Category: Articles

Traditional padded safety vests for fall protection have been on the equestrian market for about 15 years. Initially designed for the cross-country phase of eventing, their use has expanded to other equestrian disciplines. The move to mandate protective vests—often called back or body protectors—in competition has been much discussed, but I don’t think a blanket […]

It wasn’t all that long ago that a prospective buyer would try a horse once, maybe pop a few fences, and then decide whether to buy it. Sometimes they’d come back the next day for a second ride to finalize their decision and call their veterinarian. But the landscape of what buyers expect before they […]

There have been many discussions following the publication of my article on why I believe that hook-and-loop stirrups should be banned at all USEF competitions. The stirrups, sometimes called peacock or hook-and-loop stirrups, present a clear and present danger to those who use them, and U.S. Equestrian Federation has a duty of care to ban […]

To protect its youngest members, the U.S. Equestrian Federation should prohibit rubber band and hooked safety stirrups from being used at recognized competitions. This hook-and-loop design, often called a “peacock stirrup,” has been used for a long time to prevent a fallen rider from getting caught in the stirrup and being dragged. However, these stirrups […]

I was involved in the fielding and funding of international U.S. equestrian teams as well as selecting coaches for those teams from 1992 through 2012, first as a member and officer of the U.S. Equestrian Team and then as vice president of international high performance at our national governing body USA Equestrian, now the U.S. […]

Equitation classes in the United States are often used as stepping stones to the upper levels of hunter and jumper competition. Yet, as a spectator at some of the 2022 year-end equitation championships, I was struck by how far the sport has deviated from its origins and how our horses are paying the price. As […]

Before the advent of multi-month destination competitions, traveling to local and regional horse shows on different weekends was the backbone of equestrian sport in the United States. One-day “trailer-in horse shows” and two- or three-day competitions with some stabling were usually hosted by a local riding stable or farm and provided the horse and rider […]

By Kara Pinato Scro Imagine you are in the process of finding and purchasing your dream horse. You’ve taken the time to try different horses, maybe you’ve had this horse on trial for some time and you know it’s the right one for you. You are satisfied with the results of the pre-purchase exam and, […]

By Armand Leone, Jr. The recent Winter Olympics were notable for many reasons, but it was the controversy surrounding 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva that dominated headlines. While it was doping allegations that captured the most attention, the behavior of Valieva’s coach was equally disturbing. As to Valieva herself, her alleged violation occurred December 25, 2021, […]