Portraits by Sophia Donohue
Emma Hakim was riding horses before she learned to walk. Her mother, Barbara, felt enormous joy giving her three children—Lily, Emma and Henry—pony rides on her trustworthy jumper mare, Coru. Both of Emma’s parents are savvy, talented, lifelong equestrians, so it was inevitable that all three Hakim children would inherit the family horse genes. But in the end, it was only Emma who fell in love with the sport.
As a young boy, Emma’s father, Scott, discovered horseback riding at summer camp. He loved the competitive aspect of the sport and went on to train at Shannon Stables in Bedford, New York. Years later, while competing in the Amateur Jumpers, he met his future wife, Barbara, at Old Salem Farm, an iconic equestrian boarding and training facility located in North Salem, New York. “I was working as a trainer for Robin Greenwood, and we kept crossing paths,” she said. “Some of our first dates were trail riding along the bridle paths behind the farm!”
The 120-acre property once belonged to Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. In the 1990s, Scott and his father, Kamran, both real estate developers, purchased and renovated the facility. The Hakims took over its management in 2001, and Scott currently serves as president.
Emma and her sister took lessons at Kelsey Farm in Greenwich, Connecticut. “My first pony, Cous Cous, was more of a leadline teacher,” she said. “Her trot was bouncy and fast—like a sewing machine bobbin. If you were a beginner, she would pop you right out of the saddle.”
Luckily for Emma, she wasn’t scared to fall off. “Lily and I used to have competitions: We would literally try and fling ourselves off the side of our ponies!” she said. “Our friend Pili Fernandez would join us at the barn. We’d trail ride all day, trying to fall off, laughing the entire time. We’re all still best friends today.”
When it was time to find the next pony, Barbara was happy to take the lead in finding the perfect match for her daughter. “I had a lot of relevant pony experience, and this was a very specific task based on Emma’s tiny stature,” she said.
Barbara found a Cremello pony on Facebook named Wildwynn Legacy. “At the time, Casper was 9 years old, but didn’t have much experience,” she said. “My mom felt he would be a great project for an older Junior to help me finish.”
When he came off the truck, everyone joked that he was a miniature pony. “He was advertised at 11.3 hands, but when we did an official measurement card for him a couple of years later, we found out he was only 11.1,” Barbara said. “Back then, he was pretty naughty. You had to carry some pace, or he would stop. Emma fell off quite a bit.”
After some hard work and training rides, Emma qualified Casper for USEF Pony Finals 2018 in the Small Greens. “He was so good,” Emma said. “We were third in the Welsh Division, and 15th Overall. Robin Greenwood helped us that year, and we got to compete in the Walnut Ring at Kentucky Horse Park; it was really special.”
Emma considers herself lucky to have qualified for Pony Finals five years in a row. “These types of events teach young riders about the ups and downs of our sport. Nothing is a given,” she said. “Even when you have the best pony in the world, anything can happen. You can’t give up!”
What this tiny young pony rider may have lacked in height, she made up for exponentially in grit and resilience. It was Emma’s work ethic that continued to earn her rides on challenging green ponies. In addition to Pony Finals, Emma attended prestigious indoor finals including the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, where she was sixth place aboard iFlirt in the Small Pony Hunter Stake, and Capital Challenge, where she earned fourth place on Northwind Miss Mcvai in the Large Pony Handy Hunter Round.
In summer 2022, Emma made the leap to horses. “I showed my mother’s horse, Lady M, in the 1.0m Children’s Jumpers,” she said. ”Lady was green when I started with her, but was very eager to try, so that made it a fun project.”
Emma jumped directly into the BigEq at the Old Salem Farm (OSF) Fall Horse Show 2022. “It was an exciting time,” she said. “I was riding many different sales horses and learning how to put all the pieces together.” At her first equitation final, Capital Challenge 2023, they finished sixth out of 167 competitors in the gymnastics phase of the EMO Insurance USHJA Jumping Seat Medal Finals. “My experience in the jumper ring definitely helped,” she said.
They decided it was time to start competing in Wellington. “Initially, I’d fly down after school on Thursday to be there in time for the 3’6” equitation medals on Friday. I would compete on Saturday and Sunday, too, and fly home Sunday night,” she said.
Keeping all of her proverbial balls in the air proved challenging. “I attend Greenwich Academy, an all-girls private school,” she said. “The academics are rigorous; it’s a full workload, and then some.” Despite the learning curve, Emma maintained her grades.
In the winter of 2024, Emma began working with Cento Chico, an equitation horse owned by McLain Ward. “Cento is one of my favorite horses. He has the best personality and he tells you immediately if you are doing the wrong thing,” she said. “He’s not for everyone but we really understood each other, especially at the end.”
Cento helped Emma tackle new goals, including her first USET Talent Search class. Throughout the next couple of years, Emma and Cento continued their partnership, forming an undeniable bond. Together they earned top ribbons at Devon, the Hampton Classic, Old Salem Farm and Lake Placid. “He will always have a special place in my heart,” she said.
