April 14, 2015

An interview with Carly Nasznic: An up and coming young, talented equine photographer

Photo Credit to Carly Nasznic. Do not use without permission.

If you are keyed at all into the equestrian world, especially on social media, there is no way you haven’t seen photographs by the talented Carly Nasznic. Her photos capture amazing moments in equestrian riding, and I adore them. In fact, I would love to be photographed by her one day (when my eq is perfect and when I am in showing in major classes – not the beginner hunters for the first time). Carly is super talented, and I have to say she is one of my favorite equine photographers thus far. I check her Instagram account often, and I am pretty sure I’ve liked every photo she has ever posted.

I always ask everyone I interview for a fun fact about themselves, but Carly’s fact is also a bit of a shocker.

“Everyone thinks that I’m older than what I really am only because I take “such clear and focused photos”, but actually I am only 16,” she said.

Yup. Carly is only 16 and taking these amazing photos. Imagine her photography skills years from now.

Carly has been riding for about seven years and trains with Ashley McDonald out of Dapper Dan Farm in Rhode Island. She rides between 4 and 6 days a week, and she shows at least twice a month. Her love of horses began in 5^th grade.

“My best friend had boxes of ribbons and trophies and at the time I was very jealous therefore my parents started by putting me into riding lessons. As of now, it’s not about the ribbons and trophies and more about the relationship with my horse, trainer and other riders around me,” Carly said.

Many individuals think that buying a fancy camera makes them a photographer. And, photography has actually been quite popular since I was in high school (a long time ago –hides face-) So what got Carly into photography?

“About three years ago I started to compete and as of last year I really started to get serious. After seeing everyone posting on social media the photos that they bought from the shows they went to, I got the feeling that those photos would keep the memories that will last a lifetime,” she said. “I have always taken photos of horses and anything relating to horses. I haven’t really gone outside of that.”

Carly’s photo skills are self-taught, which is super impressive given the quality of her photographs and the moments she captures. Carly has actually never even taken a photography class before – though she hopes to change that.

“This upcoming summer, I hope to take a class or two on what I need to improve with my photography,” she said.

Carly began posting her photographs on Instagram and taking what she terms “ok” photos of people she knew and giving them the photos for free. However, she soon found that everytime someone would regram her photo and tag her, more and more people would become interested in her photographing services.

Photo Credit to Carly Nasznic. Do not use without permission.

Although this was happening, it took about a year before Carly really became noticed as an equine photography.

“I am now at the point where people will see me walking around at a horse show taking photos and will come up to me and say ‘hey are you Carly Nasznic? I think I follow you on Instagram!’ I’ll then laugh and say yes I am,” Carly explained. “I always love when I meet new people who interested in my photography, it makes me feel like I have a purpose.”

Carly Is 100 percent self-employed; however, she hopes to have her own photography business someday. She also does have a website – which she said is always under construction – that helps get her name out there. Carly, right now, is not selling any photos.

Carly photographed quite often at WEF this past year.

“I was in Wellington at the Winter Equestrian Festival for weeks 3, 6, and 7. I missed as little school as possible as this is my junior year in high school and is very important academically. I ended up missing about five days total because weeks 6 & 7 were my February vacation weeks!” She said. “Before I left, I went to every one of my teachers who for the most part were understanding and would give me the homework assignments that would be due when I got back.”

For those of you wanting to use Carly’s photography services, she specializes in all types of equine photos. Carly uses a Canon 70d with Canon lenses, including a:

70 – 200mm;
55 – 250mm;
70 – 300mm

To edit her photos, Carly uses Afterlight or Lightroom.

Although Carly does engage in editing photos, she prefers to keep them as natural as possible.

“I tend to leave the photos I take more natural and not edit them so much,” she said. “When I first started I would always use a lot of contrast, which I see most on social media, but I believe it lessens the value of your picture and its quality.”

Breaking into equine photography is hard, especially because anyone can buy a camera and start taking photos. Carly had the following advice for those who are serious about it.

“For anyone wanting to get into equine photography, I recommend that they just have fun with it. It shouldn’t be stressful or cause you issues. I’ve always had the motto ‘It is what it is,’ referring to if people like my work then I’m happy and if they don’t that’s okay I’ll keep trying to improve on what needs improvement.”

According to Carly, the top three qualities an equine photographer should have are:

Patience;
Respect;
Responsibility it takes to deal with people, horses, and the time needed to put into one’s work

Though she is super talented, Carly said she never expected to become this well-known for her photos. She didn’t think so many people would be this interested in her photography, and she is “so grateful” that people have taken the interest they have because it says she is right for the job.

Although photography is one of Carly’s passions, Carly does intend on going to college for something other than photo. She has thought about majoring in business marketing. However, when she graduates, she wants to pursue a career in the equestrian industry.

Carly has taken tons of photos, so we asked her what her favorite photo she has taken has been.

“I’d say my favorite photo ever would be of rider Hannah Patten. It was a photo I wasn’t expecting to take and wasn’t ready for but as soon as I saw the moment of her hugging her horse while on her way out of the ring, I knew I just had to get it,” she said.

Hannah Patten hugging her horse. Photo Credit to Carly Nasznic. Do not use without permission.

Carly has also made some super awesome connections through her photography. She has met riders Tori Colvin and Jessica Springsteen – both of whom have been extremely complimentary about her photography.

