By Laura Scaletti
Portraits by Melissa Fuller
For dressage rider Laila Edwards, the horse has always come first and the sport second. Walking out of a Short Stirrup class when she was 7 years old, Laila happily traded her winning blue ribbon for her friend’s pink fifth place ribbon.
“I was young and didn’t fully understand the concept of winning and losing, so I was very happy with the exchange. I loved that pink ribbon and thought it was the best idea ever,” Laila said.
Much later, Laila’s mom explained what the blue ribbon represented, and the duo shared a good laugh. “I love this story because it reminds me of my life with horses before winning, rankings and qualifying mattered. It keeps me grounded in why I do what I do—because I love horses! Even when chasing my wildest equestrian dreams, it’s always about the horses first,” she said.
Outdoor Girl
Growing up in Annapolis, Maryland, Laila spent as many hours as possible outside. “In my eyes, my childhood was perfect. We lived on the Chesapeake Bay and had several neighbors who became close friends, so we were always on boats or paddleboards, having beach bonfires or just running around our neighborhood,” Laila said. “Experiencing that kind of environment made it very clear to me that I wanted my sport to be one that would lead to me being outside just as much.”
Laila found her sport at age 5 when she tagged along to a friend’s riding lesson. The next week Laila was taking her own lessons and never looked back: Aboard a little grey gelding named Pickles, Laila fell in love with horses and riding instantly. “Even though I was young, I remember feeling a deep connection. Being carried by Pickles while sitting high on his back felt like magic,” she said. “I just wanted to ride and learn everything I could about horses.
“My first teacher, Pranam Bai, was a hunter-jumper rider. She was about 18. I had such admiration for her, so naturally I trained as a hunter-jumper. I looked forward to every single lesson with her,” Laila said.
After Pranam moved away, Laila became part of an active lesson barn. While there, she competed on their lesson horses in the Children’s Hunters.
A few years later, when Laila was 9, she told her mom that she didn’t really enjoy horse shows anymore. “I wanted to keep riding and be with the horses, but the competitions weren’t really for me at that time. We didn’t know exactly what would be next, but somehow my mom was able to find the perfect match,” she said.
Discovering Disciplines
After doing a lot of internet research for the best trainers in their area, Laila’s mom found “Mr. Jim”—aka Jim McDonald. Based out of Baltimore, he was an hour from the Edwards’ home in Annapolis, but Laila says the commute was worth every minute.
Jim not only became Laila’s trainer, he was her mentor. “I valued my training time with him immensely. He not only re-instilled my deep love for horses and riding, but he also introduced me to the idea of dressage and true partnership,” Laila said.
A mix between an English rider, cowboy and horse-whisperer—although he’d never call himself that—Jim taught Laila about herd dynamics and horse communication, and they focused a lot on groundwork. “I came to a better understanding about what the world looks like through the horses’ eyes, and that sharpened both my riding and horsemanship skills. I truly credit Mr. Jim for the direction of my equestrian life and the courage to pursue my dreams of becoming a world-class rider,” Laila said.
While learning as much as possible from Jim, a friend reached out to Laila about an eventing barn that was only 20 minutes from her house. Laila began riding there in addition to continuing to ride with Jim. “The eventing barn was a lesson barn filled with lots of quality event horses and young riders around my age. It was my first experience with the group aspect of the sport, at a more serious level and I loved the camaraderie,” Laila said.
In 2017, Laila and her mom decided to go to Nosara, Costa Rica, for three months. The goal of the trip was Spanish immersion for Laila, a homeschool student at the time. While she became nearly fluent in Spanish in Costa Rica, the trip also quickly turned into a surf and riding immersion trip.
In addition to participating in eventing shows and clinics, Laila got her first experience riding young horses while working with Carrie Anderson in Costa Rica. “Carrie instilled so many riding fundamentals in me and deepened my confidence in the saddle. My time in Costa Rica solidified my love of riding and made me realize I was ready to take my riding to the next level,” Laila said.
After returning home, Laila and her family decided it was time for her to find a horse Laila could call her own. “My eventing trainer helped me find my rescued Thoroughbred Maxx, who was 4 at the time. Once I started riding Maxx, I stopped riding with Mr. Jim so I could spend more time with Maxx at my eventing barn,” Laila said.
Drawn to Dressage
While riding Maxx at the eventing barn, Laila always looked forward to her dressage lessons the most. “After talking to the other riders at my barn, I realized that liking the dressage portion most was not necessarily common among eventing riders, but I loved it,” she said. “So, I eventually decided to channel my energy fully into dressage.”
Once Laila had the opportunity to ride a Small Tour schoolmaster that was stabled five minutes from her house in Annapolis, at Chesapeake Dressage Institute, she became completely hooked on dressage. “I absolutely loved riding that schoolmaster, so I moved Maxx to Chesapeake Dressage Institute and started riding dressage full time in 2018. I had the opportunity to ride several other schoolmasters, Grand Prix horses, young horses and everything in between,” she said.
While riding these high-level dressage horses, Laila was able to participate in clinics with top clinicians like Charles deKunffy, and top USA FEI riders and trainers that really helped her increase her dressage skills. “I would bring everything I learned at the clinics back to Maxx. Together our partnership grew and we had success in the Thoroughbred Incentive Program,” Laila said.
