Sport

Full-Time Horse Trainer & Pregnant: Is it Really Possible?
Full-Time Horse Trainer & Pregnant: Is it Really Possible?
It all started with the popular slogan that has circulated the horsey internet world: “Life is short, buy the damn horse.” I wasn’t shopping - because as a professional, you... Read more...
Why I'm Packing Up My Whole Life to Ride in Germany
Why I'm Packing Up My Whole Life to Ride in Germany
I think we are often asked to sacrifice a lot for our careers. I can't imagine this is something unique to the horse industry. On my part, I’ve lost relationships,... Read more...
9 Things I’ve Learned During My Years Selling Horses
9 Things I’ve Learned During My Years Selling Horses
Whatever your story, and whether you think you are a horse selling expert or have no idea where to begin, it’s common knowledge that selling horses is far from an... Read more...
What It's Really Like to Train with Roger Yves Bost
What It's Really Like to Train with Roger Yves Bost
Amy Collinson is a 28-year-old show jumper from New Zealand who is studying under the tutelage of French Olympic gold medalist, Roger Yves Bost. While she hails from a family... Read more...
Welcome to Amateur Status: 3 Skills You Already Have That Will Help You Transition from Equitation to Jumpers
Welcome to Amateur Status: 3 Skills You Already Have That Will Help You Transition from Equitation to Jumpers
If you are a new member of the amateur category this year and you’re wondering how you’ll fill your days now that your junior equitation career is in the past,... Read more...
5 Things Sloane Coles Learned From Her First Nations Cup Experience
5 Things Sloane Coles Learned From Her First Nations Cup Experience
When Sloane Coles cantered onto the field of the International Ring at Spruce Meadows during the ‘Masters’ Tournament, she had to pinch herself. She had donned a pinque coat for... Read more...
'I Never Thought I'd Have the Horse or the Ability': What It's Really Like Jumping in Your First Grand Prix
'I Never Thought I'd Have the Horse or the Ability': What It's Really Like Jumping in Your First Grand Prix
Two years ago, I was standing in the barn aisle with my trainer, Ivan Rakowsky, quizzically studying this horse relaxing in his stall. Ivan found Fantast van het Vinckenhof, known... Read more...
8 Things You Need to Know Before Going Horse Shopping in Europe
8 Things You Need to Know Before Going Horse Shopping in Europe
When you make the decision to crack open your piggy bank, pack your toothbrush between your nicest breeches and freshly shined riding boots, and begin to wonder if your favorite... Read more...
The Gulliksens: What It's Really Like Running a Family Business
The Gulliksens: What It's Really Like Running a Family Business
It is not uncommon for equestrian parents, especially professionals, to lament that they don’t really want their children to ride. Why? They understand the financial and physical hardships of making... Read more...
The Life of a Professional Isn’t as Glamorous as Social Media Makes It Look
The Life of a Professional Isn’t as Glamorous as Social Media Makes It Look
I was hiking with a friend and student of mine, an amateur rider who brought her last horse up to the FEI-level in dressage. Her next project is a young,... Read more...
Coco Fath Is Looking for an Edge — and With the Help of Rodrigo Pessoa, She's Found It
Coco Fath Is Looking for an Edge — and With the Help of Rodrigo Pessoa, She's Found It
Wind back the clock and imagine yourself asking your parents if you could take a horseback riding lesson. Raise your hand if they gave you that look and said, “No,... Read more...
Madison Goetzmann: What It's Really Like Training With Beezie Madden
Madison Goetzmann: What It's Really Like Training With Beezie Madden
The thought of making the step up to the professional level can be a daunting decision for junior riders, but for 20-year-old Madison Goetzmann, aka “Maddy,” going pro simply made... Read more...
‘I Have More to Prove Than Before’: Legendary Jockey Victor Espinoza On What It's Like Returning to Racing After Breaking His Neck
‘I Have More to Prove Than Before’: Legendary Jockey Victor Espinoza On What It's Like Returning to Racing After Breaking His Neck
One of the first things you’re taught as an equestrian is that falling off is inevitable, and that it’s not a matter of if, but when it will happen. We... Read more...
Amateur Eventer Katie Preston Proves You Don't Have to Be a Pro to Go All the Way
Amateur Eventer Katie Preston Proves You Don't Have to Be a Pro to Go All the Way
Of the many riders heading to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials next week, only a select few have had to request time off work in order to be able... Read more...