Carly does have other hobbies besides riding and taking photos. She also loves surfing, competing in triathlons, and dancing. She also said she doesn’t really have an artistic background and can’t “draw, paint, build, or really anything relating to” art excdpt for taking photos. Her photo skill is something she developed on her own.

She believes that anyone who sets their mind to it can become a good photographer.

“You need to have the will, and in my opinion, a certain eye for it,” she said.

Dedication is also hugely important considering Carly spends about 2 – 4 hours a day on photos. During the week, Carly is constantly on Instagram and answering emails. She said that she does find the photograph requests to be overwhelming at times, but the outcomes makes it all worth it. During the weekend, she edits photos for hours.

Currently, Carly interns for The Plaid Horse Magazine. Her internship requires taking photos for the magazines social media accounts and posting them. She also spreads the name of the magazine.

Carly said the most difficult thing about photography is striving for perfection.

“Sometimes its more about the moment rather then are the horses ears forward? Are his knees even? Does the rider have good eq?” She said. “I will sometimes be picky and get mad at myself for not getting the perfect photo but then I will stare at it really closely for as long as it takes to realize it doesn’t need to be perfect since it has its own special meaning.”

When Carly first started, she dreamed of taking photos of Tori Colvin and having Tori enjoy her photos.

“That dream came true when this time at WEF I was able to actually meet and talk to her,” Carly said. “She was so sweet and said numerous compliments to me about my photos. She has also used them on social media and was kind enough to take a photo with me. I wish that more equestrians were more humble and appreciative like her.”

Photo Credit to Carly Nasznic. Do not use without permission.

Carly also took the time to address the controversial topic of stealing professional photos.

I use to be one of those people who would post the show proofs on social media and then comment ‘don’t worry I’m buying this,’ but in the end its still stealing,” Carly said. “I think it’s not right, and you should just wait until you actually buy the photo or get permission to post.”

Carly went on: “I have seen people blur out the watermarks on the show proofs and try and make it look okay. Over time people might think this will hurt the industry but there are the people who will still purchase because that is the right thing to do. To help this issue maybe a stronger watermark or even a way that on their website you can’t save it to your camera roll.”

Carly is certainly a force to be reckoned with when it comes to taking superb, artsy, amazing equine photos that capture “real” equestrian moments – not just what is pretty. To keep up with Carly on social media, she can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and at her website. She is also available for photoshoots in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or Vermont. She stated she will travel “anywhere in the New England area.”

Photo Credit to Carly Nasznic. Do not use without permission.

All photos provided by Carly Nasznic. Do not use without permission.

February 25, 2015

Anna Easton: Taking everything in stride

Anna Easton is a rider that believes someone with “enough talent, determination, and hard work” can make it in the horse world, according to her blog Big Eqspectations. Her horse journey is that of trail riding, pony jumpers, and the Big Eq. She had high hopes of qualifying for the Maclay Finals. Although she did not achieve that dream, she has taken it in stride, remained graceful, and had a great sense of positivity regarding her riding journey.

Anna said she knew her dream of qualifying for Medal or Maclay Finals was a “farfetched goal.” This was for a variety of reasons.

“I didn’t (and still don’t) have the finances, I was green in the show ring, and I didn’t have much time left. Nerves were always a big problem for me and when I got nervous, I couldn’t pick a distance to save my life,” she said.

However, despite not reaching her goal, she said she could write a book about everything she learned during her junior career.

“The equitation courses really taught me to slow down and think. It’s a lot easier to make decisions when you aren’t rushing through the course, which is what I try to do when I’m flustered. I also learned, through experiencing the benefits, why the equitation classes were created. It’s a lot easier to be clean and efficient in the jumper ring when you know how to ride the perfect track on a bending line, make balanced inside turns, and have the position to keep you secure while executing these things,” she said. “But, one of the most important things I learned was patience. Horses require a lot of patience, and people require more.”

Anna, now 18, has been riding she since was 5 years old. However, she also loves listening to music and is a self-described folk, blues, and classic rock fan. She also enjoys writing – from poetry to blog posts and anything in between. She also said her helmet is two sizes bigger than her head to accommodate her “big, curly mess” of hair with a “mind of its own.” She also responds to the nickname ‘Fuzz,’ which her sister dubbed her with when they were kids.

When Anna began riding, it was because her father wanted her to have a hobby that she could enjoy. Although she did local shows when she was 7 years old, she did not start showing on the rated circuits until she was 14.

“This was somewhat due to financial reasons, but mostly because my father had different goals for me when I started riding,” she said. “He mostly wanted me to have a hobby I could enjoy. But, when I showed interest in making my debut on the rated circuit, he completely supported and facilitated me.”

Photo Credit to Erica Rosinski Photography.

Now that she has aged out, she hopes to make it as a professional. She began her professional life as a working student for Don Stewart making the long drive from her home in Atlanta to his farm in Ocala.

“My job with Don is an opportunity that I am very excited about!” Anna said. “I’m mainly going to be hacking horses, showing horses to potential buyers, doing horse-related laundry, and cleaning tack at the end of the day I’m also hoping to show some as horses are available. A lot goes into running an operation of that size and I would love to learn about all aspects, from the care of the horses, to the business side of things.”

While she does plan to attend college, she also plans to make riding her career and says she has been designing her dream barn since she was 8 years old. Her ultimate career goal is to be a successful Grand Prix rider, as she considers herself to be more of a jumper rider.

