Foxmoor Farm

11/21/2025

"As the mother of a junior rider in her last year, I am reflecting on some hard truths. After much debate, we decided to splurge and let our daughter attend a few A shows this year. It was quite enlightening, revealing the stark financial barriers and cultural disparity that define elite junior riding.

My daughter was raised in a barn rat culture. Her coach was a pony clubber and always believed that the kids should do all the work. My daughter began working in exchange for lessons at age 12 and bought and broke her own pony at age 14. For us, this was a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. We have a well-established dual-income lifestyle, we like to travel, and we are saving for retirement and education. Spending an excessive amount of money on one child’s hobby seemed unfair to our other child and unwise financially.

My daughter had many mishaps throughout her junior riding experience; she broke her ankle and had to take time off. But she also had the chance to do IEA and ride several different horses while her pony was out on lease. The pony was returned to us this December, and so we decided to break her green card and attend some A shows.

Our first A show was a bit of a culture shock. My daughter headed to the barn early to braid her pony and lunge her. When her coach and I arrived a bit later, we heard that she was one of the few minors at the barn, and she had difficulty finding a place to lunge because coaches were out lunging other people’s ponies.

My daughter was the only one who rode her pony the entire time we were at the show. She was also the only one who cared for it. She fed it, wrapped her legs, packed her feet, and braided both her and another horse. Meanwhile, we saw countless ponies handed off to grooms and coaches while children and teens walked in a different direction.

While the first show was an eye-opener, my daughter had some good rounds and qualified for Pony Finals. So we decided to attend a bigger show to get that experience. This was when the financial disparity really became apparent. Every barn seemed to have a groom braiding, mucking stalls, and packing up their trailer. At the end of the weekend, this almost 50-year-old mom was exhausted, dirty, and covered in horse hair. I seemed to be one of the few moms nervously recording and watching from ringside.

The difference was even more noticeable in the pony rounds. My daughter was frustrated when she sometimes felt like she had an excellent course but was moved down due to how “unfancy” her pony was. For the first time, I felt like I was unable to provide for my child.

The ponies we competed against were listed for the upper 5 figures. This is unattainable for most people, and including the conformation criteria in the pony classes makes it biased towards these expensive horses. The conformation class systematically excludes the hard-working, but less-perfect, equine partners, reinforcing a show ring that prioritizes genetic/financial perfection over athleticism or partnership.

While everyone likes to hear stories about the OTTB or backyard pony who succeeds, as a discipline, I think that story is pretty rare. Many of the riders of these ponies handed off their horse to go ride another upper-level hunter in another ring while my daughter anxiously waited for results.

After one particularly difficult round, my child was visibly upset, as only hormonal teen girls can be. Some of the other girls around her seemed to be eyeing her with judgment. It appeared that they may have had difficulty empathizing with someone who was disappointed in how she rode in one of the few courses she had at this level, especially when they would be handing off their ponies to ride their jumper or 3 ‘3’ hunter in the next ring. We even heard one parent say, “It’s okay, we will be back next weekend,” all the while knowing that this would be our only trip to this venue.

Needless to say, it was quite a discouraging experience. My daughter had some good rides and some not-so-good rides, but the overall environment was what really set the tone for the weekend.

On our trip home, we had many discussions about these financial differences and about how some sports are just not accessible to all. My daughter realized that with her academic and career plans, she wants to be a large animal veterinarian, and she is unlikely to ever be able to compete successfully in this level of the hunter world. We discussed whether to even use her senior trip money to attend Pony Finals, where we knew we would feel out of place. In the end, we chose a family memory over a selective competition, realizing that the ‘hard truth’ is that some dreams are simply too expensive, and that’s okay."

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11/20/2025

"About a year and a half ago, a client approached me and said that they were ready to buy their second horse. Their current horse was a little Thoroughbred mare that had taken their daughter, now 16, from cross rails to the .85 jumpers. With a heart of gold and a rodeo-worthy spring buck, they were still very happy with her, but understood the value of more time in the hunter ring and wanted the chance to move up to the 3’.