In the jumper ring, Emma began showing Roxstar, one of her family’s homebred horses. Roxstar was born in 2012, when the Hakims bred their mare, Roxanna 112, to a stallion named Amaretto Darco. “Anne Kursinski trained Roxanna, and she ended up a second alternate in the 2008 Olympic Games,” Barbara said. “We chose a Darco stallion after the success of Sapphire, McLain Ward’s Olympic gold-winning show jumper.”
They also bred Coru to Amaretto Darco. “We ended up with a filly named Coralie, who Emma also had a chance to ride and show,” Barbara said. Emma rode Roxstar in the 2024 USHJA Emerging Athletes Program (EAP) Regional Training Session with clinician Linda Allen. After the final day of competition, Emma was selected as one of 16 athletes to compete in the MZ Farms/USHJA National EAP Clinic with Olympian Joe Fargis.
Roxstar and Cora are both permanent members of the OSF family, as well as Lady. “It’s been an incredible experience to breed horses that not only my daughter has been able to enjoy, but are now teaching the next generation of riders at OSF how to ride.”
With every opportunity she has been given, Emma remains humble, grounded and grateful. “I don’t take anything for granted,” she said. “My parents are my biggest supporters, and I love being part of it all.”
Being able to share a passion with your parents is a blessing, and Emma and her mother are often seen together at the horse show or observing a lesson at the farm. “During the fall show in 2024, while we were waiting for Cora to show in the 1.20m, we saw a beautiful liver chestnut horse with a big white blaze,” Barbara said. “We loved his canter, jump and expression. I turned to Emma and said, ‘I would really love this horse for you!”
After some quick research, Emma found him: The 2018 Oldenburg was named Oggy and owned by Daisy Foregger at Hinckley Sporthorses. “Their entire Instagram feed is Oggy; there is no way they would sell him!” Emma said. A month went by and Barbara couldn’t stop thinking about Oggy, so she reached out to Daisy, and the rest is history. “It’s been incredibly rewarding watching Oggy handle everything as a fresh face in the equitation,” Barbara said. “Emma has done a lovely job with him.”
In 2025, Emma welcomed a new jumper named Isidorus, a 2013 KWPN stallion by Charisma. “Isaac is a very special horse; he helped me move up to the 1.30m/1.35m last summer,” she said. After a successful six months together, they made Isaac an official part of the Hakim family. “It’s hard to tell who is more excited, me or my parents! With his incredible jump and mind, my mom might want to eventually use him for breeding. He’s just so perfect; it would be very cool to have his babies!”
While getting to know her new four-legged family members, Emma paired up with her forever friend Cento for a special trip to New England Equitation Finals 2025. “It’s not a competition I have traditionally attended, and it was so much fun. I didn’t have any expectations going into it, and we ended up winning!” she said. “Cento was absolutely perfect, and it was a great way to end our partnership before he went to teach his new rider.”
Emma is finishing up her second-semester junior year online. “I decided to compete full time in Florida this winter, which required me to unenroll,” she said. “The extra saddle time, training and ring experience helped me progress. We moved up to the highs, which was admittedly nerve wracking, but I am so excited.”
Back at OSF, Emma’s horses are enjoying some well-earned down time while she settles into her role as a working student under trainers Sarah Scheiring, Mark Dean and Cori Reich. “Sarah is super smart and instills so much confidence. She takes the time to explain things in a way I can understand,” Emma said. “She doesn’t want me to just get on a prepared horse; she wants me to learn to be an effective rider.”
In April, Emma helped the OSF team at Princeton Show Jumping, where she prepared ponies for junior clients, set jumps and observed Mark and Sarah ringside. She also showed Isaac in the 1.30m, and Oggy in the hunter derby. “I’m really focused on the jumpers for now,” she said. “I would love to jump a U25 Grand Prix this calendar year. It’s a big goal of mine. I’m so lucky to have this special horse to help me achieve those goals.”
Emma’s pony Casper has become a saint in his golden years, teaching countless children to canter and jump crossrails. Emma herself is learning to teach beginner lessons at OSF under the mentorship of trainer Cori Reich.
During one lesson, Emma followed the tiny rider around, encouraging her to be in charge, and above all—not give up. Casper would try to break to the walk, or evade the rider’s aids, but Emma’s voice echoed with inspirational messages, ultimately getting her to canter the crossrail, and finish the lesson on a high note.
Caught being watched, Emma turned around and said, “I hope I am doing a good job.” But the huge smile on the little girl’s face said it all.
Emma is already committed to the University of Georgia, Class of 2031, to ride on their award-winning NCEA D1 Equestrian Team. “I instantly fell in love with the school, the team, and the curriculum,” she said. “As of now, I plan to major in business, but I am definitely keeping an open mind.”
Photos by Sophia Donohue, sophiadonohuephotography.com
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