Equestrian Weekly Articles

The USEF Compliance Department works to ensure that competition facilities, such as stabling and arena footing, are safe and up to standard. ©Taylor Pence/US Equestrian US Equestrian licensed competitions are required to maintain a level of quality and service for participants in order to maintain their affiliation. When an aspect of a competition’s facilities or related services isn’t up to standard, the path to resolution goes through the dedicated staff within US

Doha, Qatar – The Adequan® U.S. Para Dressage Team has earned unprecedented levels of success over the past few years, including reaching the top of the FEI Para Dressage World Team Ranking and bringing home the country’s first-ever Paralympic team medal in equestrian at the Tokyo 2020 Games. The para dressage program looks to continue its successful streak heading toward the FEI World Championships in August, and a few U.S. athletes had the opportunity to kick off the 2022

"Transitioning into my current role and getting to work remotely honestly made me enjoy work again," said Helen Voss, shown with Cantina. Photo: Audrey Jezek Photography If you struggle to balance your work life with time at the barn, Helen Voss understands. As the sales and marketing manager and national accounts coordinator for Horseshoe Greetings , she keeps a busy daily schedule. But she’s serious about her riding, too, and like many working amateur equestrians she has had to do some

When Derek Braun decided to launch the first edition of what would becoming the Split Rock Jumping Tour, he was looking to fill a particular niche. A lifelong show jumping competitor and a professional in the industry, Braun had been to horse shows around the country and the world and knew the need he wanted his shows to meet. But building a new event from scratch is no small feat, and today Braun says that working with USEF on the licensing process for that first show in 2015 was instrumental

Sabine Schut-Kery instructing Bianca Schmidt. ©Taylor Pence Photography Each winter, some of the country’s top up-and-coming dressage riders are invited to learn from the pros at the Robert Dover USEF Horsemastership Clinic Week. The 2022 clinic began with an introductory lecture on dressage theory from Dover himself and continued with instruction from clinicians George Williams, Sabine Schut-Kery, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, Ali Brock, and Adrienne Lyle. Watch Robert Dover's dressage

Dr. Rick Mitchell Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Rick Mitchell Dr. Rick Mitchell understands horses inside and out, as both an equine veterinarian and a longtime equestrian. He grew up among horses at his family’s North Carolina farm and competed as a child in both the saddle seat and hunter jumper disciplines before becoming focusing on hunter jumper sport exclusively as an adult. He has served as a licensed judge, coach, and trainer during his varied and successful equestrian career. A graduate

After a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Emerson Burr Horsemanship Grant program welcomed over 100 participants in both Zone competitions and the national competition at the USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms. The Emerson Burr Horsemanship Grant program promotes proper horsemanship among equestrian youth by encouraging juniors, and specifically the many pony riders competing in hunter/jumper sections, to learn about and practice their horsemanship skills. The program

Electronic Vet's Dr. Barbara Blasko competers her horse Dior in the low amateur jumpers (Captured Moment Photography) Dr. Barbara Blasko, a jumping athlete and horse owner, knows about the pitfalls of paper veterinary records from an unfortunate personal experience in 2013. “The horse I had was being shipped to a horse show, and when he got there he didn’t have his vaccine record. The paper wasn’t there, so he wasn’t allowed to enter the showgrounds,” recalled

Charles Owen's internal testing of the Halo and Luna helmets showed that the company "squeezed even more safety performance into these new styles," said Matt Stewart, Charles Owen's Head of Innovation. (Courtesy of Farrell Guy/Charles Owen) Developing a new equestrian helmet involves a lot more than rethinking style—after all, it’s a crucial piece of safety equipment. For the team at Charles Owen, that means not only keeping up with safety advances and technology, but

The SmartPak/USEF National and International Horse of the Year Awards and USEF Equestrian of the Year Awards are among the highest honors for achievement in equestrian sports. Many members are familiar with these awards through the voting process; all USEF members are able to participate in online voting to select the ultimate winners of these titles. But there is a multi-step process that takes place before the finalists make it to the ballot. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for

"The rates are better than anything that I have found so far," Paralympian Bea de Lavalette said of the health coverage. Photo: Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Did you know your USEF membership can help you get health coverage , even if you have a pre-existing condition? That’s just one of the many great benefits USEF membership offers. USEF paid-fan members (to be known "USEF Subscribers" as of Dec. 1, 2021) and competing members can take advantage of guaranteed-issue health benefits at

Thanks to technology like Move ’N See ’s robot cameramen, equestrians can now take lessons and clinics remotely—which Laura Graves on Verdades at the 2019 FEI Dressage World Cup Final. Photo: US Equestrian translates into more convenience, more lessons, and even coaching with more distant trainers that previously might not have been as easily accessible. There can be advantages for coaches, too, who can reach more students and cut down on travel time. We asked Laura Graves,