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FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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The Equine Artist Who Became My Vision Board: Discover Steve Messenger
If you're searching for a truly unique Christmas gift for the equestrian in your life, skip the generic stable supplies and consider investing in original art.
Nov 243 min read


Tips to Address Amateur Equestrian Anxiety
The biggest hurdle in amateur riding anxiety is simply allowing yourself to make mistakes and embracing them as data for growth. If you aren't making mistakes, you're probably not learning.
Nov 193 min read


Breaking the System: Fighting Horse Show Politics for Fairness and Integrity
A year ago, my horse, First Impression (Vino), earned the Grand Hunter Champion title at a state hunter–jumper finals show. It should have been a defining moment. Instead, it became a quiet lesson in how easily established power can attempt to erase the truth.
Nov 163 min read


An Open Letter to the Leadership of the United States Equestrian Federation
This urgent letter addresses the USEF on the culture of impunity. We call for proactive investigation, meaningful consequences that aren't timed in the off-season, and a firm stand for the integrity of the sport.
Nov 33 min read


The High Cost of Compromise: Why Revenue Silences Dissent and Threatens SLO in Equestrian Sport
There is a Significant Financial Incentive for USEF Leadership to Look Away The viability of equestrian sport rests on its Social License to Operate (SLO)—the fragile public trust that ethical practice is paramount. Yet, this license is severely threatened by a fundamental conflict within the governing structure: the systemic reluctance to properly sanction influential figures who represent the most lucrative competitive barns at the top level. This fear translates into perce
Oct 303 min read


Are You a Barnacle? (Asking for a Friend... or Myself)
A barnacle, in horse show terms, is that person who's always asking for a leg up, a hand with tack, someone to hold their horse, or an extra pair of hands. But somehow, when you need a favor, they're mysteriously invisible, suddenly busy with an urgent text, or just…gone. It's the equestrian equivalent of a one-sided relationship, and frankly, it's exhausting.
Oct 183 min read
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