Katching Up With Katie: Going To Europe, Live Podcast, and 1 Million Subscribers!

Date: March 24, 2026
Host: Katie Van Slyke
Podcast: Katching Up With Katie

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This “Katching Up With Katie” episode is a lively, candid recap celebrating major milestones (including 1 million YouTube subscribers!), sharing behind-the-scenes farm stories, and addressing burning questions from fans. Katie and her team delve into the realities of ranch life, breeding decisions, new additions to the farm family, fun travel plans (including Europe!), and their unique bond formed over Dungeons & Dragons sessions. It’s an unscripted, laughter-filled conversation that gives listeners a look into both the business and the camaraderie behind Running Springs Ranch.

MAJOR DISCUSSION POINTS & TIMESTAMPS

1. What’s New at Running Springs Ranch?

[00:00–05:14]

• Chair Budget Comedy:

  • The team jokes about upgrading their white plastic lawn chairs.
  • Katie gives them a “chair budget,” sparking a fit of laughter and discussion about office chairs.
  • "[Jonathan] has, like, an assortment of different types of [chairs]. They're just everywhere in there." – Katie [01:47]

• Life Outside of “Full Watch”:

  • Updates on personal moves and projects.
  • Lindsey is settling in her new place, tackling DIY projects, and assembling furniture.
  • "I still haven't hung my shelves, but I did buy a drill, so I'm gonna do it myself." – Lindsey [02:20]
  • Discussion about moving closer (or not!) to Nashville and the logistics of rural life.

• Weather Swings & Farm Routine:

  • The unpredictable Tennessee weather and how it shapes daily plans.
  • Excitement builds for more horse activities as spring returns.

2. Horses, Mares, and Breeding Plans

[05:15–16:42]

• Recent Farm Events:

  • Highlights of recent rides and upcoming horse competitions.
  • Playful debate about who is the best rider and planning friendly competitions (“jousting”).

• Hot Topic: Where’s Abigail?

  • [09:40–11:43] Katie addresses repeated fan questions about former team member Abigail:
    • Abigail has left her formal role to pursue new things but remains close by, still part of family life.
    • "She’s just not working here. And I think that’s totally fine. Things change, you know, you gotta make your own decisions for yourself. And so it doesn’t mean we don’t love Abigail..." – Katie [10:17–10:57]

• New Mares on the Ranch:

  • [11:45–15:54] Introduction of five new mares: Lady, Blondie, Ariel, Kimberly, and Melody.
  • Discussion of the practicality and purpose of “recip” mares (recipients for embryo transfer).
  • Katie shares her detailed breeding list, including crosses and due dates.
    • "Right now, with my due dates, it's Opal, who's our only one that's confirmed pregnant. January 29th." – Katie [13:22]
  • Explanation about how and when they confirm pregnancies and the process with embryo transfer.

• AQHA Breeding Rule Change:

  • [16:12–21:21]
    • Discussion of new and old rules about using stored stallion semen for breeding.
    • Katie explains the significance for her own stallions and breeding plans.
    • "Waylon was always grandfathered in...he could have bred forever...but Denver had..." – Katie [18:42]
    • Explains how much frozen semen is stored and the technology (ICSI, IVF) that allows a single sample to go further.

3. Big Dreams: Europe & Beyond

[21:22–27:30]

• European Adventures:

  • Excitement about Denver’s foals in Europe and the prospect of visiting European ranches.
    • "Denver's actually super popular in Australia and Europe right now. Like, he has his first babies coming this year." – Katie [21:11]
  • Team daydreams about a European “meet the mares” tour, turning it into content for fans.
    • "We could get a bunch of videos...We would stock up, get a huge backlog..." – Matt [23:03]
  • Playful comparisons between previous “big” trips (Universal Studios) and making a European trip happen through content creation.

• Potential Collaborations:

  • Speculation on collaborating with European horse influencers and what it would take to organize an international brand trip.
  • "What if we did, like, a cool collab? I wonder if there’s horse influencers." – Matt [25:01]

4. Celebrating 1 Million YouTube Subscribers

[25:33–27:29]

• Milestone Reactions:
  • How the team organized a surprise celebration with balloons, cupcakes, and flowers.
  • "No one ever surprises me. And so that was surprise. And it was so fun. So when we hit a million on live, they all got, like, these trash bags of balloons out, and they all floated to the ceiling immediately." – Katie [26:28]
  • Thoughts on receiving the gold YouTube plaque and reflecting on how far they’ve come as a team.

