The Legacy of Rox Dene
BY SISSY WICKES
It is 1994 and the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida is in full swing. Horses everywhere- hunters, jumpers, equitation, ponies. Horses walking down the path that cuts through the show grounds-...
Kendall Meijer Finds the Perfect Partnership
BY SISSY WICKES
The story is not unusual. Kendall Meijer’s family planned a summer vacation at a dude ranch out west and decided that she should take a few riding lessons to prepare. At the...
Deputyartee the OTTB: From a Critical Joint Infection to HITS Circuit Champion
BY LORIANN RUSTIGIAN
Deputyartee, my
seven-year-old OTTB gelding, was a plain brown wrapper of a gelding when I met
him in September 2017. But he had the biggest, kindest, softest eye and I knew
that I had to...
Ask The Judge: What’s the First Thing You Notice When a Rider Enters the...
BY ELLEN SHEVELLA
When asked what’s the first thing I notice when a horse and
rider walk into the ring, the obvious answer is turn out.
I probably care less about what color the rider’s coat...
Young Professional Spotlight: Jennifer Bliss and Harris Hill Farm
BY SISSY WICKES
Although 34 years old, Jennifer Bliss seems to have been around the horse show world forever. She was one of the most successful pony riders of her generation and consistently at the...
Morgan Garnett Wins The Plaid Horse High Score Amateur Award at Blenheim EquiSport Spring...
BY ANNIE BIRMINGHAM
Morgan Garnett clinched the coveted High Score Amateur Award sponsored by The Plaid Horse in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Blenheim EquiSport Spring Classic III. With an impressive eleventh...
Jessica Smith: More Than Just a Winner
BY KAITLYN YOURKOSKI
Jessica Smith embodies what every amateur aspires to be. She is a strong and gracious horsewoman, who has found a way to balance work-life and horses. Jessica and her young horse Haute...
Don’t Let Anyone Talk You Out of Buying a Thoroughbred for the Hunters
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I love looking at warmblood hunters. They're fat, dappled, athletic. A lot of them look like they were absolutely made for the job, like slowly cantering over beautiful hedges is what comes...
Hunter Under Saddle and Over Fences: Stock Horses vs Sporthorses
BY JAMIE SKUBAL
I often get asked, "What’s the difference between showing a horse at
Hunter/ Jumper shows and showing the Under Saddle, Hack, & Over fences at
stock horse shows (APHA, AQHA, PtHA, etc)?"
In a dream...
The Perfect Horse for the Working Adult Amateur Who “Didn’t Want a Thoroughbred”
BY SAM SNYDER
Hunter or hunter prospect, at least 16.1
hh. Green is fine but needs to have a good
brain. No Thoroughbreds.
Those
were my criteria when searching for my first “grown-up” horse, the first horse
I would...
What Hunters Can Learn From Eventers
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Hunters and eventers haven’t always been able to maintain a
mutual respect for one another. After all, the disciplines are at the opposite
ends of the spectrum in many ways. Still, we’re all equestrians...
Who Jumped It Best? HITS Coachella 3’6″ Junior/AO Hunters
Judging this class requires no travel time, certification or long days in the sun! Take a look at these talented riders and their beautiful hunters from HITS Coachella. These pictures are all from the...
Who Jumped It Best? HITS Coachella Hunters
It's been a while since we've asked the tough questions around here - who jumped it best?!? Be the judge and your favorite hunter from this glorious group at HITS Coachella.
Adult Amateurs Make Their First Trips Downtown to the Washington International Horse Show
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR
I first heard about the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) when I was eight or nine years old. From that moment on, WIHS—along with the Pennsylvania National Horse Show (Harrisburg) and Madison...
The 2’6” Hunter Division is the Face of Income Inequality in America
BY PUBLISHER PIPER KLEMM
As I sit through the United States Hunter Jumper (USHJA) Affiliate Meeting, we’re hearing a lot about outreach. There’s the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA), the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), local...
What Eventers Can Learn From Hunters
BY TPH TEAM
I’ve been riding since I was four years old, and almost all of that time has been in eventing programs. I missed the pony hunter world entirely. Though I love the jumpers...
Washington International Horse Show Has a Special Allure for Amateurs
BY MOLLY SORGE, JUMP MEDIA
In its 60 years, the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) has seen top competition from International Jumpers, Working Hunters, Side Saddle horses, Hackney and Harness Ponies, Quarter Horses, Arabians and...
When You’re a Weenie, Flabby Amateur Who Loves Hunter Derbies
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I love the hunters. Can't help myself. That division is like a bad boyfriend I just can't quit. I know life would be better for me and my free OTTB in the...
The 9- What it’s Like to Score a 90 in the Hunter Ring
BY VYLA CARTER
As a hunter glides around the ring, a judge watches with a careful eye, marking down points on a sheet and figuring out what score this certain horse will get. The score...
Jessica Lohman: A Woman in All Corners of the Equine Industry
BY VYLA CARTER
Throughout her life, Jessica (Jessi) Lohman, of Poolesville, MD, has found herself in virtually every corner of the equestrian industry. She rode in the hunters and did fox hunting as a child,...
Throwback Thursday Trends We Miss: Thoroughbred Hunters
BY LAUREN MAULDIN
Okay let's be real - for many of us, Thoroughbred hunters aren't a thing of the past. My OTTB does triple duty as best friend, jumper (if I'm feeling brave) and hunter...
23 Perfect Braid Photos That Will Make Your Type A Horse Show Heart Happy
BY BLOG EDITOR LAUREN MAULDIN
You know what makes me happy? Horse shows. You know what one of my favorite parts of showing is? Seeing my horse in his formal best, all braided up. When...
