04/03/2026
✨ Jenni Martin McAllister was recently asked, “What horse shaped you most as a rider?” and the answer was bigger than just one.
“I have often thought about which horse was my favorite or my best throughout my career, but I’ve never really thought about which one shaped me the most.
The truth is, I can’t pick just one.
There were the Thoroughbreds, the hot ones, the ones who made my early dreams a reality. The experienced horses that taught me to ride at a higher level and gave me my first real opportunities in the sport. The big, scopey horses who required strength and patience, and the more sensitive, blood-type horses who demanded precision and feel.
Each one was different. Each one required something new from me. And with each ride, I grew.
Over time, they didn’t just teach me individually, they built on one another, reshaping my riding again and again.
And then there were all the others… the young horses still figuring it out, the hunters, the ones who didn’t quite fit a mold but had something to give.
What I’ve learned is that every horse has something to teach you. If you can figure out how they want to go and meet them there, they will always give you their best.
So, one horse that shaped my riding? I can’t say just one. They all did, and they still do.”
Introducing “The Horses That Made Me”, a weekly series sharing the horses behind the journey. 🐴
