Emma Crawford: Standing Tall With the Flag—On a Pony

By Britney Grover Portraits by Aubray Vande Corput Not many 11-year-olds dream of Roman riding—standing with one foot on the back of each of two horses or ponies. Not only is that Emma Crawford’s goal, she’s well on her way to being able to do it. Mostly self-taught, she canters bareback on her pony, standing—and
Tagged under: , , ,

Eleese Shillingford: Enjoying Every Moment of the Ride

By Laura Scaletti Portraits by Melissa Fuller   Walking into the show ring, a typical last bit of advice from a trainers is, “Good luck; have fun.” Junior rider Eleese Shillingford is taking that advice to heart as she completes her last Junior year in the Big Equitation classes and Junior hunters. “I’m lucky enough
Tagged under: , , ,

Liza Towell Boyd: From Pony Champ to Pony Mom

By Kimberly Gatto Portraits by Melissa Fuller   When Liza Towell Boyd and her husband, Blake, brought their newborn daughter Elle home from the hospital, the first thing they did was stop at the barn. It was a tradition that had begun many years prior when Liza’s own parents, Jack and Lisa Towell, had brought
Tagged under: , , ,

Christy Cashman: Author, Mentor, Castle-Owner

By Britney Grover Christy Cashman calls herself a “lazy procrastinator,” but it’s hard to believe. She’s appeared in over 20 films as an actress and has produced five. She’s the founder of YouthINK, a nonprofit mentorship program for teens with an interest in the creative arts. YouthINK provides young people of all backgrounds with the
Tagged under: , , ,

Charlotte Babbitt: Jumping Into Two Disciplines

By Tafra Donberger Portraits by Alex Banks   Charlotte Babbitt displayed her competitive streak early in life when, at 14, she moved away from her family in South Lake Tahoe, California, where riding opportunities were slim, to train with Andrea Pfeiffer at Chocolate Horse Farm in Petaluma, California. The eventing world was calling, and Charlotte
Tagged under: , , , ,

Donna Smyth: Her Colorful Journey as An Equine Artist

By Susan Friedland   Studying to become a dental hygienist seems an unlikely path to becoming an equine fine art painter, but for Donna Smyth of Temecula, California, it has been both a practical and colorful journey. Donna, an oil painter with a soft spot for wild horses, describes her style as realism with some
Tagged under: , , ,

Ainsley Lynch: Living the Pony Drea

By Jenna Young Portraits by Isabel J. Kurek   Many little girls dream of a life with ponies, and at 8 years old, Ainsley Lynch is living that dream. Ainsley not only has a pony of her own that she shows, but is fortunate enough to ride and show other people’s ponies. Training with Jacob
Tagged under: , , ,

Adam Steffens and Wendy Petrik: Partnership Built on Friendship and Love of Dressage

By Cheyenne Lord Portraits by Kristen Scott-Crocker   From an early age, both Adam Steffens and Wendy Petrik had a love for the beauty and brilliance of horses. Adam grew up with his mother’s Quarter Horses just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and spent time trail riding with his mother and his sister, Jenna, before moving
Tagged under: , , , ,

Nicole Zardus: Training Thoroughbreds for the Eventing World

By Hannah Fichter Portraits by Pam Jensen   Nicole Zardus lives for the adrenaline rush. Growing up in rural South Jersey, she continuously passed horses on her daily routes. Her love for horses grew until her begging paid off and her mom agreed to let her take riding lessons. After that, she never looked back
Tagged under: , , , ,

John Mason: Equestrian Education Even Bigger Than Texas

By Laura Scaletti John Mason was fascinated by horses from the start. Growing up in Corpus Christi, Texas, John saw his fair share of cowboy hats, cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans, so it was only natural that his 3rd birthday party was cowboy themed—complete with pony rides. Giving the birthday boy a pony ride only
Tagged under: , , ,