As we all know, a 3’ Children’s horse can cost more than my first house. With only 3 years left before college, we talked about leasing and what holes we were willing to live with on a horse on a much smaller budget. After watching countless videos and weighing our pros and cons, a casual conversation with my first trainer pointed us in the direction of a possible candidate.

The videos were nice and the horse had recently done the Junior’s. Looking at this horse’s show record was telling enough for me. From some time in the 1.35 jumpers and success in the 1.20, somewhere along the line, he was made into a hunter that looked more suited as an Eq horse. But his most recent record showed that he either won or DNP, even in classes with few riders. Without being told, I was pretty sure he had a stop. But we went and tried him anyway.

The ride went well, and when he vetted almost perfectly at 16 years old, I was pretty sure I was accurate about this horse’s hole. After explaining my concerns to my client and rider, but appreciating his good attributes, we went ahead with the purchase with the understanding that if he couldn’t confidently do the 3’ in the next two years, we would keep him where he was comfortable and lease a 3’ horse for her Senior year of high school.

The first summer was a little rough with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. There were tears asking me if we had picked the wrong horse. I kept explaining that her jumper is like riding a 2×6 fence rail, and this new horse had so many buttons. He was the equivalent of going from a farm truck to the NASA space shuttle. She thought the green button meant go “straight”, but it actually meant “please do a tempi.”

Mom and Dad did all the right things. We trailered him to shows where he just schooled or got shown by me in the pro classes. We started in the 18”, but when that didn’t feel good, we even did the crossrails. And in a few months, we were doing the 2’3” with adds, then the 2’6” with adds or maybe the numbers if we were straight. Our farrier helped correct his biggest flaw—his feet. By the following spring, we were doing a soft 2’9” division here and there.

I am the type of trainer who jumps 2 to 6 schooling fences at the show, and you go in the ring. I do not lunge and school them to death. I do not want my horses hating life by Sunday and coming home from the shows sore and miserable. So, I told her to ride better. No more leaving the show having done 16 classes. In a time when our industry is talking about limiting classes, why don’t we step back and have a talk as horsemen and do it without being asked?

This summer, we picked and chose which classes we did. This horse loves a good Medal class and doesn’t want to be treated like a couch in between classes. So, we started only doing the Classic trips, or the Medal or a Derby. Showing him in 1 or 2 classes each day when it was 100* out.

I told my rider she better get on a good canter and make it count because we weren’t jumping 50 fences. And you know what? The horse got even better. The rider rode better because she challenged herself. And the parents were understanding that in order to do what was right by the horse, we needed to do more shows with fewer classes—even though in the end, it cost more money. Because it was the right decision for the horse.

It’s not always perfect, but it is always a learning opportunity. Fewer classes became more beneficial to horse and rider. Less money for our horse budget gifted us with more opportunities to learn. To become a better rider and a better horseman. To set an example for other riders in the barn that everything we do with our horse is a learning experience, be it good or bad.

We joke that this horse is the easiest horse in the barn to ride because he is so educated, but the hardest to ride because he feels any change from the rider and doesn’t always trust that we are going to keep him safe. I do not think that will ever change. But like I promised a year ago when we were crying in the crossrails, we look back and laugh about the things that used to make him nervous that no longer do. And we remind ourselves that with horses, more often than not, less is always more. "

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11/16/2025

When trainer Geoff Case watches riders flatting their horses, he sees a lot of the same thing: people lapping the ring, zoning out, and missing a huge opportunity. “It’s one of my biggest pet peeves,” Case said. “People just go around the outside, staring off into space. That’s not riding. That’s exercise.”

In Case’s eyes, flatwork isn’t just something to do when you’re not jumping—it’s where you actually become a better rider.

To Case, a good flat session should feel like a jumping round. “You should be riding lines, bending, adjusting your rhythm,” he said. “Every step is a chance to make something better.”

