Keystone Equestrian

10/30/2025

Louder for the ones in the back!!!
1,000,000 percent THIS!!!!

"I have begun to truly wonder if I can continue what I’m doing. Should I get a second job? Should I drop the price of my nice horses and get out now? Are my clients going to be able to go to any shows? If they go, will they be able to compete?

It’s exhausting.

The biggest problem is that, in the end, no one actually cares to listen to the majority of members. The majority of members of USEF, like the majority of people in this country, are not wealthy. They don’t horse show all the time. They can’t compete for points because points actually don’t matter to someone who only goes to four shows a year. They, most likely, don’t get to ride much either because they have regular jobs.

Listen, I’m all for horses’ well-being and safety. I don’t want horses injured because people drug them or work them to exhaustion. I think we can all agree that more clever ways of drugging these horses are happening now. I hate to tell you, but it’s not coming from the majority of members. It’s coming from the trainers with the people who have the most money and are chasing those points. The majority of members recognize that they aren’t competitive compared to those horses and just want to enjoy what they’re doing. Maybe they pick up a ribbon in good company on their best days, and that’s something to be really proud of.

Why is this happening?

It’s almost always the hunters. I think we can all agree on that, but why the hunters? Well, when we’re awarding the most drone-like horse, with no expression, who jumps a ten every time, never breaks rhythm, and doesn’t look at anything. That winning horse jumps eight fences for three different classes in two divisions at the very least, not to mention schooling, warm up, lunging, riding in the morning, and god knows what else. And with that level of work, there are going to be issues. Horses need to be fitter to do this without being injured, and fit means fresher, which means more work to prepare.

What’s the solution?

I would love it if everyone could ride better so we didn’t have to exhaust these horses to make them quiet enough for their owners to show competitively. However, that feels unlikely with the current look of competition. So what do we do?

Maybe we can make it so we don’t award horses that are going with zero expression. Maybe we award horses that have some life to them. Or, maybe we change the format. Maybe we can bring back more unrelated distances. Maybe if we did that, people would have to ride better and horses couldn’t be drones.

Maybe we can bring back courses that feel more like the original, outside hunter courses. Oh, but people would complain that it was unsafe! Yes, maybe they would. Maybe they would argue that their people couldn’t show if that was the format. Well, I hate to tell you, but with the expenses being raised on everything, people are already dropping like flies. Membership is going to go down. It probably already has, which is possibly why they’ve decided to raise prices.

What about the other problems we have to fix? Simply put, the cost of literally everything is an issue.

I don’t know which of you has gone to a rated show and a local show recently, but I have. At a recent out-of-state rated show I attended, I was only able to show in one class, and the show bill was over $600. That was without a nomination fee and without including hay or shavings, which were billed separately. The single class I did cost $60, but the total cost was over $600 for one class at this show. That is insane.

To compare, I went to a local show this past weekend with a client. She competed in one 2’ division with a warmup. So three over fences classes and a hack class. Her bill for that local show was $160.

This sport is becoming completely untenable for 80% of the people who are members. I know we’re all sick of the endless rules, the moving goal post for drugs, and the 1200-page rule book we’re all supposed to keep updated with. But in my opinion, the real issue is that, eventually, no one is going to be able to afford to do this anymore."

📎 Continue reading this article by Ann De Michele at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/10/29/frustrating-doesnt-even-begin-to-cover-it-the-reality-of-showing-today/
📸 © The Plaid Horse / Lauren Mauldin

09/08/2025

This is a very thoughtful article that does impact our sport.

For generations, the hunter ring has been a defining piece of American equestrian sport. It has taught precision, polish, and the foundations of equitation that shaped many of today’s top riders. As Geoff Case pointed out on The Plaidchat, names like Laura Kraut, McLain Ward, and Kent Farrington all came through the hunter and equitation pipeline. But today, as prize lists shrink and costs skyrocket, hunters are facing an identity crisis. While lower-level divisions thrive, professional hunter classes are dwindling, and riders are leaving for the jumper ring.

At first glance, the price tag for hunters and jumpers appears similar. A top amateur-owner hunter and a high junior jumper can both command six-figure sums. But Case, USEF Large R Judge, trainer, and clinician, points out that the return on investment is vastly different.