Anna loves the jumper ring because of the teamwork.

“The hunter ring showcases the horse and the equitation ring showcases the rider. But, the jumper ring showcases the team,” she said. “A good jumper has the same goals as its rider; Get over the jumps clean and fast. They’re on at all times, and they’re powerful and agile. Nothing beats riding a horse like that. But, another thing I love about the jumper ring is the fact that it is completely objective. No politics and no worrying about who’s at the gate.”

However, Anna said that her favorite thing about equitation is its purpose. She feels that eq classes create more solid and effective riders, and it helps them transition into higher levels in the sport as well as into professionals if that is what they choose.

Anna also rode in the hunters for about 6 months when she was 12 or 13. She thought it was “fun, but slow.” Although she does appreciate the hunters much more now and loves the hunter derbies, she said hunters “will never steal [her] heart like the jumper ring has.”

Anna’s love for the jumpers also comes from the fact that she started there. Being blunt, Anna said she wasn’t “politically correct” enough for the horse world with her dad as her trainer and her lack of finances. Her perfectionism attracted her to the equitation, which she used to better herself as a rider.

Photo Credit to David Bell.

After aging out, Anna has decided she will leave equitation behind aside from her goal for qualifying for the Talent Search Finals.

Although Anna rode with her dad growing up, she also got a chance to ride with Rob Gage, a well-known USEF judge. She met him through Judge My Ride, a website where riders can post photos and videos of themselves riding and get feedback from USEF rated judges, like Rob.

“He was the main person who commented on my pictures and was very encouraging as I tried to improve my position. He came to my town for a clinic in May of 2012. I was terrified when I met him, which is really funny in hindsight Rob is hysterical, blunt, and always supportive,” she said. “He tells you, loudly, when you screw up because he wants you to fix it so you can succeed. I almost always ride my best when I’m around Rob because his confidence in me makes me confident in myself.”

Right now, Anna has 6 horses, most of which are leased out. She has the ponies she rode in the pony jumpers that taught her to jump. She also has her equitation horse that is leased out in Massachusetts. Additionally, she has two jumpers, Charlie and Prize. Charlies is an older Thoroughbred who is doing 1.20m courses, and Prize is a rescue mare that jumps 1.30m.

Anna didn’t experience the dreaded “aging out syndrome” like some riders do when their junior career ends.

“I’ve always viewed my junior career as the start of a long-term career in the horse world. Riding as a junior is not the end, it’s the beginning. Even though I didn’t earn any big titles during my junior years, I’m thrilled with what I learned and the experiences I had,” Anna said. “This sport is a constant education. If you don’t succeed in your junior years, you have the rest of your amateur or professional years to try again. I’m excited to see what my future as a non-junior holds.”

Although Anna is riding with Don Stewart, she plans on continuing to rider with her father as well. Anna has several trainers, and she enjoys getting to work with a number of different professionals as it gives her different ways to think about things.

“It’s nice to gather all the information I can, try each method, and then decide what works best for me, my style, and my horses,” she said.

Although Anna did not get to meet her goals as a junior, she has discovered one thing: time is a friend when it comes to riding.

“Tomorrow always provides us with the opportunity to do better and to try harder. Time provides us with knowledge and experience, which is invaluable and never plentiful enough in the horse world. You also have to enjoy each step of the journey,” she said. “If you don’t like the path you take to get to your goal, was the goal really worth it? I may not have qualified for the Maclay, but I have nothing but fond memories of every day I spent working towards that dream.”

We asked Anna her advice for riders that want to qualify for the Big Eq Finals. She said be realistic.

“If you are 17 years old, just moving up to the 3′, and have only shown on the local circuit, it’s not going to happen. Now, there is nothing wrong with being 17, moving up to 3′, and only showing on the local circuit. It’s just not the recipe that gets you to a Big Eq Final. There are reasons I didn’t qualify. I didn’t have enough time, money, or experience,” she said. “You need to have the right horse, enough money to show a couple times per month, and enough time to really get the experience you need over the equitation courses.”

She also suggested that someone show as often as possible because a show is a completely different atmosphere than riding at home.

“There is a lot of self-inflicted pressure in the ring and experience is the only cure.” Anna said, “In addition to that, the more courses you see and ride, the better.”

Photo Credit to Holly Ridge Photorgraphy.

Like myself, Anna suffers from a case of the nerves, and she said it tends to affect her eye. However, she found that time, experience, and developing confidence in herself have helped her. She also said that coming to the realization that she can’t always be perfect was another big thing that helped.

As usual, we asked Anna who she looks up to in the horse world, and she of course said Beezie Madden.

“She’s phenomenal. She’s gutsy, intelligent, and unbelievably solid. It has always bothered me that so many upper level riders let their position go out the window. People make excuses constantly, like ‘it’s more important to be effective than pretty.’ I get it. It is hard to ‘equitate’ over bigger jumps on horses who jump with so much power, but both Beezie and McLain Ward prove it’s possible to be effective and have an effective, attractive position. I really admire that.”

Anna’s favorite brands include:

Antares
Devoucoux
Tailored Sportsman
EIS
Essex Classics
Parlantis
Horseware Ireland

She also loves to buy on eBay and high-end used tack Facebook groups.

Anna said she believes that one never knows where this sport is going to take them.

