Equestrian Weekly Articles

When it comes to competitions and events, some of the most vital roles on the showgrounds are filled by those working outside of the spotlight – our licensed officials. "Licensed official” is the overarching term for those serving in roles such as course designer, judges, para classifiers, stewards, or technical delegates, each playing an integral part in ensuring a fair field of play and a safe competition environment for both equine and human athletes. For Alex Ambelang, becoming

Greetings from the West Coast, Photo courtesy of Andrea Pfeiffer It is a winter day with a fair amount of rain but as I sit in my office and write this, I can look out over the fields turning green and the vineyards getting ready for another bloom. We get to stay here year-round, no need to pack up and leave for the winter. Horseshave a vacation after the competition season without the complications of snow and ice. A medium weight rug is the maximum and most days they are out and able to enjoy

February 16, 2026, is Presidents Day, when Americans celebrate George Washington’s birthday and remember past U.S. presidents. In honor of this special day, we are commemorating people whose actions have had a positive impact on the equestrian industry with the 2026 Presidential Shout-Outs. US Equestrian President Tom O’Mara announced the recipients for his second annual Presidential Shout-Outs during the general session at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., where he

As equestrians, we often spend endless time and effort on our horse’s diet, training, and wellness routines, and neglect our own. Our horses have strict nutritional plans, a dedicated training schedule, stringent warmups and cool downs, a masseuse, a chiropractor ... while we wolf down breakfast while driving to the barn and count mucking stalls as a cardio workout! Haybales & Barbells founder Jamie Graham and her horse, Quilan “We never focus on our own training. We only focus

Catherine Lee’s love for horses began not in the heart of horse country, but on the tropical island of Guam where riding wasn’t part of the culture, and access to horses was limited. There, on the small U.S. territory in the western Pacific Ocean, horses entered her life through something simple: slow trail rides that were organized by her father for their family on Sundays. Equestrian sports are nearly non-existent on the island. What may have started as a novelty became a

When Stacey Sather and her 12-year-old daughter, Caroline, purchased Wildcard, affectionately known as “Hawk,” in 2024, they didn’t just bring home a promising jumper, they brought home a living piece of equine history. Wildcard, a 2014 gelding (Ahneen x Willow) is an Ojibwe/Thoroughbred cross and one of just over 200 known Ojibwe horses in existence today, a rare representative of a breed whose survival once hung by a thread. A Spirit Horse Nearly Lost Wildcard as a foal |

It has been proven that athletes improve fastest when they can see what happened, analyze the truth of their performance, reflect on it, and measure their progress over time. While professional athletes can watch replays of their game or competition, amateurs—especially equestrians—haven’t had the benefit of being able to watch themselves perform … until now. Pivo Equestrian features 360-degree rotation that tracks your horse’s movement as you go around the arena

Recognizing the pivotal role that trainers play in the overall well-being of horses, American Regent Animal Health, makers of Adequan i.m. ® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), recently launched an expanded version of its Adequan ® Elite Trainer Program, which is designed to educate trainers about equine joint health. The Adequan ® Elite Trainer Program originally launched as a pilot program in 2023 as a unique initiative offering extensive education on equine arthritis, also known as

Georganna Parker, Judy Nielson and Bobby Shazam celebrating a 5th place finish; photo courtesy of Callie Dodson Most of us relish the idea of a guardian angel looking out for us in our time of need, but rarely does that dream become a reality. For 14-year-old Georganna Parker, from Greer, S.C., her guardian angel came in the form of Las Vegas-based trainer Judy Nielson. Georganna was over the moon when she received an invitation to apply for the USHJA National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Los Angeles-area fires dominated news headlines around the world from Jan. 7 to 31, 2025. The series of 14 fires — the largest of which were the Palisades and Eaton Fires — led to 200,000 evacuations, destroyed more than 18,000 homes and structures, and burned over 57,529 acres. Long after the last fire was contained, the impact of the disaster is still felt across Los Angeles by those who lost their homes and are struggling to get back on their feet, and the thousands who

There are some horses you notice instantly—the kind that make you stop mid-conversation and just watch. For us, that horse was Miks Master C. Liz Halliday aboard Miks Master C at the 2024 CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S (©Shannon Brinkman) The first time Rob laid eyes on “Mikki,” he was stabled across from our horse, Monster, at Rebecca Farm in Montana. He looked strikingly similar to Deniro Z—same elegance, same power—and Rob couldn’t help but be drawn to him.

Cosby Green still says it feels a little surreal. After a season defined not by one big win, but by unwavering consistency across her string of horses, Green has broken into the top 10 in the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings for the first time in her career. Green and MBF Party Time competing at the 2025 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Championship for Young Horses at Le Lion d’Angers (©Libby Law) “It came as a bit of a positive shock,” Green said. “I’ve not