Here, Ashker explains how her experience as a five-star eventer helps with her upper-level Grand Prix dressage movements and vice versa. You can also watch a video of her demonstrating this concept below.

From Drop Jumps to Pirouettes and Piaffe

“In eventing, especially when coming down to the head of a lake or dropping into water, you have to create balance in your horse. You can see in the video as I prepare for my left half pirouette turn, I stay behind my horse so he can more easily lift his shoulders for the turn. And then I ride him out. We repeat it one more time. I take my time and am very patient as I continue to stay behind him to keep his shoulders lifted.

“In piaffe, it’s the same idea. You want your horse’s shoulders to lift, not his head. There’s a big difference. And in order for the horse’s shoulders to lift, his back and rear need to drop. You horse can’t do this if you’re ahead of him all the time.

“Here, I’m going to demonstrate my position. You should always be able to draw a straight line from your shoulder to your hip and down to your heel. It’s very similar to our takeoffs over some cross-country jumps because it requires us to naturally balance our horses. The jumps actually help us do this. In dressage, we obviously don’t have jumps, so we have to use our position and posture to achieve that balance.

“In the piaffe, it’s a very light aid with the hand. Then, my legs alternate to ask my horse to lift his front legs. There’s a very fine line here between throwing him out of balance with my position. I continue to stay behind his motion to allow his shoulders to lift, and I might allow him to travel just a bit to keep the steps the same.

“In summary, if you do both eventing and upper-level dressage, be proud of being an eventer. Improving your position on cross country will only make your position that much better in your dressage work, no matter your level, and it will be more supportive for your horse.”

About Laine Ashker

Five-star eventer and dressage professional Lainey Ashker has competed in numerous FEI competitions at the five-star level, including the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CC14* and the Defender Burghley Horse Trials CC15*. The horsewoman, who trains out of her Keystone Acres farm in Chesterfield, Virginia, also won the National Eventing Championship (Advanced Level) in 2013 aboard her long-time mount, Anthony Patch. More recently, she won her first CDI in May 2023 aboard her upper-level dressage horse, Zeppelin.

For more with Laine Ashker, click here.

This video is brought to you by Absorbine.

Here, Kampsen shares her flat-class do’s and don’ts at the walk, trot and canter and how to optimally position your horse on the rail to get the most out of his gaits in any under-saddle flat class. Plus, she talks about how you can impress the judge from the moment you enter the show ring and her pet peeves as a judge.

At the Walk: Mind Your Number & Get Your Horse in Front of Your Leg

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a hunter or equitation flat class, you want to showcase yourself and your horse in the best light.

“As your class is called to order, position your number slightly toward your outside hip in whichever direction you’re tracking first so the judge, who’s usually on the outside of the ring, can clearly read your number. If the judge can’t tell who you are, you can’t be evaluated. But be careful not to pull it over so far that your arm ends up blocking it.

“When you’re being judged at the walk, establish a nice, forward gait. You don’t want to be dinking along or slouching. If you don’t care, why should I as a judge care? You want to have a light feel of the reins and your horse should be in front of your leg, because you know the rising trot is coming next.

“I have my assistant Vanessa acting as our judge on the far side of the ring, so I’m going to try and do my best work in front of her while she can see me and my horse clearly.”

At the Trot: Position Yourself Wisely

“As we progress to being judged at the rising trot, I didn’t love my horse’s headset and he was being a little fussy. So, I used the corner and went to the outside of the ring to make the necessary adjustments where I could hide a little bit.

“As you’re trotting, look around and try to identify the best mover in the class, and position yourself away from that horse. You can also look for a horse who’s not the best mover and place yourself closer to that horse to make yours really shine.

“Here, I have a nice medium trot, but my horse is a little unfocused so I’m going to use this corner to guide his nose on the track. We’re traveling on the quarterline and there are jumps in the way, so I have to go through and then steer back around. That won’t show my horse in his best light.

“What I want to do is establish a nice trot in a place where there’s not another horse between me and the judge. Then, I get him in front of my leg while keeping his head down and just leg him go. If he gets a little low, I’ll pick his nose back up in the corner and then give again.”

At the Canter: Straight Track to Help Your Horse Lengthen and Shine

“When you’re asked to go back to walk following the rising trot, find a medium walk to prepare for canter. To avoid picking up the wrong lead, which is a major fault, think about where you are in the ring and try to position yourself where you have the best chance of picking up the correct lead.

“I like where I am now, so I strike a canter right away. I like to canter in two-point, but other very famous riders like to stay seated. It’s really whatever works for you and what shows off your horse in the best light.

“This was a poor turn on my part because I have to weave in and out of the quarterline jumps again, which is more challenging at the canter. It also puts me at risk of falling off my lead. If that happens, I’ve already lost my class and will use the rest of it as training for my horse.

“Keep your horse in front of your leg, and you want him to be interested in his job. The smart track here is to go to the outside of the quarterline, so we’re moving on a straight track where my horse can lengthen and really shine without me touching his face. This horse holds a very nice shape; his nose is out just a notch and he has a good rhythm and look to him.

“When I go back to the walk before changing directions, I trot a few steps. It’s always a good idea to reverse to the inside, maintaining that medium walk and not dinking along. Keep your horse focused and interested. And when you reverse at any gait, always remember to slide your number over to your outside hip to ensure the judge sees you from the different side.”

Tips and Pet Peeves

• “We all come into the show ring because we’re working toward something. That might be as simple as becoming a better rider at home. So take pride in what you’re doing.
• “If you come in the ring and your boots are dirty, or your horse is, that doesn’t impress me as a judge. If you didn’t care enough to take the five minutes needed to polish your boots, then why should I care about your performance in a flat class?
• “You don’t need to have the flashiest, most expensive horse or the most expensive clothes. Just present yourself in a very nice, traditional way in the hunter ring. I don’t like to see a lot of bling because the rider should aim to disappear and allow her horse to shine.
• “I want to judge the horse and not be distracted by a rider’s outfit or messy hair. These are all things that are within your control before you enter the ring.
• “If your horse misbehaves or isn’t paying attention, correct him in a polite way. Don’t kick or rip on the reins or get angry. That does not teach him anything. Riding is always a work in progress, and you should strive to learn something new every day.
• “This is a presentation-based sport and I want you to show me that you care enough to put that effort in, first and foremost. Then, your performance comes into play.”

