Loving horses can be a trying endeavor. From injuries and health setbacks to the financial and emotional toll of caring for and competing with these animals, being an equestrian is not for the faint of heart.
Heels Down is celebrating the passion for horses and how they inspire resilience with five equestrian bloggers this month. We’re talking about riders who aren’t necessarily professionals. They love their horses and share the ups and downs of their journeys with us every step of the way.
Heels Down selected five of our editors’ favorite bloggers from around the world to be featured in the Heels Down Spark for one week only. From March 28 – April 1, you’ll read articles written exclusively from these hand-picked blogging rock stars only in our weekday newsletter. Also keep an eye on the Heels Down Spark social media accounts for some sneak peek stories from our recruited team.
So without further adieu, here’s our all-star Bloggers Week line up:
The Blonde and the Bay
Maddie Houser is an Adult Amateur dressage rider and competitor based in Central Texas. She began her equestrian adventures at the age of three, and is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist. Maddie is known as The Blonde & The Bay on Instagram where she has documented her journey alongside her beloved mare, Leah, for nearly seven years. Nowadays, she shares and writes about her endeavors with her husband – a team roper, two fluffy roping horses, and a newly acquired Western Pleasure reject who she is developing through the levels of dressage.
Two Ex-Racers
Courtenay Tuxhorn is an amateur eventer originally from Maryland, who events at the prelim/2* level with her off-track Thoroughbred, Bam. She formerly competed in cycling and triathlon, where she raced professionally with some of the best women in the world. You may know them on Instagram as @twoexracers.
ChetakHorses
Anu Joshi was born in Spain, is of Indian descent, grew up in the United States, and for the past 26 years horses have shaped every aspect of her life. She’s a dressage rider who firmly believes that the magic of horses is something everyone should experience and is an advocate for continued growth and diversity within the sport. She’s currently developing her next potential FEI horse, with a strong emphasis on ethical and scientifically supported training methods. You can follow her and her horses @chetakhorses on all major social media platforms.
The Positive Equestrian
Marina Layton is the face behind The Positive Equestrian brand. She is a passionate equestrian and young entrepreneur in the marketing & design industry. Marina was born and raised in Ontario, and currently reside in a small town an hour North of Toronto, Ontario. Her love for horses sparked at the young age of 2 years old. She started taking lessons at around 5 years old, and never looked back! From her career to education, right down to her physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health – horses have helped her immensely, and they never cease to continually amaze her on her journey in life. After designing and assisting in the production of various equestrian apparel and accessory collections, Marina moved on to immerse herself in digital marketing, specifically specializing in graphic design, web design, social media marketing, and influencer marketing.
The Black Equestrian
Shaq Blake is the author of theblackequestrian.com, an online blog she created to chronicle her journey as a black adult beginner rider chasing her dream of becoming a show jumper. She began riding in the summer of 2018. In the past three years Shaq has been a volunteer, working student, lesson student and horse owner. As a rider of color in a predominantly white sport, Shaq uses her blog and social media platforms to highlight and uplift other riders of color as well as to touch on ways to encourage more diversity and inclusion in the equestrian community, education and to encourage positive relationships with our equine partners on the ground as well as in the saddle. Shaq is also the co-founder of the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship (OYES). Along with two other phenomenal women, Shaq founded this scholarship to help bridge the accessibility gap between horse lovers from marginalized communities.
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