Stephanie Appel

Growing up, I always saw the side of the equestrian sport that was very much about class and status - you had to have money to compete. I didn't exactly grow up with that mindset. I grew up working for lessons, even from a young age, and it made me appreciate the sport so much more. When I got to a more professional status in the equestrian world, it illuminated the idea that it's becoming less of a passion and more of a job to people. It really upsets me because these are obviously living animals, and I want people to experience building that trust with one of these animals instead of just buying that trust. I think that really inspired me to help people see that it's more than just a sport - it's a passion, it's a lifestyle. I'm working to bring a more positive mentality approach and break the barriers of that old-school style of training, where everything you're doing is wrong, with the yelling and the harshness of the equestrian community, and bringing it more into a fun sport. I'm currently in grad school for clinical mental health counseling, and my goal is to eventually open a therapy barn that's more focused on victims of domestic violence and families who are in more difficult situations, offering them shelter on top of working at that barn to give them a new sense of life and a new passion.