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Meet Victoria Colvin Hunter Rider and Show Jumper

By Liv Gude / Photos by Evelyn Szczepanek, ES Equine Photography

Many of us know Victoria Colvin (“Tori” to her friends) from her big wins in the hunter and show jumping circuits—but how did she get there? It’s safe to say that the daughter of a farrier and a horse trainer would end up riding. But there was a time that tennis was her passion!

The Start of Tori’s Horse Journey

Like most kids who are enamored with horses, there are often some bumps in the road. Tori was no exception, and it took a little break to get back in the saddle. “I was 3 or 4 years old when I first rode, and I happened to have a fall, so I didn’t ride for the next three years. I was kinda nervous!”

The tumble from a pony brought Tori into another sport - tennis. “I had some friends that played tennis, and I did what my friends did.”

Luckily for the horses, Tori returned to the barn at age 6 or so. It wasn’t just hopping on and going. Tori had chores to do. “My mom would have me help in the barn, and I always liked to muck stalls and bathe horses.” Tori soon caught the show-ring bug, doing the junior hunters at age 9 mostly because she was tall and had outgrown the ponies. While she can’t remember what color her ribbon was in that class, she does recall her first time in the ring was on a horse called “Follow My Lead.”

Horsemanship and Grooming Tips from Tori’s Barn

Horsemanship goes beyond swinging your leg over and riding. It starts with making sure your horse feels as good as possible. As caretakers, we begin by paying attention to their bodies and minds, from the ground and in the saddle.

Tori mentions that this starts when you first see your horse, and you take a look at his environment. “Mainly, we can see a horse from the ground. You might notice if their stall is messed up from moving a lot at night, or when you take them out, if their expression is changed.” It’s the little things like how they slept, how much they ate and drank, and if your horse is acting the same as they usually do.

After riding, taking care of your horse or pony is equally essential. We ask our horses to carry us around. We also jump, either cross-country or in the arena. Tori stresses that taking care of your horse’s legs is a top priority. Here’s what she reveals about her routine: “After the horses jump, they always get their legs iced. And if they show, they always get poulticed and wrapped. Or, if they don’t jump big, they may get some cool gel on their legs and wrapped. Mainly it’s taking care of them and keeping ahead of scratches.”

Daily grooming is also part of the routine, and when you keep up with grooming at home, getting ready for a show or rally is easy. Proper nutrition and coat and skincare create that show ring shine, along with tons of good curry combing.

Tori tells us her pre-show routine is daily grooming with a bath, usually before showing unless it’s too cold. “Lots of grooming!” she says. “We do use Shapley’s Hi Gloss Finishing Spray as a finishing touch for extra glow.”

Turnout and Fitness are Top Priorities

For horses to enjoy their jobs and have fun, it’s essential to monitor your horse’s fitness. It’s a good reminder from Tori that all horses are unique individuals. “Every horse is different, even between the disciplines. Jumpers are a lot more fit, although the hunters are fit as well. It’s a lot of what you feel with the horses and how they react. I have one student whose horse is a little older and breathes heavily, so we keep him fit so he can go into the ring and be able to compete.” There’s another component to fitness, and that’s mental fitness.

Turnout and free time for horses make for happy athletes and fun rides. In Tori’s barn, turnout is necessary.

“I think turnout is good for them to be without a rider on their back, or hand-walking and eating grass or in a sand paddock, it doesn’t really matter. Just to chill with themselves, and to relax, and if they have a little energy, they can get the energy out in the paddock without being longed or worked hard with someone on their back.”

Tori’s Current Life with Horses

Now, Tori has her own training business and competes in the hunters and jumpers. With many championships and national titles to her credit, she continues to show while teaching and traveling for clinics.

Clinics are a great way to ride with an experienced horseperson. It’s hard to narrow down what Tori likes most about teaching and giving clinics, but she shared a story about one rider that sums up her joy as a coach.

“In my clinics, I’ve taught some Pony Club members. I really enjoyed teaching one student, guiding them to go straight, and when they figured it out, it was easy! It’s so nice when they catch on and learn something new.”

Along with training, coaching, and showing, there’s also the business of keeping things organized. Tori’s barn is experienced at scheduling, and for the most part, she says, “Things run smoothly most of the time, but organizing the horses can be a challenge. We had 15 at the last horse show.” That’s a lot of tack to clean, ride times to manage, and stalls to muck!

Tori also has corporate sponsors, from saddles and boots to grooming supplies from Shapley’s. Part of her job as a sponsored rider is to promote her brands, usually through social media. “I post photos on social media, and I have a banner with all of my sponsors that I have for the horse shows. I’ll also help brands with anything they need for their website. Each brand is different, and I work with their needs and help with their requests.”

Advice for Aspiring Riding Superstars

While long-term goals are important to Tori, she remains focused on the immediate future. The key is to work toward your goals by actively planning for them, a little bit at a time.

“I look a couple of months in advance to see what horse shows and things to do are coming up to stay organized. If we go too far in advance, it’s difficult. For sure, I have long-term goals, and all of this planning goes together for those goals.”

And for those who love horses but don’t want to compete or work in the horse industry, Tori reminds us that “Showing is not everything, have fun! You don’t have to show!”

Professional Profile

Following a highly successful junior career as one of the winningest young riders in history, Victoria Colvin has launched her own enterprise in the hunter/jumper industry based just outside of Wellington, Florida. Victoria Colvin offers clients the opportunity to train with an acclaimed show rider/trainer and compete in AA horse shows across North America during the spring and fall, as well as compete in Wellington at the world-famous Winter Equestrian Festival during the winter season. Outside of training and coaching services, Victoria Colvin, LLC also includes a strong focus on finding, developing, and selling quality young show horses.