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Meghan Rawlins is a licensed coach, professional horsewoman, and internationally certified course designer, and the owner of Cedar Vista Stables in Victoria, British Columbia. A lifelong rider, she competed in the hunters, jumpers, and eventing from a young age before launching her professional equestrian career in 1993, apprenticing under top professionals — including Claudia Cojocar — as she developed her craft.
Rawlins discovered course design early in her professional life, first lending a hand at local Vancouver Island shows in exchange for entries so she could ride more horses. Encouraged by veteran FEI course designer and show organizer Peter Holmes, she pursued her certification through Equestrian Canada and went on to sharpen her eye at the sport's highest levels, including time spent assisting at Spruce Meadows. Today she is certified as both an Equestrian Canada and USEF course designer.
In 2022, Rawlins reached a career milestone by earning her FEI Level 3 course design certification — placing her among only a handful of designers in Canada to hold the credential and distinguishing her as the only woman in the country, and one of very few women in North America, to achieve it. That same year she designed the hunter, derby, and equitation courses at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto — Canada's largest and most prestigious horse show — building 15 to 20 courses across its nine days while also assisting with the jumper classes.
theplaidhorse.com
Thank you so much for joining us today on the Plaidcast. This podcast is a labor of love, and every single episode exists because of this incredible community of riders, trainers, barn managers, parents, and horse lovers who show up in the barn, in the ring, and right here with us.
At The Plaid Horse, our commitment goes far beyond the show ring. We believe deeply in the power of literacy and education and that every rider, at every level, deserves access to knowledge, stories, and ideas that make them a better horseperson and a better human being. Reading matters. Learning matters. And the stories we tell each other in this sport matter more than we sometimes realize.
Whether you are a junior rider picking up your first copy of The Plaid Horse  Magazine, a professional trainer looking for inspiration, or someone who simply loves horses and everything this world stands for then this community is for you. You belong here.
We build this together. Every article, every episode, every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new, to feel less alone in the challenges of this sport, and to be reminded of why we fell in love with horses in the first place.
Until next time, keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and remember that the horse world is better when we build it together. I will see you at the ring!

Send us Fan Mail
Read Brooke Goodman's Cover Story. 
Brooke Goodman is a New York–based fashion model represented by The Management NYC and Karin Models in Paris. Standing 5'10" with brown hair and striking hazel eyes, she brings an elegant, editorial presence to the runway and the lens, pairing classic bone structure with an easy, magnetic confidence in front of the camera.
A summa cum laude English graduate of The George Washington University, Brooke balances her modeling career with a lifelong devotion to horses, competing in the jumper ring and working within the equestrian industry. That dual life—equal parts high fashion and horsemanship—gives her a distinctive range, from polished editorial and campaign work to the poised athleticism of equestrian-inspired shoots. Grounded, articulate, and effortlessly photogenic, Brooke is a fresh face who moves seamlessly between the show ring and the fashion world.
Brooke Goodman is an Account Executive at The Plaid Horse, where she combines a lifelong passion for horses with a talent for storytelling and connecting brands to the equestrian community. Horses have always been in her blood—her grandparents were renowned breeders of Trakehner sport horses—and her own riding journey began at an eventing barn when she was just eight years old. After years spent traveling and competing in the jumper ring, she now treasures quiet rides and quality time with the horse who gave her everything, Oskar 253.
Brooke first discovered The Plaid Horse in 2015 and became a devoted reader, officially joining the TPH team in the spring of 2025 during her final semester at The George Washington University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a BA and top honors in English. Since joining, she has represented The Plaid Horse at premier venues—presenting awards at the Devon Horse Show and speaking to young riders about building a life and career around the sport—while championing education and horsemanship throughout the hunter/jumper world.
theplaidhorse.com
Thank you so much for joining us today on the Plaidcast. This podcast is a labor of love, and every single episode exists because of this incredible community of riders, trainers, barn managers, parents, and horse lovers who show up in the barn, in the ring, and right here with us.
At The Plaid Horse, our commitment goes far beyond the show ring. We believe deeply in the power of literacy and education and that every rider, at every level, deserves access to knowledge, stories, and ideas that make them a better horseperson and a better human being. Reading matters. Learning matters. And the stories we tell each other in this sport matter more than we sometimes realize.