For More:

• For more hands-on training tips and video demonstrations with Keri Kampsen on EQUESTRIAN+, click here.
• You can find more of Kampsen’s advice on how to improve your performance in the show ring on Practical Horseman here.

About Keri Kampsen:

U.S. Equestrian “R” judge in hunters and equitation, Keri Kampsen is the owner and founder of Two Goals Farm, LLC, in Wellington, Florida. She has judged prestigious competitions such as the Devon Horse Show, The Capital Challenge Horse Show and the 2021 ASPCA Maclay National Championship, which she won in 1997 in Madison Square Garden in New York City. As a junior, she also rode Monticello to the 1996 Large Junior Hunter and Overall Junior Hunter Horse of the Year titles. Since then, she has won multiple championships and horse of the year titles in the hunter divisions as well as ribbons in the grand prix ring. Kampsen and her business partner, Lexy Reed, specialize in the training and sales of hunters, jumpers and equitation horses and also teach riders of all levels.

These combined trade shows create the world’s largest marketplace of equestrian industry products from leading manufacturers and brands. For us, the event presented an ideal opportunity to check out the newest, most innovative products on the market to learn how they can make our horse lives better. We talked with a number of top brands and visionaries in the equestrian retail industry from around the globe, as well as up-and-coming brands, to get the scoop on everything new for both horse and rider.

Here’s a sneak peek of the exciting new products and fresh takes on some of your favorite trends we spotted at AETA this week. (Plus, we learned several top-selling and rider-favorite products from the U.K. will be launching in the U.S. soon!) We hope this preview helps you find tack, equipment and apparel for you and your horse that will be sure to add value, comfort and fun to your partnership.

After working on an article earlier this summer about the importance of rider hydration and why equestrians are at greater risk for dehydration than other athletes, it reminded me that horses don’t plan their days like we do. They don’t know to “hydrate today for tomorrow,” or think to grab a big drink before your lesson because it’s a hot, humid day.

So, we consulted an expert to determine if there’s any truth about the potential dangers of offering a hot horse water, or if this idea truly is a common fiction.

“The notion that a hot, recently exercised horse needs to cool down before drinking water is indeed a myth—unfortunately, one of many about horses and colic,” Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, DACVS, of North Carolina State University, said. “It is absolutely best to rehydrate sweaty, hardworking horses without delay, but the key is to know how much water to allow at one time.”

The Equine Stomach

A horse’s stomach is relatively small compared to the size of his body, holding about 2 to 3 gallons of water, and once full, it must empty before taking in any more fluid. When a horse is worked hard, his stomach and intestines temporarily shut down while blood flow is shifted to the heart and lungs, Blikslager explains. Similar to long-distance runners who often have difficulty keeping food or water down immediately after a run, the same may be true for horses. While horses can’t vomit, of course, it can be helpful to allow their stomachs to empty after an initial drink following exercises.

“Instead of allowing your horse to drink his fill after right after working, it’s better to offer small amounts every 20 minutes,” he said. “By small amounts, I mean up to half a gallon. Then, wait until the water has a chance to move out of the stomach to offer more.”

Mind His Sweat

Blikslager notes that it’s also important to be aware of how much a working horse sweats to determine how much water he’ll need to recover. Due to their body mass and the dangerous temperatures that can be reached during hard work, it’s critical that horses release built-up heat as they exercise. “Fortunately, horses are highly efficient at cooling themselves with sweat,” he said.

A horse can lose up to 10 percent of his body weight through sweating if worked all day and not given water. That equals approximately 12 gallons of water plus electrolytes. “This is why it’s crucial to provide water at every available opportunity,” Blikslager explained. “Water can be given with an electrolyte supplement made for horses, and it can be either warm or cool, although warmer water may be less of a shock to the system.”

Interesting Equine Adaptation to Desert Climates

As an interesting side note, Blikslager says there are horses who live and work in desert conditions in North Africa and other parts of the world who have adapted to the hot, dry climates where water is infrequently available. They store water in their large colons, and as they exercise the colon gradually dries out, he explains. When water is available, they take in the equivalent of two to three buckets (about 6 gallons) at one time without showing signs of colic.

“However, because we have control of our working horses’ consumption, a slower reintroduction of water is good common sense,” Blikslager said. “While it makes no sense to hold them off it.”

For More:

• Read more about managing your horse’s water intake here.
• When the temps skyrocket, treat your horse to his version of a popsicle with this super-easy recipe that also encourages hydration.
• Click here to learn why riders are at greater risk for dehydration and heat illness than other athletes and how you can properly hydrate to boost your performance.

“Training a wild horse had always been on my bucket list and the event presented an ideal opportunity to test my skills as a trainer,” she said. “So, I decided to go for it.”

As it turned out, Wallace had natural talent for establishing a partnership with her first unbroken mustang, Fledge. With only 120 days of training, the pair took top honors at the makeover that year, and her close bond with the then 3-year-old chestnut gelding ignited her fervent passion and advocacy for American mustangs. “When you work with a wild horse who learns to let go of his fears and trust you, it’s a truly special experience,” she said.

From a trainer’s perspective, Wallace says mustangs have a unique ability to ground you because the relationship demands trust and a true partnership, which she notes directly correlates to the relationships she develops with her upper-level eventing horses. “We learn from all horses, but mustangs always seem to teach me something new,” she said. “They have huge hearts and are very versatile athletes, and I find it very important to showcase them for the incredible horses they are.”

