By Cheyenne Lord
Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Many equestrians have had a passion for horses from a young age, and Nicolette “Niki” Hirt is no different. Growing up in Alamo, California, she first interacted with horses at 5 years old when her father took her and her sister to a Western pleasure and retiree barn not far from their house. Although they only went to visit and feed carrots, Niki fell in love with the horses and knew from that moment forward she wanted to have them in her life.
Niki initially shared a few Western riding lessons with her sister, but they mostly tried to learn the basics on their own. Niki’s first horse, a Quarter Horse/Arabian mare named Magic, gave her early experience with horses that could be a handful and quickly taught her to always get back in the saddle after a fall.
“We very casually competed at a few Western pleasure shows, and then my first show jumping trainer, Hilary Johnson, saw our attempts at learning how to canter going south,” Niki said. “Soon after she gave us a hand with that foundation, the idea of not only cantering without falling off but also throwing in jumps sounded too exhilarating to turn down!”
Switching to Show Jumping
When Niki was 11, her family bought Iron Horse Equestrian Center (IHEC), a former walnut farm turned state-of-the-art riding facility in Pleasanton, California. Niki’s love for horses continued to grow there, and she swapped her Western saddle for close contact as she began training with Hilary in earnest.
“IHEC was such a major part of my childhood and passion for the sport,” Niki said. “A lot of my childhood friends grew up riding there together, having our lessons after school and on weekends, and those are some of my favorite memories! When I go back to see everyone now, it’s so special to watch the next generation of kids having the same group lessons, which definitely developed some of my closest friendships that have stayed constant even as an adult. Something about a 7 a.m. or 7 p.m. group lesson really bonds you for life!”
Niki continued to train with Hilary for eight years, learning from Hilary’s wealth of experience in not only the hunter-jumper world but also in dressage, reining, eventing and overall horsemanship.
“I have a huge respect for the horses and riders in other disciplines,” she said. “Whether it’s the details and precision of dressage, the guts in eventing, the list just goes on! That being said, I think I’ll stick to admiring those disciplines from the sidelines. Show jumping best fits my personality and goals, both to bring along talented young horses and to one day compete at the championship level.”
International Experience
In 2016, Niki moved to Europe to continue learning everything she could about the show-jumping world. She trained in Germany under Dietmar Gugler and Elisabeth Meyer, living at the stable and often grooming for herself to develop better horsemanship. The start of her international career included several top 10 finishes across California and Europe, and she has since built a record that includes third-place honors in the 2019 1.55m U25 World Final European Youngster Cup and seventh in her first-ever CSI5* Grand Prix in 2021.
“I truly feel that going to Europe at such a young age, and at the beginning of really getting serious about my show jumping career, was one of the best things I could have done,” Niki said. “It was an extremely humbling experience to be surrounded by the best riders and hardest-working horse people. Whether we were at a national or international show, the culture there was very different than in America, and it really showed me how involved you have to be on every side of the sport to excel at the higher levels.”
While traveling between continents, Niki found her biggest motivation was working with horses that showed potential for high-performance competitions, watching as all the pieces gradually came together to create magic in the arena.
“For me, the biggest challenges have been to leave each round—good or bad—behind in the ring,” Niki said. “In the show jumping world, you are only as good as your last round. My biggest battle has been to let go of my mistakes and look at them as learning lessons; as McLain Ward says, ‘The best riders have amnesia.’ It’s very hard to feel you have let your team or horse down, but everyone has their days, and this is a humbling sport for us all! The great thing is, good or bad, you get to do it all over again every week!”
New Base in Wellington
Niki made her first trip to the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, in 2020, and officially founded her new base there not long after. Named after her longtime partner Chatou 7, with whom she competed in that first CSI5* and many other top events, Chatwood Farm is home to her developing boutique but high-level sales program.
“There are definitely some days that are very challenging, but I truly couldn’t see myself waking up and not being excited to go to the barn,” she said. “This is my first year on our new property after the renovations, and each day is different depending on if we have horses showing at Wellington International or what the goals are for that week. For older horses that really know their jobs, it’s all about keeping them happy and fit, so normally we work out on the canals to keep changing the scenery. For the younger ones, we try to work on their rideability or whatever the individual horse needs in the ring.”
Niki currently works with David Power, who helps manage sales and source horses for Chatwood as well as coach her through the sport’s top levels. While her parents now live in Puerto Rico and are no longer involved with horses, Niki has also taken on some interior design projects around Wellington and recently finished renovating another home with her mother.
“I absolutely loved that process,” Niki said. “It’s fun to see the potential in different things and know that with just a few tweaks, it could be something special! I guess, in a way, you could say the same with the young horses around the barn. It’s about believing in their raw talent and trying to bring out the finer details, so they truly become a well-rounded, finished package.”
When she isn’t pouring her time and heart into developing the horses at Chatwood or climbing the ranks of the sport, Niki enjoys interior design projects, working on crafts for herself and playing beach tennis, which her father introduced her to last year.
“As rewarding as working with horses is, every discipline can be humbling,” she said. “My advice for other riders, especially up-and-comers, is to do your personal best each time and to try to look at mistakes as a learning opportunity. Of course, that’s easier said than done in that moment, but if you look at your mistakes as something that will make you better in the long run, you’re only going to grow!”
For more information, visit www.nicolettehirt.com or follow on Instagram @nicolettehirt
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
