Allison Kroff: Learning by Watching

By Britney Grover Portraits by Kristie Nichols There are a few unusual things about Allison Kroff and her path to being a professional equestrian: She entered her first grand prix when she was just 15 years old, even though she didn’t ride, travel or show with a trainer — but that didn’t stop her from
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Ask the Judge: Stephanie Cumming

By Carter Anderson Have you ever wondered what the judge is looking for? Stephanie Cumming has been judging collegiate meets for eight years and has a specific process when choosing the winner. If she’s not in the judge’s booth, you can find Stephanie running her business, Pecan Lane Farm, based in Bishop, Georgia. Her background
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Great and Small: Using Horses to Ensure All Know They’re Great

By Britney Grover Some hope to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. For others, it would be far more valuable to find a horse. Even just a few minutes with a horse can do wonders for someone emotionally, mentally and even physically — especially if that person or child doesn’t
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Tracey Noonan: One Wicked Good Woman

By Kathryn McMackin Portraits by Shawna Simmons There’s something about a horse — and a barn, for that matter — that teaches lessons and builds character. From focus and drive to empathy, the traits honed from a partnership with a horse can translate across a variety of scenarios and spaces. These skills nurture relationships and
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Cliques Versus True Friendship

By Margie Sugarman Margie Sugarman is a leading board-certified psychotherapist and sports consultant based in New York. Margie’s desire is to enhance performance through the connection between the mind and body, and her current client list includes Olympic, professional and amateur athletes across the country. Her experience employing various therapeutic modalities has helped equestrians win classics, junior medals and
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Paige Johnson: Helping Dogs in Need Through Their Voice Rescue

By Julie Unger Portraits by Kathy Russell Eyes are known as the window to the soul, and if you’ve ever gazed into an animal’s eyes, you know this sentiment well. Eyes tell a story, but too often, no one is listening. What happens when you can’t talk, can’t share your story and can’t stand up
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Marissa Degner: One Good Round

By Kathryn McMackin Portraits by Ann Blaine Davidson Many young riders are dreamers. In the mind of an imaginative little rider, a gallop across a field on a pony can become a victory lap at Spruce Meadows. But 22-year-old Marissa Degner describes herself as more of a realist, even as a young girl. “My mother
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Barbara Phillips: The Data Behind a Life Loving Horses

By Britney Grover Portraits by Isabel J. Kurek For Barbara Phillips, living the dream means combining two unlikely worlds: horses and computing. Her passion for horses has followed her through school and a technology career with major companies; now, she’s using her knowledge to advance the horse show industry with Equestrian Connect, revolutionizing paper and
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Jessica Greer: Colorado Dressage Trainer Is Never Done Learning

By Alannah Castro Portraits by Kristie Nichols For as long as she can remember, Jessica Greer has been horse obsessed. Like so many young girls who are born with the horse bug, she spent her childhood looking for any and all signs of horses wherever she went. A surprise on her ninth birthday, however, would
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Connor Husain: Enjoying the Best of Both Worlds – Switching from Eventing to Show Jumping Changes the Course of Hot Horseman’s Life

By Britney Grover Portraits by Shawna Simmons By the time he was 19 years old, Connor Husain was becoming well known as a rising star in eventing. He took the top spot at the 2012 North American Young Rider Championships — his first CCI2* — and became a professional quickly climbing through the levels. Giving
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