“…[M]y mother has said to me a lot ‘Everything that has happened has led to this.’ It doesn’t matter which incident she’s talking about, it always holds true … I started showing with Don last year for the sole purpose of qualifying for the Maclay. Instead of that, I got a job with him, which is much better, in my opinion. Since we can’t tell what path we’re on, it makes no sense to panic when things are going wrong. There is always a silver lining, though it may be hard to find, and you can always turn bad into good. This advice has kept my eyes open and provided me with a lot of opportunities I never thought I would be fortunate enough to receive.”

If you would like to keep up with Anna, she has her own blog. She also has a Facebook page, Instagram, YouTube, and is always available by email.

June 6, 2014

Up & Coming Rider Dani Schneider

We have a brand new Up & Coming Rider today! Some of you may know Dani from Twitter as @perfEqtionn (and her Twitter handle isn’t far from the truth!) She is also a My Barn Child ambassador, an EcoLicious Equestrian ambassador, and runs her own blog!

Dani & her horse, Celebrity.

To start, we asked Dani to tell us a little about herself, and here is what she had to say:

“I’m not really good about telling people about myself, so bare with me! I ride horses (no duh) and I live in Southern California! I’ve lived in California my whole life (17 years). I am an avid concertgoer, I’ve seen over 100 people live! I am also an adrenaline junkie; I love cliff-jumping, roller coaster, anything crazy. I want to go skydiving when I turn 18. I love going to the beach in my free time, it’s my favorite place in the world (besides the barn). I hope one day to travel the world! I really want to go to Greece, Italy, and Antigua! I am a junior in high school (cries). I also drive a Jetta! I’m a very sarcastic person, but I can be very serious when I want to be. My favorite color is purple, my favorite flower is a tiger lily, and I have too many favorite songs to narrow it down to one.”

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, how did Dani get into riding?

“My mom works at the wedding venue that is located on the property of the barn I ride at,” she said. “She always brought me to work with her. I would run away and go watch lessons. My trainer, Michelle, talked to my mom about getting me started, but my mom said I had to wait until I turned 5.”

Like any horse girl, Dani was itching to get riding, so she managed to get herself on a pony name Patches when she was 4. She’s been riding ever since.

While Dani does a lot of jumper competition right now on her horse Celebrity, she is versatile and can go in all three rings. However, she does love the jumpers more than equitation and hunters.

“I love that you get to go fast and take tight turns, but you can’t go too crazy! I think each discipline is tough in their own way but jumpers challenges me more. I have to think about each track very carefully, looking for places to save time, but also keeping my horse in mind. I have to know both Celebrity’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as my own. For instance, Celebrity has a sticky right turn so if there’s one in my course, I have to find a track that will help me execute my turn. I can make up for lost time with his humongous step though. But jumpers is by far my favorite,” she said.

Celebrity.

Celebrity, who was bred for the jumpers, is a 9 year old bay warmblood. Celebrity’s sire is Sandstone Conway, and his dam was the youngest horse to ever be in the Olympics (at age 7)! Her name is Sandstone Dorina.

According to Dani, Celebrity is a bit quirky, and he is a complete difference from the horse Dani was riding when she first began riding Celebrity.

“When I first started riding him in 2013 I was riding my mare, Summer, as well. Summer was a project horse of mine that I trained to be a push button horse for someone looking to do hunters, jumpers, and eq up to 3’3,” Dani said. “Towards the end of riding Summer I was told to just sit there and let her do the work, making her think for her self, easy for me.. until I had to lesson Celebrity in the next lesson.”

Dani describes Summer and Celebrity as polar opposites. The challenge helped her mature as a rider, and she is super in tune with Celebrity’s needs when they are working as a team. For example, Celebrity is scared of other horses in the ring, so Dani has to be hyperaware of her surroundings when she is in a lesson.

“I’m always on the lookout for him. I am his protector,” she said. “He has a huge heart and loves to jump.”

Dani has only been with Celebrity for about 13 months, but she says they have taught each other a lot, including trust, patience, teamwork, focus, grace, and unconditional love – to name a few.

“I couldn’t ask for a better horse to ride,” she said.

Dani & Celebrity.

This year, Dani hopes to continue showing in the 1.10m Children’s jumpers. She especially hopes to qualify for the USHJA Children’s Jumper Finals (which we have NO doubt she will).

Nowadays, a lot of riders are working with equestrian or horse-related companies whether as brand or social media ambassadors or as sponsored riders. Dani is lucky enough to be an ambassador for both My Barn Child and EcoLicious Equestrian (two companies everyone should check out if you haven’t already!)

Being a brand ambassador is a huge thing on every serious rider’s list. Dani gave some advice to those who are itching to become the next EcoLicious or Ogilvy ambassador:

“Research the company before you apply to be an ambassador, just know what you’re agreeing to,” she said. “Also, be yourself! Don’t lie just so you get the ambassadorship. Be genuine and truly love the products you are supporting.”

So what are Dani’s must have equestrian items? Lucky for you, we got a list!

When asked if she looks up to any other riders, Dani has a few, including one she used to ride with when she was younger, Kilian McGrath.

Kilian McGrath. Photo Courtesy of ProEquest.com.

“She is an amazing rider and proves to everyone that hard work pays off! She works her butt off everyday to get to where she is today. She proved to everyone that talent and hard work surpasses how far money can get you. Kilian won gold at Young Riders in 2012!”

