Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: What is something more people could do to make this sport better?
Here are their answers:
“Self-improvement generally contributes to the greater good. Return to the school barn values of sportsmanship and be ambassadors to the future of our sport. Read the rules or the specifications of classes to know them and follow them.” –Diane Carney
“To improve the sport in the U.S., trainers need to be mounted on at least one quality horse. In my experience, having strong sponsors like Samsung, as I did, made a big difference. It wasn’t just wealthy amateurs or juniors being taken to championship shows. It’s very difficult to compete against the best in the world without proper mounts. Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, and Aaron Vale have or have had good sponsors, and you can see the results of that pay off at the championship level” -Susie Hutchison
“I operate my business with a deep belief in these fundamental principles–with the hope that goodness begets goodness and small ripples of change will start to affect the sport on a bigger stage:
– Be kind! Everyone is trying their best; horses and humans alike! Assume everyone is trying hard and wishes to be seen, heard, and understood. If it’s not working (an exercise, a horse/rider pair, a training moment), there’s a communication breakdown somewhere that must be resolved. No one is ever trying to do wrong.
– Ride for the right reasons! It’s easy to make this sport about external validation; the blue ribbon, the accolades, the desire to *keep up with the Joneses*, so to speak. When we ride for the right reasons, it fills us up! We ride because it makes us feel whole. Our connection to our horses is a magical privilege, afforded to few. When we ride to develop as people and partners to our horses, the joy and gratitude are palpable and contagious!
– Measure success with the proper metrics. If we measure our success jump by jump, day by day, you’re always going to feel every hill and valley in a major way. If you can zoom out and view your progress through a bigger lens, you’ll recognize the upward trend of progress! If we measure success by the comfort and happiness of our horses, their willingness to do their job, and the quality of our collective experience, the color of the ribbon hardly matters as much!
– Doing the right thing is always worth doing the right thing! The care and experience of the clients and horses must be top priority–above the bottom line, above ego or agenda–and there will always be good retention of clients and a healthy pipeline of new business. As professionals, if we can find the balance of leading with heart, but using our head, we can create a qualitative improvement in our sport as a whole!” -Claire Gordon-Neff
“People can help make the sport better by focusing more on education over competition; being a model of horsemanship and sportsmanship; being an advocate for the horse and our sport; using their energy and voice in person rather than on social media; and actively engaging in governance.” -Amy Owen Center
“Put the horse first. Not the ribbon, not just keeping the riders and owners happy. Sure, that’s important, but the care and compassion of horses is not always apparent and needs to be a priority.
Let’s not just medicate horses to keep them going. Give them rest when needed, proper maintenance, and a fitness routine that fits their job and prepares them for success.” -Leslie Janiak
“More education, less gossip! If riders could take the time and energy that they spend scrolling on their phones and talking down about other riders and invest in educating themselves about how to be better horsemen and horsewomen, our sport could be better.” -Sally Batton
“We need to educate ourselves: trainers, students, parents, spouses, family, and fans. Taking the time to learn about our sport and the preparation it requires from all of us is a necessity. Our sport is difficult and requires so much more than just “riding.”
We can also all do our part to make this sport better by doing fair and honest business, treating others how we want to be treated, and always putting the horse first.
Life is short. We need to enjoy each other and the fact that we are blessed to be in such an incredible sport.” -Raegan Comeaux
“Two things come to mind. One way is to offer yourself as a volunteer. If every competitor had spent some time volunteering, appreciation and empathy in this sport would grow. We can’t compete without our volunteers and dedicated staff.
The second way is by prioritizing riding horses that are happy in their given jobs. There’s a lid for every pot, and not every horse wants to do every job. Be clear on your goals and fair to your horses.” –Daniel Clasing
“Stop posting anonymously on social media.” –Daphne Thornton
“To make this sport better, we can all be proactive about helping and supporting each other. See someone warming up for a jump round by themselves? Ask if they need jump crew.
Did you watch a rider navigate a tricky combination on a young horse? Congratulate them on a beautiful ride.
Are you noticing a groom struggle to get multiple horses ready for a trainer? Maybe ask if you can help in any way.
