Daryl Kinney is a rider on fire competing throughout the Northeast and Canadian Eventing circuits this summer. Her horses – crowd favorite Union Station, a 13 year old gray Thoroughbred competing at the Intermediate level – recently took second place at an Intermediate event in Canada. Kinney is fine tuning their partnership for a bid at Advanced level next year. Rosieʼs Girl, a 7 year old Thoroughbred who just placed fourth at her first Training level event, won the Thoroughbred Incentive Program at Larkin Hill in June and the 3ʼ3 Jumper Derby at GMHA. Cabin Society is a 6 year old Irish Sport Horse Kinney had the good fortune to start as a three year old. The hard work is paying off with his recent win in the Beginning Novice division at Huntington Farm. And Kinneyʼs newest ride, Simply Cool, a 7 year old Selle Luxembourgeois, just won the Beginning Novice division at a schooling event.

On the morning I meet her at Tamarack Hill farm in Vermont, a blanket of fog has covered the mountain top and rain falls steadily – perfect weather for a morning of jumping. Somehow, I imagine nothing delights the Eventers more than a bit of weather, and as I pull in the drive, I find Kinney completely in her element as she takes the morningsʼ horses and sets them through their jumping routines. The rain, running in heavy rivulets off of the horses and Kinney, does nothing to slow her down, as she jumps Jumbie in heavy fog and driving rain. Jumbie shows her adjustability under Kinneyʼs efficient, flawless hand. You can see the joy in Kinney as the two work together, crossing the ring. Later in the afternoon, as Kinney mucks out stalls, she moves so quickly I barely notice she is gone before sheʼs back in the aisle way, ready to tack the next horse.

Kinney is a positive, powerful young rider who is helping shape the modern Eventing landscape, taking everything in stride as she moves the horses up through the eventing levels. Kinneyʼs story – one of hard work, persistence, and the willingness to take risks – has resulted in a life rich with adventure and experience. Kinney is currently the longtime barn manager for World Champion and Eventing legend Denny Emerson. Post workout, she reflects upon what some of her most influential teachers have taught her, the power and importance of good horse partnerships and why she loves the color orange so darn much.

The Working Student Path

Growing up in Michigan, Kinney happily began riding a motley crew of horses and ponies at age eight. But it wasnʼt until she had the good fortune to meet Michigan based Eventer Julie Blackburn that she had her first opportunity to become a working student. “I started as a typical barn rat. I just loved the horses and always loved going to the barn,” said Kinney. “One thing Julie showed me was that if you work hard and are willing to put in a lot of hours, people will help you find horses to ride.” The relationship with Blackburn would prove to be pivotal, as it was Blackburn who suggested Kinney attend Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. While she was a student there, she had the opportunity to meet Tom and Joan Davis, eventually working and riding for them at their farm, Flatlands Equestrian Center in Massachusetts. “Tom and Joan were great because they really showed me the ropes with eventing. I loved how quietly and calmly they dealt with the horses. Eventually, I started teaching and riding horses in training for them. They helped me gain the confidence I needed teaching and riding a variety of horses and they helped me take my riding up several notches.” While working for Tom and Joan, she was introduced to Eventing legend Denny Emerson. She didnʼt know it at the time, but the introduction would set her life on a course that she didnʼt expect.

But before she would go on to work for Emerson and during a time she was working three jobs to make ends meet while attending university, she came across an ad for help in Belgium and applied. Fears about her ability to succeed during the experience made her question everything. “The last few days before I left for Belgium, I was suddenly very worried about how this new experience would go. I didnʼt really research it enough and started stressing that things would be terrible. On the way to the airport, I pushed those feelings aside, because there was no going back now. I thought I might as well just go with it! Thankfully, I did, because it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life.” The experience, with Olympic Eventer Karin Donckers of Belgium, gave her insight into a program for conditioning upper level horses. “She taught me so much about different ways to condition and prepare upper level horses for competition. We were getting four qualified horses ready for the World Equestrian Games in Aachen and there was so much opportunity to learn. I learned how meticulous you need to be in the care of the horses. I loved Karin because she didnʼt have unrealistic expectations for her horses and wouldnʼt push them if something was wrong with them. She jogged them frequently and kept a close eye on their soundness. My experience in Belgium let me know this was something I wanted to do.”

There are times, for many young riders, when being mentored means learning hard lessons. “Denny and I would go out on long hacks and he would lecture me about how to run a good business. At the time, I was really young and didnʼt fully appreciate the importance of those things. Now, when I think of all the things he has told me and how true they are, I really appreciate that he took the time to tell me all of it. Riding wise, Denny has completely changed everything. Heʼs made my jumping position solid and taught me how to see a distance. These two things alone will have me forever grateful. Iʼm a much more confident rider now.” Kinney laughs heartily when she recounts some of the many lessons Emerson has taught her. On the morning we meet, I note the quiet serenity in her riding – the efficiency with which she makes the most infinitesimal adjustments to her horseʼs stride, placing her in the precise spot for takeoff, allowing her mare to jump easily. It is in this way Kinney reflects the wisdom of all her teachers, paying tribute to the horses and humans who have helped her reach this point. Her riding style demonstrates the absorption of the lessons. She gets it and she’s solid.