Whether you are a junior rider picking up your first copy of The Plaid Horse  Magazine, a professional trainer looking for inspiration, or someone who simply loves horses and everything this world stands for then this community is for you. You belong here.
We build this together. Every article, every episode, every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new, to feel less alone in the challenges of this sport, and to be reminded of why we fell in love with horses in the first place.
Until next time, keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and remember that the horse world is better when we build it together. I will see you at the ring!

Send us Fan Mail
In this episode hosted by Tonya Johnston, Metal Skills Coach: 
Winn Alden 
Winn Alden is an accomplished hunter/jumper professional based in Virginia, where she runs Winn Alden Equestrian, a full-service boarding and show barn offering both horse training and rider coaching. With decades in the sport and a résumé of wins at many of the country's top shows across the hunters, jumpers, and equitation, she has earned a reputation as one of the East Coast's most respected horsewomen.
A consistent winner in the show ring, Winn has piloted top mounts to championships and blue ribbons at premier venues. Among her many highlights, she swept multiple features at the Tryon Fall Festival at TIEC in 2019—claiming a Welcome Stake, a Jumper Classic, and a USHJA National Hunter Derby—and captured the Grand Conformation Hunter Championship and the Robert M. Reel Perpetual Trophy at the Lexington Spring Encore aboard Genuine. She also topped the USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Lexington National Horse Show with Attila.
In addition to riding and training, Winn is a USEF licensed "R" judge in both Hunters and Hunter/Jumping Seat Equitation, with a judging schedule that has included numerous IHSA and IEA shows, among them two IHSA regionals. She is also a sought-after clinician, sharing her eye for correct, quality riding with students at every level.
Tonya's Tips to Prepare for Inportant Fall Shows
Tonya Johnston, MA, is a Mental Skills Coach and author who works with riders all over the world. Tonya specializes in working with equestrian athletes from disciplines such as hunter/jumper, three-day eventing, reining and dressage. Tonya’s book is called “Inside Your Ride: Mental Skills for Being Happy and Successful with Your Horse.”
Tonya’s individual clients range from youngsters just starting out in the pony divisions all the way up to professionals competing at international championships. She conducts mental training clinics at private barns throughout the country and also works with high school and university equestrian teams, including the Stanford, Savannah College of Art and Design and USC Equestrian Teams. Tonya has presented mental skills workshops for the USHJA, USEF, CPHA and PCHA associations.
Tonya has a monthly podcast called “Tonya Johnston’s Inside Your Ride” that is a part of the Plaid Horse Magazine’s Plaidcast. She has presented at the U.S. Dressage Federation and the U.S. Eventing Association national conventions, as well as the national conference for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Tonya had regular columns in Practical Horseman and Eventing USA, which at the time was the official publication of the U.S. Eventing Association. Tonya has appeared in a variety of equestrian magazines including The Chronicle of the Horse, The Equestrian News, The Plaid Horse, Equine Journal, iJump, Horse Showbiz, Equine Wellness, Paint Horse Journal, Riding, and Hoofbeats.
theplaidhorse.com
Thank you so much for joining us today on the Plaidcast. This podcast is a labor of love, and every single episode exists because of this incredible community of riders, trainers, barn managers, parents, and horse lovers who show up in the barn, in the ring, and right here with us.
At The Plaid Horse, our commitment goes far beyond the show ring. We believe deeply in the power of literacy and education and that every rider, at every level, deserves access to knowledge, stories, and ideas that make them a better horseperson and a better human being. Reading matters. Learning matters. And the stories we tell each other in this sport matter more than we sometimes realize.
Whether you are a junior rider picking up your first copy of The Plaid Horse  Magazine, a professional trainer looking for inspiration, or someone who simply loves horses and everything this world stands for then this community is for you. You belong here.
We build this together. Every article, every episode, every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new, to feel less alone in the challenges of this sport, and to be reminded of why we fell in love with horses in the first place.
Until next time, keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and remember that the horse world is better when we build it together. I will see you at the ring!

