Chicken Camp and Confidence: Tik Maynard & Dan Steers Unfiltered (Live at the Liberty Festival)

In this live episode of Life at Liberty during the 2025 Liberty Festival, Dan Steers and Tik Maynard gets into conversations that somehow manages to be equal parts actual horsemanship and absolute chaos (in the best way). Between dad jokes, Aussie/Canadian banter, and a legendary story about Dan James, they dig into what it really looks like to invest in your own learning, whether that’s training chickens to understand reinforcement, preparing for Road to the Horse, or simply figuring out how to be a better student without letting ego run the show. It’s funny, honest, and unexpectedly practical.

Highlights:

• The live Liberty Festival vibe: banter, audience energy, and “we might not be the best, but we’re the funnest”

• Tik’s path through Pony Club, mounted games, and how it shaped his horsemanship foundation

• What Tik learned preparing for (and winning) Road to the Horse - twice

• The “Chicken Training Camp” story… and why it actually matters for training horses

• A real discussion on investing in yourself, avoiding burnout, and staying inspired

• What makes a good student—and how to choose clinics that actually help you grow

Key Moments:

00:00:36 The unicorn joke opener and immediate chaos
00:04:32 Dan James running late + the Pony Club origin story
00:12:44 Tik’s background: Pony Club, mounted games, and early competition
00:17:56 Road to the Horse: what actually changed for Tik
00:18:55 Chicken Training Camp + rate of reinforcement explained
00:28:34 The real cost of investing in yourself (time, money, family)
00:32:11 Confidence, criticism, and following the “inner flame”
00:40:10 What’s next for Tik: family, Greece, eventing goals, and writing
00:44:50 Why great horsemen still take lessons + collaboration culture shift
00:47:05 What makes a good student (homework, trust, and setting yourself up well)
00:55:43 “Dotcom” story: the original catfish incident and how it shaped Dan James’ path
01:04:38 Wrap-up + Liberty Festival gratitude

Summaries:

00:00:36 The unicorn joke opener and immediate chaos
Tik Maynard opens with a joke and the tone is set instantly: this episode is going to be fun, unfiltered, and very live. The banter establishes the dynamic between Dan and Tik right away.

00:04:32 Dan James running late + the Pony Club origin story
Dan Steers roasts Dan James for being late (as tradition demands), then launches into stories about Dan’s early horse days and how “Dan James time” became a very real thing.

00:12:44 Tik’s background: Pony Club, mounted games, and early competition
Tik shares his upbringing in Vancouver’s horse scene, where arena work was the norm. He explains how Pony Club and mounted games shaped his foundations, focus, and sense of purpose with horses.

00:17:56 Road to the Horse: what actually changed for Tik
Tik breaks down what winning Road to the Horse did and didn’t change. Biggest impact: how much he learned during preparation and the increase in clinic requests, more than a total business shift.

00:18:55 Chicken Training Camp + rate of reinforcement explained
Yes, it’s real. Tik explains how training chickens taught him learning theory fundamentals, especially rate of reinforcement, and how that translates directly into pressure/release timing with horses.

00:28:34 The real cost of investing in yourself (time, money, family)
They get serious about what it takes to commit to big goals when you’ve got a family, bills, and a business. Tik shares the conversation with his wife and why long-term growth still mattered.

00:32:11 Confidence, criticism, and following the “inner flame”
Tik talks about competition pressure, mistakes in front of an audience, and choosing to keep going anyway. Key message: protect that internal drive and don’t let social media critics steer your path.

00:40:10 What’s next for Tik: family, Greece, eventing goals, and writing
Tik lays out what he’s working toward, time with his kids, a long-awaited vacation, building an event horse, using Tomcat as a “learning horse,” and writing his next book (including more liberty).

00:44:50 Why great horsemen still take lessons + collaboration culture shift
They talk about how modern horsemanship has become more collaborative and why the best trainers keep learning. Tik shares his weekly lesson routine and how being coached keeps him sharp and inspired.

00:47:05 What makes a good student (homework, trust, and setting yourself up well)
Tik gives a practical blueprint: do your homework before you sign up, commit fully once you’re there, and choose clinicians based on what you/your horse need right now, not ego or hype.

00:55:43 “Dotcom” story: the original catfish incident
Dan Steers tells the legendary story behind Dan James’ nickname “Dotcom”, an early-internet catfish situation that somehow leads to Dan learning from top horse people in Texas. Wild, funny, and oddly meaningful.

01:04:38 Wrap-up + Liberty Festival gratitude
They close by circling back to the Liberty Festival community, why humor belongs in education, and how the weekend re-inspired Tik. Dan Steers signs off in classic Double Dan style: fun first, ego last.