The ‘‘Step Down’’ Horse: A Secret Weapon of the Horse Show World
A seasoned campaigner in need of a lighter job can give green riders confidence
BY LETTIE TEAGUE
I don’t like the term ‘stepdown’ horse,” says Paul Cronin, the longtime director of the Sweet Briar College equestrian...
Barbara Johnson: Growing Strong Women
BY ANN JAMIESON
“There will probably never be a way for anyone to know just how many lives she touched,” says Jolene Laughlin, one of Barbara Johnson’s students.
These words are echoed by scores of others....
The Ridiculous First World Problem of Whining About Horse Shopping
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
If a non-horse person hears you’re looking for a new horse, they often have two primary responses:
Horse shopping? That sounds so fun!Oh my god, they cost HOW much?!
And if you tell a...
Grit and Grace: on Learning From Failure
BY PONYMOMAMMY
Grit is having the courage to push through no matter what the obstacles are, because it’s worth it - Chris Morris
Grace means that all of your mistakes now serve a purpose instead of...
Ask Andre: How Do You Plan Out Your Show Schedule?
By Andre Dignelli
In today's sport, most people travel south for the winter circuit, and we do the same. Because you travel that long distance, it limits how much travel you want to do the...
Horse Show Schedules are a Jab at the Working Amateur
BY JACQUELYN MAGGIORE
After turning down my third show this year due to working-amateur insensitive scheduling, I reached a breaking point and posted a rant in the Plaid Horse Adult Amateur Lounge. It’s impossible to...
Rachelle & Polly: The Senior Horse Project
Photographer Jessica Sanders started the Senior Horse Project to showcase the special, long-standing relationships between riders and their senior horses. Featuring seniors over 25 years old, she shares the photos of the partnership. These stories share some...
Celebrating Horse Show Moms
BY JULIA DIFIORI
There was only one place my mom could find in the state of Idaho that would let a toddler ride a horse. It was more than three hours away from where my...
Does Our Sport Still Have Tradition and Discipline?
BY PEARL RUNNING DEER
The generation before us are regarded as the best equestrians in the world. They taught us skill, discipline, and tradition. Bert De Nemety. William Steinkraus. Frank Chapot. If we didn’t learn...
Daniel Stewart’s Athletic Anthems
BY DANIEL STEWART
When you’re struggling to find your way out of a bad mood (insert frustration, disappointment, doubt, etc. here), it would be great if you could find a quick easy trick… and an...
Watch and Learn: Hunters Then & Now
From the Thoroughbred to the Warmblood, triple combinations to technical handy tracks, much has changed in the hunter discipline, and what we know now as a hunter derby is comparable to the Working Hunter...
Horses Shouldn’t Always Be Expected to Jump
BY ANN DEMICHELE
I’ve learned more from horses who’ve said no than those that have said yes.
I’m a professional out of Northern Virginia. I grew up on a farm, and my mother is also a...
Daniel Stewart’s Brain Babble
BY DANIEL STEWART
Our horses and sport provide us with an endless array of amazing opportunities and experiences, but sadly our brains are sometimes really good at thinking really bad things. Even though we love...
What My Last Place Ribbon Doesn’t Show
BY CAELIN KORDZIEL
Last year, I received a year end ribbon from our local PHA chapter. While I’ve spent a good amount of time in my adult life at horse shows, it was a first...
Having Faith and Glory
BY JEWELL COX
Fear was never something I had around horses, not even when I rode. I didn’t mind sitting on top of a 1,000 pound animal. Horses were just like a big teddy bear...
Finding My Way to Horses as a Child and Then Back 20 Years Later
BY MEGAN SWIERTZ
My path to horses started when I was in middle school where I met my soon-to-be best friend. She had a chestnut quarter horse and after a few trips to her barn,...
Watch and Learn: Equitation Champions of the 2010s
Hunter Holloway. Zazou Hoffman. TJ O'Mara. Victoria Colvin. McKayla Langmeier. All five riders rode to victory in equitation championships in the last decade.
Beyond the accolades, these riders have much in common—most notably, the...
Riding Through Riding (and Life) Transitions
BY ELIZABETH ONESS
I’ve realized something I’m not good at––riding through transitions––both in the horse sense and the life sense. “Not very good at” is not very accurate. It might be better to say that...
What I Do When the Panic Attack Halts My Ride
BY CAELIN KORDZIEL
The panic attack. Have you felt it before? Is it the long run oxer or Liverpool? The in and out that you’re just not convinced you can get in… and then out?
For...
Daniel Stewart: Your Ego Still Isn’t Your Amigo
BY DANIEL STEWART
It’s common for defense mechanisms and coping strategies to be used interchangeably, but they’re actually quite different. Coping mechanisms are mental strategies that resolve stressful thoughts and feelings, while defense mechanisms are...
Amy Hess Brings Thoroughbreds Back To The Show Ring
BY JESSIE LOCHRIE
“I just love the heart of a Thoroughbred.”
That’s how Amy Hess, of Avanti Equestrian in Lake View Terrace, CA, explains her lifelong passion for the breed. Hess grew up with horses, steeped...
James Crosby Raps For the “Grand Prix Girl”
James Crosby knows how to capture a girl's heart: His upcoming single, "Grand Prix Girl" isn't your average love song. The rap lyrics are an ode to girls who ride horses.
Finally, somebody gets it.
The...