He encourages riders to ride patterns and turns with purpose. “Don’t just stay on the rail,” he said. “Use the whole ring. Make a circle, ride across the diagonal, do transitions in different places. Ride like you’re setting up for a jump.”

That kind of thinking builds skills that directly transfer to the show ring. “When you ride with that much attention, the horse gets sharper, you get straighter, and suddenly your distances show up easier,” he said.

The flat, he added, is where you learn timing, balance, and control without the distraction of fences. “If you can’t organize yourself between the jumps, you won’t do it over them either.”

For Case, good riding starts with details: straightness, rhythm, transitions, and connection. The riders who stand out to him in the warm-up ring are the ones who treat flatwork like an art form, not an afterthought.

“You can tell the difference between someone who’s just getting around and someone who’s actually training,” he said. “It’s in the way they ride their corners, how they prepare for a transition, how the horse looks in the bridle.”

That difference shows up in competition. “When you’re in the ring, it’s too late to be figuring those things out,” he said. “If you’ve already practiced being precise on the flat, it’s automatic when you’re showing.”

Case also pointed out that judges can spot the riders who do their homework. “Even in a jumping round, you can tell who spends time on the flat,” he said. “Their horses are balanced and adjustable. It’s obvious.”

Many riders, especially less experienced ones, rely on the rail for security or spacing. Case urges them to break that habit. “The rail becomes a crutch,” he said. “You stop steering, you stop thinking. You let the wall do the work for you.”

Instead, he suggests riding off the track, staying a few feet inside the rail to keep both you and your horse accountable. “When you come off the wall, suddenly you have to ride,” he said. “You’ve got to keep your line straight, keep the horse between your leg and hand, and make the turns yourself.”

At first, this can feel uncomfortable, but that’s exactly the point. “It’s supposed to feel different,” Case explained. “That’s how you know you’re actually doing something.”

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11/04/2025

These days, everybody seems to have grooms, but “R” judge and trainer Geoff Case thinks many riders are missing the quiet time spent simply doing for their horses. “Horsemanship doesn’t just happen in the saddle,” he said. “It’s everything you do around the horse that teaches you who they are.”

Case believes that the best riders, the ones who seem effortlessly in sync with their mounts, aren’t just great athletes. They’re great caretakers.

Case came up in a generation where riders did everything—groomed, bathed, wrapped, and tacked up their own horses. He still believes those habits are the foundation of success. “When you groom your horse, you start noticing things,” he said. “You feel the muscle tone. You feel if something’s tight. You learn their reactions.”

That kind of attention builds awareness and empathy, two things that can’t be taught in a lesson. “If you only ever show up to get on, you’re missing half the education,” he said. “It’s in the details. How they stand, how they breathe, how they look at you when you walk up with the halter.”

He encourages his students to spend as much time on the ground as they do in the saddle. “The more you do yourself, the more connected you are,” he said. “You start riding differently because you understand who’s under you.”

Case recalled working with Peter Wylde, who won the World Championship and an Olympic gold medal, but still did all his own care. “Peter was the perfect example,” Case said. “He could have had ten grooms if he wanted, but he still groomed, tacked, cooled out—everything. He knew every bump on those horses.”

That level of attention was about pride and partnership. “Peter didn’t separate the care from the riding,” Case said. “He knew they were part of the same thing.”

For Case, that mindset is what defines real horsemanship. “When you spend time doing the basics yourself, you stop thinking of the horse as a piece of equipment,” he said. “You start thinking of them as your teammate.”

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10/16/2025

😍🐴😍

10/08/2025

What a fantastic weekend for our Foxmoor Equestrian Team competing at the IEA show hosted by Way Farm in Penfield, NY. The showgrounds looked lovely with all the Fall decorations and the horses were wonderful! So very proud of our riders, Kate and Cora, who both earned Reserve Champion High School Rider after winning first place in their flat and over fences class in their divisions. In addition, Lizzy Gianna, Maruna and Zoey also won first place in their classes. Despite the hot weather, each of our riders rode their best and brought home great ribbons! Way to go team- your hard work and great team spirit really shined this weekend earning the team the High School Championship!!

