Tag: USDF Rider Medals

Earning my Gold Medal was an incredible milestone, but the medal itself is only one part of the story. What matters more is everything it represents.

Going from fox hunting—or rather, “chasing”—to dressage has been a big challenge. I now have “mad respect” for dressage riders.

Flinka and Sterling will never be 17-hand horses with long legs. But, they will be the most honest and kind horses you will ever meet.

For a moment, everything was still. When the judge returned the salute, 10 years of work came to a close—not perfectly, but with a feeling of deep satisfaction.

"Our journey over the last nine years has not been easy, but I do think all the lessons we learned together along the way have been worth it."

For me, the value is in the struggle. For each challenge faced, I am a better rider for it. These horses forced me to think deeply & honestly.

After 30 years of dreaming of horse ownership, a Region 5 adult amateur found her perfect partner in a green prospect all the way across the country. 

"As Kim says - and I truly believe - Bob and I have defied all the odds, and the lessons learned in this rich experience are the true reward."

Meet Caroline Stevenson, a USDF Bronze & Silver Medalist, & Gold Medalist with Distinction, who recently became a USDF Certified Instructor through Fourth Level.

A Region 2 rider shares how her life has come to revolve around Thoroughbreds - from living in Thoroughbred country, to having a career at an OTTB rehoming facility, to developing her own OTTBs!