No wine today, which frankly feels suspicious given the week that was.

Marissa kicks things off with the saga of Hickatee’s mystery lip injury — an incident involving stitches, rain-washed paddock evidence, and the shocking revelation that she is, in fact, wildly squeamish at the sight of horse blood. Nearly fainting while the vet insisted she stand on the exact side of the wound? Yes. Character building? Also yes.

What could have been a stressful horse week somehow turns into a victory tour. There’s solo float driving (accompanied by the classic “I’m not scared” internal monologue), a sore hand from aggressively gripping the steering wheel, and a surprisingly drama-free unloading.. growth all around.

Then comes the moment that absolutely no non-horse person will appreciate properly: a canter over a single pole. Objectively minor. Emotionally enormous. After extensive pre-panic and attempted psychic negotiation with the instructor, the pole is cantered. The world does not end. Confidence levels rise.

With Hickatee temporarily off duty, Marissa dives into groundwork with Will from Equine on the Move, tackling lunging, energy, timing, and the realisation that the biggest training challenge is often the human brain, not the horse. Shocking, we know.

The girls are then joined by Santa Monica author and wine aficionado Danielle Frank, who brings laughs and unexpected depth with her brilliantly titled book A Wine Lover’s Guide to Parenting: The Fine Art of WINE and WHINE Management. Between wine wisdom, life plot twists, and brutally relatable truths about happiness not always following the original script, things get both funny and surprisingly wise.

Also featured: forgotten anniversaries, marital competence comparisons, and the usual Mounting Block chaos.

Business as usual, really.

In this episode of The Mounting Block, Marissa and Oriel kick things off in classic style – joking about wine, bravery, and the small acts of courage it sometimes takes just to show up and have real conversations. It’s light, honest, and very on-brand, setting the tone for an episode that blends humour with meaningful depth.

They’re joined by Leslie, a life coach calling in from Vietnam, who describes herself as both a coach and an “anti-life coach” – someone deeply aware of the harm parts of the personal development industry can cause. As the conversation unfolds, the focus turns to toxic positivity: the well-meaning but often damaging habit of glossing over pain with platitudes like “just stay positive” or “everything happens for a reason.”

Leslie explains how relentless optimism can dismiss lived experience, reinforce inequality, and place unfair pressure on people to simply “think better” when real systemic or personal barriers exist. Together, the group explores confidence, imposter syndrome, and why so many women struggle when returning to the workforce after time away – not because they lack ability, but because the narrative around success is broken.

Marissa shares her own reaction to toxic positivity and why it can shut people down rather than lift them up, while Leslie outlines a values-based coaching approach that prioritises listening, ethical support, and asking better questions instead of offering surface-level advice.

This episode is a reminder that growth doesn’t come from fake positivity or love-and-light slogans. It comes from courage (sometimes fuelled by wine), honest conversations, and the bravery to sit with discomfort – together.

In this episode of The Mounting Block, Oriel is finally back after a big family adventure through the US, complete with snow, national parks, margaritas (the strong kind), and a whole lot of memories. While she was away, Marissa held down the fort with the horses, did some solo riding… and casually bought a horse float from overseas.

As the girls ease into 2026 (and confront some very questionable age maths), they reflect on friendship, horses, growing older, new plans for the podcast, and what’s ahead for The Mounting Block — including merch, bigger ideas, and supporting riders at every stage of life.

The conversation then turns deeper with special guest Dr Camille, a PhD medical researcher and coach who works closely with mothers navigating guilt, burnout, and unrealistic expectations. Together, they unpack mum guilt, shame vs healthy guilt, the mental and emotional load, default parenting, and why frozen meals, cereal for dinner, and asking for help might actually make you a better parent — not a worse one.

It’s honest, funny, validating, and deeply relatable! A reminder that you’re not alone, you’re a good parent having a hard time, and sometimes letting go is the bravest thing you can do.