Zoie Brogdon shares a moment with her mount, Emilion, at a competition in 2021.
48 SPRING ISSUE 2022
the stables way after my classes are over to wash my horse, ice and poultice his legs, and give him his dinner. This routine can be exhausting after four days of showing, but I don’t complain because I enter the ring deeply connected to my horse. I have an intense internal desire to win, because I’ve made personal sacrifices to be here. And just like that, “disadvantage” becomes “advantage,” because it gives me a competitive edge, to go farther, go faster, and go fearlessly. Despite honor and accolades, I will always see my greatest accomplishment as one moment: the first day I overcame fear and climbed atop of a horse. Kudos to nine-yearold Zoie. She made me who I am today. Few of my peers understand what I do or why. This sport is an obsession few have. When asked “What is an equestrian?” I say, “A sacred relationship between human and horse.” To
me, horses are majestic, even spiritual. Every creature has a consciousness and is able to produce feeling and connection. I find my soul when I tap into the soul of this noble animal and we become one. Mastering horse riding is about mastering self-discipline, non-verbal communication, leadership, and mutual respect for others. It’s about finding commonalities and bridging the gap between differences to accomplish beautiful things together. I compete to win, but I do this sport for what I win inside. I learn life lessons when I’m in this sacred saddle. This sport has given me more than I could ever give to it, and I can’t wait to see how it continues to transform my life. Zoie Brogdon is a top-ranked 17-year-old jumper rider based in California. Follow Zoie’s equestrian journey on Instagram at @iamzoienoelle.
PHOTO: SARA SHIER PHOTOGRAPHY
I AM US EQUESTRIAN