Dani also looks up to her trainer’s daughter, Beezie Madden, and Ashley Bond.

Dani experiences anxiety about showing just like many of us, but to combat it, she says affirmations and thinks positively. She also has a lot of trust in her trainer, who she believes would not have moved her up if she wasn’t able to be successful in that particular class.

Manny – er Dani – says her biggest weakness is her shoulders.

“My trainer calls me “Manny” instead of “Dani” my shoulders are so bad! It’s been an on going problem of mine! My trainer always says I have man shoulders! Sometimes I just forget to work on them and put them back because I’m so busy focusing on Celebrity!”

Like many other riders who have a presence on social media, Dani has experienced social media hate. It’s unfortunately a HUGE part of being a big social media presence on the internet nowadays. To deal with negativity, Dani did a few things:

“I responded to it at first, but soon realized that resounding was pointless. I let them send me hate and I just wouldn’t respond, why add fuel to the fire? I changed my ask settings so people can’t ask me questions anonymously, the hate stopped immediately!” She said. “People like to make themselves feel better by bashing others. I see a lot of people, Georgie, Kendra, and other big name riders, getting hate, it’s horrible and a lot is untrue! I just keep in mind that if I wasn’t able to ride successfully in the classes I am in, my trainer wouldn’t put me in them! So forget the haters!”

With all of the riding and showing, how does Dani have time to do anything else?

“It’s a hard task balancing horses and school but I have learned to manage my time. I have a study hall in my schedule at school that I use to work on homework. I also use all the free time in class to finish my work. My teachers know how dedicated I am to horses, so when I do show, I talk to them and we work out a schedule for the work I am going to miss,” she said. “I do bring my schoolwork to shows and I will work on it when there is time available. But between study hall, free time in class, and an hour at home before the barn, I am able to manage riding and school.”

Dani & her team for the costume class. They won first place!

Dani & her team in a Flintridge costume class. They won first place!

And, when she isn’t riding, studying, or at school, she LOVES going to the beach, which isn’t too far from her home in California.

As a junior, Dani is starting to prepare for college. Some riders we’ve spoken to don’t want to pursue riding as a profession after they age out, and others hope to become professional big names in this sport. So what does Dani have in mind?

“I really want to ride in college! I am currently working with Michelle Morris, who rode on University of Georgia’s equestrian team, putting together my video to send to schools! I am hoping to ride on a NCAA team but some of the schools I really want to go to are IHSA!” She said. “I would love to ride professionally but we will see where I end up! As for now, I am just focusing on my current show year and getting into college!”

Ultimately, Dani hopes to be a successful rider that takes the typical riding stereotype (a ton of money with the nicest of everything) and turns it upside down.

“You could say I’m the underdog in this sport. My family isn’t rich, I don’t have the nicest clothes, cars, houses, horses, etc. I don’t get to show that often either,” she said. “I make do with what I have, and I work hard everyday so I can one day prove that I belong in this sport. My goal is to be the rider that little girls and boys look up to. I want them to know that you CAN be SUCCESSFUL and GREAT without having a ton of money.”

Overall, Dani wants riding to be about working hard, having fun, and being herself.

“I work hard everyday and without hard work I wouldn’t be where I am today. I remember to have fun because riding horses shouldn’t be a grueling job, just have fun and do your thing!”

Want to see more of Dani & Celebrity?

Dani & Celebrity showing off their blue ribbon.

Find her on her social media accounts!

She also will be updating her blog more frequently once school is out for the summer. Her blog is on our favorite links to the right of this post and linked above!

Know an up & coming rider that you think should be featured on our blog? Let me know in the comments below, find me on Twitter, or shoot me an email (jess@thelegalequestrian.com)!

April 23, 2014

Up & Coming Rider Alexandra Maracic

This week’s up & coming rider is Alexandra Maracic! This past year, Alexandra and her former equitation horse Po placed fourth in the Pessoa/ US Hunter Seat Equitation Medal Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Po also won Best Equitation Horse.

Alex & Po at the USEF Equitation Medal Finals. Photo Courtesy of PhelpsSports.com

The past year has been peppered with amazing accomplishments and devastating heartbreaks, but Alex has taken it all in stride and remained positive, focused, and ambitious.

Alex is 17 years old and comes from New York. She describes her life as “family, school, and horses.” She has hopes of becoming a top competitor in this sport, much like all of us.

When Alexa was two years old, she sat on her first horse and “fell in love.” Horseback riding is somewhat of a family pastime, as her mother had backyard horses when she was younger. While Alex’s mom was into pleasure and western riding, Alex found her way into English riding with her first pony at 8 years old.

“When my family moved to Long Island, they began to give into my begging of taking horseback riding lessons. They set up riding lessons for me and bought me my first pony when I was 8 years old,” Alex said. “I did the short stirrup to the children’s pony division. Once I grew a bit older they bought me Po when I was 11, and I’ve just sold him recently.”

Alex bought Po when he was just five years old, and together with her mentor, Ross Reisner, made Po into the equitation horse he is today. Alex said Po was “extremely green” when she first bought him, but his accomplishments have shown that “hard work really does pay off.”

Alex & Po. Photo Courtesy of Google+.

