The Freelance Remuda celebrated its 40th episode in the multi-year series with changes—a new logo, new segment format and discussion of new trends in equine media. Hosts Abigail Boatwright and Kate Bradley Byars welcomed Horse & Rider magazine’s editor for “Episode 40: Broadening Media Platforms with Nichole Chirico.”
The Freelance Remuda Podcast is produced for freelance professionals who are navigating the equine media frontier. It’s available on freelanceremuda.com, through Apple Podcasts and Libsyn, and now Spotify and Stitcher. The episode, which launched on June 28, includes three segments starting with the hosts discussing a successful American Horse Publications Equine Media Conference, where the podcast was awarded second place for the 2021 produced “Episode 37: Discussing Graphic Design with Ashley Shifflet.” Byars and Boatwright also received equine media awards for writing and photography assignments.
Chirico makes an appearance in segment two where she talks about her rise in the Horse & Rider ranks to editor as well as producer of the Horse & Rider OnDemand online subscription platform. Her tales of on-the-job learning regale listeners before she provides sound advice on shifting to video and to freelancers that want to work with the title.
“What works in print doesn’t always transition over to digital,” Chirico said. “I love writing really fun print headlines and they’re creative and they catch your attention when you’re reading. But when you’re scrolling on Facebook, those articles don’t necessarily grab your attention like they would in a magazine. Relearning, how you write for digital content is, is huge. Because the way you write for print isn’t necessarily the way you’re going to write for digital.”
Chirico’s experience leads listeners into the third segment where the hosts discuss a refreshed logo that enables more flexibility in branding. Additionally, in 2022, the podcast moves from quarterly to every other month, with a blog post produced on the off months, thus providing equine media members with more robust content to navigate the industry.
“Our new logo and content strategy reflects a shift in how we produce material for our audience,” Boatwright said. “We’re so proud of the way our community has grown, and we want to bring more info, entertainment and value to the time they spend with us.”
An archive of podcast episodes provides a great resource for those wanting to understand how to forge a path through the horse industry with ease and professional grace. Those looking to make a splash and gain regular work within the industry also have a chance to mentor under Boatwright and Byars through the Freelance Remuda Mentorship Program, which offers three levels of immersive learning. The mentorship has assisted several individuals who are now regular contributors to magazines like Horse Illustrated, Horse & Rider, Western Horseman, Barrel Horse News, Reined Cow Horse News, Chrome and the Paint Horse Journal.
Find and subscribe to The Freelance Remuda on iTunes. Learn more about The Freelance Remuda and sign up to receive updates and exclusive content at freelanceremuda.com or connect on social media at facebook.com/freelanceremuda, instagram.com/freelanceremuda.
About The Freelance Remuda Podcast
The Freelance Remuda is a podcast about navigating the equine media frontier. Co-hosted by seasoned freelance professionals Abigail Boatwright and Kate Bradley Byars, the podcast explores the trials and triumphs surrounding life as a freelancer in equine media, while sharing valuable tips from equine media editors and creatives doing what they love. The dictionary lists a remuda as: re•mu•da (noun): a herd of horses that have been saddle-broken from which ranch hands choose their mounts for the day. The Freelance Remuda’s mission is to help train up a herd of professionals specializing in horses, from which editors and businesses in equine media can hire to do great work. Find and subscribe to the podcast wherever you choose to listen, and for more information, go to freelanceremuda.com.