Since 2012, Wallace went on to make her mark in mustang spheres after competing in numerous Mustang Makeovers and winning the 2018 Georgia Mustang TIP Challenge with Dorado. Last year, she and Zephyr claimed victory at the inaugural Mustang Classic, and her mustang mare Hwin was even honored as a Breyer model horse.

Despite managing a full-time training program for her constant string of up-and-coming eventing horses, Wallace carves time out of her busy schedule to give back to the animals who have gifted her with a lifetime of fulfillment and knowledge. Here, she talks about her journey with mustangs, her mount for this year’s Mustang Classic and why she’s so passionate about these horses.

The Little Mustang Who Opened Doors

When Wallace and Fledge won the Mustang Makeover in 2012, the horses were auctioned off following the event to help them find new homes, but the trainers also had an opportunity to get in on the bidding.

“I had developed such a close bond with Fledge in our short amount of time working together, I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him,” she said. “When I got up to tell people about him for the auction, I just lost it. Someone in the crowed even shouted for people not to bid.”

In the end, Wallace took her mustang home for $140. “It was amazing to win him back because we’d built this incredible relationship,” she said. “I can’t even express how important this horse has been to me and my journey with mustangs.”

Connections she developed through her journey with Fledge led to Wallace partnering with one of her top and longtime eventing mounts, Australian Thoroughbred Simply Priceless. Fledge even achieved star status after being featured in an episode of the hit streaming series “Ozark.” At 15, he’s still going strong and thriving on Wallace’s farm in Ocala, Florida, where he continues to help develop her young horses and teach new riders.

Paying It Forward

One of the most rewarding aspects of training mustangs, Wallace notes, is seeing the ones she’s trained happy and excelling with their new owners. Following her and Zephyr’s success at last year’s Mustang Classic, the gelding found a new home and eventing partner in 15-year-old Brooke Testa, who trains with Anthem Day at Anthem Day Eventing in Cartersville, Georgia.

Wallace had the opportunity to get to know Testa while conducting a clinic at Anthem’s farm and thought highly of the budding young eventer’s talent after watching her aboard a BLM mustang that she and Anthem had trained. As it turned out, when Anthem was searching for a new horse for Testa, Wallace happened to be bringing along Zephyr in preparation for the Mustang Classic.

“Brooke watched all the videos of Zephyr being gentled and trained, and unbeknownst to me, had fallen in love with him,” Anthem said. “I had a more seasoned horse in mind for her. But we continued to observe his progress and watched the livestream of the Mustang Classic that he won.”

When Wallace got word they were interested in the gelding, she thought it would be a good match, and in October following the Mustang Classic, Testa at last got to give him a test ride. “I was blown away by how talented and willing he was,” Anthem recalled. “It really was a great match.”

Since Zephyr and Testa partnered, they’ve enjoyed competing in eventing at the Beginner Novice level, and Anthem says she’s enjoyed seeing their partnership blossom over the last few months. “Brooke’s patience and dedication are what continue to strengthen their partnership, as this is the first young horse she’s developed,” she said. “It’s been a very rewarding journey for all of us, and Zephyr continues to impress us with his aptitude for the sport.” 

After being partners for almost a year, Testa appreciates the trust she and the gelding share. “He’s the most trustworthy horse I’ve ever known. As soon as I’m around him, I feel so calm and relaxed. This has helped our partnership grow, because I can put all my trust in him,” she said. “I also love that he’s so silly and makes me laugh every time I’m with him. He gives me his all in every ride. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for us. Zephyr is truly a unicorn, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”

Wallace says she was thrilled to bridge the gap to give Testa her dream horse. “There’s nothing better than seeing her having so much fun and being able to ride him bareback and in a neck rope and do all the things with horses that make our hearts content,” she said. “That’s what I love most about this.”

2025 Mustang Classic: Finding Nodin

Created to showcase mustangs’ talent and versatility in equestrian sport, the Mustang Classic, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, offers competition in English disciplines including dressage, show jumping and working equitation. The twist, however, is that all mustangs must have been purchased or adopted through a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding facility or satellite event and are required to be in training between 100 days and one year.

The process of selecting a mustang for the event is challenging, Wallace explains, because there’s not much to base your decision on other than observing horses in the holding pens. “I look for basic conformation qualities and tend to prefer horses who are built uphill with longer necks,” she said. “But overall, it’s based on my gut feeling about certain horses and being able to read their conformation to envision what they’re capable of.”

In her search for this year’s partner, a tall, dark and handsome gelding with a white star and right-hind sock checked all the right boxes. The genetics panel is still out, but Wallace has a strong hunch that Nodin is at least a half-brother to Zephyr. They’re from the same herd and Wallace has noticed many similarities between the two. But at almost 15.2 hands, Nodin stands tall compared to most of his mustang peers.

It can be a big adjustment for a wild horse to go from being feral to being in a BLM holding pen and then into a new barn, so Wallace says helping them get used to a consistent routine is especially important when trying to help them settle in. In this effort, she strives to make everything a positive experience for the newcomers.

“When you’re first working with a wild horse who speaks a foreign language, it’s extremely important to first focus on gaining their trust. You have to show them that you’re not going to do them harm and want to be their friend,” she said. “I want them to enjoy being around me, so they don’t always associate me with work. So, I hand walk and graze them and take them to their breakfast and dinner. This way, they start to find comfort and safety with me.”

She then works on getting them halter broke and comfortable being touched from head to tail, picking up all four feet and leading them. Wallace says this is a crucial step in order to address any underlying health issues.

“After living in the wild, mustangs’ feet are sometimes in pretty poor condition. So, we need to get their feet trimmed, as well as deworm and treat them for ulcers, as soon as possible,” she said. “If they’re dealing with parasites or ulcers, we need to address it because when they feel better, the training becomes a lot easier.”