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Lila Kilby is the Equestrian Director at Balsam Mountain Preserve, a 4,400-acre private residential community in Sylva, North Carolina, set amid the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. A Greenville, South Carolina native, Lila was bitten by the horse bug at age six on the back of a gentle Tennessee Walker named Sonny, and she never looked back. She earned her B.S. in Animal Science from Clemson University in 2016, then spent that year's show season working for a hunter/jumper veterinarian, traveling to circuits in Chicago, Traverse City, and Tryon.
At Balsam Mountain, Lila oversees a growing equestrian program that includes the care of a dozen horses, boarding, lessons, guided trail rides across more than 40 miles of mountain trails, and a full calendar of horse-related community events. She's known for her passion, her warm sense of humor, and her ever-present barn dog and unofficial mascot, Goose.
Balsam Mountain Preserve is a private, resort-style residential community set on roughly 4,400 acres high in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Sylva, North Carolina, surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Built around a philosophy of low-density living and land conservation, the Preserve pairs breathtaking mountain scenery with a close-knit community spirit and a genuine commitment to preserving its natural landscape.
Residents enjoy an exceptional range of amenities, including an 18-hole championship mountain golf course, a full equestrian center, dining at The Summit House and The Mine Tavern, and more than 40 miles of well-maintained trails winding through peaks, valleys, and forests. The equestrian program, led by Equestrian Director Lila Kilby, offers boarding, lessons, and guided trail rides, and continues to grow with recently completed facilities that complement the community's original 14-stall barn.
With its blend of outdoor adventure, refined amenities, and mild mountain summers, Balsam Mountain Preserve stands out as one of the most desirable communities in the Carolinas for individuals and families seeking a life immersed in nature.
theplaidhorse.com
Thank you so much for joining us today on the Plaidcast. This podcast is a labor of love, and every single episode exists because of this incredible community of riders, trainers, barn managers, parents, and horse lovers who show up in the barn, in the ring, and right here with us.
At The Plaid Horse, our commitment goes far beyond the show ring. We believe deeply in the power of literacy and education and that every rider, at every level, deserves access to knowledge, stories, and ideas that make them a better horseperson and a better human being. Reading matters. Learning matters. And the stories we tell each other in this sport matter more than we sometimes realize.
Whether you are a junior rider picking up your first copy of The Plaid Horse  Magazine, a professional trainer looking for inspiration, or someone who simply loves horses and everything this world stands for then this community is for you. You belong here.
We build this together. Every article, every episode, every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new, to feel less alone in the challenges of this sport, and to be reminded of why we fell in love with horses in the first place.
Until next time, keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and remember that the horse world is better when we build it together. I will see you at the ring!

Send us Fan Mail
Emi Richard is a top junior hunter/jumper and equitation rider from Middlefield, Connecticut, competing out of Zone 1. At 16, Emi Richard has accomplished more in her Junior career than most equestrians achieve in a lifetime. A gifted catch-rider, she has built a reputation for her adaptability in the irons and her deep connection with the horses and ponies she pilots.
In June 2026, Emi captured one of the sport's prestigious junior titles, winning the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic—East at the Kentucky Horse Park during the Adequan/USEF Junior Hunter National Championships, aboard Nick Haness's Maybach. She topped a competitive field of 122 riders. Her earlier successes include topping the $10,000 Pony Hunter Winners Stake and being named Best Child Rider on a Pony at the Pennsylvania National.
theplaidhorse.com
Thank you so much for joining us today on the Plaidcast. This podcast is a labor of love, and every single episode exists because of this incredible community of riders, trainers, barn managers, parents, and horse lovers who show up in the barn, in the ring, and right here with us.
At The Plaid Horse, our commitment goes far beyond the show ring. We believe deeply in the power of literacy and education and that every rider, at every level, deserves access to knowledge, stories, and ideas that make them a better horseperson and a better human being. Reading matters. Learning matters. And the stories we tell each other in this sport matter more than we sometimes realize.
Whether you are a junior rider picking up your first copy of The Plaid Horse  Magazine, a professional trainer looking for inspiration, or someone who simply loves horses and everything this world stands for then this community is for you. You belong here.
We build this together. Every article, every episode, every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new, to feel less alone in the challenges of this sport, and to be reminded of why we fell in love with horses in the first place.
Until next time, keep reading, keep learning, keep riding, and remember that the horse world is better when we build it together. I will see you at the ring!