Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Watching the animated series “Horseland,” Lilly Herzog was inspired by the show’s characters to create her own adventures at the barn. “A very horse-obsessed little kid who didn’t have my own horse, I had to beg my parents for a while before they finally let me take my first lesson at 8 years old,” Lilly said.
As Lilly was the only horse enthusiast in the family at the time, her parents initially hoped her interest in horses was just a passing phase. “They even took me to meet one of their friend’s horses to show me how big and scary a horse was up close. That ended up backfiring as once I met a real horse I loved them even more,” she said. “When my parents realized horses weren’t a phase that was going to pass quickly, they became my biggest supporters.”
With a village behind her, including her parents and trainers, Lilly’s riding dreams that started at a local lesson barn have propelled her to her ultimate goal: committing to a Division 1 (D1) equestrian team. Lilly will join the University of Georgia (UGA) Bulldogs in the fall of 2027.
“Ever since I started riding, going D1 was my biggest goal. I could not be more excited to do so at UGA,” she said.
After doing basic lessons and competing at local shows for two years, Lilly was ready for the next step and decided to make the move to Amanda Lyerly’s Madison Hills Farm. It’s been Amanda’s guidance and support that has truly allowed Lilly’s talent to flourish. “I have learned so much from Amanda,” Lilly said. “Most importantly, she ensures that I maintain the most important basic skills through discipline and hard work. Amanda has also shown me how to uphold strong morals in a world that was so foreign to me.”
Once they began working together, it didn’t take long for Lilly to share her dreams of making it to the top, being a catch rider and riding on a D1 equestrian team. “Known for her honesty and integrity, as soon as Amanda knew my goals, she put herself on the line for me to capitalize on the opportunities I’ve had,” Lilly said. “Since I knew she was willing to do that, I knew I had to put in the hard work and really follow through on my end.”
Lilly’s road to become a sought-after catch rider and committed D1 athlete was built on trust, long hours and the generosity of people who believed in her talent. “There were so many long show days from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. or later, but it was all so worth it. Amanda and I built a trust in each other that neither one of us would let the other down,” Lilly said. “Except she owes me nothing and I owe her everything.”
The first goal Lilly checked off was to become a catch rider at age 12. “It’s the best thing that I’ve done for my riding. Being able to ride so many different types of horses has made me adaptable and more in-tune with what I’m feeling. I’d argue most importantly, it was simply more time in the saddle and more practice that made me a better rider,” she said.
Believing in Lilly long before she had a resume to back it up, Amanda was the catalyst for Lilly’s extra saddle time. “She reaches out and talks to everyone I work with. I owe a lot of my success to Melissa Joe Hollingsworth. She let me ride tons of her ponies when I was starting up and didn’t have many people willing to do that,” Lilly said.
More recently, Ken and Emily Smith at Ashland Farms and Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley of River’s Edge have been providing Lilly incredible opportunities in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings via their horses. “I work with Ashland in all of the equitation classes, even when the horses aren’t theirs. This past year I was so lucky when Scott and Ken teamed up with Ashland and they were kind enough to let me ride Tiebreaker in some of the equitation classes,” she said. “Otherwise, I work with River’s Edge on all their horses, which is primarily where I’m riding over the winter.”
Outside of those two main connections, Lilly has ridden horses for several other top trainers over the past year including Liz Reilly, Ali Sweetnam, Emil Spadone, Liza Boyd, Jacob Pope and more. “Every single person who has ever given me an animal to ride has molded me through their own perspective of the sport and training,” she said.
Lilly has always loved the horse first and the sport second. “My favorite thing to do with horses is sit in their stalls, especially when they are laying down. I’ve sat in stalls for hours straight before, just because I love bonding with them,” she said.
Every horse Lilly’s sat on has mattered to her and her development. Four, in particular, have left hoofprints on her heart—D’artagnan, Soliel Du Cornu CH, Styles and Tiebreaker.
After begging to do jumpers for years, Lilly rode Amanda’s jumper Soliel Du Cornu CH. Amanda agreed because she thought he could show Lilly the ropes in the Children’s Jumpers. “He brought back my love for the sport when I felt like I wasn’t succeeding elsewhere,” she said.
