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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 […]