Rider Fitness: Ariel Grald Finds Flexibility Key to Five-Star Success
For five-star level event rider Ariel Grald, fitness is all about being as inconspicuous on the horse as possible. Grald’s fitness routine realistically consists of sitting on roughly 10 horses throughout any given day, but the top-level athlete says that one of her key incorporated fitness eleme...
The VIP Volunteer: Janice Holmes
For Janice Holmes, volunteering is only one of the many hats she has donned over her life-long career in the equestrian industry. From a young age, she knew her purpose was in the equine industry. A rider from the age of 8, Holmes started her profession as a hunter trainer in the early part of he...
Alexandra Baugh Hits Milestones as 2021 RevitaVet USEA Young Rider of the Year
Young rider Alexandra Baugh has had a stand-out year by anyone’s account. The 20-year-old athlete is not only competing horses at the two, three, and four-star levels, but she also earned herself the title of 2021 RevitaVet USEA Young Rider of the Year. Baugh is based out of Lexington, Kentucky w...
‘Goody’ is More Than Good Enough to Take Home SmartPak USEA Stallion of the Year Award for 2021
In the sport of eventing, it is not often common to see a stallion present among the hustle and bustle typically characteristic of an event. Upon first sight, you might never realize that Isselhook’s First Sight TSF, also affectionately referred to as Goody, is a stallion based on his demeanor. T...
The USEA Lady Rider of 2021 is Leading the Charge in Elevating Eventing Competition on the West Coast
Tamie Smith’s year has been nothing short of action-packed as she packed up all 25 of her competition horses and made her way to the East Coast for the first part of the year before hopping on a jet to Tokyo where she served as the U.S. team reserve for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She then stayed ov...
My Valentine Steals Hearts as the 2021 Pony of the Year
Sidnee Milner and My Valentine did not become partners out of sheer coincidence. The pony and rider combination that took home the 2021 SmartPak USEA Pony of the Year award were a product of the thoughtfulness and generosity of family friend and trainer Tawn Edwards. Milner was, at the time, a yo...
What's In a Name: Phillip Buttons Leaps Hurdles to Live up to his Namesake
Everyone in eventing knows the name Phillip Dutton - but, have you heard of the little pony that could named Phillip Buttons?
How to Make the Best of Your Winter With ICP Level IV Instructor Phyllis Dawson
As we get into the thick of the winter season, those riders who will be braving the colder temperatures throughout the season must modify their programs to keep themselves and their horses in shape. Riding is usually confined to indoor arenas or the occasional snowy outing and riders are forced t...
A Breed Apart: One Andalusian’s Journey To Becoming an Event Horse
Eventing is a discipline well-known for being inclusive of many unique and unfamiliar breeds. While disciplines like dressage and show jumping tend to favor warmbloods, and various western disciplines feel the same with a quarter horse, event riders are famous for competing on horses of different...
Conquer the Cold with these Three Winter Weather Riding Exercises
Riding in the winter can be a bit of a perilous effort — cold temperatures, lack of turnout time, and confinement to smaller spaces all make for difficulties to navigate during this long, dark season. Luckily, USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Level III Certified Instructor Jennifer R...
