Geoffrey Hesslink was launched into the spotlight when he topped the 2014 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals East on Peacock Ridge LLC’s Canny Windsor Z. He impressed the judges throughout all phases of the competition and earned top scores during the testing where the competitors had to switch mounts.

It was Geoffrey’s first national title and a fantastic way to close out his junior riding career. Even now as Geoffrey has continued on to become a budding young professional, the win remains close to Geoffrey’s heart.

“My biggest accomplishment up to this point is when I won the 2014 USEF Platinum Performance Talent Search Finals. This holds a special place in my heart because winning an equitation final was my ultimate junior career dream,” he said. “I worked tirelessly day in and day out for years to accomplish this goal and when it finally all paid off it really felt like the ultimate dream come true.”

Since then, Geoffrey has clinched some other admirable titles such as earning the 2016 Hallway Feeds Leading Professional Rider Award, being the WCHR regional Developing Professional Champion and Reserve Champion at Capital Challenge, being USHJA year-end regional National Hunter Derby Champion for Zone 5 and overall Reserve Champion in the National Hunter Derbies.

Read more: Up & Coming Young Professional: Geoffrey Hesslink

by Eric Mitchell

Show horse trainer Stevee Keller didn't realize a casual conversation about Thoroughbred pedigrees she favored would lead to her owning her first stallion and a rising star in the world of three-day eventing.

Keller had been talking with Adrian Gonzalez, with Checkmate Thoroughbreds, who she attends sales with in California. Gonzalez asked her if she had a preference for particular bloodlines.

"I told him the one that is really up-and-coming are with The Pamplemousse babies," Keller recalled Jan. 31, referring to the grade 3-winning son of Kafwain who was standing at Rancho San Miguel. "I have, like, four that are on their way to becoming two-star, three-star, almost up to Olympic level, three-day eventing horses. Adrian just laughed."

It so happened that Gonzalez handles the sale consignments for Rancho San Miguel's young horses and knew the farm wanted to find a new home for the big gray 12-year-old horse.

Read more: Career in Three-Day Eventing for The Pamplemousse

And a Solution to Help Curvy Women! by Bonnie Marlewski-Probert

I received a letter asking for help fixing two problems: 1. Learning to sit at the canter and, 2. Stop coming so high out of the saddle over fences. The good news is that both problems can be fixed, and the better news is that both problems often originate from the same sources. So, if we fix one, we will often times fix the other problem at the same time.

Here are some tips that will help you solve both problems:

1. Sometimes, the easiest way to fix a problem is to ask yourself this question; IF I wanted to CAUSE both of these problems, how could I do that? The simple answer is, I could do that if I shortened up my stirrups. Let’s look at an extreme example to make the point. Have you ever seen a jockey’s stirrup length when they are racing? Their knees are way above the back of the horse and the jockey rarely touches the seat of the saddle as a result. Using this example as the extreme, I would recommend that you first try lowering your stirrups just one hole on each side and see what the results are. Very often in life, the most difficult problems have the easiest answers.

Read more: How Can I Stop Bouncing In The Saddle?

by Marion E. Altieri

And America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred is...Old Tavern, a Thoroughbred filly who epitomizes the very best of her breed, and elegantly shows the heart and versatility of horses who aren’t meant for careers on race tracks.

Thoroughbreds have gotten a bum rap for many years. Many people think that—because yes, the breed was created by humans—that the breed is rife with genetically-determined skittishness. They’re deemed to be, “hothouse flowers,” because—for all their tremendous size and strength—a few nervous horses set the pace for human prejudice.

Thoroughbreds are more-often-than-not, judged to possess the emotional constitution of an over the top, hysterical drama queens. Yes: too many humans, even those who work regularly with Thoroughbreds, see their horses through the lens of culturally-imposed bias. (e.g., Someone’s Uncle Joe said that all Thoroughbreds are emotionally frail, or terrified of their own shadows—and so, it must be so.) But culturally-inherited information isn’t necessarily the Truth.

Thoroughbreds like Old Tavern, daughter of Peak Dancer and Modern Madame, is living proof that her breed not only is agile, swift and eager-to-please—but also, tough and ready for action. The action of polo, no less.

Old Tavern, you see, was bred to become a race horse. Her name, registered with the Jockey Club, was, Taberna. Her breeder and owner, Larry Curtis, had sent her off to train for the races—but then decided not to pursue that path for his homebred. Being a conscientious breeder—he sought other avenues for Taberna. He knew what everyone involved in the Retired Racehorse Project knows—that Taberna had value, just by existing.

However, he also knew that she should have a job—also, that, Thoroughbreds being intelligent beings—she shouldn’t simply retire from the training barn to spend the next 20 years hanging out in a meadow somewhere. She, like all Thoroughbreds—are happiest when their minds and bodies are occupied, and exercised.

Read more: America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred, Old Tavern, a Brave Polo Pony with Nerves of Steel