I Went 30 Years Without Competing, but I Proved to Myself That I’ve Still Got What It Takes
I Went 30 Years Without Competing, but I Proved to Myself That I’ve Still Got What It Takes
Rick Maynard has spent his life with horses competing internationally in eventing, show jumping, and dressage, and he coaches both Olympic jumpers and pentathletes. Rick was short-listed for the Canadian... Read more...
How I Do It: Uma O'Neill on Being an Amateur but Riding (and Living) Like a Pro
How I Do It: Uma O'Neill on Being an Amateur but Riding (and Living) Like a Pro
At only 25 years old, Uma O’Neill’s show jumping career is on the cusp of really taking off. With a win in the CSI4* World Cup Qualifier at Thunderbird last... Read more...
‘It Can Be Tough, but It’s Worth It’: A Day in the Life of a Working Student at Heritage Farm
‘It Can Be Tough, but It’s Worth It’: A Day in the Life of a Working Student at Heritage Farm
For the past 12 weeks, Kierstin Antoniadis has been clocking in at her job six days a week. And not just any type of job typical of a 16-year-old, but... Read more...
'It's Not for the Faint of Heart': Former Grooms on Realities of the Industry
'It's Not for the Faint of Heart': Former Grooms on Realities of the Industry
Whether you’re a lifetime servant to the sport or just hoping to be the next McLain Ward or Beezie Madden, no one goes into grooming for the money or the... Read more...
After Five Years I Asked My Friend About Her Disease. This is Her Story.
After Five Years I Asked My Friend About Her Disease. This is Her Story.
When someone asks you “what does your life look like in two years?”, most of the time it’s difficult to answer – Where will you live? What job will you... Read more...
I'm Not Rich and I'm Not the Trainer's Kid. This Is What It's Really Like to Become a Young Professional
I'm Not Rich and I'm Not the Trainer's Kid. This Is What It's Really Like to Become a Young Professional
Some of you may know me. However many of you won’t. I did not have an illustrious junior career. No Young Riders medals. No Medal Finals ribbons. I wasn’t even... Read more...
'I Never Decided to Give up My Career [...] I Was Going to Do Both': Molly Ashe Cawley on Balancing Parenthood and Big Dreams
'I Never Decided to Give up My Career [...] I Was Going to Do Both': Molly Ashe Cawley on Balancing Parenthood and Big Dreams
Tennessee-native Molly Ashe Cawley is an impressive rider with deep roots in both the hunter and jumper rings. The 48-year-old is now competing at the highest international level and is... Read more...
Emma Kurtz Chooses Horsemanship Over Fairytales at Maclay Finals
Emma Kurtz Chooses Horsemanship Over Fairytales at Maclay Finals
When Emma Kurtz made the decision to not ride her veteran partner Carl at the 2018 ASPCA Maclay Finals, she lost the fairytale ending to her junior career. But fairytale... Read more...
What’s in My Tack Trunk: 5 Things Gemma Tattersall Never Leaves Home Without
What’s in My Tack Trunk: 5 Things Gemma Tattersall Never Leaves Home Without
You don’t get to be #5 in the world just by being lucky, and Great Britain’s Gemma Tattersall is proof of that fact. During the 2017 eventing year, Tattersall earned... Read more...
Lilian Schaffer Tackles Cancer With Support From NFL Player Adam “Pacman” Jones
Lilian Schaffer Tackles Cancer With Support From NFL Player Adam “Pacman” Jones
One year ago, Lilian Schaffer was a normal teenager. She was a passionate junior rider out of Cindy and Kelli Cruciotti’s Serenity Show Stables in Elizabeth, Colorado, hung out with... Read more...
Befriending the Competition: How Top Riders Get By With a Little Help From Their Friends
Befriending the Competition: How Top Riders Get By With a Little Help From Their Friends
Before an International Hunter Derby at 2017's HITS Coachella, Hope Glynn paused while hacking Lake of Stars to reference the fellow professionals schooling alongside her. Alexis Silvernale and Jenny Karazissis... Read more...
Riding at All Ages: A Frank Conversation About the Ins and Outs of Riding Over 60
Riding at All Ages: A Frank Conversation About the Ins and Outs of Riding Over 60
Listening to anyone talk about riding is pretty much my favorite thing, but listening to riders who have the benefit of age on their side is a particular honor. Having... Read more...
‘Just Enjoy It’: A Day in the Life of Nicola Philippaerts
‘Just Enjoy It’: A Day in the Life of Nicola Philippaerts
For 25-year-old Belgian rider Nicola Philippaerts, show jumping is in his DNA. His father, Ludo Philippaerts, enjoyed a long, illustrious career competing at four Olympic Games and three World Equestrian... Read more...
