“Riding was foreign to my parents and extended family, but my parents took me for lessons when I was four, and the rest is history. Twenty-eight years later I still ride and compete. And for 28 years, I have yet to meet a single equestrian who looks like me. This is a sobering and isolating truth…”
In its never-ending quest to keep riders informed and in the saddle, SmartPak has introduced a new series called Ask a Trainer. Riders ask questions and they will be answered by one of the Team SmartPak riders. (more…)
“…you have to keep the main thing in the forefront, because that’s the reason you’re doing all the other stuff.” In this week’s Best of Jumper Nation, Ema Klugman discusses how to maintain focus on your primary goal. (more…)
Poop happens. And so do poop stains. Getting them out can be frustrating. This pro tip from 5* rider and trainer Lisa Barry helps you get them out cheaply and quickly. (more…)
Every week Horse Nation teams up with Ovation Riding to recognize those doing good in the horse world. Today we recognize Help Alberta Wildies Society, which worked to save a filly that was starving and stuck in a bog. (more…)
“The news of the abuse from the trainers met me at the office. As I walked past the three workers who were sitting behind the desk, they held their heads down and did not look at me.” Leilani Jackson is a retired school teacher who wanted to find a way to pursue her interest in horses. Today she shares her experiences as a volunteer.
There is a proverb that goes, “You reap what you sow.” Never does that feel more true than when you’re dealing with a young horse on stall rest. Any gaps in the horse’s education on the ground become glaringly, painfully obvious. (more…)
“I don’t get to be impatient or irritated. I may be the only Black equestrian these people see, and so, like it or not, I carry my entire race on my shoulders. The white riders don’t have to do that. They don’t have to think, ‘Let me represent my race well!’ before riding into a ring or interacting with a stranger.”
We are pleased to welcome back Kristen Brennan as a regular contributor. For her first piece back, she tells about her beginnings in the world of Western Dressage.
“I was conscious of being a minority presence. My sincere hope is that other minorities watching me compete would feel inspired to enter the sport and the equestrian community.” (more…)
“We all know that we can be physically fit and technically competent, but if we leave our psychological game at the start box, our ride suffers.” (more…)
“This sport has people from all walks of life, different income brackets, different races, different sexual orientations and different ages. The best way to increase diversity within our sport is if we create a sport where everyone sees a reflection of themselves…” (more…)
“It wasn’t until joining Pony Club and competing at rallies that I began to have fun riding again. I met many people that helped me become a better horsewoman and did not look at me as ‘the black girl who rides.’ They saw me as one of their peers.” (more…)
“How do we take on the four-headed monster that exposure, opportunity, perception and reception represent and slay its inhibition on diversity and inclusion in our sports?” Dawn Edgerton-Cameron outlines a comprehensive path forward. (more…)