Foxmoor Proud!! (only a few pictures as it was so hot!!!)

09/22/2025

❤️🐴

In an age where most middle schoolers live glued to their screens, 13-year-old Harlow Bottarini stands out for what she doesn’t have—a phone. While nearly everyone in her class scrolls through apps and guards their Snapchat streaks, Harlow spends her free time in the barn, grooming her pony, playing games with friends, and inventing new ways to stay creative.

Her family’s decision to hold off on giving her a phone has shaped not only her childhood, but also her horsemanship. And in a sport where patience, focus, and connection matter more than ever, it’s proving to be an unexpected advantage.

“I don’t have a phone,” Harlow explained. “So many people are like, ‘No, don’t take my phone away, I don’t want to ruin my streak!’ And I’m over here going… what’s a streak?”

Her mom noted that the choice came after seeing the impact phones had on her older teenage sons. “With Harlow, we wanted something different,” she said. “She’s super creative, and I didn’t want that stifled by a screen.”

Without the distraction of a phone, Harlow invests her energy into creative projects and caring for her ponies. She grooms, hand grazes, and handles much of the day-to-day bonding herself. “During summers, everyone else would be on their phones, and I’d be the only one grooming my pony and out on the grass,” she said.

Those moments, seemingly small, are what deepen the bond between horse and rider. Harlow believes that connection is a foundation for success: “The three special skills are bond, love, and trust. You’ve got to have patience too. That’s what helps your partner learn to trust you.”

The absence of a phone hasn’t left a void. It’s opened space for creativity. Harlow is a singer, dancer, and actress, balancing rehearsals with early morning rides. She even sings to her ponies, using rhythm and melody to stay relaxed and in tune with her mounts. “Music and riding both come down to rhythm,” her mom said. “She’ll hum a ballad in her head, and it helps her keep pace.”

Beyond performance, she plays barn games with friends, pretends to “jump lines” with broomsticks, and finds imaginative ways to practice skills even outside the saddle. The freedom to play without being tethered to a phone keeps her mind flexible and her outlook positive.

For Harlow’s family, the decision is about more than resisting technology. It’s about building habits that translate to resilience. “The phone takes kids out of the moment,” her mom said. “By not having one, Harlow’s able to stay present with her pony, present with her friends, and present with herself.”

It’s a perspective that echoes through her riding. By staying engaged in the barn, she’s developed the patience to bring along green ponies, the focus to handle tough moments in the show ring, and the creativity to solve problems with a smile.

In equestrian sport, where connection and presence are essential, Harlow’s no-phone lifestyle is less a limitation and more a strength. By choosing grooming over scrolling and songs over streaks, she’s building the qualities every rider needs: patience, creativity, and real connection.

It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best signal you can get isn’t from a phone. It’s from the bond you build with your horse.

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09/09/2025

🎉🎉 Huge congratulations to the Foxmoor IEA Equestrian Team on winning the High School Championship at their very first show of the 2025-2026 season! This achievement is a testament to the dedication, grit, and countless hours of hard work each rider has poured into lessons and practices. We're especially proud of everyone on the team as they welcomed our new riders to our team- your friendship and team spirit shine just as brightly as your riding skills. A heartfelt thank you to all the parents whose support made this weekend possible: from traveling out of town for two days, to providing delicious lunches and snacks, to cheering from the sidelines- you are the backbone of this team! A big shout out to Lehman Farms for hosting such a well- organized and enjoyable show, and to all the teams who generously shared their wonderful horses. These horses are the "saints" of the horse world and are the "heart of this sport", and without them, none of this would be possible. Here's to an amazing start to the season! On to the next show at Huntington Meadows! 🐴🏆