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“His Kindness and Patience Has Allowed Me to Achieve What Once Felt Impossible”

by Sara Norris Kamerer | October 26, 2026

In the summer of 2022, almost a year after the devasting loss of my previous horse, I took a leap of faith. With the encouragement of my husband and the help of a trusted agent, I decided to import a horse I had never personally met. The day the trailer delivered him was the first time I had ever laid eyes on the big, black gelding that would change my life. One of the requirements for any new horse was that it was comfortable to sit on as I had been dealing with lower back and hip pain for

No Tail, No Problem: Meet Courtney Sendak and Where's My Tail

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | October 20, 2026

When it comes to her horse, Courtney Sendak knows the first question she’ll get before anyone asks it. Sendak and Where's My Tail competing at the Morven Park CCI3*, part of the USEF Eventing National Championship League. (©US Equestrian) Sendak’s horse, Where's My Tail, a 2011 Thoroughbred mare (Double Honor x Crafty Prospector) owned by Krysta Paradis, known in the barn as "Detail," was born with a large portion of her coccygeal vertebrae missing, which gives her an

Jessica Thoma and The Horses That Kept Her Going

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | October 14, 2026

Eight years ago, Jessica Thoma lost three limbs and nearly her life following a rare diagnosis. But she found para dressage, and an Andalusian named Manny carried her to a reserve championship at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions this summer. Thoma and Imantado GOM competing at the 2026 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions (©US Equestrian) "Without horses, I would not be here," she said Thoma grew up in a western riding family in Crossville, Tenn. As a teenager, she discovered

No Stranger to Hard Work: Kaitlyn Linck and Her "One in a Million" Horse Don Touch de Tiji Z

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | October 11, 2026

In the early morning hours at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, most athletes and spectators are still asleep. For Kaitlyn Linck, however, it’s the perfect time to spend a few quiet hours with her horse, Don Touch de Tiji Z. Linck (Clinton Corners, N.Y.) competed with Don Touch de Tiji Z, her own 2016 Zangersheide gelding (Don’t Touch Tiji Hero x Viva La Vida Hero Z) in the 2026 USEF/Valencia Saddlery Hunter Seat Medal Final. ©Natalie Suto Photography | Photo provided by

With Horses, Lucienne Belissimo Feels the Most Like Herself

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | October 11, 2026

Lucienne Bellissimo's earliest riding memory is of a Shetland pony with a strap around its middle, which was there because the children aboard were too small for saddles. She was one or two years old. Born in England's New Forest, where a breed of pony named for the region roams the land, she grew up backing and breaking young ponies, a childhood she describes as "a little bit like the Wild West, but in England." Her mother rode and was involved in racing, so horses were simply the air

Move Over Peanuts: There’s a New Charlie Brown in Town and He’s Taking the Horse World by Storm

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | October 2, 2026

Charlie Brown is a loveable and deeply determined main character who first appeared in the newspaper during the 1950s in a comic strip titled, “Peanuts.” The 8-year-old boy became known for his endless adventures with friends Woodstock and Snoopy, and eventually inspired a television series, “The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show” and many tv specials. The name Charlie Brown is familiar to millions of Americans, but in the equestrian world, it belongs to a different kind of

The Norwegian Horses You Have Never Heard Of

by Debbie Elliot | September 29, 2026

We have all heard of Norwegian Fjords, with their distinctive dun coloring and two-tone mane, but few of us are as familiar with the Norwegian Dole Horse. Dole stallion Snippen; photo courtesy of The Norwegian Stables Also known as the Dole Gudbrandsdal or Dølahest, the Dole originated in the Gudbrandsdal region of Norway and are thought to be descendants of Friesians. They were used as workhorses doing agricultural work or hauling timber for hundreds of years, but as the need for such

Eventing 101: Everything You Need to Know Before the US Equestrian Open Final

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | September 24, 2026

Perhaps you’ve seen the ads on social media, or maybe your barn is planning a field trip, or you are local to Morven Park and are looking for an adventure. However you’ve heard about it, the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final has generated excitement among horse enthusiasts and newcomers alike. The US Equestrian Open Eventing Final will bring top athlete-and-horse combinations from not only across the country but around the world, to Morven Park in Leesburg, Va., for the ultimate

With Mischief Managed, Dr. Brandy Snedden Found a Passion for Combined Driving

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | September 23, 2026

Dr. Brandy Snedden didn't set out to become a combined driving competitor. An ambulatory equine veterinarian running her own practice in Thornville, Ohio; a single mother; and a lifelong horse enthusiast, Snedden's path to the sport reads like a string of fortunate coincidences, each one leading naturally to the next. That path – as many good ones do – started with a pony. Brandy Snedden and Mischief Managed (©Photo courtesy of Brandy Snedden) A client of

Why Are There Independent Directors on the USEF Board?

by Kimberly Loushin/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | September 22, 2026

Shortly after Jon Kreitz retired from the military seven years ago, US Equestrian announced we were accepting nominations for an independent director seat on the board of directors, and one of Kreitz’s neighbors suggested he should look into it. While Kreitz had previous experience serving on the board of other nonprofits and organizations, he’d never been involved with an equestrian one, so he started doing some research. As he read through the requirements and looked at the

5 Reasons to Spend a Fall Weekend in Leesburg, Virginia

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | September 17, 2026

With the summer officially behind us, it's time to embrace everything that makes fall special: crisp temperatures, vibrant foliage, pumpkin spice lattes, fall festivals, and of course, the highly anticipated US Equestrian Open Eventing Final . Taking place October 8-11, 2026, at Morven Park in Leesburg, Va., the championship brings together top-level sport and endless opportunities to enjoy one of the East Coast’s most charming fall destinations. 1. Celebrate Virginia Wine Month

A New Remount Assessment is Coming for the 2027 Show Season

by Kimberly Loushin/US Equestrian Communications | September 15, 2026

There’s a common adage that you should get back on the horse if you fall, but US Equestrian recognizes that immediately remounting might not to be the safest course of action. As part of ongoing efforts to improve human and equine safety, the USEF board approved a change to GR848.1, which will go into effect December 1, 2026. The change stipulates that participants “who have fallen from a horse or horse-drawn vehicle at a competition, must be examined by the competition Qualified