Equestrian Weekly Articles

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

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.

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

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

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

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

The depth of youth dressage talent in the U.S. is impressive, as seen at events such as the FEI North American Youth Championships and the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions . But for youth dressage athletes who aspire to represent the U.S. on senior teams in the future, gaining experience competing overseas is still an essential part of preparation. Kat Fuqua and Dreamgirl at CHIO Aachen in 2024. ©Shannon Brinkman Photo Every year, up-and-coming young dressage athletes and their horses

From July 27-Aug. 11 and Sept. 3-7, equestrian fans from around the world will be able to witness Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing at one of the most iconic locations in the history of the modern Games. The Palace of Versailles park, approximately 18 miles southwest of Paris, will host the equestrian disciplines for the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games. The grounds of the palace, which date back to 1623 when it was built as a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII, houses temporary

If you visit the Kentucky Horse Park in the middle of July, you are bound to find countless horse lovers with their beloved Breyer models at the annual Breyerfest event, but this year, Breyer fans had a chance to fall in love with a new model pony and his remarkable story – Always Chipper (“Chip”). We had a chance to catch up with his owner, Sue Griffin, and his current rider August Novotny and her mom, Sunny Geiser to find out why Chip is such an inspiring pony who defied

Saly Glassman, the president and founder of Kindle Hill, said she prioritizes her clients' mental health and self-esteem in every workshop. Photo: Avery Wallace/US Equestrian The Kindle Hill Foundation website states that the charity’s mission is to “support members of our community who can benefit from equine assisted learning and therapy, to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.” Located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, Kindle Hill’s facility provides EAL

Located in the sandhills of North Carolina, Prancing Horse Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship provides services for therapeutic riding for a wide range of people, from individuals with special needs and veterans, to local schools and groups. A PATH-accredited therapeutic riding center, Prancing Horse’s mission is to enhance the lives of individuals by providing a safe environment for participants to learn and grow with horses. Prancing Horse was named a USEF Community Outreach

Located in Aiken, South Carolina, Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs provide equine assisted activities that promote the physical, emotional, and psychological health of individuals with special needs. Great Oak’s programs are the catalyst for unbridled personal growth and awareness, as they share their knowledge and empower individuals and their families. One of the great strengths of Great Oak is their attention to detail. Each participant has individualized instruction to best serve