Scottsdale Equestrian IEA Team

09/07/2026

There is only one winner in most horse show classes. That means even very successful riders spend a lot of time not winning. For Ava Stearns, learning how to handle that reality became an important part of her own riding career and, later, part of the perspective she brings to her work as a commentator.

“This is a sport where you’re going to lose more than you win,” Stearns said on episode 483 of The Plaidcast. “And if you don’t figure out how to lose and how to lose effectively, you’re not gonna get better.”

Stearns has competed on some of the biggest stages in equitation, including winning the Maclay Finals and finishing near the top in other national championships. She is also quick to point out that she has made mistakes on those same stages. “I’ve made mistakes on every national stage you can do so,” she said.

That experience shapes the way she talks about riders during broadcasts. She knows how exposed a mistake can feel at a major championship, especially for a junior rider competing at that level for the first or second time. A missed distance or disappointing round can suddenly feel enormous because it happened in front of a crowd, judges, trainers, family, and everyone watching the livestream.

Stearns wants riders to remember that mistakes are normal. “It happens to the best riders in the world,” she said. One imperfect round is not unusual, and it is not proof that a rider does not belong at that level.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2026/09/05/youre-going-to-lose-more-than-you-win-so-learn-how-to-lose-well/

09/02/2026

Our annual team meeting was Sunday. Welcome to all the new IEA riders! We are so glad you are joining us! Welcome back to our returning members! It was great to see everyone again! 2026-27 Season looks bright! Let's have a great year in this IEA's 25th Anniversary Season!
GO TEAM SCOTTSDALE!!!

08/31/2026

When it comes to performance, most riders focus on what happens in the ring. But high-performance coach John Haime believes that one of the most overlooked influences on a rider’s success is something far more personal: the people they surround themselves with.

“Who you’re around is critical,” Haime said on The Plaidcast. “If you’re around positive people, people who care about you, want to help you, and believe in you, you have a better chance to succeed.”

It’s a powerful reminder that success doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Riders are shaped not only by their habits and mindset, but also by their communities, and that’s especially true for juniors.

As riders move through their teenage years, they’re developing not only their athletic skills but also their values, identities, and emotional resilience. Haime emphasized that during this stage, peers play an outsized role. “If you’re a teenager, your friends are influencing you more than your parents are,” he said. “That’s just the way it is.”

Whether it’s a barnmate who cheers you on or a teammate who constantly criticizes others, those voices become part of a rider’s internal dialogue. “If you’re around people who are tearing others down or chasing superficial goals, that becomes your environment,” Haime added.

Not everyone you ride with or spend time around will lift you up, and that’s okay. Haime’s advice isn’t to avoid every tough interaction, but to be intentional about where you invest your time and energy. “The more you grow as a person, the more you start thinking about who you want to be around,” he said. “That reflection is part of building confidence.”

Klemm echoed this idea with a personal perspective. “The number one thing that changed my life was choosing different people,” she said. “When I was around people who pushed me to be better, everything changed.”

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/08/25/why-you-are-the-company-you-keep/
📸 © Heather N. Photography

08/18/2026

Memories of past teams...

08/13/2026

Meet our Captains for the 2026-27 IEA Season!
Rylee England (Varsity Open) in charge of draw and ring, Gabby Speranzo (Varsity Intermediate) in charge of the Middle School Team and Kaylee McKinster in charge of the barn and horses.

08/13/2026

Equitation often carries a reputation as a junior rider’s proving ground. But Geoff Teall makes a compelling case that every rider, regardless of age or discipline, can benefit from training like an equitation rider.

“Equitation riders learn more about lengthening and shortening, turning, lightening, and making their horses responsive than most riders in other disciplines,” he writes. Those skills stretch the rider, challenge the horse, and ultimately make both more capable in the long run.

At its core, equitation is about learning how to ride into and out of problems. “Since fine-tuning your equitation skills involves learning how to ride into and out of specific problems, you learn a lot about training,” Teall explains.

Instead of simply drilling a course, equitation work encourages riders to think critically. Each challenge becomes an opportunity to use position, balance, and timing to find the solution. By approaching mistakes as puzzles to solve, riders develop resilience, confidence, and a stronger sense of feel.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/08/25/why-every-rider-should-train-like-an-equitation-rider/
📸 © Heather N. Photography

06/19/2026

05/10/2026

To all our Moms, we love you! Happy Mother's Day!