Coping With Skin Cancer: My Life With Horses Under the Sun
Coping With Skin Cancer: My Life With Horses Under the Sun
I was born the quintessential summer baby. No - truly, I really was. Many moons ago I came into this world like a beaming ray of sunshine, on a bright... Read more...
FREE NF.insider Release: Rodrigo Pessoa on What It's Like to Be Team Ireland's Chef d'Equipe
FREE NF.insider Release: Rodrigo Pessoa on What It's Like to Be Team Ireland's Chef d'Equipe
To celebrate the World Equestrian Games taking place this week, we're leaking a free NF.insider video for all to enjoy.We sat down with Team Ireland's chef d'equipe, Rodrigo Pessoa, to... Read more...
Laura Graves on Sleep, Being Selfish, and Managing Her Mindset
Laura Graves on Sleep, Being Selfish, and Managing Her Mindset
Laura Graves has too many accomplishments to name, and, unless you live under a rock or were recently a contestant on ABC’s The Bachelor franchise (where participants are not allowed... Read more...
Olivia Lagoy-Weltz: What It's Like to Be a Traveling Reserve for Team USA at WEG
Olivia Lagoy-Weltz: What It's Like to Be a Traveling Reserve for Team USA at WEG
By Amber Heintzberger We're going behind the scenes with Team USA Dressage as they prep for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon. Want more? Catch the rest of the series... Read more...
The Insatiable American Eventers: Erik Duvander Dishes on the Road to WEG
The Insatiable American Eventers: Erik Duvander Dishes on the Road to WEG
Eventers like speed, right? Try this one on for size: last October, less than a year before the start of the 2018 World Equestrian Games at Tryon, the United States... Read more...
On Motherhood: Important Lessons from My Horses
On Motherhood: Important Lessons from My Horses
I watched the 2010 film Babies with rapt attention and the self-confidence only a person without a child could have. I knew I would never make the mistake of hovering... Read more...
Misunderstood in the Midwest: We're Not All Cowboys
Misunderstood in the Midwest: We're Not All Cowboys
Most barns in the equestrian hub of Wellington, Fla. look out over beautifully manicured grounds, canals, or the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Many barns in California are tucked into... Read more...
When Horses Have Her Heart but So Do You: The Male Survival Guide for Dating a Pro Rider
When Horses Have Her Heart but So Do You: The Male Survival Guide for Dating a Pro Rider
Pursuing the same sport can be advantageous in a relationship since your partner has an understanding of the demands and long-term commitment required by it. But that isn’t always the... Read more...
From Riding to Rowing: An Olympic Dream Stays Alive
From Riding to Rowing: An Olympic Dream Stays Alive
My goal was to go to the Olympics in show jumping. My goal was to compete at WEF every winter during high school. My goal was to have a horse... Read more...
Emily King’s Groom Becca Nicholson Talks Ground Manners, Smarter Feeding & Sunscreen
Emily King’s Groom Becca Nicholson Talks Ground Manners, Smarter Feeding & Sunscreen
Time was, riding industry jobs were applied for largely in person and shared by word of mouth. But Becca Nicholson applied for her position at King Eventing in idyllic Devon,... Read more...
Lillie Keenan’s Top 10 Lessons From Cian O’Connor
Lillie Keenan’s Top 10 Lessons From Cian O’Connor
Editor's note: This is a repost of an article published in June 2018. Lillie has since moved on to train with McLain Ward, but the lessons she learned from her... Read more...
Why I Chose to Quit Riding Professionally to Pursue My University Degree
Why I Chose to Quit Riding Professionally to Pursue My University Degree
No matter what your chosen path, launching yourself into a new career is difficult under any circumstances. Now imagine that career is riding professionally on the competitive European circuit, and... Read more...
The Privilege of Struggle
The Privilege of Struggle
I woke up this morning cocooned in forty-seven comforters, decorated with one aging Huskie mix just before dawn, but had no intentions of leaving this source of warmth for several... Read more...
How to Survive the Winter Circuit Without Losing Your Significant Other
How to Survive the Winter Circuit Without Losing Your Significant Other
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Or that’s what everyone claims. But do couples in long-distance relationships actually want to put in the work? From my personal experience, yes –... Read more...
Age Is Just a Number: Teri Kessler On Winning Her First Grand Prix at 54
Age Is Just a Number: Teri Kessler On Winning Her First Grand Prix at 54
At the 2017 Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic, Teri Kessler won the historic Cleveland Grand Prix aboard Lascana 3. The victory is exceptional for a few reasons, not the least of... Read more...