Leslie Potter

Editor, writer, and photographer based in the bluegrass state. www.lesliepotterphoto.com

US Equestrian •

Meet Belle: A Girl’s Best Friend in and out of the Equitation Ring

Every equestrian remembers their first horse or pony. For some lucky ones, that first horse becomes their horse of a lifetime. Such is the case for Macy Brangers and her horse, Belle.

Now a formidable pair in the adult amateur saddle seat equitation classes, Brangers and her 2009 American Saddlebred mare, Aunty Bellum (Ocean’s Roar x Kalarama’s Belle of the Ball) got their start when they were both young newcomers to the performance ring under the direction of trainer Betsy Webb.
US Equestrian •

Performance Halter Classes Give Arabian Exhibitors a Place to Shine

In the Arabian horse show world, halter horses hold a unique place of reverence. Presented to show off the breed’s spirit and beauty and judged on type, conformation, and quality, halter horses are more than just living works of art. They must be able to stand still but alert for conformation judging, then move freely and expressively on the line to show off their movement. The top level of the Arabian halter division is a specialized sport of its own within the breed’s show circuit.
US Equestrian •

Meet Ruby Slipperz: A Girls’ Girl Who Shines in the Dressage Court

When Mary Kate Fahy decided to bring home Ruby Slipperz, a then-3-year-old, green broke, Half-Arabian mare, she thought she was taking on a resale project.

“I had a coming 2-year-old and a coming 3-year-old in the pipeline, but nothing to ride over the winter,” said Fahy. “So, I went searching for a project, and I found Ruby and bought her. I drove 10 hours to Ohio in the middle of winter to pick her up...
US Equestrian •

From Pony Swim to Jumper Ring, Chincoteague Ponies Find Fans Wherever They Go

Located off the coast of Virginia and Maryland, Assateague Island is home to herds of feral ponies that have roamed free for generations, evolving to thrive on the protected barrier island.

The characteristics that nature favors in wild horses — soundness, intelligence, and endurance — are similar to those that make a good sport horse. The Chincoteague Pony’s suitability for sport was on display at the 2025 USEF Pony Finals presented by Marshall + Sterling, where two Chincoteagues competed in the USEF Pony Jumper National Championship.
US Equestrian •

Success in the Pony Jumper Jog with Tips from DiAnn Langer

The newly expanded 2025 USEF Pony Jumper National Championship supported by Youth Show Jumping Foundation opens the door for more pony riders to take on the fun and challenge of the jumper ring. For many  the national championship provides a first experience in presenting a pony for the horse inspection, typically referred to simply as “the jog.”  

DiAnn Langer is the USEF Show Jumping Youth Chef d’Equipe, and she has helped many competitors in the jumper ring at USEF Pony Finals navigate the...
US Equestrian •

Arabian Horses Shine in Working Western Classes

Each October, hundreds of Arabian and Half-Arabian horses make the trip to Expo Square in Tulsa, Okla., for the Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. National Championship Horse Show. While handlers showcase their breathtaking halter entries in the Pavilion and stunning show horses light up the main ring, the scene is slightly different in the venue’s Mustang Arena. There you’ll see Arabians kicking up some dirt in the reining classes, executing ranch patterns or trail courses, and even working cattl...
US Equestrian •

U.S. Eventing Athletes Earned Experience and Success at the 2024 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Championships for Young Horses

To get a glimpse at the future of eventing, look toward Le Lion d’Angers, France, each October. The FEI World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) Eventing World Championship for Young Horses was established in 2000 to spotlight the connection between good breeding and achievement in the sport. Qualified entries at the CCI2* level for 6-year-old horses and CCI3* for 7-year-old horses represent their countries and provide a preview of the next generation of high-performance equine athlete...
US Equestrian •

Maggie Keith Wins 2024 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final

Kansas City, Mo. – With expertly executed rail and pattern work, Maggie Keith (Louisville, Ky.) secured the 2024 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal champion title on Friday at the UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show. Keith rode her longtime partner, CH CH-EQ Reedann’s Heir to Glory (Supreme Heir x Glori-Phi), a 2004 American Saddlebred gelding owned by Rozes Equine LLC, to the top of the podium.

The victory was an emotional one for Keith, who has been riding “Reed” since 20...
US Equestrian •

Shock Wave Therapy for Equine Respiratory Health: New Research Shows Promise

Shock wave therapy is a noninvasive treatment used in human and veterinary medicine to relieve pain and improve healing in soft tissue injuries. It works by emitting high-energy sound waves to targeted areas, stimulating the body’s natural healing processes to reduce inflammation and increase bone and tissue formation. Horse owners and equine vets use shock wave therapy (also referred to as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, or ESWT) to treat horses of all breeds and disciplines for conditions i...
US Equestrian •

Meet the Top Horses from the 2024 USEF Eventing Developing Horse Series

With the conclusion of the 2024 competition season, the standings of the USEF Eventing Developing Horse Series are now final. The series includes divisions for 6-year-old and 7-year-old horses, and the leaderboard is determined by the average of the horses’ two best finishing scores in CCIs at levels specified by age.

2024 7-Year-Old Developing Horse Series Leader: Cooley Corraghy Diamond

Bill and Roslyn Johnson’s 2017 Irish Sport Horse gelding, Cooley Corraghy Diamond (Di...
US Equestrian •

Looking Back at the 2023 Pan American Games with Anna Marek and Kerri Short

When U.S. dressage athlete Anna Marek returned from the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, she came home with valuable experience, a strengthened partnership with her horse Fire Fly, and some hardware—team gold and individual bronze.

“This was my first major championship experience,” said Marek. “I’ve been on two Nations Cup teams, but both were in Wellington, so the Pan Ams were the first major championship on a senior team that I’ve done.”
US Equestrian •

Lusitanos Perform in Prancing with the Stars to Benefit the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s

On April 13, 2024, Daniela Siberio will welcome the public to her farm, Lusitano Masters, in Loxahatchee, Fla., for an afternoon of dressage for a good cause. Prancing with the Stars of Dressage will raise funds for the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Palm Beach. The centerpiece of the event will be freestyle dressage performed by Siberio and her Lusitanos, but there will be plenty of additional fun for everyone.
US Equestrian •

How Young Riders From the Benestar Ranch Fundraised Their Way to Grand National Dreams

At the 2023 International Friesian Horse Show Association (IFSHA) Grand National, there was a group of young riders who stood out. They could be seen competing in-hand and under saddle, supporting each other on the rail and sharing enthusiastic hugs in the warm-up ring after a successful class, even when they were competing against each other. None of these youth equestrians had competed at this level before, and their inspiring journey to the championship was the talk of the show.
US Equestrian •

Coaching for the Team: How a U.S. Dressage Senior Team Member Coaches NAYC Athletes

Athletes and coaches who have been to the FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) often point to the exposure to international team competition as one of the primary benefits of the experience. With limited opportunities for equestrian athletes in the western hemisphere to compete on a team before reaching the senior levels of the sport, NAYC serves as an important steppingstone for young athletes with international aspirations.
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