Daniel Stewart’s Conscious and Confident
BY DANIEL STEWART
Becoming a confident equestrian requires learning an endless array of important skills… but learning those skills isn’t always easy and can sometimes leave you feeling a bit discouraged, disappointed, defeated, and disheartened...
It Takes a Village
BY PONYMOMAMMY
2021 has not started out the way I envisioned. My always-find-the-positive mentality has been tested beyond its usual threshold. There have been days that I have genuinely wondered how I was going to...
Daniel Stewart’s Riding Rehearsals
BY DANIEL STEWART
While practice may not necessarily always make us perfect - we can probably all agree that it’s definitely worth the effort. The good news is that - in the hectic lives of...
It Happens! Karli Postel, Lyman T. Whitehead, Patricia Griffith and Lainie Wimberly Share Riding...
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,...
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...
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...
Dressage Takes to the Desert
By Irene Elise Powlick
The off week during the Desert International Horse Park winter circuit is usually a quiet affair. Those that stay for the whole circuit often layover, and the rings are filled with...
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...
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...
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...
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...
When No Amount of Success Is Enough: The Struggle With Self Esteem in the...
BY LAURA ADRIAANSE
Horseback riding is one of the biggest blessings in my life. The ability to have a living, breathing teammate with a mind of its own is such a unique experience for an...
Compton Junior Equestrians: “It’s amazing what these kids can do with the right support...
A clear round in the Open 1.15m can have a far greater impact than simply providing an opportunity for a schooling round.
At the Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA, Zoie Brogdon rode Emilion to...
What’s Happening to Young Equestrian Professionals?
BY ANN DEMICHELE
I was recently reading an article about the hidden lives of Ballerinas during the artist Degas’ life. These ballerinas were portrayed in his very famous paintings. The article spoke about how the...
Eight Things I Learned This Week
By Piper Klemm
After spending many months at home like many of you, I re-emerged to horse show life with unprecedented organization, structure, and standards in my personal life. While somewhat jarring to settle back...
Horse People Helping Horse People
BY CATIE STASZAK
Janet Jolliff worked in the insurance agency—of the human health variety—for several years before she connected with Taylor Harris Insurance Services.
But ask the 18-year veteran of the company what skills help her...
As Chrissy Teigen Takes Up Riding, The Plaid Horse Community Shares Advice—And Kindness
Horse girls of all ages, rejoice: Chrissy Teigen is joining our ranks.
The Positives From Changing Our Show Schedule: What I Love About Showing Close to...
BY KIM STEWART
COVID 19 certainly threw a “monkey wrench” in my schedule last year.
I remember hearing about the virus in Wuhan on the news in January, but didn’t think much of it at the...
Great Expectations (with apologies to Dickens) When Horse Shopping
BY RANDEE BECKMAN
Buying a pony or horse is hard work! You have to know what you want, but be prepared to be realistic with the budget accompanying your wish list. A seller needs to...
