Daniel Stewart: Willpower, Horsepower, Why-power and What-power…
BY DANIEL STEWART
You know the importance of willpower. Never quit, never give up, make the rest of the ride the best of the ride… and all that stuff. And you know the importance of...
Daniel Stewart’s Question Suggestion
BY DANIEL STEWART
Keeping your mind focused on what’s production (like transitions between dressage movements or fences) instead of what’s destructive (like worrying about the crowd) is one of the most important skills any rider...
Ask Andre: How Do You Manage Multiple Top Riders at the Same Time?
By Andre Dignelli
“Competition at highest level is not about winning. It’s about preparation, courage, understanding, and nurturing your people—and heart. Winning is a result of that.” -Joe Torre
This quote from Joe Torre is one...
8 Ways to Get the Most Out of Every Lesson
BY ROBIN GREENWOOD
Equestrians spend a lot of time, money, and effort to be able to ride their horses. Whether you take multiple lessons a week or one a month, time with a good trainer...
Daniel Stewart’s Faith in Failure
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
One day you’re going to do everything right and it’ll still go wrong. You’ll give 100% but come up short. You’ll do you best, but your best won’t be good enough.
I know...
Is Mental or Physical Strength More Important for Riding Success?
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I, like many horse and horse showing obsessed people, spend a lot of time watching videos of riders I admire. There's something unspeakably beautiful about a flawless round. Hunters that ride off...
Daniel Stewart: The Mess in Message
BY DANIEL STEWART
There are four certainties in riding. You’re going to fall down and you’re going to get up; you’re going to succeed and you’re going to mess up. As long as you’re okay...
It Happens! Nona Garson, Rob Jacobs and Erynn Ballard Share Hilarious Mistakes
We all make mistakes. But horse people, as a group, aren’t always the best at handling them. So TPH reached out to some top riders to share their own show ring bloopers to prove,...
Daniel Stewart’s Mirror Mirror
BY DANIEL STEWART
You’re a mirror. I’m a mirror. We’re all mirrors… but not in the normal “who’s the fairest of them all” kind of way. In sport psychology mirroring refers to the tendency for...
“It’s Not a Hobby. It’s a Lifestyle.”
By PONYMOMAMMY
I don’t care how avid an enthusiast someone is for their tennis hobby; it’s just not the same as being a rider.
You know how when you meet someone new and you are...
Dominique Mungin: It’s All About the Moments
The three-ring rider on her lifetime with horses, celebrating special moments over wins, and how our industry can do better
By Rennie Dyball
Dominique Mungin is the rare amateur who shows in Amateur-Owner hunters … and...
How To Leave Your Horse Trainer and Stay On Good Terms
BY ANNA JONES
You've probably heard of the Paul Simon song, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, but any equestrian will tell you there are just as many ways to leave your trainer. And while...
Faces of Pin Oak: Nada Wise
Trainer Rendezvous Farm at Royal Sport Horses • Tomball, TX
BY KRISTIN PITZER
Nada Wise, whose father rodeoed, started riding on her dad’s rope horses at 4 years old. She soon became enamored with the hunter/jumpers...
Daniel Stewart: Admit, Accept and Advance
BY DANIEL STEWART
One of my favorite quotes is, “Riders don’t make mistakes, mistakes make equestrians!” Mistakes make us bigger, bolder, brighter, and braver… but only if we have the courage to own, accept, and...
Six Show Jumping Legends You Should Still Be Watching
Any professional will tell you: You can learn simply by watching. At a venue like WEF, you can get a free masterclass by taking in almost any FEI event: U.S. stalwarts Beezie Madden, McLain...
There Will Be No Future Horse Trainers If All You Want to Do is...
BY SARAH MECHLIN DUHON
I feel strongly that everyone should be treated fairly and with kindness. The article “There May Be No Future Trainers: A Look at a Young Professional’s Burnout” by an anonymous young...
Put Your Horses’ Needs First But Don’t Forget Your Own
BY ANNA JONES
My horse’s happiness comes first.
It’s a phrase I’ve heard a lot from equestrians I respect. And, of course it is! Those of us who’ve entered this crazy sport usually end up devoting...
Controlling the Uncontrollable with Horses
BY CIRA PACE MALTA
At the beginning of the pandemic I had this overwhelming feeling—as I’m sure most of you might have—of being completely out of control. The idea of being in control gives many...
Daniel Stewart: Happy Not Crappy
BY DANIEL STEWART
When you arrive at the barn you arrive at a place that's more than just fences, fields, and fillies… you arrive at your happy place; the place you go to when you...
There May Be No Future Horse Trainers: An Inside Look at a Young Professional’s...
BY AN ANONYMOUS YOUNG TRAINER
I frequently hear horse trainers complain about their young assistants. Their criticisms include things like, they don’t work hard enough, they get burnt out too quickly, they’re too slow, they...
The Plaid Horse Quick Questionnaire with: Vanessa Mazzoli
Rider status: Amateur Hometown: Rockford, MI Trainer: Chris Bennings
As a horsewoman, I am most proud of: doing everything behind the scenes on my own. From the daily care—often 10-12 hours, 7 days a week—and still...
Why You Can’t Evaluate An Equestrian Based on How They Look
BY MEREDITH ANN SIMMONS
As someone who came to horseback riding later in life, I’ve often been intimidated by a sport where many of the athletes (especially those who have great “success” as it is...