“I bought Po as a young horse that didn’t really know much and trained him to be awarded Best Equitation Horse,” Alex said. “It’s so unreal to me that I was able to pull off solid rounds after the what had happened to my trainer just weeks before that final. I owe all of it to my trainer and Po because I don’t think I could’ve pulled off what I did without them. Po definitely deserved that award.”

Alex’s biggest accomplishment thus far and her biggest challenge came not too removed from each other. Shortly before the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, her trainer and mentor, Ross Reisner, was brutally murdered in his home on Long Island.

“When Ross passed away, I lost all confidence and wanted to quit,” Alex said. “I’m really glad I don’t because I’ve come to realize that I have so much ahead of me and so many people here to help me.”

Alex has recently decided to get into the jumpers after competing in the equitation classes for the past 3 years. Because she can only keep one horse at a time, Alex made the tough decision to sell Po and acquire a junior jumper named Coridon Z.

“Moving up to the jumpers was a hard decision I had to make because I had to sell my horse of a lifetime,” Alex said. “I decided to become a working student so it was easier for my parents, and I would be able to have more opportunities to ride many horses and learn new things.”

Alex purchased Coridon Z, ‘Don,’ at the end of August. He was imported from Europe about a month before Alex bought him.

Alex & ‘Don’
Photo Credit: Instagram

“My favorite thing about Don is that he is so gentle cuddly. He allows my 10 year old sister to walk him around an open field like he’s a puppy dog. He is so forgiving and he is just so much fun to ride. I don’t really have a challenge with him yet because he is so new to my family and I’ve only showed him once so far,” Alex said.

Unfortunately, Don had to put to sleep in early March because of cancer in his spleen. While Alex was heartbroken over the loss of Don, she has stayed firm in her riding goals. She has started riding at Heritage Farm with Andre Dignelli, the well-known trainer of some other big name riders like Lillie Keenan.

“Andre is giving me an equitation horse to ride and hopefully in the future I will find another jumper. I’m taking a little bit of a break from owning a horse because I’m going to focus on school and work,” Alex said. “I plan to compete in the equitation finals again, and I hope to win one this year. When I do get a jumper I plan to become competitive and hopefully move up to some Grand Prix and young rider stuff!”

Alex plans on continuing to ride once she ages out of the juniors. She will be attending college and riding on a collegiate equestrian team. She plans to open her own business, be successful, and take her riding to the professional level.

Photo Credit: Instagram.

This past winter, Alex got to live the equestrian dream of being at WEF. However, it wasn’t all fun and games.

“Balancing school and being at WEF is a bit hard because I have really long days of work. I make sure I get all of my work done at the time I’m at the tutoring place so I don’t have much to do when I get home,” Alex said.

A typical WEF day for Alex consisted of going to school, riding, and doing school work. She attended school from 7 am to 12 pm Monday through Wednesday and promptly went to work at her farm. From Thursday to Sunday, Alex would work from 7 am or earlier depending on horse show time until whatever time everything finished.

Alex currently works for Michael Zukerman, a trainer that she has known for a while since he trains at her farm on Long Island. During her time working for Michael, Alex said she has learned so much and that she highly recommends becoming a working student though it can be challenging at times.

“I may not be living the WEF fairytale dream as everyone thinks of it, but I sure am learning a lot about this sport,” Alex said. “I’ve ridden so many different horses, and I’ve made so many connections between so many different people. It really is so worth it.”

While at WEF, Alex got to take a lesson with the famous George Morris. She uploaded a video of her lesson to her YouTube account.

Photo Credit: Instagram

Alex has certainly seen a lot of success in her riding career, but she gets nervous like anyone else.

“I get very nervous and anxious before I go in the ring. Sometime I think as if I forget how to ride,” she said. “I try to block everything out and focus on myself. Treat every jump as if its a single and as if you’re practicing at home.”

Alex tries to ride about 6 days a week, when possible. However, she said she never rides less than 4 days a week. When she isn’t riding, she is reading or going for runs.

When she is riding, Alex said that she doesn’t have a favorite exercise that she does with the horses, but if she had to choose, it would be shoulder-in. She also loves water jumps. Alex said her biggest riding weakness is getting frustrated with herself. (Editor’s Note: Mine too!) Her strength when riding is jumping.

Alex has gotten the chance to ride with many professionals. Her favorite big name riders are Kent Farrington and McLain Ward – both of whom she “really enjoys watching.” As for big name horses, she loves Brianne Goutal’s Nice de Prissey because he is “so beautiful.”

When it comes to must-have equestrian items, Alex said that while it’s hard to choose, she has to pick her Ogilvy pad. She also loves her charcoal Tailored Sportsman breeches, her orange H belt, and her La Mundial boots.

When it comes to other young riders, Alex expressed concern for other riders’ attitudes toward their partners.

“This sport is so competitive, and it really makes me upset when barn teammates are against each other,” she said. “I also feel as if these riders have no relationship with their animals. Po and I had a great relationship. Every time I would walk in the barn he would nicker at me.”

Alex & Po at the USET Finals. Photo Credit: Instagram

Alex & Po.
Photo Credit: Instagram

Alex has certainly made great strides in her riding career, and it seems as if she has great things ahead of her despite the setbacks. She has remained positive and determined to achieve her goals.