“In Wellington, the high-performance hunter division is probably a $3,000 or $4,000 division,” he explained. “You win a class, you get $300. Spend the same money on a Grand Prix horse and you might be jumping for $150,000.”

For owners, that disparity matters. Grand Prix horses can earn back a portion of their purchase price through prize money, while hunters rarely can. Outside of selling a horse to an amateur down the line, there is no pathway to financial sustainability in the hunter ring.

Hunters have also struggled to keep owners engaged. Beyond the satisfaction of watching a horse go beautifully, there’s little incentive to bankroll a professional’s mount. “There’s not a lot of special recognition for owners,” Case noted. “There’s not much prize money.”

International Hunter Derbies once offered excitement, with big purses and one-off special events that drew crowds. “Larry and Kelly and a few other people used to run around the country chasing those $25,000 to $50,000 derbies,” Case recalled. “They just don’t exist anymore.” What remains is a watered-down circuit of national derbies that feel more like a hunter classic at the end of a long day than a marquee event worth investing in.

Without meaningful prize money or recognition, it’s hard to keep owners invested in horses for the professional divisions.

Ironically, for the average rider, the jumper ring often feels more approachable financially. Case described friends searching for a solid three-foot hunter with budgets of $250,000, and not being able to find much. Meanwhile, a competitive 1.20m jumper might be available for a fraction of that price.

And while amateur jumpers aren’t cashing five-figure checks every weekend, the perception of opportunity is stronger. A Children’s Jumper Classic might offer a $5,000 purse compared to a $1,000 Children’s Hunter Classic. Even small wins can offset costs in a way hunters rarely do.

That perception matters. “There’s at least the feeling that you have a greater chance of winning on a jumper for significantly less money than you do in the hunters,” Case said.

🔗 Continue reading the article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/09/03/the-cost-barrier-why-hunters-are-losing-riders-to-the-jumper-ring/
📸 © Lauren Mauldin / The Plaid Horse

04/28/2025

So much truth in this post.
Something to think about!!

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, none of the horses on the U.S. show jumping or eventing teams were American-bred. Not one.

Every mount representing red, white, and blue was born and brought up overseas, while our own breeding barns churn out thousands of foals a year. For a country as vast, wealthy, and horse-obsessed as the United States, that’s embarrassing.

It’s not a fluke. It’s a symptom of a broken system. We are not producing our own elite equine athletes because we’re not breeding for them.

In many U.S. breeding programs, the decision to breed a mare often isn’t based on her competition success. It’s based on injury. She bowed a tendon at four? Breed her. She fractured a sesamoid before she ever showed? Put her in foal so she “doesn’t just sit.” She was too unsound to make it through a futurity season? “She has a nice head.” This is breeding as damage control. Not selection. Not strategy.

We’re taking the horses who didn’t last, who couldn’t compete, and we’re passing those traits: genetic unsoundness, poor conformation, low resilience, on to the next generation. And we’re doing no better with the boys.

The U.S. barn landscape is simply not set up to support stallions. Most boarding facilities don’t allow them. Trainers often discourage keeping colts intact due to behavioral concerns and limited resale value. As a result, some of our most promising bloodlines are literally cut off before they even have a chance to contribute. Meanwhile, Europe is building stallion careers alongside competition careers, backing them with systems designed to assess, preserve, and promote excellence.

Across Europe, breeding is a science, not an afterthought. Registries require mares to pass performance tests. Stallions must prove themselves through the same performance tests as well as competition and through the quality of their offspring. Longevity, trainability, reproductive soundness, and rideability matter, just as much as flash. In the Netherlands, the KWPN registry ensures that horses with structural and genetic flaws are actively removed from the breeding pool. They are building better horses on purpose, while performance testing is virtually nonexistant in the USA. We’re gambling on foals from horses who quite literally could not even finish the race.

Why do we do this? Because our industry rewards early speed, early sales, and early burnout. We breed for yearling sales, futurities, and young horse classes. We reward breeders who produce a shiny prospect, not a durable horse.