The Power of Partnership: The Horses

As Kinney currently competes the horses at various levels, each one gives her different things to work on and refine. Several of the horses have given her experience exemplifying lessons she has learned over the years. She shares a story about her first eventing pony, Patty. The relationship with Patty was not love at first sight. “I honestly hated her, but Julie (Blackburn) thought there was something there. I was riding mostly dressage at that time and she turned out to be pretty good! When it came to eventing, she was a bold and confident horse – the perfect first eventing horse for me”. While Kinney has had a few equine partnerships that didnʼt work out, she believes it is important for a horse and rider to be thoughtfully paired. She relates a story about Rosie. “She has taught me how taking your time and keeping things simple can really pay off. When Denny got her she was a hot little Thoroughbred who was not confident in jumping. If we had just thrown big fences at her, she would have become a real quitter. We took things very slowly and if she got too intense, we would back off. Rosie is now a steady, consistent, confident horse.”

Union, a horse who can be aggressive on his cross country courses, taught her something else entirely. “Union has been such a wonderful horse for me. It is fun to see how our partnership has developed. At our first intermediate, we were both green at that level and we had never done anything like it. I had a few problems cross country, but we finished. I felt such a great sense of accomplishment just finishing my first intermediate. Several months and several events later, at the Napierville Event in Canada, we jumped clean in Intermediate cross country. We had come close to doing this before, but there was a marked difference in our partnership; I was a more confident rider and he was a more confident horse. He was seeking the jumps and even if I wasnʼt perfect he was willing to try. What a cool feeling! I feel so lucky to be riding Union. Weʼve just reached a new turning point together.”

A Closet Baker and the Love of All Things Orange

Baking, what all sane people do when they are not jumping over massive obstacles and ditches, is one of Kinneyʼs favorite pastimes. We share a few recipes suggestions and then Kinney runs upstairs to grab a plate of (we donʼt miss the irony) no bake cookies. I am laughing before I take the first bite: Daryl Kinney is gem. She is humble and reflective, yet poised and full of gratitude for the experiences sheʼs had so far. I find it no surprise then that Kinneyʼs signature eventing color is orange; she wears the color every chance she gets. “Iʼd honestly paint my car orange if I could!” she shares. There are late night runs to Target for orange knee high boot socks, a smartphone cover so bright it surely cannot be lost, and too many shirts in the color to count. As I make my way back down the mountain, I canʼt help but smiling about her love of orange and how appropriate the color is for Kinney. Out of curiosity, I research the meaning of the color orange when I return home. As it turns out, orange reflects a love of adventure, the willingness to take risks and the ability to be spontaneous and optimistic. For the inimitable Daryl Kinney, no other color need apply.

Hunter Jumper Trainer Jerry Dean, Canton, New York

I catch up with Hunter Jumper trainer Jerry Dean on a Wednesday morning as he is preparing indoor arena setting jumps for the horses’ afternoon work. It is the first day there has been a hint of spring and last night’s snow zips off the roof of the indoor arena as I move from jump to jump with him. Dean is full of energy with a warm and generous smile. He moves quickly- with purpose and care- setting the jumps precisely, knowing each of his horses’ strides to the lines and where his students will be most challenged. As he sets jump cups, we talk about taking chances, his philosophy for empowering a younger generation of riders and the shaping of his Grand Prix competition dreams.

Opportunity Knocks

While pursuing his dream of Grand Prix level competition, Dean bases operations at Rein Tree Stables in Canton, New York, a 70 acre facility with 33 horses in residence. For a kid who grew up in dairy farm country of Heuvelton, New York, the A level show ring was many miles away. He had always liked horses and a few unschooled backyard ponies wandered into his life from time to time, but Dean had few chances to ride as a child. “I was just a broke college kid, coming into horses at a time when many riders have already had years of lessons and ponies,” says Dean. So when a local racetrack placed an ad for stall help, he applied. Soon after taking the position, the track owners took note that Dean was picking up quickly on leg soundness and spotting problems before they ended a horse’s career. Coincidentally, Dean was keen for more saddle time but as luck would have it, he was just slightly too tall for a career as a jockey. When he heard a nearby Eventing barn was looking for help, he jumped at the chance. After doing stalls for a few weeks and demonstrating a natural talent for riding, the owner noticed Dean’s positive attitude and his way with people which led to an offer to try teaching. Dean didn’t know it at the time, but his life was about to be changed forever. “One of the facility’s instructors was certified by the American Riding Instructors Association and she really pushed me to consider doing the same.” Dean received his American Riding Instructor Association certification in 2007. The certification came at a pivotal point in his career and gave him the confidence to purchase his first farm.

In 2008 he bought a small farm in Edwards, New York. “We had a few stalls in a converted shed and an outdoor arena.” But when the days grew shorter and fall slid into winter, Dean was out of luck teaching outdoors, forced to trailer to a nearby farm with an indoor arena. Winters found him trailering five horses six days a week to teach. Trailering in harsh weather took its toll, and Dean worked several jobs to save for a property with an indoor arena and continue the teaching he so loved. In 2012, the facility he was trailering to suddenly came on the market and he found himself asking if he had what it took to manage his own large facility. Dean remarked, “when I bought this property, a door opened. It gave me the courage to say I can do this now. I had the opportunity to move into the next phase of my career and I took it. It was a huge leap of faith.”