Baby Steps: Working on Nodin’s Timeline

Wallace confesses that working with mustangs is always a humbling experience. “They make you very self-aware and teach you that can’t work off of your timeline,” she said. “It’s always about the horse’s timeline.” Once Nodin was settled and relaxed in his new environment, she introduced him to groundwork and taught him to how to yield to pressure and longe in both directions.

“Every mustang I’ve worked with has been fairly different in how fast they pick the training up. Nodin came around pretty quickly and seemed interested in building a relationship, but he was insecure about certain things, so I made sure to break it down into small steps,” Wallace explained. “I introduced him to different saddles and pads and allowed him to get comfortable with me sitting up on a panel where I could lie over his back. Eventually, I swung a leg over and he just sat there and grazed. After that everything progressed a little faster.”

To introduce unbroken mustangs to the basics of dressage, Wallace focuses on foundation work and teaching the horses to move correctly and softly, which in turn helps them develop muscle strength where they might be a little weak.

“Dressage is actually a great way to start mustangs because it’s the basis of all the work we do, especially with me being an eventer,” she noted. “One of the key components for dressage is relaxation, so I work on making sure Nodin is very soft in the contact, traveling straight and correctly and on my aids.”

Wallace notes that Nodin is a little more forward thinking than many of her previous mustangs and loves to jump. While teaching cross-country lessons, she brought him with her on a lead line and slowly started to introduce him to obstacles and the water. “He was pretty much a natural at jumping from the beginning,” she said. “Later when I rode him out in the field he was completely confident over the fences.”

All Eyes on the 2025 Mustang Classic

Before the Mustang Classic, all horse-and-rider combinations must compete in at least one show. Wallace and Nodin had a successful experience at their first dressage show earlier this summer and competed at the POP show in Ocala, Florida, in July where the gelding jumped around like a champ. Wallace says it’s crucial for the mustangs to gain this experience before facing the massive atmosphere at Kentucky Horse Park’s Rolex Stadium.

“Kentucky can be a lot for any horse, but giving my mustangs knowledge beforehand helps create relaxation in those tenser environments,” she said. Wallace, however, laughs that while Kentucky’s atmosphere often gets to her seasoned upper-level horses, her mustangs always tend to take it in stride without getting overwhelmed.

“My ultimate goal this year is for both me and Nodin to go in confident and stay focused on our foundation work that we have so much confidence in,” she said. “The big picture is to demonstrate that through methodical training based on trust, you produce a horse who’s relaxed and happy in his work. That way, whatever type of obstacle we’re faced with we can meet it successfully.”

The Magic of Mustangs

While Wallace appreciates that the Mustang Classic offers English events, she finds working with mustangs continues to expand her skills as a rider and trainer no matter the discipline or competition.

“I enjoyed learning about Western disciplines for the Mustang Makeovers because it pushed me as rider. Learning how to teach a horse to do a sliding stop or a spin directly correlates to your dressage work,” she said. “When you take the saddle off and ride bareback, a trained horse is a trained horse. It doesn’t matter if it’s Western, dressage or jumping.”

Above all, she highlights the versatility of mustang equine athletes and says once you establish a genuine connection with a wild horse, that trust enables you to go any direction. “Mustangs are becoming more and more popular. They come in every shape, size and color, and we’re seeing them competing and excelling in dressage, eventing and jumping,” Wallace said. “The Mustang Classic allows us to be ambassadors for these horses to show people what they’re capable of.”

Wallace also notes the inclusivity of the mustang community. “No matter your skill level, everyone is willing to help and provide advice,” she said. “We always want to help those who adopt mustangs, and there are a lot of people willing to train these horses to get them out of the pens and into good homes.”

For More:

• For more information on the 2025 Mustang Classic, click here.
• To purchase tickets to the Championship Finals on September 6, click here.
• You can livestream the entire event for free on EQUESTRIAN+ or catch the action after the competition with a subscription.
• For more information on lodging and dining in the Lexington area, click here.
• You can read more about Elisa Wallace here or at Elisa Wallace Eventing.

Mustang Classic 2025: Tentative Schedule

“Everyone knows ShowSheen. It’s across all disciplines and is in everyone’s tack trunk because it’s great for shine and detangling,” she noted. “But I wanted to provide you with a little tidbit that I learned from a top five-star eventing groom.”

Tail care is a must at Ashker’s barn, and to get the best effect, she thoroughly sprays her horses’ tails with ShowSheen. Then, starting from the bottom, she uses her fingers to work the product into the hair all the way up to the dock and allows it to dry before brushing.

“This activates the detangling portion of the product, so that when you do go to brush out your horse’s tail, you won’t break any hair, which can eventually make the tail look thin and sparse,” she said. “This horse specifically has a fake tail, so I really want to avoid pulling or breaking those hairs, too. I also use the same treatment on my horses’ manes because of the great detangling effect it has on the individual hairs.”

In addition to using ShowSheen keep her horse’s manes and tails glowing and tangle-free, Ashker also applies it to her horses’ coats to bring out extra shine for the show ring. “I apply it to their coats when they’re still a little wet,” she said. “I think of it like a leave-in conditioner when you’re coming out of the shower, and it really creates that nice shine.”

Watch Ashker’s video below to learn how you can use her tips to keep your horse’s mane, tail and coat healthy and shiny.

About Laine Ashker

Five-star eventer and dressage professional Lainey Ashker has competed in numerous FEI competitions at the five-star level, including the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CC14* and the Defender Burghley Horse Trials CC15*. The horsewoman, who trains out of her Keystone Acres farm in Chesterfield, Virginia, also won the National Eventing Championship (Advanced Level) in 2013 aboard her long-time mount, Anthony Patch. More recently, she won her first CDI in May 2023 aboard her upper-level dressage horse, Zeppelin.  

This video is brought to you by Absorbine.

