

Thank you to Streamhorse.TV for partnering with me on the LiveRideLearn Podcast!

Love that epic intro song? You can find the song here.  It’s called So Darey by Bus Window Also, huge thanks to Pixelbay for the hoofbeat sound effect!

Get your FREE Habit Tracker from Melynda!

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Unconventionally Good Horse Books with Natalie Keller Reinert

Natalie Keller Reinert is a master of storytelling. Her vast experiences in and out of the horse world has lent an authenticity to her fictional worlds that simply can’t be denied. Visit Saratago, ride an event horse, fall in love on a ranch in Key West, all from the pages of a book.

Reinert took an unconventional route in life, spending much of it in the saddle. She’s galloped racehorses at Aqueduct, groomed for international-level Event riders, and even had a stint as a New York City mounted patrol. Something I learned in our chat – those jobs are just the tip of the iceburg!

Her book, Runaway Alex, immediately stole my heart. After binging it, and losing hours of sleep, I tracked her down on Instagram to invite her on the podcast. (I also added her Runaway Alex to my favorite books of 2021 Blog post). 

Our chat spanned from sharing our love of lizards to what it was like to work for top event trainers and so much more. Whether you’ve read her books or not, Natalie is an incredibly interesting person with a great story. 

If you’re looking for your next read, need a gift for a horse lover in your life, or are like me and collect books for all of your future spare time, Reinert is a great choice. If you don’t trust my opinion, trust the hundreds of 5-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. These books are unconventionally good!

The best place to start is her website where you can join her newsletter and get a free book or two! https://www.nataliekreinert.com

Follow her on Instagram here: @nataliekreinert

While you’re on Instagram, follow the @liveridelearn podcast

and @streamhorsetv

Here’s the podcast episode, “Unconventionally Good Books with Natalie Keller Reinert”

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Podcast Episode: Learning from the best with Donna Brothers

Donna Barton Brothers is a former jockey who won over 1,100 horse races and now covers horse racing and other equestrian sports for NBC Sports and NBCSN.

You might recognize her from Triple Crown TV coverage, interviewing jockeys from horseback after the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont races. She took an hour out of her day to chat with us about horse racing, helping horses when their racing careers are done, as well as share some helpful tips on people skills.  

To learn more about Donna, check out her website, https://donnabrothers.com.

Do you love horseracing but don’t know much about it? Her book is the perfect place to start! Plus, as she said in the episode, all profits go to helping horses start new careers after the track.

Inside Track: Insider’s Guide to Horse Racing

 

Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Listen on Breaker

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A Chat That Changed Things with Memoir Author, Kareem Rosser

Over the summer Kareem Rosser’s book, Crossing the Line, arrived in my mailbox. It was highly anticipated. I had watched it dominate the Amazon ranking in the weeks leading up to the release of my book, Stories from the Barn Aisle (and in the weeks after!).

To be honest, I was unsure if I’d like the book. I find myself putting down more memoirs than I finish due to slow storytelling, disgustingly graphic details, or truly unbelievable facts. Crossing the Line grabbed my attention from the first page. I devoured it like my favorite fantasy novels. When I read the final words, my brain was spinning. 

The book was so good, I wrote a blog post about it you can read here. I also immediately looked Rosser up on Instagram to see if he would chat with me for the LiveRideLearn Podcast. 

It took a few months, but we were finally able to connect for a chat!

 

Our conversation was the highlight of my week! After reading the memoir, I knew Rosser’s story, but I wanted to know the important details about the guy. What does he eat for breakfast and what’s his favorite color horse? 

Rosser is a celebrated polo player, so we of course spent time chatting about the sport that captured my heart. I had the opportunity to play in college, and it’s hands down the most fun sport I’ve ever played. 

Our conversation also moved to more difficult territory. While his story chronicles his growth from a young barn rat who’s afraid to ride to becoming a top collegiate polo player, it also talks about the struggles of home. He was born and raised in West Philadelphia in an area known as “the Bottom.” He’s lost friends and family to violence, and the heart-breaking cycles of poverty and desperate decisions.

I normally avoid these conversations. They’re difficult and there’s no easy answer. I’m afraid I’ll say something callous and hurt people’s feelings, and in the end, what can I even do to help solve the problem? During our chat, I decided to dive in headfirst, and I may never be the same. 

Rosser and I talked about the issue, and what helped him break the cycle for himself. He talked about the simple gift of exposure to other places, and how, thanks to the Work to Ride program and polo, he was able to see that there was more to life than what he knew in “the Bottom.” I talked about my personal growth journey, and the belief that we become like the people we spend the most time with. Kareem said, “Sarah, just put a couple of kids on a bus and take them to the barn!”

The scheming has begun. 

What if something as simple as taking some kids like young Kareem to the barn with me could change their world and their future?

What if just being a friend with someone could change their circle of influence? 

I think we overcomplicate the power of friendship and sharing the resources we already have.

I challenge you to listen to this episode. Laugh with us, dream with us, and scheme with us. Let’s change more lives.

Click Here to Listen

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Dream Chasing, Horse Racing, new podcast episode!

Have you ever had a dream? Ok, that question doesn’t take it deep enough. Have you ever had a dream that you automatically dismissed as impossible, silly, too big, or anything else?

I’ve had one of these for quite a while. Normally I’m all about chasing dreams, but this was one of those that seemed impossible unless I was willing to sacrifice my family, which I wasn’t. 

But let’s throw in another piece to the equation- friends. Over a decade ago my farrier introduced me to his wife. I think he was feeling guilty about all the time we spent together- me holding horses while he hammered shoes onto their feet. Whatever the reason, his wife, Caitlin, and I hit it off instantly. A few months later I moved my horse to her barn, and ever since we’ve done nearly every horse adventure together. 

The funny thing is we’ve both had the same dream with similar reservations, and we never really talked about it until a few weeks ago. We went on a road trip together, woke up every morning before the sun, and drove to the track to watch horses gallop. We pretended to be prospective breeders and visited an open house at Lane’s End and met famous stallions. Then we sat in the auction room of a Keeneland horse sale where horses sold for well over the price of my home. We admitted to each other that we both had this dream, and then we hatched a plan.

In this episode, “Dream Chasing, Horse Racing“, you’ll get to hear about this dream-turned plan!

Part of this scheme is to take you – the listener – along for the ride. We’ll chase this dream together, in hopes that maybe it will encourage you to chase your own impossible dream.

 

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Defying the Odds with Tootie Anderson

Meet Cynthia Tootie Anderson, horsewoman and author. In this interview, she tells about her $10 horse that took her coast to coast, winning competitions and setting records. Together they defied the odds and blazed a path that can encourage us in our own lives.  Listen to the interview here:

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