62 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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By Holly Hugo-Vidal
Savanah, Mikayla and Jillian Stuart are three sisters who not
only ride but are also extremely passionate, focused, dedicated,
talented as well as supportive of each other. I wanted to write
about them, because this family really is a team!
When the girls win prize money (which happens often) it gets
divided among all three girls and goes into their savings accounts,
which the girls manage. That is only a small ingredient that makes
up the “team” attitude. The girls all root for each other, whether
it’s a big win, a new horse or a huge accomplishment of a sought
after goal. I think that the fact that they are all on common ground
helps, as opposed to being in different sports or simply having
different interests.
The Stuart family lives in Rancho Santa Fe, California and the
horses live at home. The girls’ mother, Candace, likes having
them at home for many reasons. “I feel like a mother hen, not only
can I watch them but I feel that we can do whatever it takes to
keep them safe and sound. Not that a good boarding barn couldn’t
do the same, it just gives me a good feeling to have them here.
At night the girls and my husband and I go down to the barn and
check on the horses as well as give treats. We never miss a night
and the girls love this part of their relationship with the horses,”
Candace said.
The girls have ridden with Alicia Saxton, of Oceancrest Farms,
for three years. “Alicia’s barn is right down the road and she
comes over to teach the girls several times a week. I also really
enjoy watching the girls practice what they have worked on in pre-
vious lessons, which I wouldn’t be able to do if we didn’t have the
horses at home,” Candace added.
Savanah, 16, the oldest of the three sisters became interested
in horses when she was 10. It was after a brief gymnastics ef-
fort, followed by another effort at dance, that she tried riding. Her
slim, long legs graced the back of a horse more than the mats
of the gym and its trappings and the relationship with the horses
exceeded dancing. Her calm, methodical temperament suited the
horses and Savanah immediately knew this was something she
truly had a passion for. She successfully shows her young horse
Marzocco in the older, small junior hunter division and has been
very successful in the Southern California double A shows. Her
sights are on indoors!
Mikayla, who had been a natural and very competent gymnast,
became enthralled with horses as she watched her older sister
ride and immediately made the transition to riding. She really liked
the relationship with the horse and preferred being outdoors rath-
er than in the gym. Mikayla, now 14, recently got a new horse,
Verdana, and competes in the children’s hunter division.
And last, but not least, the youngest member of the team is
Jillian. At only 10, she has the same dedication and focus as her
two older sisters. Jillian has been riding for about fve years and
is a very accomplished pony rider. Her small pony, Prima Balle-
rina, has been champion many times as well as circuit champion
at Thermal in 2011. Jillian would like to be in the top 15 at Pony
Finals as well as in the top 20 nationally. Jillian also catch rides
ponies for Mokoto Farm.
In talking with Candace it’s apparent that a positive attitude is
not only evident, but also required. “We make a point to surround
the girls with good people as much as possible and my husband
and I are very polite to each other and stress the importance of
treating others as we would like to be treated.” This is very evident
in all three girls.
After talking with the girls about people they most admire in the
horse world, I was most impressed when Savanah said she ad-
mired her trainer, Alicia, because of her dedication, honesty and
hard work as well as the fact that she always puts the best inter-
ests of her riders frst. High praises indeed from a student!
About the writer: Holly Hugo-Vidal is Sidelines’ California corre-
spondent and writes the “West Side Story” column. Holly is based
at Alicia Saxton’s Oceancrest Farms in Rancho Santa Fe, Califor-
nia. Holly specializes in hunters and equitation as well as adults.
She is an “R” USEF judge, clinician and an author. Her most re-
cent book is Build Confdence Over Fences.
The Stuart Girls
Photo by Jose Lopez