For More:

• Learn how to beat the bugs this summer with Laine Ashker’s top tips for fly control here.
• Gallop a CCI3* cross-country course with Ashker in this high-velocity GoPro footage, where she shares her strategies for tackling each obstacle over the challenging track at Maryland’s Fair Hill here.

Today’s Practical Horseman Podcast, sponsored by Equinavia, is with eventer Kaylawna Smith-Cook. The daughter of top five-star eventer Tamie Smith, Kaylawna has become a successful eventing rider and trainer in her own right and currently has a promising string of up-and-coming eventing mounts who proved their talent at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials last spring.

While she continues to help run her mom’s sales program at Next Level Eventing in Temecula, California, the 29-year-old now owns and operates her own training program, K. Smith Equestrian, with around 22 horses and has cultivated solid partnerships with owners who are invested in the sport and the horses’ well-being.

Even with her eventing super-star mom, Kaylawna didn’t take riding too seriously growing up, but after high school she realized she wanted to take her eventing career seriously. Throughout her formative training days, she grew up under the tutelage of her mom, as well as Australian show jumper Scott Keach, eventers Gina Economou and Bec Braitling and dressage rider and trainer Niki Clarke. She completed her first CCI3*-L at Galway Downs in 2019 aboard her longtime eventing partner Passepartout or “Pasco” and went on to complete her first CCI4*-S in 2020 and her first CCI4*-L in 2021.

In her eventing program, Kaylawna is keenly focused on listening to her horses, learning what they’re telling her and applying that knowledge to bring her eventing mounts along at their own individual pace.

In today’s podcast, she talks about growing up under the tutelage of her mom and her other mentors, her current string of super-star horses, how she balances motherhood herself with such a demanding career and how she perseveres through the inherent ups and downs of the sport as she chases her goal to be a top U.S. eventer.

About This Episode’s Sponsor, Equinavia

Summer is full swing—and so is the new collection at Equinavia! From breeches to bridles, we outfit riders from head to toe, and horses from hoof to head, with everything you need to ride in comfort and confidence. Rooted in Scandinavian tradition, our gear blends timeless style with true functionality—so you can focus on what matters most: the ride. 

The ride begins at Equinavia.com. You can also follow Equinavia on Facebook and Instagram.

While indoor and outdoor jumping competitions share similarities, indoor events typically have shorter courses in a smaller space. And after riding outside for most of the year, it can be challenging to adjust navigating a course in a smaller area where you have no time for hesitation while still making your round look smooth and easy.

To prepare for the different challenges indoors can present, it’s important to consistently practice your flatwork, ensuring your horse is on your aids so you can easily make adjustments in the tighter space. It’s also important to prepare for the types of courses you can expect to see.

In her video series on EQUESTRIAN+, Stacia Klein Madden stresses the importance of practicing courses at home that are similar to those seen at past indoors to prepare for the common questions course designers might include at shows. Here, she helps three students practice indoor courses and offers tips that you can apply to you own preparation.

The Practice Course

“Good preparation will give you confidence as we prepare for the indoors. The course we’re practicing today is an adaptation from regionals in Florida, and is a nice, friendly and useful course to practice before we go to Capital Challenge.

“The first time around, I want you to just muddle through it and go from start to finish unless I pull you up because I think there’s a real problem that needs to be addressed. This course is going to be challenging to start off with, but the horses need to go ahead and get their feet wet and then we’ll do it a second time to polish anything we need to work on.

“For every fence on course, you not only have to be thinking about your approach, you also have to think about where you are on the landing side to stay organized and prepared for what’s coming next.

“A lot of championship courses start off with a line, so for this course, we’ll start with the ASPCA wall on the left lead and do a nice, flowing six strides to the green roll-top. Then, you need to get a good riding horse right off the bat and go to the narrow white gate.

“Be prepared that the white gate is going to present a steering issue because it doesn’t have any standards. If you meet the gate a little soft, you can turn inside to the Beacon Hill wall. But if you meet it a little loose and your horse lands right and you need a lead change, take the longer option by going around the Beacon Hill wall.

“Then you really have to use your turn as well as your eyes to ride a nice turn back to the blue plank, which will be a five to a one. It needs to be a little following, so you don’t get to it short. Next, check your reins and make sure your horse is front of your leg and go to the scoop jump; then, put a little shape into the five to the Animal Planet jump and then a four to the green roll-top.

Round Two: Correct Mistakes and Polish Details

“I have the riders repeat the exact same course again. After kind of muddling through it the first time, this gives both the riders and horses something to work on the second time around. You can see here that while doing the course for the second time, this horse really took a breath and started to understand the course and listen to his rider.

“Every rider naturally either over-rides or under-rides. When preparing for the indoors, you have to identify which type of rider you are and always strive to strengthen your weakest link. All three riders here are naturally under-riders, so I have them work on making sure their horses are with them and this first line is a real test of that.

“The most challenging aspect of competing indoors after riding outside for most of the year is the lightning-fast tempo in which you have to make your decisions, while remaining calm and not allowing the course to pile up on you. This is why we spend so much working on using the ends of the ring and your recovery after jumps. The quicker you can recover, the sooner you can start to think about the takeoff for your next fence.

“I like to practice difficult things at home, because we don’t want our horses to be faced with those things for the very first time at a horse show.

“Also, keep in mind that riding is a constant contradiction. We’re always telling our horses to go forward, but to also wait—to come in but stay out. Successfully riding the lines in this course really requires your horse to be pushing off his hind end so he can leave the ground and execute a clean, crisp jump over the fence.”

Reverse the Course

“After mastering the course in one direction, I like to have riders practice reversing it or at least changing the lines in some way so they ride differently. Sometimes when reversing a course, you’ll need to modify an offset oxer, but I tend to set my jumps so everything can be jumped both ways and nothing needs to be changed. When you set your course this way, you easily create two courses in one. If you’re on a green horse, though, you might consider ramp oxers or jumps with ground lines.

