Portraits by Kacy Brown
Sitting jump seat in the cockpit of a FedEx cargo plane, eyes closed but ears intently listening for any sound indicating one of the three horses in the cargo area may be discontent, Natasha Klingenstein, business operations manager for the international transport company Horseflight, briefly wondered what she had signed up for. Her first job as an in-flight groom was a grueling “milk run,” where she was getting four flights’ worth of experience over one continuous 26-hour journey.
The aircraft crisscrossed the country from Florida to Alaska, making stops in Memphis, Los Angeles and Seattle while temperatures plunged from 90 to 38 degrees. “Ultimately, that experience confirmed I was exactly where I was meant to be,” Natasha recalled. “I felt that I was directly impacting these horses’ lives by making what could be a stressful experience positive and comfortable.”
Although Natasha’s career now centers around horses flying 30,000 feet in the air, that’s not where her love of equines began. Growing up in Torrance, California, her initial exposure to horses was at a nonprofit self-care co-op barn right in the middle of the city. This no-frills stable taught Natasha responsibility and that caring for horses isn’t glamorous; it’s showing up every day and giving them your all, even when no one is watching. Reminiscing, Natasha laughed, "When I was little, I thought I was going to be a cowgirl because the horse I was riding at the time was ex-rodeo."
That dream shifted during a family vacation when she was 10 years old. While trail riding at a dude ranch, her horse encountered a log lying across the path. Rather than simply stepping over it like every other horse had done, her horse launched over the obstacle. "That flying feeling hooked me immediately! It was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced," she said. "All I wanted to do was jump."
The very week her family returned home, Natasha’s parents enrolled her in English riding lessons. By age 12, ready for a horse of her own, she and her mother visited the United Pegasus Foundation where Natasha adopted a 9-year-old off-the-track Argentine Thoroughbred named Azagal. "When I adopted Azzie, he knew nothing about jumping and I knew nothing about it either," she said. "My vet warned me that a green horse and a green rider equals blue bruises."
At the time, the young rider didn't fully grasp her vet's warning. "I ended up learning more from him than any other horse or trainer in my life,” she said. Natasha worked relentlessly to figure out how to train him, trailering out to nearby barns for lessons and putting in countless hours at home. The work paid off and their partnership proved undeniable in the Child/Adult Jumpers.
Natasha owned Azagal until he passed away in March 2019 at 29 years old. "Although I was living on the East Coast at the time, I made it back to California in time to be with him in his final days," she said. "He was truly the love of my life and gave me more than I could have asked for.” Azagal wasn’t simply the horse who taught Natasha how to ride; he shaped her into the woman she would become. Every mistake became a lesson. Every setback was an opportunity to cultivate patience and perseverance. Together they learned through trial and error, building trust one ride at a time.
As a Junior rider, Natasha acquired two equitation horses—a Hanoverian and a Holsteiner—continuing to keep them at the self-care facility. "Having my horses at a barn where I had to figure out how to manage them correctly by putting in long hours and doing the work that is needed to properly care for them showed me this is what I want in my life," she said.
Behind that relentless work ethic is the support of her family. "My family has been integral in allowing me to pursue my dreams and supporting me through all the highs and all the lows. My parents and grandparents did everything they could to put me in environments that would help me excel in the sport, and my sister was always cheering me on and building me up to continue pursuing what I love."
Driven to turn her passion into a profession, Natasha chose to attend Centenary University in New Jersey, bringing one of her equitation horses, Dexter, along. "They have a great riding program and equine studies program," she said. "I thought, What could be better than going to school on the East Coast, experiencing something a little bit different and being able to ride and have my full focus on the horses?”
While in college, Natasha made the most of working-student opportunities with Rolling Hills trainer Linda Cooper and Canadian show jumper Chris Pratt. After earning her bachelor of science in equine studies and a master’s degree in leadership and public administration, Natasha returned to California and settled into an assistant trainer position with Elvenstar at their boutique facility in Orange County. “Working with head trainer Rachel Mahowald, I found myself in a supportive environment with wonderful students, talented horses and a team I loved. I would have never left,” she admitted. However, Natasha returned to the East Coast after marrying her college sweetheart.
Upon her return to New Jersey, she continued her assistant trainer/barn manager career at Stonehenge Stables. In late 2019, Natasha was presented with yet another opportunity: Her best friend, Devon, shared that there was an open position at Horseflight. Joining the team, Natasha stepped into a role that bridged executive operations with hands-on horsemanship. Whether transporting Olympic-level athletes, the next hunter derby champion or a beloved pet, Horseflight’s mission has always aligned with Natasha’s own belief that every horse deserves exceptional care. This dedicated focus is also reflected as Natasha manages day-to-day operations, marketing, sponsorships, regulatory compliance and customer service.
From December through March, her duties extend to helping coordinate the World Sport Horse Sales auction held at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida—a premier auction and social event co-hosted by Emil Spadone, Stal Hendrix and Andre Thieme, where Horseflight oversees the international transport of the auction horses. While international horse transport sounds glamorous, Natasha emphasizes that it requires extreme stamina. "There are a lot of circumstances that take away the glamor," she admitted. "The hours are long and hard. When you're flying, you could be up 24 hours, depending on where the flights are going."
The behind-the-scenes stories are endless. "When I flew these two horses to Ireland, they were flying with an exotic car and a jet engine, all in cargo. I videoed the experience and posted it on our social media, and it went viral with over 2 million views!” she said.
