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Equestrian Weekly Articles

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.

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FAQ: USEF Eventing National Championship League and US Equestrian Eventing Open

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | October 1, 2024

In fall of 2024, US Equestrian announced two exciting new competitions for eventing athletes: The USEF Eventing National Championship League and the US Equestrian Eventing Open . Both programs will officially launch at the 2024 Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials in Leesburg, Va., in October and their inaugural finals will take place at the same event in 2025. However, they are distinct events with different specifications. The Frequently Asked Questions listed below are intended

Five Things to Know about the USEF Interscholastic Athlete Program

by US Equestrian Staff | September 24, 2024

Photo: Avery Wallace/US Equestrian US Equestrian’s vision is to bring the joy of horses to as many people as possible. One population that is quickly growing in the horse world is the school-aged equestrian population. With this growth in mind, let’s take a few moments to look at US Equestrian’s Interscholastic Athlete Program. The Interscholastic Athlete Program is for equestrians in grades 5-12. The Interscholastic Athlete Program is specifically designed for middle and

Alice Tarjan - I Am US Equestrian

by Alice Tarjan | September 23, 2024

I grew up riding in New Jersey and continued eventing while at college, before going on to law school, where I did fox hunting. I always knew I wanted to do dressage, but I was very career oriented, so I decided that it was time to get serious and get a real job. I took the bar and shortly afterwards, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma [at age 27]. Alice Tarjan. ©Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian Cancer treatment started in August, and I continued to ride through September and a tiny

Introducing the Equestrian-Specific Return to Sport Concussion Strategy

by Debbie Elliot | September 16, 2024

The US Equestrian Federation has developed a Return to Sport Concussion Strategy for equestrians who have suffered from a concussion (or apparent concussion) to offer best practices for resuming riding and equestrian-related activities. Please note, these strategies are recommendations only and are not intended to provide or replace advice from a person’s own medical provider. Individual decisions regarding return of an injured person to practice and competition will depend on the

Returning to Riding After an Injury

by Debbie Elliot | September 16, 2024

The desire to “get back in the saddle” after a fall is innately ingrained in equestrians. While we all want to return to riding as quickly as possible after a fall or accident, often taking it slowly is the fastest way to recover to 100%. In addition, following US Equestrian safety guidelines and wearing recommended safety equipment can either reduce the risk, or lessen the severity, of an accident. It is essential that every equestrian follows their medical provider’s advice

Foal Recording Made Easy

by US Equestrian Staff | September 5, 2024

US Equestrian’s Horse of the Year awards program is one of the oldest nationally recognized multi-breed award programs in the nation. To be eligible for these awards, equestrian competitors must have their horses actively recorded with USEF. To facilitate this process, US Equestrian offers multiple options for horse recording, including a lifetime recording for any foal recorded before December 31st of its foal year, which costs just $50 compared to the regular lifetime recording cost of

Visit Recap: Community Outreach Organization Heartland Therapeutic Riding

by US Equestrian Staff | September 5, 2024

Located in Overland Park, Kansas, Heartland Therapeutic Riding offers both therapeutic horsemanship and occupational therapy to its clients. Heartland Therapeutic provides individualized curricula to help disabled clients improve motor skills. Photo: Mikhail Proctor/US Equestrian “Our main goal is to provide an outlet for individuals in our community to experience a bond with a horse,” said Willow Betow, Heartland Therapeutic’s program director and volunteer manager. “We

Why Endurance ‘Truly is a Horsemanship Sport’

by Debbie Elliot | September 3, 2024

Endurance is not as well known as other equestrian disciplines such as jumping, eventing, or dressage, but it is becoming increasingly popular both in the U.S. and around the world. Among the many positive aspects of endurance are the deep bond that it creates between horse and rider and the sense of camaraderie between the athlete and their support crew. Endurance is known as one of the friendliest equestrian sports, and it encourages a true sense of sportsmanship at all levels of competition.

Why Young Riders Should Wear Helmets That Meet Multiple Safety Standards

by Debbie Elliot | August 26, 2024

Choosing a new helmet is a complex decision, especially for young riders when style, popularity, and fashion factor in as well as safety. While helmets may look similar on the outside, they are not all created equal in terms of protection against head injuries. It is essential that riders look beyond trendy rhinestone details or chrome stripes and examine the safety rating inside. The first question any rider should ask when shopping for a helmet is, “what safety standards does it

Back to School...And Horses

by US Equestrian Communications Department | August 23, 2024

Editor's Note : This aricle, originally published in the Fall 2022 US Equestrian magazine, has been updated to reflect current USEF Education Partners. Back-to-school season heralds the end of summer, but it doesn’t have to spell the end of horse sports for junior and collegiate equestrians. US Equestrian and its official Education Partners give students a lot of good reasons to stay in the saddle during the school year, whether for competition, lessons, or pleasure riding, even if

Dressage4Kids Brings Unlimited Opportunities to Young Riders

by Debbie Elliot | August 22, 2024

Olympic dressage rider Lendon Gray grew up in Old Town, Maine, as a dedicated member of the Pony Club. While she went on to have a highly successful equestrian career as a rider and trainer, and was inducted into the United States Dressage Federation Hall of Fame in 2011, the broad depth of education about horses that she learned in the Pony Club has always remained important to Gray. It inspired her to launch Dressage4Kids in 1999 after she noticed that many young riders she encountered had

Meet the Mares of the 2024 Adequan®/USEF Para Dressage National Championship

by Leslie Potter | August 20, 2024

The competitors in the 2024 Adequan ® /USEF Para Dressage National Championship are all talented, dedicated athletes. Another thing they have in common? All three are mounted on mares as they vie for the national championship title, and their talented equine partners are proving that they have what it takes to succeed in this discipline. Kimique and Paige Schmidt. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Kimique: The Matriarch Paige Schmidt (Lake Geneva, Wisc.), rides Kimique, a tri-color pinto