“To reverse this course, you’ll start on your right lead with the blue plank and do five strides to the vertical. It’s going to be a little challenging to get through that gap without your horse getting his eye on the wrong fence.

“Riding the course in reverse, the new first line is going to ride more ambitious than it did in the first course, and the last line has the potential to ride a little nicer.

“You can see this rider really using the corner over by the wall to soothe her horse and put him back together. If you really focus on using those corners, you’ll give your horse a chance to take a breath, digest the course and regroup. You can use both corners and the ends of the ring to let your horse drop his head down and realize he’s not in a speed competition.

“So this is typical of how we school and prepare for the indoor competitions. If we don’t end up reversing the course, I might end the day with some sort of test. We might practice the counter-canter, trot jumps, halting or hand galloping.”

For More:

• To watch Stacia Klein Madden’s full video series on schooling indoor equitation courses on EQUESTRIAN+, click here.
• For more top training tips and hands-on video demonstrations with Madden, click here.
• Check out her favorite four exercises for winning equitation rounds here.
• You can listen to our podcast with Madden here.

About Stacia Klein Madden

Known as one of the most successful trainers of young riders in the country, Stacia Klein Madden began her career as a successful Junior, winning the 1987 ASPCA Maclay National Championship and placing in the USEF National Hunter Seat Medal Final and USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals—East. She turned professional in 1988 and started working out of Beacon Hill Show Stables, now located in Colts Neck, New Jersey. Madden also worked for Johnny Barker in North Carolina, before returning to Beacon Hill where she began teaching and developed a passion for working with young riders and matching them with horses. 

These tasty horse-approved, fruit-and-veggie popsicles not only provide your horse with a cool, refreshing treat in the brutal heat, they can also help him stay hydrated, replenish electrolytes lost from sweat and keep him entertained during the dog days of summer.

Horse, Rider and PH Editor-Approved Recipe

When I first found this recipe based off a reader tip from years ago, I was a bit skeptical on palatability—would my horse actually enjoy a carrot-popsicle, thumb his muzzle at it or be peeved he couldn’t get to all the good stuff at once? So, I decided to try two varieties—apple and carrot—and put them to the test at my barn last weekend.

To my surprise, 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding Balou was thrilled with his frozen Honeycrisp apple-pop, gobbled it within a few bites and looked disappointed when he’d finished. Portia, a 19-year-old Thoroughbred mare with many strong opinions about all things, was equally pleased with her carrot popsicle, although with a higher ice-to-vegetable ratio in this version, it proved more challenging on the edibility side. (More tips on this below.)

Supplies

• Reusable or disposable plastic cups; or paper cups
• Fruits and veggies
• Toothpicks
• Water
• Knife
• Cutting board

Optional Add-Ons

• Popsicle sticks
• Ice-cube tray
• Bundt-cake pan
• Baling twine
• Electrolytes (powder of liquid form)

Ingredients

Depending on your horse’s taste palate, the following fruits and vegetables are safe (in moderation) to include in his frozen treats:

• Apples
• Apricots
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Grapes
• Green beans
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Pumpkin
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

Absolutely Avoid:

The following are not safe for you horse to consume:

• Avocados
• Cherries
• Cruciferous vegetables or plants from the cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts)
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Rhubarb
• Tomatoes

Instructions

Solo-Carrot Popsicles

• Position a large carrot, preferably one with a leafy stem (unlike my stem-less guy here), vertically in the center of a plastic cup.
• Use toothpicks (see photo) to keep the carrot centered.
• Use a watering can or add water to the cup directly from the tap.
• Freeze overnight.

Tips:

If you don’t live close to your barn, throw your popsicles in a cooler or an insulated cup/thermos like those made by Yeti to keep them frozen. (I live about 45 minutes from my barn and my pops stayed frozen in a cooler.)

To avoid the higher ice-to-veggie ratio I mentioned above, you can chop additional pieces of carrot (or other fruits or veggies) and add them to the bottom of the cup around the base of your carrot before you add water. This will make it easier for your horse to break the popsicle down into bite-sized pieces. You can also put the carrot-pop in your horse’s water tank/bucket or his grain bin to lick on.

Chopped Fruit-and-Veggie Popsicles

• Select your horse’s favorite variety of fruits and veggies.
• Chop as needed (blueberries, grapes and strawberries may not need to be cut).
• Add fruit and veggie medley to cup.
• Fill cup with water.
• Freeze overnight.

Tips:

In order to offer these popsicles to your horse without getting freeze-burn on your hands, add a popsicle stick to the center before freezing. As long as your fruit and veggie mixture is dense enough, you can easily position the stick so that it’s semi-centered.

If your horse is active throughout the summer and tends to lose vitamins and minerals through heavy sweating, consider adding liquid or powdered electrolytes, as well as water to your recipe. (See product instructions for dosage recommendations.)

Additional Frozen Edibles—Based on the Same Recipe

Mini-Frozen Horse Treats

• Chop fruits and veggies in smaller/finer pieces.
• Place them in an ice-cube tray (or muffin tin).
• Add water.
• Freeze.

Bring the trays out to the barn in a cooler to dispense at will. (You can even use these tiny versions for training treats on steamy days.)

Frozen Stall Lick

• Throw your fruit and veggie mix into a Bundt-cake pan (or any baking pan with a hole in the middle). You can add as many layers and different flavor combinations as you want.
• Add water (and electrolyte mix, if desired).
• Freeze.

Once you get to the barn, remove the frozen concoction from the pan, run baling twine through the center and hang in your horse’s stall or paddock to encourage delicious hydration while also keeping him entertained.

We hope your horse enjoys these frozen treats as much as Balou and Portia did!

For More:

• For more on how to protect your horse from intense heat, click here.
• Learn how to avoid common rider hydration mistakes here.