“On another trip, I got stuck in Canada for several days during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was supposed to be a quick trip up to help with a charter we had organized going from Toronto to Spruce Meadows. I landed mid-afternoon, went to a couple of the farms to make sure all the horses were ready and equipment was set, and then met the 28 horses at the airport around 9 p.m. Loading took most of the night and we finished about 5 a.m. I ran and got coffee and then was heading back to the airport for my mid-morning flight home when I received notice that all flights were cancelled. My COVID test was only valid for a couple of days, and I was stuck in a hotel room with no change of clothes until three days later when I was able to get onto a new flight.”
She also recalled a flight out of Chicago bound for the Dublin Horse Show when severe weather struck. "They had tornado warnings that started after we had loaded all the horses into the jet stall. When you fly with horses, you don't get to go and sit in the airport lounge with snacks and drinks to wait it out,” she said. “You're sitting in an airport warehouse with the horses, making sure that they're as comfortable as possible until you get the all clear to head to the plane.”
No matter the situation, the focus remains entirely on animal welfare. "We ship such a variety of horses," she said. "It's amazing to hear the stories behind these horses that are traveling."
Although her administrative work at Horseflight keeps her busy, Natasha never lost her drive for competitive riding. Emil Spadone, owner of Horseflight and Redfield Farm, always ensures she stays in the saddle by providing horses for her to ride daily. “That was one of my stipulations before taking the job and my main concern about giving up my training position and professional status to work for Horseflight,” Natasha said. “I wanted assurance that I could ride and be hands on with horses.”
Several years into her position with Horseflight, Natasha found herself scrambling to make sense of her world after separating from her husband. “Where did I go when I found out my husband wanted a divorce? Straight to the barn!” At Redfield Farm, she found steadfast encouragement in her friends as they reminded her that she was cherished and belonged during the challenging season. “One of God’s greatest gifts to me has been my community,” she said. “People often believe if you put your head down and grind, you can be successful on your own. But I’ve learned that success is actually through the people you choose to walk alongside you. My family, my Redfield family and my Horseflight family have all carried me in different ways.”
Following a nearly 10-year hiatus from the show circuit, Natasha felt a calling to return. Surrounded by her support network at Redfield, she began catch-riding available horses across the East Coast. “I started going full time on the show circuit with Redfield," she said. "I just wanted time in the saddle, and it was a little bit of a process because I hadn't shown for almost 10 years at that point, and I said, 'Oh my gosh, my confidence is lacking here!’"
To regain her competitive edge, Natasha hired sports mental coach Nancy Dye. The focused mindset training paid off rapidly, and over the last several years she has qualified for multiple national indoor finals, earning top placings in adult equitation and medal finals, as well as in the Adult Amateur Hunter division at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Capital Challenge and the National Horse Show, where she finished second overall in the Adult Equitation Championship final this past year.
Another highlight came at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, where Natasha piloted Redfield Farm’s Jericho to victory in the USHJA 3’3” Adult Jumping Seat Medal Final – East. "I truly feel God put Jericho in my life when he did to give me purpose and help me build back a relationship built on trust and commitment after my painful divorce," she said. "After several months of training together at home, we entered the show ring and our partnership was hard to beat. Jericho holds a special place in my heart."
Soon after, she met another career-defining partner. "Kitty Price was the horse that helped me step up into the Low Amateur jumper classes, 1.20m and 1.25m," Natasha shared. "She was a powerhouse and taught me how to let go of control and embrace her power and speed in the jumper ring. I felt like I could fly on her."
Reflecting on her approach to catch-riding any horse, Natasha explained that her goal extends far beyond ribbons. "So many of these horses bounce around from person to person and barn to barn, missing out on long-term meaningful relationships. We forget that these are herd animals. They were created for connection and without it, some of them tend to shut down in an effort to protect themselves. My goal, having the opportunity to work with so many of them, is to leave them feeling better than when I found them.”
That sentiment extends to her view on people as well. Beyond her corporate duties and show ring ambitions, Natasha has devoted her energy to supporting the spiritual and emotional well-being of the equestrian community. Recognizing that the demanding, travel-heavy lifestyle of horse shows often isolates riders, grooms and trainers from regular church communities, she founded Paddocks&Praise, proudly featuring Kitty Price as the face of the ministry. "When I started going on the road full time, I was really missing the faith component of my life, so I started a ministry for the equine community in June 2025,” Natasha said.
Paddocks&Praise currently serves the equine community through encouraging social media content, a weekly email newsletter, Bible studies, in-person events at horse shows and the monthly Connecting Ringside podcast. "I wanted to bring God's love, light, joy and community into the equine world."
Natasha's priorities have evolved since that first “milk run” flight. To create a sustainable balance, she has stepped back from flying as an active in-flight groom. Instead, she is focused on Horseflight’s growth from the administration side of the business, is working toward her goal of stepping up to the Medium Amateur jumpers and has big dreams of expanding Paddocks&Praise into a nationwide ministry with dedicated equestrian chaplains.
While she continues to pursue excellence and build her skills in the jumper ring along with helping horses fly safely across the world with Horseflight, Natasha’s greatest hope is to help equestrians feel the connection that has been so valuable to her. “There are a lot of people who don't feel like they have support, and that's on all of us to try to create that feeling of community.”
Follow Natasha on Instagram @natashaklingenstein and @paddocks.and.praise or visit paddocksandpraise.com
Photos by Kacy Brown, kacybrownphotography.com
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