During that same period, Lilly was lucky enough to ride Robin Greenwood’s large pony D’artagnan for a year. “We had a really special connection. He brought me to my biggest wins at that point and made me really see progress,” she said.
The highlight of the duo’s time together was the 2024 Washington International Horse Show, which was Lilly’s debut there and their last competition together. “After being Grand Champion, we were debating doing the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals. We decided to do it—we got a 92 and I came out of the ring with happy tears,” Lilly said. “It was the best day. I also won Best Child Rider on a Pony and the Gochman Style of Riding award.”
More recently, Styles and Tiebreaker from River’s Edge have stolen Lilly’s heart. “Getting to ride Styles was a full-circle moment for me after I had watched him at Washington, a couple of years before I even knew Scott. I had told Amanda how much I loved him after seeing him jump,” Lilly said. “Together we had a lot of success this past winter.”
Tiebreaker is the partner Lilly could talk about for hours. On any given day, if you walked through the aisles of River’s Edge looking for Lilly, you’d likely find her in his stall. “Our bond is really special and not one I’ve had with any horse before. In and out of the ring, he’s a horse I would trust with my life and I’m beyond lucky to ride him,” she said. “A trainer at River’s Edge said we look as if we are ‘soul tied’ when I ride him. I’d never heard that term before and I took it as the biggest compliment of my life.”
Having the opportunity to ride talented horses in the equitation, hunter and jumper rings has helped Lilly truly appreciate the distinct skill set needed in each ring. “Learning from the best of the best in the hunters, my love for the hunter ring has really grown this past year. I love being able to show off the horse and its unique style,” Lilly said.
While Lilly enjoys showcasing her mounts in the hunter ring, the technical courses in the equitation and jumper rings suit her personality. “In the jumpers, I love that it’s just you versus the clock: There are no opinions, just you planning the best track for your horses and executing and reacting in the moment,” she said. “I’m an over-thinker in general, so this discipline really gives me a chance to ride based on instinct in the moment.”
Last fall, Lilly achieved her number-one riding goal when she made her verbal commitment to UGA’s D1 equestrian team. “I’ve heard so many people say you’ll know where you’re supposed to be as soon as you’re on campus, and that was true for me. I fell in love with UGA’s campus, the coaches and the entire team,” Lilly said.
After experiencing the sport individually from the start, Lilly is excited for the team aspect. “It’s going to be totally different than what I’m used to, but I’m really looking forward to being part of something bigger with horses,” she said.
Although she’s never ridden on a team, Lilly believes her days catch riding have prepared her to join the UGA team. “I’m so lucky to have ridden so many horses and gained the experience to feel like I’m able to ride different horses and adapt quickly. As someone who never really knows their horses very well walking into the ring, I’m excited to see how this format levels the playing field for everyone,” Lilly said.
While at UGA, Lilly is planning on getting into their business school so she can get her law certificate and go to law school. “More than anything, I’m so excited to feel like I’m going to get a great education while being on the team. I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing one for the other,” she said.
The end goal for Lilly is to become either an equine lawyer or criminal justice lawyer and stay in the horse world. “I want to have a career that can support my dream of one day jumping in the Grand Prix,” she said.
Lilly’s thankful for her family’s support and the sacrifices they’ve made to help her achieve her dreams. “They’ve been behind me 100% from the beginning and never made me feel guilty about it. My mom travels with me to nearly every show, so my brother and dad miss out on seeing her for weeks at a time. My grandma watches scores and rounds from every show at home,” Lilly said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better support system than my family.”
That support is propelling Lilly as she approaches her last Junior year with a plan to keep having fun while not burning herself out. “I’d really like to jump some big classes in the jumpers and see good results in finals. Hopefully that’s all a natural outcome of the goal of a consistent season. Away from the barn, my goal is to maintain good grades and prep myself for college,” she said.
As Lilly enters her next chapter of life, she’s going to follow her own advice. “Stay true to who you are, follow your own path and be coachable,” she said. “A lot of time, it’s not about your natural talent in the saddle; it’s about who wants to show up day after day, and who’s easy to work with.”
Follow Lilly on Instagram @lil.pony.rider
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
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