60 SIDELINES AUGUST 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 62
e
By Sophie St. Clair
Susan Kroshinsky Artes has been living a life shaped by horses
since the age of 7. She’s a professional rider, trainer and owner of
Susan Artes Stables located in the Los Angeles Equestrian Center
in Burbank, California. From the beginning — in her challenging
first lesson — she was bucked off, which knocked the wind out of
her. But she was undeterred by this experience. Speaking with
Susie Artes, it strikes one that the same determination is still very
present today.
Growing up in California, her early years were spent riding
horses all day, every day on the trails at Via Verde Equestrian
Center in Covina. It was there, at the age of 9, that Susie began
riding with trainer Dorothy Miller. She describes Dorothy as a
George Morris devotee. It was Dorothy’s strict interpretation of
George’s training system that formed the foundation of Susie’s
riding. She credits George as her most influential trainer because
she was brought up in his system of discipline. Further, she
participated in George Morris clinics twice a year.
She said she was very shy then and once even got in trouble with
George because she was too shy to answer his question. Susie
traveled east two or three times, borrowing horses to participate
in the big medal finals at Madison Square Garden, Harrisburg
and Washington. But she says one of her most memorable
experiences with George Morris was the year that everyone went
to Washington but she stayed behind. Susie stayed at George’s
farm to ride the horses that stayed home. She vividly remembers
the feeling of being there riding on the grass. For a young rider, it
was a bit of a dream.
Susie is quick to give credit to a host of generous trainers and
riders that have helped her as she transitioned from young rider
to professional. “I drove my own horse and trailer, unloaded
everything, did my own grooming and I’d just sort of ask someone
Susan
Artes —
Leading
by
Example
Susan and Karina 445 at Spruce
Meadows 2013
Photo by Anwar Esquivel
to help train me. And, they did.” She’s very grateful to have had
the support of such amazing trainers like Joe Lifto, Scott King,
Marcia Williams, Francie Steinwedell Carvin, Dick Carvin, Susie
Schroer, Rob Gage and Cyndi Grossman Merrit.
Today, she gives high praise to her partner, British Grand Prix
rider and trainer Max Dolger, as having the most influence over
her riding in recent years.
“Max has taught me how to set better exercises to improve a
horse’s jump or the shape of their jump. When a horse starts to
get a little uncareful, we prefer to work on the shape of their jump
— making them land better, making them canter away from the
jump better. Those are things that I didn’t really focus on before.
I concentrated on my own riding and I did well. But I think the
winning in the last couple of years has come from his influence.”
As a native Californian and lifelong participant in the West
Coast horse show circuit, she’s in a position to give real insight
to how it has evolved. Susie points to the work Richard Spooner
initiated with the West Coast Active Riders (WCAR) as one of
the most beneficial movements in recent years. WCAR was, in
part, established to give experience to West Coast riders on an
international level.
In 2006, Susie was able to qualify for the WCAR team of riders
that was sent to compete in France and Holland and then on
to compete in the Nations Cup in Gijon, Spain. The team was
comprised of Susie and other West Coast professionals Joie
Gatlin, Francie Steinwedell Carvin and Jenni Martin McAllister.
“It was really fun,” Susie said. “I wasn’t very good because I was
so nervous, but I still got a ribbon because I was on the team and
I think we finished fourth! It was a really great experience. It was
so much fun to have that team camaraderie and to be a part of a
quality horse show like it was in Gijon Spain.”
Her international experience extends to Spruce Meadows as