Simply put, this sport is hard. Sometimes, a helping hand or kind word can improve someone’s day by a mile. Even if it only took you a few seconds or minutes. Kindness goes a long way!” –Emily Szokol
“The biggest thing people can do to make this sport better is to take kids under their wing and share all aspects of horse care and stewardship with them. Don’t let students just be riders. They need to be true horsemen. They should clean stalls and tack rooms, care for sick and injured horses, and simply hang around the barn learning and helping.
From the range of wealthy to poor, the kids should all be expected to be kind and empathetic toward the horses and each other.” –Laurie Scott
“From a trainer’s perspective, we need to invest our time, knowledge, and horses into young riders who will become our future horsemen.” –Missy Jo Hollingsworth
“Remember that the sport is about the horse. It’s about good horsemanship and doing right by your horse. Make your horse the priority.” –Johanna Hyyppa
“Take care of the horses better and put them first.” -Stephanie Haney
“Above all else, this sport should be fun. To improve the sport, that should be a focus! My father once told me long ago, “This sport is too expensive not to have fun with it.”
So ask yourself, are you having fun? If not, make some changes and shift your focus! Because in the end, if you and your horse are not having fun, there is no point to what we do.” -Caroline Mercier Stanton
“I think to make our sport better, we need to not just keep the overall wellbeing of the horse at the forefront of all decisions made; we need to think about mechanically what the horse’s limits are for longevity. Just because the horse can doesn’t mean it necessarily should.” -Rachel Bethea Lampkins
“Start with ethics. Start today.
If more people in equestrian sport—trainers, riders, organizers, and institutions—made a daily commitment to evidence-based education, accessible competition, and horse-first ethics, the sport would be transformed overnight.
At the United States Equestrian Society (us-es.org), we believe the future of equestrianism depends on unified standards for instructor education, fair and inclusive competition formats, and an unwavering prioritization of equine welfare. It’s time to replace outdated gatekeeping and profit-driven models with collaborative, modern structures that welcome more riders, raise professional standards, and center horse-human partnership.
More people could improve this sport immediately by choosing ethical events, aligning with globally recognized equine professional education & certification standards, and building community-wide practices that reflect the values our sport needs to thrive: kindness, fairness, transparency, and accountability.
This isn’t just reform—it’s renewal. Let’s be the generation that leads it.” -McKrell Baier
“Stop backbiting. Stop being dishonest. Stop rumor mills. Be kind to fellow trainers, whether they are old and established or young and just starting out. Being honest and kind should be at the forefront.” -Jocelyn Gibson
“We can improve the sport by being kinder to our competitors. This sport is supposed to be fun. Having a big support system around the gate goes a long way. After all, we all got into this sport for the love of the horses and sport.” -Kayla Yoder
“Be honest when selling horses.” -Cyndi Simpson
“We are incredibly lucky to call this our sport. That’s something worth pausing on. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind, the competition schedule, the goals, and the pressure—for many of us, it’s not just a sport, it’s our livelihood.
Like any sport, equestrianism is a fickle world. It trends. It swings like fashion in some ways, can be influenced by judges, and the unpredictable nature of horses. There are riders who seem to have a lucky streak, or those with the resources to compete on top-quality horses—this is the reality of sport.
But with that understanding, I believe there’s one thing we could all focus on that would make a profound difference: mental skills.
Not just finding the perfect distance, or getting the inside turn, or winning the class. I mean real, inner work—the kind that shapes how we show up for our horses, for each other, and for ourselves. Imagine if more people in this sport prioritized developing resilience, self-awareness, humility, and presence. Imagine if emotional regulation and mindset training were considered just as essential as tack cleaning and flatwork.
When we take care of our minds, we protect our joy. We soften the edges of comparison and pressure. We begin to enjoy the sport again—not just the outcome, but the process. And when we’re more present, less reactive, and more grounded, our horses benefit. Our barn culture improves. The quality of our rides improves. The quality of our lives improves.
So maybe that’s the answer. If more of us worked as hard on our mental skills as we do our technical ones, the entire sport—at every level—would be better for it.
