Pinehill Stable

04/08/2025

If you want to emulate any jump rider, watch how Mclain Ward rides. Perfect position!! One of the most respected horsemen on earth.

At the age of five, McLain Ward sat atop a pony barely bigger than a Labrador, his feet not yet reaching the stirrups—but even then, his eyes were locked forward with the quiet confidence of someone born to ride. That unshakable focus, honed from a childhood spent in the shadow of the stables built by his Olympian mother Margie and his trainer father Barney, would carry him into the annals of show jumping history. Today, Ward stands as a titan of the sport—an Olympic gold medalist, World Cup champion, and one of the most respected horsemen in the world. His journey from barn aisles to international podiums isn’t just a story of medals—it’s about trust, resilience, and the intangible bond between rider and horse.

Ward's Olympic record alone could fill a trophy case: team gold in Athens 2004, team gold again in Beijing 2008, and silver in Rio 2016, where his poise under pressure helped anchor the U.S. squad. But numbers don’t capture the heartbreak of a rail down, the exhilaration of a clean round, or the whispered exchange between Ward and his legendary mare Sapphire before entering the ring. “She always gave me everything,” Ward once said, his voice cracking slightly. “Every ounce she had, every time.” That partnership, as iconic as any in sport, helped redefine what a rider-horse connection could be—more than technical mastery, it was emotional fluency.

Even as new names emerge in show jumping, Ward’s relevance has never wavered. He captured the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup Final title in Omaha aboard HH Azur, thrilling the home crowd with three flawless rounds that spoke to his enduring brilliance and surgical precision. But perhaps what defines Ward most is not his medals, but his mentorship. He has become a guiding force for young American riders, urging them to respect the sport’s traditions while pushing its boundaries. “I’ve been lucky,” he said in a 2023 interview. “Now it’s about giving back. The horses gave me everything—I owe it to them, and to the next generation.”

In a sport where legacies are built on quiet moments—between fences, in the warm-up ring, or in the stillness of a barn aisle at dawn—McLain Ward’s impact echoes loudest. His career is not just a masterclass in horsemanship but a tribute to the enduring power of partnership, discipline, and heart. As he continues to ride and mentor, Ward reminds us that greatness in equestrian sport isn’t forged only in the spotlight—but in the silent, sacred trust between human and horse.

02/15/2025

The colored areas on the horse's back represent the sweat patterns remaining after removing the saddle.

Saddle Fit for Horse and Rider

01/29/2025

Ask any coach you know. This is a real problem. It's a blessing when you find a student who is willing to work on their basics, these are the ones who will progress and eventually do very well competing. Those who think they are good enough to simply fast track right to the big jumps will end up disappointed in the long run. Or injured. Or discouraged. And most eventually quit.

This concept is third hand, in the sense that Jeffie Smith Wesson told it to me as something explained to her by Mr. H L M Van Schaik (photo)

So I may get Van Schaik’s message slightly garbled in translation, but the essence is that when someone goes to a riding teacher to get a lesson, almost invariably the teacher teaches the student where she is right now in her riding, rather than teaching her what she needs to be taught.

His point was that ideally and in theory the explanation of riding should begin at the beginning, and progress a-b-c-d-e-f-g and so on, but if a riding teacher actually took her students back to square one and filled in the holes in their basics, most students wouldn’t come back for many lessons. Too boring. Too basic. Too demeaning. Too lots of reasons.

And I do get that. I was thinking of a clinic, for example. Some clinician has been imported to teach riders she’s never seen, and into the ring comes a rider with an entire array of incorrect basics, wrong tack, wrong posture, wrong use of hands, wrong ideas, wrong attitude. And, yes, this DOES happen in real life.

So, does the clinician treat this rider like a total beginner and have her do nothing but walk while she attempts to explain where to begin? Nope. The rider would be angry because “she didn’t get her money’s worth” from the clinic.

So teachers like clinicians and those who have the once or twice a month haul in students are likely to mend and patch rather than to break down and start at the beginning and rebuild.

But the REGULAR instructor has a better chance of going step by step, if the student will allow it.

But that word “allow” is key, and reminds me of something said by Jack Le Goff, who, like Van Schaik, had been trained in the European military tradition. Jack said, “Americans don’t want you to teach them how to ride. They want you to teach them how to compete.’

01/17/2025

😂😂😂

01/10/2025

There’s a (sometimes) subtle but vital difference between a horse who reacts to cues and one who responds to them. Understanding this distinction can transform how we approach training and our relationship with horses.

⚡️ Reaction is immediate and instinctive—a survival mechanism. It often comes from a place of pressure, fear, or confusion. When a horse reacts, they’re doing what they think they must to find relief or avoid discomfort.

💡 Response, on the other hand, is thoughtful and intentional. It comes from a place of understanding, trust, and clarity. A horse that responds is calm, engaged, and genuinely connected to the person asking.

Here’s how to encourage response over reaction:

🔑 Clarity in communication: Make sure your cues are consistent, fair, and easy for the horse to interpret. Confusion creates tension; clarity builds confidence.

🔑 Give them time: A horse needs space to process what you’re asking. Don’t rush; allow them the moment they need to choose their response.

🔑 Check your energy: Are you asking with calmness, or are you inadvertently applying too much pressure? A mindful approach invites a thoughtful response.

🔑 Reward thoughtfulness: When your horse takes the time to think through what you’re asking, let them know they’ve done well.

🔑 Build trust gradually: A horse will respond more naturally when they feel safe and supported. Trust is earned over time through consistency and patience.

When a horse responds, they’re not just following orders—they’re engaging with you. They’re part of the conversation, not just a passive participant. And isn’t that what we all want? A relationship built on mutual understanding, not reflexes.

Let’s work toward connection over control, and responses over reactions. 💛

12/18/2024

11/22/2024

Saddle Fit for Horse and Rider

10/23/2024

🤣🤣