5. More Farm Trips & Team Dynamics

[27:30–31:23]

• Travel Plans in the U.S.:

  • Announcements: more upcoming trips to Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Florida.
  • Conversation about team member rotations, new hires (Elena), and keeping the work dynamic and flexible.

• Bonding Over Games:

  • Reminiscing about playing Monopoly, makeup challenges, and impromptu fun during live podcasts.

6. Dungeons & Dragons: Nerd Culture & Vulnerability

[31:24–39:58]

• Team’s D&D Obsession:

  • Open discussion about the joy of group D&D campaigns, vulnerability, and being “nerds.”
    • “There’s a vulnerability in playing Dungeons and Dragons...like this imagination vulnerability that once you let yourself get there and you put the accent on and you’re like, you’re at the mercy of everyone else around you...” – Katie [32:10]
  • The value of imagination and not judging others’ fun.
    • "If they were to make fun of me, I just more feel sad for them because I know they won’t ever let themselves be able to have this fun..." – Nate [32:37]
  • Brainstorming about hiring a professional Dungeon Master for more immersive campaigns.

• Fictional Drama:

  • Katie shares her in-game quest for a “love interest,” leading to hilarious and awkward moments.
    • “My character tried to have a love interest with this...NPC character...and Matt was so awkward and embarrassed by it that he killed him." – Katie [37:07]
    • "I thought it would add some drama, some weight, some heartbreak..." – Matt [37:42]
  • Lots of laughter, gentle ribbing, and inside jokes about the team’s escapades.

7. Wrapping Up & What’s Next

[40:00–End]

• Unstructured Fun:

  • Reflection on the episode’s loose, giggle-filled format—sometimes just being friends takes center stage.
    • "I don’t even think this catching up with Katie had a real purpose." – Katie [39:58]
  • Announcements: full watch for foaling season is beginning soon (with live coverage for fans).
  • "Hope y’all enjoyed. We are pretty soon to be on full watch again, which means we are doing lives every night of just the mares in their stalls and the babies and mamas..." – Katie [40:35]

• New D&D Content and Merch:

  • Teases upcoming Dungeons & Dragons live streams and new Frankie dog merch.

• Bonus Moment:

  • Katie has her dog under the table for the whole episode, revealed only at the end.
  • "If you didn’t know that I had a dog under here the whole time. Here she is!" – Katie [41:18]

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• On Breeding & Farm Life:
  • "Things change, you know, you gotta make your own decisions for yourself. And so it doesn’t mean we don’t love Abigail..." – Katie [10:17]
  • "A frozen dose of semen is way smaller... and you can use so much less of it like through things like ICSI..." – Katie [19:12]
• On D&D Vulnerability:
  • “There’s a vulnerability in playing Dungeons and Dragons...like this imagination vulnerability that once you let yourself get there and you put the accent on and you’re like, you’re at the mercy of everyone else around you...” – Katie [32:10]
  • “If they were to make fun of me, I just more feel sad for them because I know they won’t ever let themselves be able to have this fun...” – Nate [32:37]
• On Hitting 1 Million:
  • "No one ever surprises me. And so that was surprise. And it was so fun..." – Katie [26:28]

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• The Running Springs Ranch crew is tight-knit, funny, and unfiltered—giving fans a vivid sense of life on (and off) the ranch.
• Katie is transparent with her audience, valuing authenticity even when handling sensitive topics like staff changes.
• The business side (breeding, brand building, travel) blends effortlessly with the personal—whether it’s plans for Europe, an inside joke about D&D, or organizing a subscriber milestone surprise.
• Episode stands out for its candid laughter and behind-the-scenes banter, making listeners feel like part of the family.

Perfect for: Fans of farm life, horse enthusiasts, followers of Katie’s journey, and anyone who enjoys authentic, laughter-filled group dynamics.