By Laura Scaletti
Portraits by Melissa Fuller
The past decade has been a whirlwind for Grant Seger as he’s built both his business, Grant Seger Sport Horses, and a family with his wife, Rebekah. Initially introduced as kids riding at the same barn, the duo’s paths crossed again in 2013. Since then, they’ve made up for lost time.
“Rebekah has been my crush since I was 12 years old when we met at the barn. When we reconnected through horse friends in 2013, I wanted to impress her, so I started riding again after I’d taken a riding hiatus for several years,” Grant said. “Once we started riding together, I quickly won her over—to this day I am still riding to impress her!”
When Grant and Rebekah reconnected, Grant was about to finish up his senior year of college. “I was an agriculture major and had just switched to business/entrepreneurship,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do; all I knew was that I wanted to be outside and not stuck in an office.”
By the next year, Grant and Rebekah were married and had started a small lesson program in their hometown. In addition to giving lessons, they began to buy and sell some horses. Little by little, Grant Seger Sport Horses developed into the business it is today.
Grant began his equestrian pursuits by dabbling in both the eventing world and local jumper shows. When it came time to choose a direction for his path as a professional, he easily gravitated to show jumping. “I loved eventing as a kid, but I never wanted to be a professional eventer. I always enjoyed the show jumping phase the best, so it was an easy decision for me when I got back into riding to focus on show jumping,” Grant said.
In December 2017, Grant made his debut in the Grand Prix ring, on a horse he bought at an auction. Less than five years later, he was jumping five-star classes on horses he had developed himself. “I was naïve about how hard it would be to jump on an international level, but Rebekah has always pushed me to never stop learning,” Grant said. “She’s made me believe I can do anything, so the sky is always the limit for us.”
Developing Talent
Throughout the years, Grant has learned that it takes a village to create success in the show ring. “I have a powerful village behind me. God has blessed me so much with the best and most supportive family, and with the best team of owners, grooms and friends in the sport,” he said.
While he didn’t grow up in a horsey town, Grant wasn’t deterred. “My dad and I would either take lessons at a small lesson barn or haul to a clinic here and there,” he said.
Once he decided to go pro, Grant spent hours watching ClipMyHorse and Global Champions Tour replays. “I learned a lot by watching every class and seeing how the best in the world ride and tried to emulate their technique and style. I just became entirely obsessed with the sport,” Grant said. “I think it’s important to fuel the drive to win.”
As Grant started his business, he bought young horses and developed them himself, since that’s what his finances allowed. “I’ve always picked talent over age and within my budget, and that usually ends up being a young horse. I take my horses very slowly in their 5-year-old year. I’ve always said slow is fast and I apply that to all new partnerships,” Grant said.
Grant likes to start his new horses in small classes so he can get a feel for how the horse goes and what the horse likes. Likewise, the horse can get to know Grant. “I import a lot of horses for my clients, and I ride them till they are bored in small classes and know they will be successful in bigger classes. I use this across the board in my barn and it always works out the best for the horses,” he said.
When it comes to picking horses, Grant doesn’t have one type of ride that he prefers. “My horses are all shapes, sizes and very different rides. The qualities I look for in a young horse are a good, balanced canter; a focused brain; scope, of course; and bravery,” Grant said. “I have lots of friends in Europe I really trust, and we’ve had a lot of success importing through them.”
The second horse that Grant ever imported, Cantucchini, has turned out to be a staple of Grant Seger Sporthorses. Grant was the first one to ever show him, since he was imported as a 4-year-old. Today, with seven years together under their belts, Grant and Cantucchini compete in the five-star classes.
“He’s so much more than a horse in our family; my sons call him their brother and have made us promise we will never sell him. My hope is one day when he’s semi-retired, he can show the boys the ropes at home,” Grant said. “He can be very naughty with traffic, but nothing would make me happier than to see the boys ride him in his older age.”
Aiken Operation
Grant never could have imagined he’d rise up the ranks so quickly. “I never thought I’d get to this level! It seems like one day I was ranked 2,000 and then the next I was 400,” he said.
While Grant never worried about his ranking, as he and his horses were new to international competition, his success comes as no surprise to Rebekah. “I never doubted I would see him jump big classes! He’s an extremely hard-working and diligent person. Grant is constantly striving for a better program or a new and improved way of doing something,” Rebekah said. “He knows when all the big competitions are and watches them on online and takes a lot away from watching the best in the world ride.”
As Grant started jumping at the regional and national Grand Prix level, it became apparent that Texas wasn’t conveniently located to horse shows that hosted these classes. “I realized that we needed to move somewhere that would allow me to jump without hauling days to get to the show. I wanted to find a place that had a couple of shows in the same city, so I could keep developing the young horses without too many costs involved,” Grant said. “I also wanted our new home to be close to a major show, so Rebekah wouldn’t have too far to drive to support us.”
