Equestrian Weekly Articles

Some horses are purchased, but some are priceless. Pedro was rescued for $900 out of a neglect situation, and more than a decade later, he's carried two generations of the same family to national competition, most recently finishing sixth in the Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship with 15-year-old Zoe Lewis of Elgin, Texas, in the irons. Pedro and Zoe Lewis with her mother, Marsha (left) and older sister, Ruby (right). (©US Equestrian) Pedro, a 2003 Appaloosa

Adam Steffens-Smienk made the move from his native Minnesota to Wellington, Fla. at the age of 16 to chase his dreams. This week, that leap of faith has led him all the way to the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at HITS Lamplight Equestrian Center. When Steffens-Smienk made the move, he had to start from the ground up, putting in lots of early mornings. He had started dressage lessons aboard Arabians in Minnesota and made the leap to Florida to accept a working student position at

Elan Stremmel of Cazanozia, N.Y., is making her first appearance at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions this week, riding her longtime partner Bitsy's Itsy, an 11-year-old Connemara-Oldenburg-Thoroughbred cross (Wasabi x Bitsy), in the Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship. Stremmel and Itsy with George Williams, US Equestrian Dressage Youth Coach and High Performance & Pathway Development Advisor (©US Equestrian) "She loves to work, and she loves to

Practically raised in the dressage saddle, Cassie Benson grew up riding alongside her family members at Hilltop Dressage, located in Heber City, Utah. Eventually, Benson took over her grandmother’s role in the business as a trainer alongside her aunt, Margo Gogan. As a child, the farm was a haven for Benson. Whether she was frustrated or sad, horses were her safe space, and you could always find her down at the barn. ©Impulsion Images “Being with them, hearing them eat, their

An impromptu shopping trip for a student turned into Tillie Jones finding her now up-and-coming Grand Prix partner, Cilla Franchesca. “Coco,” as she’s known in the barn, came into Jones’ life when she least expected it, and the pair has blossomed into serious competitors and partners. Finding her way to the saddle at 7, Jones became enamored with the sport after her family surprised her with a horseback riding lesson. “They blindfolded me, took me out to a barn,

Finding the perfect partnership in para dressage can be a daunting task, as both horse and athlete need to communicate and understand each other in ways that differ from able body riding. The best para dressage horses are intelligent, compassionate, and of course competitive in nature, but also genuine. For U.S. Paralympian Fiona Howard, she knew Diamond Dunes was special from the moment she sat on him for the first time. “Dunes,” as he’s affectionately known around the barn,

The story of combined driving at CHIO Aachen is closely tied to the history of the event itself, which has grown into one of the most prestigious competitions in the world. Today, four-in-hand driving stands alongside jumping, dressage, para dressage, eventing, and vaulting as one of the disciplines that makes up the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany. ©CHIO Aachen The roots of driving at Aachen can be traced back to the early twentieth century. The organization behind the

When Out of the Blue SCF walks into the arena, she always takes a moment to assess her surroundings before getting to work. It’s a very deliberate move, according to her rider, Katie Dinan . “It’s like, ‘OK, what are we doing today?’” said Dinan. “I really feel like she’s mentally engaged in what we’re doing and is excited about competing, and she really gets it. I think that’s what makes her so good — she really puts herself

Para dressage demands precision, focus, and an almost unnerving calm. Fan Tastico H, a 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Fürstanball OLD x Weltmeyer), delivers all of it. He once spent his afternoons chasing a ball with a 10-year-old in a barn aisle, now he’s a medal-winning para dressage horse. He doesn't see the contradiction, and neither does anyone who's ridden him. Marie Vonderheyden aboard Fan Tastico H (©Sue Stickle Photography) Known around the barn as "Fanta," he came

For Meghan Laffin, a much-needed gap year in her career trajectory turned into a seven-year long adventure making lifelong memories. After completing her graduate degree, Laffin took a year to get back into horses. While scrolling through Facebook, an opportunity arose to groom for Olympian and U.S. Dressage stalwart Kasey Perry-Glass. Laffin took the job in 2019 and never looked back. “I thought, well, I’ll just go have one year experiencing the elite side of things, and then

Todd and Gracie Griffiths are no strangers to the vaulting arena. Todd has deep roots in the sport, including representing the United States at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. Twenty years later, he is set to return to Aachen for what will be his final international competition. This time, however, there is a special twist: his daughter, Gracie, will be his partner in their pas de deux freestyle. “Working with Gracie is almost subconscious,” Todd said.

For longtime owner Caroline Moran, ownership has become much more than having her name attached to a horse. It has grown into lifelong relationships and unforgettable memories. Olivia Dutton and Jewelent | ©Irish Eventing Times Moran is part owner of Phillip and Olivia Dutton’s top mounts, Possante , Denim , and Jewelent, as well as two promising young horses, United Mara and Darwin. Most recently, Jewelent, a 2012 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Valent x Roselier) ridden by Olivia and