And our horses would thank us, too.” -Priscilla Godsoe
“I am a speech language pathologist and run a nonprofit providing speech therapy on horseback. I believe more people could actively welcome riders of all abilities into our barns and competitions. Too often, equestrian spaces feel exclusive or intimidating to newcomers, especially those with disabilities or different backgrounds. We need to celebrate every rider’s journey—whether someone is learning to sit independently in the saddle or competing at advanced levels. Simple actions like giving extra time for verbal responses, understanding that communication comes in many forms beyond speech, and recognizing that the rhythmic motion of horses naturally supports development can transform our sport.
When we truly embrace that every person deserves to experience the healing partnership between horse and rider, we make equestrian sports stronger and more meaningful for everyone.” -Ada Haensel
“I think at shows we tend to hang out with our barn family and barns that are our friends. We tend not to interact with other barns as much as we should. If all of us went out and did some type of kindness for another barn, I think it would benefit all of us. It also may change how you feel about that barn. Doing so will also have the added benefit of making you feel good too.” -Mark Aplin
“1. Put the horse first. Most specifically, more turnout.
2. Keep things in perspective. All the things.” -Jen Bedell
“Enjoy the process and keep your ego in check.” -Jan Pearce
“Learn to love the process and appreciate the rewards… Whether they are physical trophies or the gift of time spent with your family and horses.” -Betty Beran
“Incorporate more ‘horsemanship teaching’ in lesson programs, and in competition. Don’t just teach riding skills to these kids and reward skilled riding. I was enjoying a nice, comfortable life away from horses with a real paycheck in the corporate world when my young daughter expressed a love for riding. As a pony club graduate myself, I looked but couldn’t find a riding school program near us that taught both riding lessons and horsemanship to children, so I started a pony club center myself to incorporate the horsemanship learning into my beginner rider lesson program.
The children learn about safely handling, feeding, and caring for their ponies both in our program and at rally competitions. And it sticks. There’s nothing more rewarding to me as a coach and mom to a kid rider than being able to drop off my team of kids at the barn door with their ponies at a rally competition and know that they will be 100% accountable for the complete care and management of their ponies until we pack up to leave at the end of the competition. My program is only a couple of years old, but I see so many benefits in these children already. Emotional intelligence improves, leadership skills, and accountability when these kids are responsible for the well-being of their ponies and understand the reasons behind it.
I have a growing group of barn rats now that can ride the greener ponies, are safe around the barn, are invited into other programs and clinics to ride, and are being given catch ride opportunities. It’s a win-win for me (with no budget for grooms), the kids, and the ponies.” -Cass Kordecki
“1. Better equine welfare at shows, but also at home. This requires better education for riders and owners, but also for professionals at every level. Do this for the love of the horse, or don’t do it at all.
2. Continued improvement in ethical practices industry-wide, and more transparency in many areas. For example, in sales: not double dipping on commissions, etc; in horse records: not hiding gaps in records or bad rounds; and in human interactions: SafeSport is one way to manage this, but it’s not the only way.
3. A clear educational pathway for instructors and horse trainers, or at least more accessible and affordable continuing education opportunities for professionals at all levels. Not just for riding but also for teaching and for horse management.
4. Better nationwide access to affordable standardized showing experiences for young horse development and green riders. I love what the Young Horse Show Series is doing and the UDJC to help make this a reality. I also appreciate all of the shows that have free young horse classes or intentional schooling days. Pony Club is also still a fantastic resource for young riders. Better support (money & education) for local circuit shows to help them improve their offerings would also go a long way in furthering all of these ideas!” -Jessica Goldstein Holmes
“One of the most meaningful things we can do to improve our sport is let go of dominance-based training. The idea of needing to “be the alpha” comes from a 1920s study on chickens in overcrowded commercial flocks, not horses, which coined the term “pecking order.” Equine social systems rely on subtle communication and co-regulation, not hierarchy.
While people may say, “Horses do worse to each other,” that’s the result of stress or competition over limited resources, not leadership. Horses know you aren’t a horse, and they’re not looking for a boss; they’re looking for a partnership. Shifting toward this would make our sport safer and more enjoyable for everyone involved.” -Emma Van Riper
“After more than 30 years in this industry, here’s what I know: Horses made me fall in love with this sport, but people almost made me fall out of it. And what brought me back? Community.