After doing some research, Grant and Rebekah decided Aiken, South Carolina, would be their new home base. In 2020, in the middle of winter, Grant, Rebekah and their son, Mason, relocated from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Aiken, South Carolina. Just two weeks later, Grant and Rebekah welcomed their second son, Henry, into the world.
Not only does Aiken have its own shows nearby, but Tryon is an easy two-and-a-half-hour drive away and has FEI classes. “Before moving, jumping a Grand Prix and sleeping in my own bed wasn’t possible. Now I can do it many weeks throughout the year,” Grant said. “I love being at home with Rebekah and the boys, so having a great show venue at home as made that possible.”
Rebekah not only lends Grant moral support, she’s also a helping hand in the barn when Grant needs one. “While Rebekah doesn’t show anymore, she has a great eye to see and feel where the horses are sore or may need a little extra TLC. I call her the witch doctor, as she can really work some magic with a small massage or good flat ride on my top horses,” Grant said. “She’s trained the staff to see and start feeling these small things as well, as she can’t be at the barn every day.”
An athlete his whole life, focusing on baseball throughout high school, Grant understands the importance of his support team. “I don’t think many people new to the sport or watching from the outside think of show jumping as a team sport in the same sense that baseball, football or soccer is, but it really is. I would never get to see Rebekah and the boys without entrusting so much to my teammates,” he said.
Over the years Grant’s staff has become like family. “I can’t fully express how my team has gotten me to where I am today. Dana, Peyton and Arturo are my main show and FEI grooms. They go above and beyond with extra icing, massages, walks, wraps and more,” he said. “Rebekah tends to adopt anyone who works for us and cooks incredible meals for them several times a week to make sure they know how much they mean to us.”
Family Focused
With Mason now 7 years old and Henry 4, Grant tries to spend as much of his free time as possible with his two incredible boys. Both are following in their father’s footsteps. “They both ride and Mason has started jumping, but I think Henry is probably more into it. Mason is very competitive and a natural on the horse, but Henry is the one who’s always begging to ride,” Grant said.
When not at the barn, the boys can be found kicking soccer balls in and around the house. Since they’ve grown up traveling to shows to support Grant, they love the road life that comes with competing on the circuit. “Whenever we move into a new house, they run around to find all of the secret hiding places to hide toys and of course scope out the best soccer locations in and out of the house,” Grant said. “We travel with our two big dogs and it really makes every house feel like home.”
Grant and Rebekah’s lives were changed when Henry was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a 1-year-old. “When you have a kid with an illness, it changes your whole perspective on winning, losing and family time, and really makes you just enjoy the ride and every good and bad moment. As other parents of Type 1 kids know, it’s a struggle getting meds moved around from place to place and training new schools or camps about Type 1,” he said.
Henry’s blood sugar level is on Grant and Rebekah’s minds all day long. “We can see his blood sugar levels on our phones and stay in constant contact about his numbers throughout the day. I still double check them every time before I get on for a Grand Prix,” Grant said.
While it’s not easy raising a family on the go, Grant loves the life he and Rebekah have created for their family as they travel for competitions. “The boys get to see some incredible places in the world. The travel brings excitement, exposure to the world and amazing adventures,” he said. “The fact that I get to share that with both my family and horses makes it all that much more special.”
Jumping Ahead
Grant currently has several top horses to help him achieve his dreams. “Frieda is my best horse; she’s incredible and has all the jump in the world, but thinks she should leave a stride out in every line. Cantucchini also jumps the five-star classes, I’ve started saving him for specific classes as he doesn’t have the biggest tank at that level,” Grant said.
He also has Yoghi FLP, his oldest team member who is his speed horse and super smart. “I swear he can speak English as Dana, my longtime groom, rider and manager, will tell him she will buy him a treat ball to hang in his stall if he wins and he normally wins when given the extra push,” Grant said.
“Only God knows the future, but I’d love to keep jumping at the five-star level and developing my riding and my horses to the best of our abilities. I just signed up to be part of Major League Show Jumping again for Team Archers. I’m very excited about contributing to that and having a great season,” Grant said. “Representing my country again on Nations Cup teams is definitely a top priority for me this coming year.”
In addition to his own goals, Grant wants to help his clients’ dreams come true. “I have great clients who are very enjoyable to work with. I’d love for them to be jumping alongside me at the upper levels, as they are all very good riders,” he said.
Wherever his path takes him, one thing’s for sure—Rebekah, Mason and Henry will be along for the ride as Grant’s biggest cheerleaders.
For more information, visit www.grantsegersporthorses.com and follow Grant on Instagram @grantseger
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixies
