US Equestrian

Become a Member

Here you can find our archive of stories from Equestrian Weekly, our once-a-week look at affiliate news, international competition, amateur profiles, horse care tips, and more. You’ll also find stories from the USEF Insider, a twice-monthly email newsletter packed with features about USEF people and programs, including our drugs and medications program, regulations, and competitions departments.

Both newsletters are free to USEF members (including fans). Make sure you’re receiving both by checking your email preferences in your My USEF Dashboard.

Subscribe to newsletters and become a US Equestrian fan for FREE!

Vaulting on the World Stage

by Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Communications Department | September 21, 2021

Athletes from the U.S. Vaulting Team had a historic outing at the FEI Vaulting World Championship for Seniors last month in Budapest, Hungary, bringing home bronze medals in the Pas-de-Deux and Squad divisions. This marks the first time that American vaulters have won a medal at a senior World Championship since Megan Benjamin and Blake Dahlgren won bronze in 2012. Haley Smith (Woodside, Calif.) and Daniel Janes (Moss Beach, Calif.) were the medal-winning pair in the Pas-de-Deux. They were also

Five Questions for Marshall & Sterling Insurance’s Don Graves

by US Equestrian Communications | September 7, 2021

Marshall & Sterling has been in the insurance business since 1864 and has been protecting horses, ponies, and their owners for more than 30 years through its Equisport division, led by Don Graves, a lifelong equestrian himself. Graves has shown extensively in Florida, Michigan, and Kentucky during his riding career. Graves joined Marshall & Sterling after selling his own Equisport agency to the firm in 2013 and is now Marshall & Sterling’s Senior Vice-President in addition to

Making the Musical Freestyle: How Dressage Riders Create the Soundtrack for Their Freestyle Tests

by Leslie Potter | August 30, 2021

For fans of dressage , the musical freestyle is a highlight of any competition. Even spectators unfamiliar with the intricacies of the sport can appreciate a good freestyle to music, as evidenced by the mainstream reach of U.S. dressage athlete Steffen Peters’ ride with Suppenkasper (barn name Mopsie) at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics . When executed well, the music behind a freestyle highlights the horse’s rhythm and movement while enhancing the dance-like quality of a dressage test.

Journey to Pony Finals Shows How Hard Work Pays Off

by Kathleen Landwehr | August 15, 2021

Competing at the USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms is a goal many young equestrians hope to achieve, and Kendyl Delp-Hartbarger did just that with Rocky Rode. Delp-Hartbarger’s desire to jump led her to the six-year-old Shetland pony gelding. The pair worked hard and learned together to reach the prestigious event. Kendyl Delp-Hartbarger and Rocky Rode (Shawn McMillen Photography) Eleven-year-old Delp-Hartbarger of Malinta, Ohio, got her start riding Western pleasure, but

USEF Pony Finals Presented by Honor Hill Farms: Tips for First-Timers

by US Equestrian Magazine Archive | August 9, 2021

Take advantage of the opportunities to learn at USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farm. Those chances will be all around you! Photo: US Equestrian If you're a first-time rider, parent, or trainer this year at USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms, trainer Robin Greenwood has some good advice to help you make the most of the experience. Greenwood, who operates GC Ponies in Southern Pines, N.C., has been coming to Pony Finals since the 1980s. Her first piece of advice: stay

Shock Wave Therapy 101

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | July 27, 2021

U.S. Dressage Team veterinarian Dr. Paul McClellan using shock wave therapy. Photo: Courtesy of PulseVet Can a super-sonic wave of sound energy help your horse heal? There’s evidence that in many situations it can. Dr. Susan Johns, the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team’s head veterinarian, recently participated in a webinar as one of five veterinarians discussing how they incorporate shock wave therapy into their treatment and rehabilitation of equine athletes. We asked Dr. Johns, who

Victory in Verona: Jeremy Reynolds and Treasured Moments Win the Fieracavalli Endurance Cup CEI3*

by Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Communications Department | July 13, 2021

Verona wasn’t the original plan for Jeremy Reynolds (Dunnellon, Fla.) when he and Treasured Moments, the 11-year-old Arabian mare owned by Jeremy and his wife, Heather, made the journey overseas this spring. But a pivot in plans turned out to be a fortuitous one for Reynolds as he crossed the finish line to win the Fieracavalli Endurance Cup CEI3*160 km in Northern Italy’s Veneto region. Jeremy Reynolds and Treasured Moments, winners of the test event for the 2022 FEI Endurance

UPHA Ribbons of Service Funds Charities, Cultivates Well-Rounded Young Equestrians

by Kathleen Landwehr | June 15, 2021

UPHA Ribbons of Service participants at the 2020 UPHA Conference with their check to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - left to right: Ellison Lang, Abby Connolly, Cindy Mugnier, Jacqueline Schatzberg, Ava Lambert, Maya Tasch, Fay Lowry (back row) (Shiflet) The equestrian community consists of generous individuals who are happy to lend a helping hand to those in need, and the United Professional Horsemen’s Association Ribbons of Service is an excellent example. Through the

Heat Stress: Know the Signs and How to Help

by Glenye Oakford | June 1, 2021

Summer’s sultry weather can be more than uncomfortable for your horse or pony; it can be dangerous. It’s important to know the symptoms of heat stress and how to respond to them. Adobe Stock photo Horses that don’t sweat enough or who are engaged in a lot of physical exertion—like three-day eventers, polo ponies, or horses in sports that involve a fair amount of galloping—are most obviously at risk of overheating in hot, humid conditions, says Dr. Laura Werner, a

Mental Health Awareness Month: A Veterinarian’s Advice for Mental Wellbeing

by Erika Sherman and Glenye Cain Oakford | May 25, 2021

Photo: Arnd Bronkhorst/arnd.nl Veterinary professionals are at greater risk for mental health problems because of the stressful and demanding nature of their work. One mental health survey that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted in the veterinary profession found that nearly one in 10 veterinarians reported serious psychological distress, a higher proportion than among adults in the general population. A CDC study published in 2019 in the Journal of the American

Jump Innovations: Q & A with Javan Dalman

by Glenye Cain Oakford | May 11, 2021

Jump design is both an art and a science. Thanks to modern design techniques and materials, today’s jumps can be more eye-catching, lightweight, and safe than ever. We caught up with Javan Dalman, owner and founder of Dalman Jump Co., to learn more about designing jumps for maximum visual effect without compromising safety or convenience. Tell us a bit about the science behind how you create jumps. For example, how does the way horses see and interpret color, height, etc., affect the way

Veterans, Mustangs, and Western Dressage: A Perfect Match for Healing the Mind

by Ashley Swift | April 30, 2021

When Marine Corps veteran Jimmy Welch (Woodstock, Ill.) and dressage trainer Patti Gruber (Woodstock, Ill.) competed with two mustangs at the 2019 Western Dressage Association of America’s (WDAA) World Championship Show, they were also demonstrating the powerful impact a combination of Western dressage and mustangs can have in the healing process of both mind and body for veterans. The World Show first-timers also paid tribute to the flag and all veterans with a Color Guard every