If there’s one thing more people could do to make this sport better, it’s this:
Create real connections. Not just between trainer and student, but between riders, horses, parents, grooms, competitors, horse show staff, arena crews, and especially other trainers. It’s simply time we build each other up.
It’s simple, too. Cheer for someone else’s child. Help when you see struggle. Support other trainers while you nurture your own students like they are your family. Share the struggles, not just the highlights. Create a positive environment, and simply don’t add to the drama whenever possible.
When people feel safe, seen, and supported, they ride better, they coach better, they work harder, and clients learn faster and stay longer. That’s the secret. That’s the culture shift.
It’s not just about creating great riders, it’s about creating good humans everywhere you go. And when we do that, the horses always win, too.” -Rhonda Arza
“As both a trainer and a judge, a couple of things stand out. We need a sharper focus on correct, precise horsemanship–primarily, horse and rider welfare, and kind, respectful horse training. There are so many resources available for trainers, such as clinics, mentors, trainer collaboration, USHJA town halls, and The Plaid Horse podcast. The more informed and educated the trainer, the less blame would be cast on the horse, judges, or rules.
Ingate awareness would also make our sport better. The show ingate is for horses and experienced horse people–period. Dogs, parents, friends, and family do not need to be at the ingate. Most shows have great spaces to view the ring. Ensuring the ingate is a clear, safe space for horses would avoid many accidents.” -Michele Goodrich
“Improve judging, transparency, and education. Scoring can feel extremely subjective, while this tradition is part of the sport’s roots, it can be frustrating for riders to get limited feedback. I think we should post/announce all scores, which will help educate riders.” -Cassandra Keith
“More people could get comfortable taking a step back and jumping at a lower level when things aren’t going as well as they should. Your ego has no place in the arena. The horses deserve our best if we are asking them to jump at the top of their abilities, no matter if it’s 1.10 m or 1.50 m. If taking time and going back to the basics isn’t a priority during a tough time, you can expect the horse to have performance issues.” -Caitlin Boyle
“I think to make this sport better, we need to make a point to help and support the up-and-coming professionals. We should be teaching by example of putting our horses first when it comes to care, and also acting with professionalism. The only way this industry will continue to be less political is to make it about the horses, which naturally should come first. Rules are in place to keep them safe and hopefully make better horsemen.” -Laura Reist
“I feel that our sport has become very self-serving. Maybe it’s because of what it costs, maybe because the sport is just different now. It seems like the camaraderie has slipped away.
I think what people can do to make this sport better is be nice, be helpful, be honest, smile, say hello, and remember that each and every one of us represents our sport. We need to be good ambassadors for our sport. The world is watching and watching how we treat our horses.” -Joie Gatlin
“If there’s one thing more people could do to make this sport better, it’s to prioritize horsemanship. In the pursuit of success, it’s easy to lose sight of what brought us here in the first place—the love of the horse. At some point, each of us was drawn to this sport because something about horses captivated us. That connection is what makes this sport special, and it should be at the heart of everything we do.
As trainers, we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to help our students hold onto that “why?” It’s not just about producing results in the ring, but about instilling a deeper appreciation for the horse: their individuality, their effort, and the joy they bring us. When we lead with that mindset, we create better riders, better horsepeople, and ultimately, a better sport.” -Stirling Kincannon
“There are several answers to this question. If I had to pick one thing, I would say more people to be in the sport for the right reasons.
I’ve come across some really unfortunate situations throughout my career due to people being involved with horses who are just in it for the money, and not the love of the horse or the sport.
Some of the behavior I’ve seen is shocking, and unfortunately, the horses often are the ones who suffer the consequences from that, as well as the people associated with them. Whether that be riders, horse owners, grooms, trainers, etc. It’s always a goal to try to surround yourself with people who are kind and love the horses, and being a part of the team. I also think that although social media can be good at times, it also causes a lot of problems with our sport. It’s become a platform where people can get into too much petty gossip, and end up causing more harm than good. I think if these things can be achieved, it could improve the sport as a whole in massive ways.” -Kerry McCahill