The ability to create a partnership and dance with her equine partner is what initially drew Laila to dressage. “I’ve often tried to compare this sport to another, but it’s truly unique. It connects a predator with a prey animal and allows them to become a team, and that requires a deep level of trust,” she said. “The feeling that gives is unimaginable, and in my experience, once you feel it, you can’t help but strive for more.”
While at Chesapeake Dressage Institute, Laila met Susanne Owen Hassler, who later became her full-time trainer. Susanne was invaluable and even arranged for Laila to go to Florida for her first winter season. “Susanne paved my way to Wellington as a working student. When I went to Florida, I had the intention to work for Scott and Sara Hassler for six weeks, which turned into eight months and then two winter seasons following that,” Laila said. “Scott and Sara provided a rich experience of top-notch training and high-level horse care during my time as their working student and groom.”
Laila then transitioned to working with Sarah and Lee Tubman for two years at Donato Farms. During her time with the Tubmans, Laila took her mare, Farah Jade, to the 2023 and 2024 FEI North American Youth Dressage Championships (NAYC) and the 2024 Festival of Champions with very limited showing experience. “Sarah’s commitment to our success in the show ring helped me medal in musical freestyle with Farah at the 2024 NAYC. She helped me grow more as a rider within one show season than I ever knew was possible, and I will be forever grateful to her for that,” Laila said.
My Girl
A 14-year-old KWPN mare, Farah Jade is the first mare Laila has ever ridden. Laila has spent hours upon hours developing a partnership and relationship with Farah, found by Sarah Tubman on a trip to Holland in the summer of 2022, both in and out of the saddle.
“Farah’s an empowered female who likes to be treated as such. I like to describe her as a girl’s girl because she can be sassy and even indifferent to those she doesn’t know, but once you’re in her circle, she’s compassionate, caring and hilarious,” Laila said. “Building a relationship with her has been one of the most rewarding processes. She’s taught me so much as a rider and a person.”
With a canter that Laila says feels like riding on clouds, Farah certainly is Laila’s dream horse. “I love Farah’s ears and birthmark. Her ears are big and floppy and just watching them, even during an intense test, always reminds me to relax. Her birthmark, on her left shoulder, is so unique and makes her stand out as a gray,” Laila said. “I’m all about being uniquely beautiful and Farah is exactly that.”
Winning a bronze medal in the musical freestyle at the 2024 NAYC was the highlight of Laila’s riding career so far. “I spent the entirety of the 2023-2024 season focused on making the podium at the 2024 NAYC. I had a lot of work to do and literally spent every day strategizing about how I could align myself with my goal,” Laila said.
When Laila and Farah Jade made it to NAYC and manifested her dream, it was a surreal feeling for Laila. “We all hugged and cried happy tears! I was so proud of Farah because she truly gave it all. I will never forget that moment and look forward to more of this in the future,” she said.
Recently Laila and Farah moved to a private barn in Wellington and also advanced to Young Riders. “As synchronicity would have it, I’ve begun a new chapter with my training program and I’m really excited about what the future holds for us! My vision is to focus on the Young Rider movements and tests with hopes of qualifying for NAYC25, Festival of Champions and the Young Rider European Tour,” she said.
Go Getter
When not in the saddle, the grass doesn’t grow under Laila’s feet. During the 2024 winter season, she worked in an FEI barn, trained in a full-time program with Farah, trained and took care of Maxx, took college classes and interned at a marketing agency. “It was beyond a full schedule, but was possible with time management and discipline,” she said. “There’s just something about doing what you love that makes it all possible.”
This fall, Laila plans to attend Florida Atlantic University. “I’m super interested in marketing, law and journalism. I hope to incorporate all of these things to support my journey as an equestrian athlete, because I’m in this sport for the long haul,” she said.
Mental fitness is another interest Laila has that benefits her equestrian pursuits. “Mental strategies have been a game changer for me in this sport. They help me set empowered goals, stay present in the show ring and manage the pressure that comes along with competing. I can’t imagine this sport or life without mental awareness,” she said.
Laila’s mom, Cindy Dawn, is responsible for Laila’s interest in mental well-being. “My mom is a mindfulness meditation teacher and mental fitness advocate, so conversations about mental strength, focus, resilience and a growth mindset have been part of our day-to-day rhythm for as long as I can remember. My mom and I felt that offering mental fitness programs could have a positive impact on equestrian athletes, so we do that through Mind Elite Equestrian,” Laila said. “Mind Elite Equestrian currently offers online and in-person trainings as well as one-on-one coaching.”
Looking toward the future, Laila’s goal is to find a balance between her equestrian and educational pursuits. Aiming for the top of both realms, Laila wants to ride for Team USA and attend law school. “I believe that all things are possible with a positive mindset, focused action and tenacity. Add to that a supportive team and your potential is unlimited,” she said.
As Laila reaches for the stars in the saddle, she cherishes every minute with her horses. “This is a sport of partnership, harmony, resilience and perseverance. You can spend years chasing a dream and one little thing can happen that sets you back—it’s very humbling. That’s why it’s super important to stay connected to the genuine reasons we fell in love with horses and dressage,” Laila said. “Our whys are the foundation for everything in this sport.”
For more information, find Laila on Facebook at Laila Edwards and on Instagram @laila_grace_edwards
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
