By Britney Grover Photos by Shawna Simmons Juri Ito discovered horses by accident while visiting a nuclear power plant in her home country of Japan. She didn’t know then that horses would not only become her life, but that they would lead her to Shangri-La: a little slice of heaven on earth where animals and

By Tafra Donberger Portraits by Kristin Lee Sarah Lockman has always been one to set goals. While only in Pony Club as a girl, she knew that she wanted to one day represent the United States on an international level. So when she caught the eye of Olympian Debbie McDonald at her first CDI event,

By Britney Grover Many Thoroughbreds are born and bred to race. Some of them love to run and would finish a race riderless; others never quite hit their stride on the track. But they all deserve caring homes when they retire from an injury, lack of competitiveness or after a long and successful racing career.

By Doris Degner-Foster Portraits by Barbara Bower When Daniela Siberio’s mother suggested a riding vacation in Portugal, Daniela wasn’t entirely enthusiastic at first — partly because it had been years since she had ridden, and also because there would be dressage lessons as part of the riding holiday. Daniela’s teen years had been spent riding

By Lyssette Williams Portraits by Kristie Nichols For Frederique Poulain, being a professional artist isn’t a job but a way of life. While some people drag their feet getting into the office five days a week, Frederique happily works seven. Her studio, nestled in the coastal town of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is her sanctuary. There

By Tafra Donberger Portraits by Kristie Nichols It began some 3,600 miles away from Houston, Texas. It began, even, before Daniel Bedoya was the proverbial twinkle in his parents’ eyes. You might say Daniel’s love of horses began with his father, Daniel Bedoya Senior, who began riding horses when he himself was 10 years old

By Britney Grover with Marianne Taylor Portraits by Isabel J. Kurek Robin Cleary Parsky was only 6 years old when she had a clear vision of what she wanted to do with her life: own horses that represented the U.S.A. in international competition. Her course was set after she saw a screening of Walt Disney’s