5 strides with Laura Kraut’s CONFU
The 13-year-old grey Holsteiner gelding Confu won the $214,000 Spy Coast Farm Holiday II Grand Prix CS14* in December. TPH caught up with him via human show jumping superstar, Laura Kraut.
What’s your favorite thing...
The Gift of Partnership
BY SUSAN PEIRCE
My beloved Prince came to me as a most treasured gift. He was enormously powerful—an athlete who had already had more than his fair share of show miles, trailer rides, bent lines,...
Daniel Stewart’s Verbal Eraser
BY DANIEL STEWART
No one’s perfect (nope, not you either) so it’s just a matter of time before you mess up or throw your horse under the bus. Perhaps you did you best but your best wasn’t good...
They’re Coming for Our Sport, and We Have to Be Better
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
In this digital age of social media, I think most equestrians are used to the idea that someone who thinks they know our horses better than us watches with a critical eye....
Who Jumped It Best? $100,000 Lone Star State Grand Prix
Twenty-one-year-old Daisy Ford and her longtime partner, Gatsby, topped the $100,000 Lone Star State Grand Prix on Saturday night, February 27, at the Texas Winter Series IV in Katy, TX.
However, while Ford and Gatsby...
I Am a Black Equestrian: Kaitlyn Nicely-Harvey
BY KAITLYN NICELY-HARVEY
I rode for the first time when I was eight years old. We were visiting my grandmother, Terry West, who was one of the first female black jockeys. My older sister, younger...
Meet Noel: Madrone Ranch Stables’ Mascot and Cart-Pulling Celebrity
BY KRISTIN PITZER
Walk along the aisleway at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center (GSWEC) in Katy, Texas, during the Great Southwest Winter Series, and you will find a stall setup unlike any other. Where many...
What Are Those Horse Masks in the Jumper Ring?
The jumper ring is often one of innovation. More than just blinged out bonnets and colorful jackets, it’s a place to see some of the latest tack in our sport.
Lately, you may have noticed...
Do You Have Show Ring Superstitions?
We asked the plaid horse Adult Amateur Lounge on Facebook (come join us!) and got some fascinating replies …
“I’ve found that if, during the show as I’m walking around, I give a random compliment...
Making ‘Strides’ Toward a More Technological Equestrian Community: STRIDER
Technology does have a place in the equestrian industry, and Strider has set out to bring the industry forward—in a user friendly manner.
Expert Take: Behaving for the Vet
BY DR. HEATHER BEACH
A calm and respectful horse is important for everyone’s safety when the vet comes to the barn. Even if your horse seems to be relaxed and calm about most things, they...
College Preparatory Invitational Florida: A Different Kind of Horse Show
BY IAN MCFARLIN
Recently, I had the opportunity to show some really nice horses alongside talented riders in south Florida. No, I wasn’t battling it out for the top spot with Beezie, McLain or Kent...
Karen Lucian: Reaching New Heights
BY CHRISTOPHER CERVANTESPHOTOS BY ANNE GITTINS
Karen Lucian is not only a prominent show competitor on the Wellington, Florida show circuit, but she also possesses admirable characteristics, which make her successful in both her professional...
Use Your Life Skills to Be a Better Rider
BY TONYA JOHNSTON
This is a story about an adult amateur rider named Sue, who had a very lazy, lovely horse that didn’t always follow along with the plan. On this particular day, Sue...
A Good Voice for Horses
By Sarah Blanchard
“That old horse doesn’t look like much, does he? Old and shaggy, he wouldn’t even get hired as a poor man’s scarecrow now. But that’s Harry. He was pretty famous in his...
Pony Perfection: Leslie Butzer’s Rico Suave
Leslie Butzer has long strived to breed the best hunter ponies. Thanks to cloning, her beloved gelding, Rico Suave, can help her achieve that dream.
BY KRISTIN PITZERPHOTOS BY DAVID ERDEK & SHAWN MCMILLEN
Whether you’re...
WEC, My Friends, is the Future and the Future is Here.
BY KIMBERLY MALOOMIAN
In roughly June of 2020, I got a text from Ellen Toon regarding WEC Ocala: They’ve opened up stall reservations for the winter. We are going weeks 1 and 2, you should...
I Am a Fat Equestrian and I’m Never Dieting Again
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Fat is a tricky word. The dictionary defines it as:
noun: a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain...
Breaking Down The Breeding: 2020 ASPCA MACLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
BY BETHANNE BORT
Following the successful “Breaking Down the Breeding: 2019 Maclay” article published by The Plaid Horse in December 2019, I decided to do a repeat for 2020 to evaluate trends and further our...
Three Ways to Make 2021 The Ammie Year of ‘You’
BY NANCY BUZZETTA
You don’t have to spend a lot of time at horse shows to start to get the feeling that a lot of adult amateurs really don’t appreciate themselves very much. For the...
A 30-Year-Old Show Horse Proves Longevity Is Not “Wishful Thinking”
BY HADLEY ZEAVIN
I have owned my Westphalian gelding, Wishful Thinking, also known as “Winston” or “Winnie” since I was thirteen. My mom was not a horse person, and she sort of happened upon him...
16 Things Your 16 Year Old Should Be Able to do by Themselves
BY PIPER KLEMM
Sixteen is an important age for any teenager. Beyond “Sweet Sixteen,” the milestone means driving for most of America’s youth… the first real step into independence and adulthood.
But in the equestrian industry,...
