Pegasus Eventing

02/21/2026

❤️❤️🫶

You don’t need big fences to build a better jumper.

Olympic show jumper (and former equitation finals competitor) Aaron Vale shares his go-to ground pole and cavaletti exercises—including the famous “circle of death”—and explains why over-fences education for horses and riders at any level doesn’t need to be complicated or involve big fences.

Dive into his practical training advice via the link in comments — available with a Chronicle subscription.

📸 Sportfot

09/12/2025

❤️

When American buyers look for their next jumper or dressage horse, they often turn to Europe. The breeding isn’t necessarily better overseas, says trainer and rider David Reichert. The problem lies in the pipeline.

“The breeding is good in the U.S.,” Reichert explained on The Plaidcast. “The problem’s not the breeding. The problem is what are we doing with these horses when they’re four, five, six, seven years old?”

In Germany, where Reichert grew up, young horses move through a deliberate, accessible development system. In the U.S., he argues, the system doesn’t exist in a meaningful way and that gap shows.

In Germany, the structure is simple and consistent:

- Four-year-olds go to about 10 shows, competing in 70–80 cm classes.
- Five-year-olds compete in 1.00–1.10 m classes at 15–20 shows a year.
- Six-year-olds step up to 1.20–1.30 m, again in 15–20 shows.

By the time a horse is seven, it has seen 40–50 quality, confidence-building classes. Importantly, these shows are designed for development: shorter courses, fewer fences, and judging based on performance rather than time.

“You trailer to the show, you ride the class, and then you go back home,” Reichert said. “You don’t keep the horse at the show for weeks and weeks. And it’s judged on the performance of the horse. It’s not timed, it’s not 13 jumps, it’s seven, eight, nine jumps built fairly to give the horse confidence.”

This repetition, he explains, is what makes German seven- and eight-year-olds so competitive and why American buyers so often import them.

Try to replicate that model in the U.S., and the numbers are staggering. With shows costing $1,000–$1,500 a week, giving a young horse 40–50 starts can run $50,000–$70,000 before the horse even turns seven. By then, an American-bred horse would have to sell for over $120,000 just for the breeder or trainer to break even.

“That’s why we’re not competitive,” Reichert said. “The young horse has to cost double or triple just to cover the expenses. In Germany, the same horse can cost $50,000 or $60,000 because the cost to get it there is so much lower.”

Course design compounds the problem. In the U.S., many so-called “young horse” classes are just watered-down versions of standard divisions: long tracks with 12–13 jumps, two combinations, and questions designed for much older horses.

“At the big A shows, the same course gets labeled as a young horse class,” Reichert said. “And then you’re supposed to take your five-year-old in there. That’s not development. That’s not giving the horse a positive experience.”

Local shows don’t always solve the issue, either. While some offer thoughtful courses, many are plagued by inconsistent footing, poor warm-up areas, and classes that don’t reflect the careful progression young horses need.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/09/10/fixing-the-young-horse-pipeline-why-the-u-s-falls-behind-europe/
📸 © Heather N. Photography

05/21/2025

Taz is all settled in in his new home in Missouri! This was a special 5 yo homebred Trakehner/TB! He did his first USEA event in March and has already done 2 Training level ones by May! He has the best brain and we look forward to watching him grow in Julie Wolfert’s program with the LaCarrubba Family!! Congratulations!!

11/19/2024

*** DOES HAVING A TRAINER IN THE WARM UP RING, HELP OR HINDER?! ***

Some Friday night musings/opinions!

I’ve never had anyone to warm me up in my 35 years of competing, bar a couple of times at the National Dressage Championships. I truly believe a trainer in the warm up can often be detrimental, especially at the lower levels.

Your training is achieved at home, and not in the ten or so minutes before you compete. I’ve often seen riders at the lower levels (which I’m currently competing at, before anyone gets offended!) have intense training sessions in the warm up arena, and then go in and it all fall apart. Other than offering some positive “good”s, I think riders are far better off concentrating on how they feel their horse is going, rather than being shouted at by a trainer. Obviously in a jumping warm up, you need someone doing the jumps, and ideally someone that knows your routine. But personally I don’t believe that having a training session in the warm up arena helps one bit. I’m not talking about eyes on the ground before a rider goes into a GP test, as certainly from a dressage point of view, someone just to comment that the horse needs to be a little more up/forward, can be helpful.

Maybe it helps with a rider’s nerves? As I said, I’ve never had anyone train me at a competition, so I don’t know. But I prefer to feel how my horse is going that day, and make my own adjustments. Maybe it’s also because I don’t really train with anyone very often (through lack of time and not being able to pin the good trainers down!). Fortunately, my mum isn’t horsey, so I’ve never had to put up with her shouting instructions at me in the warm up, like I see many poor kids go through!

If it works for you, then carry on having help in the warm up, but if things often fall apart in the ring, then it may be worth having some quiet time with your horse in the warm up, so you can feel what may or may not happen when you get in the ring. Just some food for thought, and an insight into my competition prep. Other than when I’m on Alfred, as that’s a whole different warm up on a severely horse shy horse! 🤠 🫣

Photo of George, jumping huge tracks as a 6 year old! Aiming to be back at that height very soon 🤞

09/23/2024

Sad but true fact.
A big discussion lately among trainers is that we work non stop and end up subsidizing the horse owners hobby. There is no money to be made boarding horses because no one would pay the actual cost. It’s hard for horse owners to understand the pricing because they fail to figure in the time it takes to care for their animals and expect us to essentially work for free. Most clients don’t see the hidden cost of their facility. Insurance, repairs and upkeep to equipment and property, mortgage or rent, payroll, the list is truly endless. Many think that “it can’t be that expensive to feed a horse” but absolutely fail to see all the costs involved. That hose your horse just stepped on and broke needs to be replaced. The fence board that it broke isn’t free. Costs are insane. Truly.
Boarding barns and lesson programs are closing down every single day. The burn out rate is skyrocketing and I don’t see a solution. The financial and emotional toil it takes is off the charts.
Thank your trainer, barn owner, staff and understand the huge sacrifice we make. Yes, we certainly chose this life but it comes at a huge cost.