“You have to believe in yourself. Anything could happen if you work hard for what you want. No matter what division you are competing in, at the end of the day it’s just you and your horse,” Alex said. “Over the years I’ve learned that nobody cares how well you are doing or how bad you rode that one day. Learn from your mistakes and move on to try harder. It’s hard for me to understand that as I know many young riders are facing that problem but it all makes sense. Nobody is perfect but working hard for what you want makes you better.”

Want to keep up with Alex and her progress this year? You can find her on Twitter and Instagram!

March 19, 2014

Up & Coming Rider: Georgie Hammond

This week’s Up & Coming Rider features a very familiar face in the horse world, Georgie Hammond! Georgie is 16 years old and currently competes in the big eq out of Brookmore Farms in Oviedo, Florida. Those of you who know Georgie know that she has one horse, Coach, and just recently began leasing Easy. She’s been handed a lot of curveballs this past year, but she has always handled them with grace, optimism, and poise.

Georgie & Coach.

Georgie has been riding for 12 years and started after what she calls “some horrible ballet attempts.” She started on ponies and within her first year of riding had her own naughty pony – every little girl’s dream! Georgie also had an amazing trainer that helped her become who she is today.

“She was everything I could have wanted to become. She rode amazing, had amazing horses, and had the general mannerism and confidence I wished to carry my self with one day,” she said.

She also grew up in Florida, which she said is “near perfect.” She loves the hot summers and having little to no winter (Editor’s Note: We are super jealous up here in New Jersey). She also only has to drive between 1 and 3 hours to get to one of the central horse show destinations in the United States.

Georgie typically rides 5 – 6 days per week when she is not showing. When she is showing, she rides every single day. She manages to do all of this while still being a junior in high school. This year, she has started something new to help manage her time between school and the barn.

“I am actually doing half-time school,” Georgie said. “I take three classes in school and four virtual. This way, I can go to school from 7 – 10:30, and then go straight to the barn!”

This may seem like a lot, but Georgie manages to stay an AP and honors student with a 4.2 GPA. So, how does she manage to handle two horses, an almost full week of riding, and maintaining a stellar GPA?

“My main rule of thumb is to prioritize. It’s all go go go when I get home from the barn with schoolwork,” she said. “As for horse shows and missing school, I’m pretty good about getting my virtual school done at the show and then catching up promptly when I return to school. It’s definitely easier missing three classes rather than seven, so I’m fortunate with that!”

Georgie’s Perfect Partner

Coach, Georgie’s horse, has become his own celebrity in the equestrian internet world. He even has his own twitter account.

Georgie & Coach.

Coach is a 13 year old, 17.3 hh Dutch Warmblood that Georgie has owned for six years. She purchased Coach to take her to the 3 foot jumps because she was stuck on a naughty medium pony (I feel ya on that one, Georgie!)

Georgie said that Coach is the “best thing that has ever happened” to her. They started together in short stirrups and have moved up since then.

“He is the epitome of a gentle giant,” she said. “He floats at the trot and steps the jumps. He is automatic change and frames when you ask. He can have anywhere from the biggest step in the world to the smallest as he is also the most adjustable horse I’ve ridden.”

Coach is also described as being animated, willing, and paying attention to everything Georgie asks.

Coach & George Morris. nbd.

“I could not have been luckier with a horse like Coach. He’s my best friend and love of my life,” Georgie said.

Unfortunately, earlier this year, Coach suffered an injury. However, he is doing great and is making a “speedy recovery.”

Georgie also had to make a tough decision in terms of her riding career and her partnership with Coach this year. Georgie’s aspirations and Coach’s abilities were no longer meshing, and she had to make the tough choice to sell or lease him.

“Realizing that my time had ended with Coach was hard. I felt really lost and broken when I saw it happening,” Georgie said. “But I love Coach too much to be holding onto him for the wrong reasons rather than letting go for the right.”

Georgie maintained that she had to do what was best for Coach and for herself. She firmly believes that time heals all, and even if she doesn’t own him in the future, she credits her current riding ability to him.

From Perfect Partner to Big Easy…

Georgie recently found an equitation horse to lease – “Easy,” an 18hh warmblood.

Georgie & Easy.

“He’s done jumpers most of his life and has even done a couple of Grand Prixes,” she said. “He is also a gentle giant that steps the jumps. He is very athletic but also sensitive. He would jump through a ring of fire with his ears flopped and has yet to care about anything.”

According to Georgie, Easy’s massive step allows him to “crawl around the ring.” He also lives up to his name by being very easygoing.

With Easy, Georgie plans on getting him in great condition and improving every time they are in the show ring. Long term, Georgie hopes to qualify for the USEF Medal & Maclay finals.

Georgie & Coach after their Derby win.

Georgie’s riding career has been peppered with accomplishments, including winning the Champagne Nutt Hunter Derby out of more than a hundred riders and the Equitation Championship both in the same night.

Georgie has really set her sights on making a mark in the equitation world. What does she love about the discipline so much? When asked, she said she loves the “impossibility of equitation.”

“My favorite part … is the pressure to be perfect,” she said. “We aspire to achieve a flawless ride. Because perfection is impossible, it’s that much more interesting and fun. It’s a neverending chase, and it takes hard work on yourself and your horse.”

While Georgie’s biggest riding strength is her leg, she said that her biggest weakness is her “long eye.” She has a thing for long distances, which she shares with Coach. She has spent time training herself to create another distance, and she said putting that time in has definitely made her better at not choosing the long distance. Georgie also does a lot of no stirrup work throughout the year (take note you no stirrup Novembers!)

