Elegance for All

One of the finest riders I have ever known hardly ever sets foot in the show ring. She is a Colt-starting cowgirl who does squat with her spurs on because she’s just that tough. She dabbled in dressage (and admittedly showed a few client horses in lower-level tests), but show rings were not her thing.

So, if she’s rarely in the ring, does she still fall into the Envisioned Equestrian fold? Of course, she does. She deserves to be celebrated, and so do her horses.

My mom always used to tell me that if you look your best, you ride your best. She put that theory to the test for decades. I believe it’s true.

What I know is that when my tack is a creative expression of what’s inside me on any given day, that’s when I am the happiest.

When my heart is overflowing with love and amusement for my horse’s antics, I want something bright and vibrant to outwardly express my inner experience, and that’s what this is all about.

I do not frequent the show ring. Why? Because I used to for many, many years.

I personally don’t find any joy in putting myself up on display, insisting that my horse deals with my unusual show jitters.

Dressage is one of those sports where you can judge yourself. Was your extended trot downhill and lacking elevation? Did the hind foot stick in the pirouette? Was that circle actually circular? Was your bend consistent in half pass, or did the hind end fall out? These are all things we can judge ourselves if we pay attention to the feel.

Please don’t think that I mean to say one should never show or never submit oneself for professional judging, but I am usually far more critical of myself than anyone else ever is, so I imagine that’s enough judgment.

Maybe that’s why I started Envisioned Equestrian.

I want people to feel great, look great, ride great, and enjoy the dickens out of their time with their horse however they prefer to go about doing that.

So, if you’re a backyard horse person who rides bareback most days, Envisioned Equestrian is for you.

If you’re the FEI rider who is a true athlete and wants the best and brightest for your equine partner, Envisioned Equestrian is for you.

And if you’re somewhere in the middle, coming to the barn after work or school, taking as much time in the saddle as you can, and then enjoying the company of your barn companions before heading home way too late, Envisioned Equestrian is for you, too.

We should stand united as horse lovers no matter our station or discipline, and that is my goal: to bring affordable beauty to the world of horses that I so dearly love.