Hunter Ridge

06/01/2026

A huge congratulations to the Messenger Family on their purchase of the Bradley Family’s Kingston! Star is such an amazing teacher and we are so excited he will have his own kid for years to come! Thank you to Senator Bell Farm and June Gillis-Ahern for helping make this match!

05/30/2026

I have been immersed in the horse world for over a decade now with the enthusiasm of a reluctant participant dosed with an innate, heavy level of natural skepticism, horse show dad Gordon Ballantyne writes. My wife is a hunter and equitation rider, which only heightens my confusion due to the subjectivity of the events. I enjoy seeing my family doing something they love and are extremely passionate about; there is nothing they would rather be doing than riding and competing on the back of a horse.

But, I have some questions.

Why does it cost so much?
A local two-day schooling show costs less than $1,000, whereas a four day rated “A” circuit show costs around $5,000. It can be the same horse stall, trainer, preparation and judging process. It follows the exact same format (although neither venue has a toilet that flushes). Are the blue ribbons at rated shows gold plated?

Does anybody own a watch?
How can something scheduled at 10:00AM consistently happen after noon? I could see it happening if there was an injury or an unforeseen happenstance but it is every…single…time. Can they not just put a buffer in the schedule because “stuff” seems to happen every…single…time?

Why is the judging so subjective?
Sitting ringside, I have zero inkling whether a given round was good or bad… and I’ve been watching for over a decade. I know what a “chip” is, what a missed lead change looks like and can count strides. But I also know that the price of little blue ribbons has gone up significantly based on the price of horses in the hunter ring. I can compete as an amateur in almost any sport because in things like golf, bowling or shooting, you have a handicap. You compete against your average. But in the hunters, it seems like little blue ribbons are for sale.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2021/05/05/questions-and-conundrums-from-a-horse-show-dad/

05/25/2026

Prince George and Phoenix had a fantastic week at HITS Hudson Valley 1!

Phoenix and Callie Jackson had a great week, starting it off strong with a 2nd in the The League Bit of Straw 2’6 Hunter Derby and Champion in the 2’3 Equitation. They also picked up ribbons in every class in a huge Low Adult Hunter group, including 2nd in the Classic!

Prince George was Champion with Esmee Smith in the Green Small/Medium Pony Hunters! This is PJ’s third Champion in the Pony Hunters with 3 different riders in only 3 shows! He’s available for sale and will be at HITS Hudson Week 2 for trials

05/19/2026

We had a great time at Fieldstone Week 2!
Highlights included:
Kiley Ahn and Mai Van't Ruytershof
🏆.9 Junior/Am Jumpers
🥇.9 Open Speed Derby
🥇.9 Junior/Am Classic

Madison and Constellation
🥈1.25m Grand Prix
6th in the Welcome

Madison and Mystic Valley Hunt Club’s Flying Colours
🏆 3’6 Performance Hunters
Thank you Sally for the ride on “Charles”

Taylor and Prince George
🏆Small/Medium Pony Hunters

Prince George was also 🏆 with Ryleigh ( thank you for the great rides Ryleigh!) in the Green Pony Hunters! This super special pony is available for Sale and is now qualified for Pony Finals!

Aced It had some great trips at his very first rated show with Taylor! Ace is also available for Lease or Sale and will have a long career teaching kids to horse show!

Karleigh and Da Capo Al Fine, continued to put together some great medal rounds in good company, including a 6th in the IHSA/USHJA 3'3 Hunter Seat Medal

A huge thank you to everyone at the show and at home who help keep everything running smoothly! Excited for the rest of the summer season!

05/16/2026

Great job Kiley and Niko!!!

05/12/2026

Congratulations to Grace and Summer Hill Farm LLC on the continued lease of Igazi “Noodle”!

Thank you Grazing Fields for having us promote Noodle!

04/26/2026

A huge congratulations to the Hunter Ridge IEA Middle School Team on a 6th place finish at IEA Nationals!!!

The team was anchored by Taylor Edenbach, who won the Future Novice Flat Team Class aboard Cruz and Luca! Karleigh Mousseau, Jordan Bradley, CC Arnold, and Jameson Orton also had great rides all weekend!

Thank you to every person who has supported this team all season long! There were so many people cheering from home ❤️❤️

04/26/2026

Congratulations to the new owner of Corkin’s Way!

Thank you to Ava Brinkerhoff for having us represent Corkin and a huge thank you to Folly Farm for helping us make this match!

04/18/2026

Congratulations to the new lessors of the Bradley Family’s Van Jager and Hunter Ridges Mythbuster! Thank you Rhiannon Equestrian for collaborating with us to make these matches! We are excited for the boys to spend the summer with you!

04/16/2026

Will be offered at this Saturday’s Hunter Ridge Show!

RIHA is excited to announce a newly established class sponsored by Sterling Thompson Equine Insurance.

**Sterling Thompson Hunter Hack Challenge**.
This class is designed to highlight the versatility of horses and ponies typically utilized for pleasure and jumping disciplines, emphasizing the transition between precise flatwork and steady performance over fences.

Class Specifications and Judging:
The Hunter Hack Challenge evaluates the horse’s ability to remain obedient and athletic across two distinct phases.
*The Flat Phase:* Entries will be shown at the walk, trot, and canter in both directions of the arena. Competitors are expected to demonstrate a light rein while maintaining soft contact with the horse’s mouth.
*The Over-Fences Phase:* Following the flatwork, the judge will select a minimum of the top two to six riders, at the judge’s discretion to perform a line of two jumps. These jumps will not exceed 2' in height and will be set at a minimum distance of three strides apart. Trotting jumps will not result in a penalty.
This class will be judged on manners, performance, and quality, prioritized in that order.

The top six competitors will remain in the arena for the formal presentation of awards. In addition to supporting the individual classes, Sterling Thompson Equine Insurance has established a dedicated *Year-End Award* for the challenge class high-point winner. The recipient of the year-end title will be presented with a custom award to demonstrate their excellence throughout the season.

Participation Details:
The Sterling Thompson Hunter Hack Challenge will be integrated into various RIHA competitions throughout the season.
* Hunter Ridge * In an effort to encourage participation in this inaugural year, the class will be offered **free of charge**.
*Expansion:* This class will also be offered at Mystic Valley Hunt Club, Claddagh Farm Inc., Stargazer Hill Farm, and Silverstone Stables.

We look forward to showcasing the exceptional caliber of Rhode Island’s hunter and pleasure partnerships through this new challenge class!