Georgie gave the following advice to riders who want to make it to the “big eq” world.

“Keep your confidence up. Discouragement is the key reason for downfall in the horse riding world. We let others dictate what we can and can’t do. We listen to the criticism of those who know nothing about us. You are only as good as you believe you can be. Strive for excellence and push yourself. If you mess up, it’s okay. Everyone messes up,” she said. “You will make mistakes, you will have bad rides, your horse will have bad days, but that’s part of this sport. When I say the big eq is about achieving perfection, I mean it’s about achieving your best self. So do that.”

While Georgie does not follow any big equitation riders herself, she does look up to individuals like Lillie Keenan and Hayley Waters. She also stated that she would ride with George Morris “any day, anytime.” In fact, she has already done clinics with him!

Georgie & Coach at a 2011 clinic. And yes, that IS George Morris himself.

“He is also to thank for my riding today. He improved my riding more in the couple of lessons I have had with him than I have in years,” Georgie said. “He is a remarkable human that look up to an incredible amount.”

After she graduates high school and ages out, Georgie plans on attending college to study psychology. While she hopes she can ride through college, her parents won’t be supporting it for her anymore. Despite that, she has high hopes of riding on a college team but isn’t sure where she will end up or where it will take her.

“I am not sure about professional status for my riding,” she said. “I’m not sure what the future holds. I would have to make it all happen by myself, and it would take a lot of work. At this point I probably will not [ride professionally].”

A look in Georgie’s tack trunk and riding closet…

We asked Georgie to put together a schooling outfit.

Her outfit includes a J.Crew shirt and pearl earrings, a Lacoste watch, a Tory Burch belt, Cartier bracelet, Pikeur breeches, Der Dau tall boots (Editor’s Note: a personal favorite of mine!), and a Charles Owen helmet.

“My typical schooling outfits are classic, simple, yet sophisticated and are based off of my personal style outside of the horse riding world,” Georgie said.

We also asked Georgie what her top five must haves for her horses are. She said: a towling robe blanket (to soak up all the water after baths), Back on Track sheet (“Warm backs are happy backs!”), Banana Sweat, Toad Juice fly spray (works for sensitive skinned horses), and Calm Coat (a product Georgie swears by for dry coats or cruddy coats after heavy rain or dusty days).

But we know what you’re all thinking… what exactly is Banana Sweat?

“Banana sweat is a product most people don’t know much about, but it is basically a liquid we put on the horses’ legs under wraps to make them sweat, releasing all of that fluid build up,” she said.

What else does Georgie love right now for the horse world?

Green hunt coats are definitely on the rise! They are coming back in style as the days go by!” She said. “Leather seems to be slowly rising a tiny bit. With Charles Owen making brown suede & leather helmets, boot companies expanding the brown shades and even Roeckl bringing out brown gloves, I think that this may be a slight rise in the fashion industry.”

Georgie also credits her success to her “supportive parents” pictured here along with Georgie’s trainer at an end of the year banquet.

Georgie also stated she was happy that there aren’t many colors in the hunter and equitation rings. “I think the industry is advancing but keeping our traditional styles in tact,” she said.

Speaking of Roeckl gloves, we asked Georgie what other color combination she would get, and she said black gloves with white trim and a white monogram. According to Georgie, this style is flashier than the standard black glove but small enough to not hinder the traditional style.

“No one enjoys a ‘cat fish…’”

Georgie has a huge following on social media, and she believes being honest and open is key.

“Sharing my journey through this crazy sport with 100% honesty is what has gotten me where I am today! Being humble and grateful always are also ways to show your followers that you’re just like everyone else. Relating to someone makes them comfortable yet interested!”

Social media popularity, unfortunately, can bring on the haters.

“I would say I receive anywhere from 5 – 30 hurtful things a day through social media. My key way of handling it is ignoring it just by deleting it. Most of the people sending the hate have never met me before and never will, therefore their opinion on me is irrelevant,” Georgie said.

She said she remains graceful and poised when she receives social media hate. She also keeps her cool and tries to put things in perspective.

Georgie & Coach, HITS 2011.

If you don’t already love Georgie, we hope this interview has made you love her! Time and time again, she has handled life’s curveballs with positivity, grace, and poise. She is, and should be, a huge role model for anyone in the horse world, whether young or old, competitive or not. Georgie also credits riding with being her “personal silent therapy session.”

“I keep in mind that time heals all and nothing lasts forever,” she said. “I let me horses take away my pain and take my days as they come.”

Georgie encourages all riders to get out there and do what they know they can do.

“Work hard, train hard, and follow your heart. At the end of the day, only you can be the best version of you, and no one can take that from you.”

Want to keep up with Georgie, Coach, and Easy on social media? You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram (@georgieeeeporgieee), or Tumblr.

Did you like this spotlight or know an up & coming rider we should interview? Let us know in the comments below, on Twitter, or shoot me an email!

Stay tuned for the next rider in our “Up & Coming Rider” series!

The Legal Equestrian

An interview with Carly Nasznic: An up and coming young, talented equine photographer

Anna Easton: Taking everything in stride

Up & Coming Rider Dani Schneider

Up & Coming Rider Alexandra Maracic

Up & Coming Rider: Georgie Hammond

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