Nestled in the red and white pine forests of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, Traverse City Horse Shows at Flintfields Horse Park is ideally postured between Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay and Elk Lake and is home to 130 acres of pristine showgrounds that welcome more than 1,800 horses during the peak of its summer show season.

What started as a one-month, mid-summer show now spans over 13 weeks from June through September and hosts such prestigious events as the American Gold Cup, Longines FEI Jumping World Cup CSI5*-W and FEI North American Youth Championships with top riders representing 48 states and 26 countries, thousands of attendees and $7 million in prize money.

Since 2015, Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) management has continued to invest in the growth and modernization of the venue with the goal of transforming it into one of the premier venues for equestrian sport in North America. TCHS Communications Director Gary Howe says that every improvement aims to enhance the experience for the horses, riders and spectators.

“Riders like us in part, because the owners continually put revenue back into the park, and I think that’s reflected by the top-level riders we draw,” Howe said. “We have 12 weeks of competition where there is at least one Olympic rider here, as well as other five-star riders.”

Olympian and show-jumping legend Margie Engle has been coming to TCHS since the Morrissey Management Group took over the show’s management in 2015 and has brought many clients to the venue over the seasons. A longtime fan of Gene Misch’s jumping competitions, she feels the Morrissey group has provided an extension of what Misch started in the sport. “Gene was an innovator by starting the grand prix tour in America and did so much for the sport of show jumping,” she said. “The Morrissey group has basically carried on his legend.”

Engle appreciates the attention to detail TCHS provides for the exhibitors, horses, grooms and spectators alike, and that management constantly seeks feedback on ways they can continue to improve. “Traverse City has become a home away from home. Their organization and management is world class. They always hire the best people—whether it’s at the in-gates, the jump crew, the barn managers and everyone involved,” she said. “And their shows are extremely inclusive and have divisions for all levels—no matter what level of jumping you’re doing.”  

From its state-of-the-art show facilities catering to both horse and rider’s well-being, ever-improving amenities and cool summer climate to its superior management, tranquil scenery and proximity to a myriad of summer activities and fine dining, the Traverse City experience continues to attract thousands of riders while also captivating new audiences. Here, we take a look at what it’s all about.

Creating a Premier Summer Show Destination

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event in its entirety was known as the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival and lasted from four to six weeks. During the summer of 2020, however, when Michigan opened outdoor sporting events for competitors after pandemic restrictions had halted national and international sports during the spring, the show committee launched into action.

“The pandemic actually helped us expand. Even though we didn’t have spectators that summer, it helped us fast forward some growth plans that were already in the works,” Howe explained. “It turned out to be an amazing opportunity, and we added the Traverse City Spring Series, as well as the Tournament of Champions in the fall. Now, all together, we have 13 weeks of showing with 12 of those weeks being FEI competitions.”

Along with top riders, TCHS has also attracted a swath of upper-level events that continue to help boost their growth, including the FEI North American Youth Championship as well as a Nations Cup and three five-star grand prixs this year. “All of these things play into making sure that we are the premier summer show destination,” Howe said.

The expansion of TCHS also makes a significant contribution to the local economy each summer, with one 2021 study estimating the duration of that year’s show brought in roughly $130 million to the area. But even more important than the economic benefit, Howe, who grew up near the horse park, says the showgrounds have also had a positive cultural impact on the local community.

“This was always cherry country. And while it’s been transitioning for years, the community held on to their love for wide-open agrarian views,” he said. “These days, there are still cherry orchards, but also equestrian farms. And in a way it’s kept that same feel, which is a pretty good trade-off.”

Stay—and Show—Awhile: Why Riders Love TCHS

While Traverse City can be logistically challenging for riders in some parts of the country, Howe says a lot of people come up and stay for the summer. “Our average stay for competitors is over 30 days,” he said. “There are plenty of barns around the country who come and stay for the whole season.”

Now that Engle isn’t competing abroad as much, she stays in Traverse City and competes for most of the summer. And compared to the steamy temps in her homebase of Wellington, Florida, she says the weather in northern Michigan is second to none during their show season.

“It’s probably cooler here at this time of year than anywhere else in the world. Even places in Europe we used to go to have been warmer in recent years,” she noted. “I enjoy showing all over the world, but the weather here and the people in the Midwest are just really wonderful.”

International show jumper Hunter Holloway of Topeka, Kansas, who currently operates out of California, is also a TCHS regular and appreciates the management’s dedication to continual improvement.

“We come every year. You can’t beat the management and the facilities are top-notch. Every year they’re always doing improvements,” Holloway said. “You come back and there’s something new and better for the exhibitors, the horses, the spectators—all of it. Plus, you can’t beat the weather, and the downtown Traverse City area is amazing.”

For some, the event presents a family-bonding experience. Mom-and-daughter riders Amy and Eden Immerfall of Charleston, South Carolina, stay in the Traverse City area for the summers with the rest of their family and enjoy pursuing their equestrian passions away from home.

“It’s so much fun here. The staff is so nice and friendly, and the jumping courses were a lot of fun,” 12-year-old Eden, who is competing at TCHS for the second time, said. “The food is really great, too. I love the chicken tenders.”

Amy, who competed in the meter jumpers, enjoyed her first experience at TCHS this summer. “It’s so beautiful here and the weather is amazing. I also love that it’s all so walkable and feels small, but there are so many upper-level riders here,” she said. “You get to watch the best in world, and then you get to ride. It really feels like an honor to get to show here.”

State-of-the-Art Facilities and Easy Access

With thousands of horses, riders, grooms and support teams flooding in and out of Flintfields Horse Park throughout the summer, the venue has been expertly designed to facilitate both equine and human athletes, as well as their entourage of trainers, grooms and family.

