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For many young equestrians, the road to success is paved with steady, well-schooled ponies. But for 13-year-old Harlow Bottarini, growth came through a very different path: green ponies that bucked, chipped, and tested her patience at every turn. Far from discouraging her, those challenges sharpened her skills, built her strength, and taught her the resilience she now brings to every ride.
Lessons From the Hard Ones
“I would constantly be riding these green ponies over and over,” Harlow explained. “They’d buck, they’d stop… like everything in the book.” Where some might have been discouraged, Harlow leaned into the opportunity. Working through those unpredictable moments forced her to stay focused, adapt quickly, and build confidence that would carry into every class.
Trainer Michelle Decker of Liberty Lane Farms noticed Harlow’s ability to stay positive and gave her even more opportunities. “Michelle literally lets me ride like four or five ponies in a horse show,” Harlow said. Each catch ride came with its own set of quirks. Ponies that rushed distances, chipped in hard, or tested her strength and determination. The variety, she explained, made her stronger, fitter, and more aware of how to support each mount.
Mentorship and Friendship
Decker’s daughter Stella, one of Harlow’s closest friends, also played an important role. Stella has moved on to the Junior Hunters, leaving many of the green ponies in Harlow’s capable hands. “She’s like a second trainer to me,” Harlow said. “She gives me corrections and tips I can apply on other ponies. Riding all of those green ones makes me confident I can handle anything.”
That combination of mentorship and friendship provided both technical support and emotional encouragement. Having peers and adults who believed in her skills reinforced the lessons learned from every tough ride.
Building Strength, Building an Eye
Harlow is candid about the physical impact of riding green ponies. “A lot of them are very fast and difficult, so I have to pull a lot,” she said. “That gives me arm strength to ride other ponies.” Beyond fitness, the repetition of tricky rounds sharpened her ability to find distances, often one of the hardest skills for young riders to master.
“Especially with the greens, they’ll just run to the distance or they’ll chip really hard,” Harlow explained. “All those ponies give me the strength to have confidence and to deal with those really hard ponies. It improves your eye.”
Her trainers agreed, pointing out that the ponies most likely to test a rider are also the best at creating instinctive, adaptable horsemen.
A Positive Mindset Through Every Round
Through the ups and downs, Harlow’s perspective has been just as important as her riding. Her mother recalled times when she would walk out of the ring after a disastrous trip, still patting her pony and saying, “He was such a good boy. I’m so proud of him.”
That positivity kept her from getting stuck on mistakes and allowed her to keep learning. It also strengthened the bond with her ponies, proving to them, and to herself, that kindness and patience would always outlast frustration.
Confidence That Lasts
The results of that hard work are clear. From early struggles with Olaf to the long, patient training of Romeo, Harlow has shown that green ponies don’t just make riders better in the short term; they create resilience and confidence that lasts.
“Those ponies gave me the strength and the eye to ride the hard ones,” she said. “Now I feel like I can get on anything.”
That quiet confidence, born from years of catch riding ponies that tested her at every turn, is what makes Harlow Bottarini stand out in a crowded field. It’s proof that sometimes the toughest rides make the strongest riders.
Want more from Harlow Bottarini and Dr. Stefanie Mazer? Listen to their episode of The Plaidchat and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for conversations with the most influential voices in the equestrian world.