We need a complete shift in breeding values. That means stopping the practice of breeding injured or completely unproven mares and instead selecting those who lasted, who stayed sound, performed consistently, and demonstrated resilience over time. It also means investing in infrastructure that allows promising colts to remain stallions, rather than gelding them for convenience or marketability. We must begin to track soundness, temperament, and fertility across generations, using that data to make informed decisions. And we need to embrace modern tools: genetic testing, performance records, and international benchmarks, instead of relying on nostalgia or sentiment. Because right now, we are selecting for the opposite of what we need. And it’s playing out in rehab barns, in short-lived careers, and yes, on the Olympic scoreboard.

This isn’t a crusade against breeders. It’s a call for accountability, ambition, and change. If we want to see American-bred horses wearing stars and stripes again, not just in name, but in origin, we need to start breeding for more than emotion and convenience. We need to breed horses that can stand the test of time, not just pass a vet check at a sale. Until we do, we’ll just keep buying our best from Europe, and wondering where our greatness went.

09/16/2024

This absolutely lovely horse is available for borrow!!!! Or borrow then keep.
Flexible terms on an affordable lease to an approved program or we would LOVE to have him stay in our program!!!
Located in Dahlonega, Georgia. 

So pleased with the development of my little hunter! Troy is an 11 year old imported Holsteiner gelding standing at 16.2 hands. He has an impressive record in the hunter ring, but is now telling us he is ready for a change in pace! He is only beginning his dressage career but has 3 correct and comfortable gaits, a soft mouth, and perfect flying change. Schooling all 2nd and 3rd level movements. He is an overall kind and easy going guy who loves having a person.

Troy is available for lease and would be perfect for someone wanting a quality horse to learn on and enjoy but that is not quite ready to buy! He'd also be perfect for an ambitious JR/YR looking for a step up. We'd love to keep him with us but offsite is also an option to an approved program. Very reasonable lease price. 6 month or year lease or Lease to purchase options available. For more information or additional photos/videos, please contact via pm!

Video from last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYiSD_GtFgk

07/20/2024

SPOT ON!!!
Pick one!!!
Buy it trained.
Pay someone else to train it.
Or, train it yourself.
BUT you still have to become a decent horseman…..
Think on it.

07/12/2024

Hustle culture doesn’t have to apply to our horses.

It’s okay to do things for the sake of pure enjoyment, or exploration, or any reason that pushes you to try new things with your horse in the name of joy.

It’s okay to not be the best, most winning, or most accomplished at everything you do with your horse. It doesn’t make your journey less valid if it takes you longer to reach your destination than someone else.

It’s okay to have a life outside of horses. Hobbies can have as big or as small of a role in your life as you want. If you’re not at shows every weekend, it doesn’t mean you’re irrelevant. It doesn’t mean you aren’t good, either.

It’s okay if your goals don’t include top rankings, HOY status, highly rated shows or end of year championships.

It’s okay to rest. Horses don’t have a concept of our constant need to push forward, achieve, to do, to win.

Comparison is the thief of joy, and everyone is drawn to the horse world for different reasons. Let people find meaning, fulfillment, and happiness for themselves. Do your best, treat your horse well above ALL else, and remember that this is a hobby. At the end of the day, it ain’t that serious.

(And yes, I am writing this because *I* need to hear it, too.)

07/09/2024

Dallas

******** VIDEO LINK IS BELOW!! *******

Current video-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyVVsuCm04g

06/28/2024

Dallas

*********** SOLD *******************

06/28/2024

1,000% THIS!!!!

Another favorite topic among the parrot-lemming crossbred crowd has to do with bits and bitting, usually that the less bit the better.

I do think that some bits are specifically designed to hurt and actually cut, and those bits deserve to be tossed in the garbage bin.

But many bits are created to give a fighting chance to a rider, who might weigh, say, 135 pounds, galloping along on a horse that weighs 1,230 pounds, to slow down and to rebalance instead of careening down fast and flat into the red zone.

The people who who are anti-bit, and this often includes almost any bit except some big fat snaffle, are almost always not the same people who gallop out in the open, over hilly terrain, on ongoing horses.