The park is currently home to six permanent barns with modern, secure stabling, roomy stalls and ample storage space for those who stay long-term, and Howe says they aim to add two additional barns per year, simply based on construction limitations during the winter. During peak season, they expand the facilities across 18 temporary barns with 2,100 stalls. Turnout paddocks and shaded grazing and turnout areas are also available.

“We build in March and April and make sure all new construction projects are finished by May before people start moving in,” he said. “We’ve recently added new judges’ booths and we’re always updating the footing—refreshing or replacing it if needed.”

The park boasts a total of 15 rings including seven show arenas with premium GGT Footing, plus those for schooling and longeing, and additional facilities are constantly being added to meet the needs of growing international competition.

Another advantage of being in northern Michigan, Howe notes, is the natural sand footing around the grounds. “It drains really well naturally, but the FEI schooling ring and the FEI grand prix ring have a state-of-the-art pooling mechanism underneath, so it helps the arena dry quickly after rain,” he said. “Even if we have a big storm, a couple hours later after a quick drag, we’re back up and running.”

Engle appreciates continual improvements to the barns, stalls and footing and says management always keeps the horses’ well-being at the forefront of their plans. In these efforts, they recently opened a new area of expansive forest where riders can trail ride to give their horses a reprieve from the show environment.

“It’s a beautiful piece of land and gives the horses and riders a break to get off the showgrounds and wander around in a nice, open space in nature to relax,” Engle said. “We don’t’ get a lot of that at many places, so that’s a huge bonus.”

Through their partnership with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, TCHS recently opened this mile-long bridle path that runs south of the property. “It’s already become a rider favorite,” Howe laughed. “Margie isn’t the only one raving about it!”

All major show arenas have massive, high-resolution video boards with all classes being livestreamed daily on Clip My Horse. “The boss likes to brag that we have the second largest fiber network outside of the local hospital,” Howe laughed. “But that’s really important when we have the World Cup broadcast on CBS Sports. And last year, we had two competitions on ESPN 3.”

The airport is 10 minutes from the venue, and as for lodging, the horse park is 10 minutes south of Elk Rapids, and Traverse City—the hub of northern Michigan—is 15 minutes west with a plethora of hotels, motels, long-term suites and rental homes and condos. (There are even beachfront rental homes on nearby lakeshores.) Even closer to the park at just two miles down the road and with plenty of lodging options are the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel and the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

“It’s really convenient that everything is so close. I know there are plenty of shows where you’re off in the middle of nowhere,” Howe said. “Plus, there are lots of great restaurants in Traverse City. So, it’s a nice reward after putting in a 14-hour day at the show, you can be in a fine-dining establishment 10 minutes later.”

Among Engle’s many favorite restaurants in the Traverse City area, Forest—A Food Studio tops her list. The cozy eatery offers family-style seating and a seasonal menu that changes monthly. “It’s kind of like a food experience with tapas-style servings and is always fun because you get to meet people from all over the world and try different types of food including their pastas made from scratch. It’s all fantastic and definitely a unique dining opportunity.” (See “Good Eats: Dining in Traverse City” below for more recommendations.)

Broad Appeal: Fun for All

In addition to making TCHS a top destination for equestrians and their horses, Howe and the show management team strive to make the experience enjoyable for spectators who are new to the sport.

“I’m trying to bridge the gap between people who are new to equestrian sport and those who’ve been in the game for a long time,” Howe said. “Before, a lot of the messaging was really focused on the equestrian world. But the locals didn’t understand what we were talking about. You can’t really advertise for a grand prix or a five-star when people have no idea what that means.”

But Howe’s education efforts have paid off, and people in the local community have started to recognize the top level of equestrian sport in their backyard and are continuing to come back year after year and even cheer for their favorite horses and riders.

“There’s definitely nowhere else in Michigan where you can watch Olympic athletes compete all summer,” he said. “It’s such a beautiful destination and people come out and relax and have drinks with friends or grab a bite and sit in the sun and watch the action.”

Howe notes management’s efforts to create both a horse- and family-friendly atmosphere. “At major shows, the industry average is about 3.2 people per horse,” he said. “We have an average of five to six people per horse—mainly because we’re in northern Michigan and it’s such a great place to come in the summer that everyone brings their families.”

Equestrian or not, the venue offers a little bit for everyone with a wine museum, kids’ play area and plenty of notable nosh spots. Concessions include yummy quick-service staples like French fries, burritos and chicken tenders, as well as the uber-popular Great Lakes Lemonade stand and a rotating fleet of food trucks with offerings like pizza and acai bowls. Other on-site favorites for food and drink include the Cabana Coast Club, the Bonobo Bar (with wine offerings from their local vineyard) and One Trick Pony coffee bar with organic Higher Ground roasts.

In addition to their regular fare, this summer’s special events include a Farm to Stable Dinner Series with celebrity chefs including James Rigato, Sarah Welch and Joe VanWagner, along with local farmer and winemakers. “We wanted these dinners to have a distinctly local take on culinary creativity,” Howe said. “So, every menu will be designed with ingredients sourced from farms in northern Michigan.”

During her long stays in Traverse City over the summers, Engle has lots of non-equestrian family and friends visit and says, in addition to stopping by the show, they enjoy the multitude of outdoor activities and sightseeing opportunities in the area.

“We do everything from going to the wineries and enjoying the local history to hiking, sightseeing at the rock cliffs and sand dunes and renting a boat to go out on Torch Lake,” she said. “For those of who show regularly, we even have a weekly poker game in the VIP tent, which is always a fun social escape where we don’t talk horses for bit.”

While Howe says it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the local community that there’s a lot of money involved in the sport, he finds the people who work so hard and are 100% committed to their equestrian goals more paramount to the experience.

“There is so much passion behind this sport,” he said. “You’re not going to find anyone who works harder than people at horse shows—from every level. And I’m really trying to build an appreciation for that here.”

Click here to watch a video from Traverse City Horse Shows 2025.