In early July of this year, I decided to write a post on Facebook explaining my decision to radically change my business.

09/22/2024

Luna ❤️ this mare is SMART & Fancy! This was Tuesday And only my 3rd ride on her. She’s 5 but just got started under saddle as she had some babies first! This was probably only her 10th ride under saddle, we haven’t had time to get her going consistently but we’re about to start! Price will increase soon! 20k now

Sassenach D’avalon 5yo Oldenberg Mare

08/16/2024

You are a woman, 35 to 45 years old. You have completed school, got a job and a promotion or two, maybe three. Finally, your life is getting more comfortable. You now have discretionary income. Men at this stage in life often buy a boat. Few women do. Both men and women join a golf club, but you never liked golf. You rode a little as a kid and liked it but never mastered riding. With your bills up to date and with some extra money every month, you decide to ride horses.

Many women of this description came to me to learn how to ride over the years. The results were mixed. Perhaps I can help you with your journey and save you some time with my recommendations. You have made a good decision to ride. Now you need to find the right instructor and the most effective learning environment.

First, even if you can easily afford it, don't buy a horse right away. Purchasing a horse is not like buying a car where they all pretty much operate the same. Horses can be very different, and you must first understand what you want in a horse. Until then ride lesson horses or lease a horse until you know what kind of horse works for you. And please, when you do buy a horse, don't make your decision based on looks. With horses, it's "handsome is as handsome does".

Next, define your goals. What are your priorities? Exercise? Expanding your social life? If you were an athlete as a youth, maybe it's a desire to return to sports. There are many reasons to ride. Understand your reasons so you make the right choices.

Unfortunately, today most opportunities to learn to ride are segregated into disciplines. If you rode as a kid years ago, that was not as true then. There were lesson barns that still taught all-around riding and horsemanship to teach students the fundamentals that prepare them for all kinds of riding or any discipline. If you can find one of these barns, I highly recommend this kind of instruction to start. (not easy to find)

Beginning with the most prevalent opportunities for instruction today, the most common lesson barns today are Hunter Jumper show barns. Maybe you first learned at one of these as a child and enjoyed horse shows. I have to put a warning label on these HJ instructional programs for adults. I have had adult students who wanted to return to showing as an adult and found that most shows were for kids, and that the show experience was no longer interesting to them as adults.

Secondly, show barns never have their students ride outside an arena today, and that cuts off many future possibilities for you. Many adult women want to fox hunt or play polo, and ring riding is not the best basis for these pursuits. Plus, show barns can be very focused on entertaining children with constant costume parties, stall door decorating, horse painting and other "fun" that might drive an adult a little crazy when they go to the barn to ride.

Dressage might look interesting to you. The clothes are stylish, and the riding is not too fast and always on the flat. My advice on dressage instruction is to be careful. Some dressage has become a blend of a maze and a minefield, some of which have become exploitative of horses to the point of normalizing abuse. These are the big money dressage barns and are not for everyone.

Having given my warning, dressage is a good place to start if you can find the right dressage barn. Authentic dressage is centuries old. Its roots are training military riders to ride in the most practical and effective manner. Authentic dressage is the pursuit of unity of balance and movement with a horse. This is the basis of all riding. If you can find this, do it, maybe not forever but to start.

I do have a word of caution when you interview dressage instructors. Some of the best dressage riders and instructors are perfectionists. They don't believe in "close enough". These dressage officianos might have you work on holding your reins correctly for a few months until you long for an opportunity to watch paint dry. Life is too short.

My message for adult riding students is to find an instructor who teaches the basics, who believes in effectiveness and who will make you a safe rider in any circumstances. These instructors might be anywhere, at a polo barn or at a barn focused on some of the new equestrian pursuits like working equitation.

Be sure to explore European instructors who have not been contaminated by the American commercial model of "horsemanship". Or consider western barns even if you rode English as a child. While some western riding instruction is very narrow like Western Pleasure or Reining, many western barns are based in fundamental riding principles, which is what you need.

Lastly, don't demand that a teacher panders to you to make you comfortable and avoids telling you the truth in your lessons. You have a late start, and you need to progress in a steady manner. A demanding coach can shorten your learning process. Good luck!

08/07/2024

Zara’s full XC round from Rebecca Farm:

021XC Ellen Sebanc on Breakin' All the Rules CCI3* Long Cross Country Rebecca Farm July 2024

08/03/2024

The lots we sold out front last summer are having an open house tmrw from 1-3pm! Come be our neighbor ❤️❤️❤️ if you want to stop by, let me know and come over for a drink after! Matt Sebanc

See home details and neighborhood info of this 4 bed, 2.5 bath, 2233 sqft. single family home located at 4987 County Road 279, Kaufman, TX 75142.

07/19/2024

I go at 12:42 Texas time today if anyone wants to tune in ave watch Zara do her dressage!! Tmrw XC is at 11:01 ET!!! Link below!

Live and Previously Recorded Live Streams...