If they were, they would know first hand that there are plenty of situations that require the horse to be adjustable.

No, don’t use a bit that cuts. But don’t be a victim, either. If you need to slow down and organize, that doesn’t mean after five minutes of hauling. It means right now.

If you don’t know that, go out there and find out. Then talk about bit usage from experience rather than from the safety of some little arena at a slow canter.

06/20/2024

*********** SOLD *************

06/14/2024

**************** SOLD ***************

6 yo imported gelding.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Y8_VL04sQ&pp=ygUURXhxdWlzaXRlLSBKdW5lIDIwMjQ%3D

Located in Gainesville, GA

06/10/2024

When did we get so hyper-focused on this new industry standard of the perfect horse???

Do you honestly think the perfect horse exists? If so, what makes it perfect? As sellers and buyers of horses we need to realize that my perfect horse and your perfect horse might not be anything alike. So we ask questions to determine if this horse might work for us.

“Has he ever had an injury?” - Probably
“Does he have ulcers?” - Probably
“Will he ever Buck/rear/spook?” - Probably
“Is he ever mean to other horses?” - Probably
“Is he ever bad off property?” - Probably
“Does he need any maintenance?”-
Probably
“Does he need a program to be good?”-
Probably
“Does it need to be prepped to get to the ring?”-
Probably

Not only are these 1200 lbs animals with multiple organ systems, they also have a brain. Which means they have a personality, and an opinion. So I would suggest you ask a few different questions. Like maybe-
What is the horse’s current program? What does its typical week look like? How many days per week does it work? Not just being ridden, but does it get lunged, does it go on the treadmill or Euro walker?
Does it live inside or outside 24/7?
What routine maintenance does it need?
What supplements or medications does it require?
What does the farrier do to keep it comfortable on its feet?
What type and how much feed does it get daily?
When it’s ridden does it flat for an hour or just jump for 15 minutes?
Does it want/need to go outside the arena and do trails to keep its mind happy and engaged?
And sooooooo many more questions.

So you’ve found a horse that goes the way you like, first ask alllllll about that horse’s current program. You like the way it goes, so you should find out how that seller keeps it going that way. Then ask yourself if you are capable of and willing to follow that program. If you aren’t capable of and willing to follow the program then that horse probably isn’t going to continue being the horse you decided was perfect for you to begin with. Same goes with moving barns and changing trainers. YOU are responsible for knowing how the current program you have your horse in keeps your horse going the way you like. YOU are responsible for finding a new program/trainer that can keep your horse going that way.

90% of what you’re worried about can be fixed. Treat medical issues. Rehab any injuries. Find and keep a good farrier and vet on your team. Put the horse into a program. Ride it correctly and ride it regularly. Do the maintenance it needs. Prep it before the your ride or show to prepare it to be successful. Know your horse’s perfect program and follow it exactly.

But at the end of the day, there’s no guarantee of anything in this horse world, except to be prepared for absolute chaos. A horse that thrives in the program of one trainer may not be as successful in the program of another trainer. Figure out what your horse needs to thrive and meet those needs. That responsibility is on YOU.
If your horse WAS going great and now is NOT going great figure out what changed and FIX it. Don’t blame the horse, don’t blame the trainer, YOU are the owner of YOUR horse. At the end of the day you have to do the work in the relationship you have with your horse.

Horses are like a game of Dodgeball. It’s not whether or not the ball is coming at you, it’s how well you respond. And for goodness sakes, riding and owning horses is a RISK. You should never pay more for a horse than you could afford to lose. Any horse on any given day can and will do any number of stupid horse things that can and will send your hard earned money up in smoke.

So educate yourself. Learn what your particular horse needs to thrive and get with his program. If his program for success isn’t right for you, or you are not capable of following his necessary program for success, maybe he isn’t the right horse for you. It doesn’t mean whoever sold you the horse was dishonest or ripping you off. It doesn’t mean that the horse’s previous trainer was crooked. It doesn’t mean that the horse won’t be perfect for someone else. It doesn’t make the horse a bad horse. Maybe it just means your program isn’t right for that horse. So change your program or get a horse that works for you and stop whining about it.