The following year brought challenges: fencing and footing needed to be improved, new stalls had to be built, and his schooling string had to be built up. Dean added to his schooling string and undertook the significant task of making every single one of his school horses. When some of them came to him, they were unrideable. And in this way Dean has learned to train and ride- really ride- in the style of the grand old catch riders who could get on any horse and bring out the best in each one.

Empowering a New Generation of Riders

When designing his lesson program, Dean thought carefully about the vision he had for teaching, keeping the end result in mind, “I wanted my students to have my individual attention and not get swallowed up in large group lessons.” While demand has grown past availability for lesson spots at Rein Tree and several riders drive many hours once a month to train with Dean, he keeps group lessons at two to three students. Keeping his lesson program lean in terms of riders is something he is passionate about. Exposing them to A level shows is another passion of Dean’s. His young show team, having ridden at the new facility for less than a year, was put to the test during several recent A Level shows. They attended the New York State Fair in August and the Green Mountain Horseman’s Association annual summer show in Vermont. His students’ success represented another milestone for Dean, measuring his excellence in the education of riders who could succeed in the highest levels of competition.

His philosophy of educating riders is apparent, when, during a recent lesson, he watches as a young student struggles with a stride to a diagonal line. He has purposefully set the line to ride shorter than a full stride, requiring his riders to plan ahead in order to take off in the right spot. “I like it when the kids have to work out the problems; I think it teaches them to be thinking riders.” Dean looks for tact and diplomacy during the rider’s adjustment, but the student misses the spot and her pony chips in. “Again,” says Dean. “I want my riders to be sharp and not take anything for granted on course.” He is bringing along his younger riders in a traditional way: the students must earn the privilege of showing at each Hunter level, working through the Equitation classes before landing a spot in the Jumper level classes.

When I ask Dean about what has changed during his ten years in the field he reflects, “In some ways, the golden age of the Thoroughbred has passed and now we are seeing the warmbloods dominate the field. No matter the breed, I enjoy what the more sensitive, hotter rides can teach the kids when they are ready- and what they teach is the finesse- the finer points of sitting a horse to a fence. I have a desire to get the best out of my students and really push them to their limits. Those horses help them do that.” He is passionate about passing along what he has learned from all of the horses to a younger generation. Several of his students are already researching careers in the equine industry and Dean actively mentors his working student, Amber Fury, who is mapping her career.

A Dream Takes Shape

Jerry’s Dean’s dream is to enter the Grand Prix ring and every single minute of his waking day, he makes choices to prepare for that moment. Later that morning, I watch as Dean takes a chestnut Hanoverian gelding up to 3’9 for the first time. His amateur owner competed him in the cross rail division last summer. In a year’s time, a lot of work has gone into prepping the gelding to debut at a much higher level. Dean is able to get his horses focused quickly and has a knack for knowing when they’re ready for the next step – something that his many horses have taught him over the years. “For a long time, this horse stayed right at 2’6 and then toward the end of the time we lifted him up. I just felt he was ready.” Making the choice to wait until he felt the gelding was ready pays off: he jumps brilliantly, with tremendous heart and height, clearing the fences with room to spare.

Much of Dean’s career has been influenced by his longtime mentor USEF trainer Pat Swift. Swift, who has trained many young riders over the years, believes something sets Dean apart in the equestrian world. “When I first began to teach Jerry, he was struggling on top of a balled up frustrated Thoroughbred cross trying desperately to contain all that energy. Five years later, his legs surround the barrel of a relaxed trusting horse allowed to move freely forward with almost invisible aids. The change from being a novice rider to an accomplished professional has been almost indescribable. From learning correctly how to circle a horse and jump cross rails, to jumping 4’3″, not on lesson horses, but on problem horses with their own agenda, has been quite a journey. He always seemed to get the horse that he needed to learn from at the optimum time, from the fearful to the rusher to the diva, and because of this variety, he learned sensitivity and confidence,” says Swift, who expects she will soon see him competing at the international Grand Prix levels. “He’s that good.” she says with a smile.

Dean puts his foot into the stirrup and gets on one of his largest horses, a 17.2 hand thoroughbred named Rio. As the big black gelding lets out a squeal, I catch Dean smiling as he moves through the morning workout. A moment later, a large chunk of snow and ice, the last visible sign of winter, slides off the arena roof, sending the gelding into a series of playful bucks. He keeps smiling, allowing him to work through the extra energy before settling him back into his work – joyous, free of tension, and ready for flight over the morning’s course. Fitting then, when I ask Dean what he loves in a horse, he looks over and replies without hesitation, “I like a horse with a lot of spirit and a huge amount of heart. I love a horse who doesn’t give up.” For Jerry Dean, these are qualities he not only looks for in a ride, but embodies and cultivates within each of his students every single day.