Meghan O’Donoghue: Thankful For the Gift of Horses
While many riders spend decades searching for their “horse of a lifetime,” Meghan O’Donoghue considers herself doubly blessed. At only 35 years of age, the international five-star event rider has already had two such horses. Pirate’s Gold Star and Palm Crescent—both bay OTTB geldings—achieved rem...
Alexa Thompson: A Clear View to Eventing Success
The equestrian story of four-star eventer Alexa Ehlers Thompson starts with a little hand-me-down Shetland pony named Panda, brought home in the back of her dad’s pickup truck. Panda was intended for her 10-year-old older sister, Kelsey, but Alexa was smitten and had other ideas.
Amber Birtcil: The Power of Yes
Talent, hard work and never saying no: these have been the key ingredients to West Coast eventer Amber Birtcil’s success as a competitor and trainer.
Mallory Hogan: Three Phases, Two Coasts, One Horse
They say you can’t have it all, but Mallory Hogan seems to be doing exactly that. She recently completed her undergraduate studies, passed the LSAT and is starting law school—having also competed in eventing up to the CCI4* level across the country. Most remarkably, she’s done it all with—and per...
Fitness and February
The holidays are over, and the height of eventing season will be here before you know it! To help expedite your return from winter, I thought I would share a few of my thoughts surrounding bringing horses back into work as well as a few conditioning tips that you can tweak to meet your own needs....
Maddy Temkin: Bringing Young Horses Along, One Talent at a Time
For some, riding is a casual hobby, taken up in childhood and lasting a few years before fading as the demands of “real life” take over. For others, it’s an all-consuming way of life, worth all the tremendous expense and pressure. Eventer Maddy Temkin is wholeheartedly in the second category.
Jumpstart 2025 With a Plan
And just like that—2025 is upon us! Thinking about the year ahead can be exciting and a little overwhelming. You are not alone! Let’s talk through a few strategies I use this time of year to mentally and physically prepare for making the most out of the upcoming year.
Taylor McFall: Full Speed Toward Eventing
Growing up as a self-proclaimed “free-range child” on her family’s Dragonfire Farm in California, Taylor McFall beelined her way toward horses from the time she could walk. That idyllic childhood helped cement Taylor’s love for horses at an early age.
Aubrey Graham: Finding Happiness in Thoroughbreds and Anthropology
What do a cultural anthropologist and an equestrian have in common? One answer would be Dr. Aubrey Graham. Aubrey went from specializing in humanitarian aid in the Congo to mastering the art of re-training off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) to be the best that they can be.
Gaby Ruane: Hooked on Horses
Breathtaking beaches, sparkling water, tropical flowers and Haleakalā National Park: When most people think of Maui, that’s what comes to mind. That’s not the case for Gaby Ruane. For Gaby, Maui is the place where she realized she wanted to become an equestrian professional.
