Ian Gaudio: Helping Others and Creating Community 

By Britney Grover Ian Gaudio may only be 15 years old, but he has a strong sense of community that belies his youth. In junior high, Ian participated with Dylan’s Wings of Change as a Wingman to lend emotional and social support to children. Dylan’s Wings of Change is a foundation created to honor Dylan

The Risk and Duty of Designing Jumping Courses

By Armand Leone Jr. When it comes to course designing in the jumper rings, safety of the horse and rider are the greatest concern. However, it’s also a course designer’s job to create a track that presents a level of difficulty appropriate for the class. If you only get one clear in the Grand Prix,
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Unbridled With Jessica Newman

By Jan Westmark As the founder of JustWorld International, Jessica Newman is changing the world. She started the non-profit in 2003, naming it JustWorld because her inspiration was to create a more just world. Since its inception, JustWorld has helped break the cycle of poverty for children around the world.  Jessica continues to grow the
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Dominic Gibbs: National Champion With A Colorado Heart

By Britney Grover Portraits by Shawna Simmons When Dominic Gibbs won the inaugural $100,000 WEC Premier Cup Equitation Championship at World Equestrian Center in February, he won a car. The timing seemed perfect: With his busy show and training schedule, Dominic travels extensively and his current car was in serious need of repair. Dominic won
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Maddy Keck: At Home at Savannah College of Art and Design

After a successful Junior career in the show ring, Maddy Keck had a dilemma: she wasn’t ready to give up on riding, but she also wanted to pursue her other passions. “I realized that I had never quite grown out of my ‘crazy horse girl’ phase,” Maddy confessed. “I wanted to find a way to
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Eventing With Boyd Martin

How do I bring my horse back from a tendon injury in the right hind? He’s a showmanship horse, so he needs to pivot on the right hind — Cheyenne D. via Facebook One of the most heartbreaking injuries in the sport of three-day eventing is a bowed tendon. It’s a crushing feeling, waking up

Louise Atkins: Getting a Star Ready to Re-Shine

By Haylie Kerstetter Louise Atkins is a dressage queen with a love for fancy off-the-track Thoroughbreds, so when she met Imperative, winner of $3.3 million on the racetrack, she was worried that he may not be meant for the dressage ring. But, over time, the little bay OTTB was able to win her over, just
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Andrew McConnon: Risk and Reward 

By Lilly Steger Portraits by Shawna Simmons Andrew McConnon discovered eventing at the 2004 Olympics. “I saw eventing on TV at the Athens Olympics, and I thought, Wow, that looks cool!” he said.  Seventeen years later, those Olympians are now Andrew’s mentors and colleagues. The William Fox-Pitt-trained eventer was named to the 2021 U.S. High
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Equest: Celebrating 40 Years of Royal Achievements

By Britney Grover Excitement filled the air at Equest, Texas’ largest and oldest therapeutic horsemanship center, on a warm October day in 2000. The horses gleamed; the stable was clean; demonstration riders were at the ready. A 14-year-old girl with Down syndrome waited with a bouquet of flowers, and Lili Kellogg was ready to receive
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Kate Mathews: Writing Her Riding Story

By Ruby Tevis Portraits by Melissa Fuller Kate Mathews is a storyteller, and at just 17 years old, the young dressage rider has only written the beginning of her own story. With a passion for horses, writing and the arts, Kate has found a way to tell stories in the arena and on the page.
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