Adam V. D'Agostino on Horses, Heart, and Opening Doors

The Horse Spot team first met Adam D'Agostino at IHSA Nationals in 2025, and we were immediately drawn to the way he gives back to the equestrian community. Whether he's coaching the next generation of riders at Alfred University, hosting 4-H clinics, advocating for diversity and access in the industry, or simply being a visible, open resource for anyone trying to find their way into the horse world, Adam leads with service.

Adam V. D'Agostino, MBA, is the Director of Equestrian and Head Western Coach at Alfred University in Alfred, New York. A nationally recognized IHSA competitor-turned-coach and lifelong horse person who didn't grow up with easy access to the sport, Adam has built a career around opening doors for others. He sat down with us to share his journey, his philosophy, and what keeps him coming back to the barn.

1. How did you first get into riding?

I was born into a non-horsey family in Syracuse, New York. My parents are big believers that whatever their kids wanted to try, they would support. I think I must have developed some kind of love for horses in utero from a recessive gene. My first toy as a little kid was a horse toy, and I just had a fascination and an obsession with them.

I was raised in a financially constrained situation, and my parents had to be smart about how they connected me with horses. A local town community organization had a lesson package at a stable that's pretty well known in Syracuse called Heritage Stables. I was five years old, and I took four to six lessons there with Mike McGowan. From then on, it was just trail riding when we could afford it. I started taking more formal lessons when I was 12 or 13 at a ranch called Hilltop Ranch in Jamesville, New York. They kept me really engaged, and I was eventually given a horse by that group. Eventually, that stable’s business started changing, so I moved to a different boarding stable nearby.

A fellow boarder at my new barn recommended the University of Findlay while I was in my college search. I'd never heard of it, so I went out and toured it, fell in love with it immediately, and that kick-started my riding career. Before that point, I knew I wanted to do something with horses and was leaning toward vet med; I was pretty passionate about that. I went to more of a suburban school that didn’t have an ag program, so I took every opportunity in biology, zoology and things like that to connect to vet med. But once I realized being a horse trainer was actually a possible path, that's what I started to pursue at the University of Findlay, and I haven't looked back since.

2. Tell us about the horses you ride. Is there one that has taught you the most about riding, or even about yourself?

Every horse I've had in training, even the ones that weren't my favorite, has taught me something. But there are two geldings that really pop to the top.

The first is Investers Norfleet, Norman. He's pretty well known in the IHSA, YEDA, and IEA bubble today. I think he's 24 or 25 now, and he's an American Paint Horse. He came to me when I was a professor at Cazenovia College, where I was also really active with my private training business, Empire Performance Horses. Norman came through one of my students, Kelsey (his owner). She was both a student and a client, and she rode on my IHSA team as well. Her horse Norman came to me with an upper-level, open-show background, and while the young lady had put so much work into him, he needed to move forward. His personality is definitely quirky in the best way, and he just taught me so much about thinking outside the box. He was around 15 or 16 at the time, the client really wanted to go to big places and could. She's an excellent rider, so I had to really reprogram that horse. I learned a lot about myself through that: my patience, and how to negotiate rather than demand. But that animal gave back so much by being that way. It fundamentally changed my program. I was already someone who lets the horses guide me more than trying to fit them into a mold, but Norman solidified that for me. Ever since, every horse I approach, I come to them at their level 100%, and I have not found a horse yet that does not respond positively to it.

Now he's teaching little kids, including that client's daughter, and he's still a super horse, even in his advanced years. That gives me a lot of joy, to see that the patience I gave him is rewarded in that way. He also inspired the focus of my PhD dissertation, which will be in the realm of senior Western horse management and how we keep horses going at an older age. Norman lives in Illinois now with his mom, and just seeing their joy together makes me happy every time I think about it.

The second is my personal horse, Tipsy on Margaritas (“Wally”). I actually own a horse for the second time in my life, the first being when I was 14. Wally is a retired IHSA horse who had a previous career at the Quarter Horse Congress level. He has advanced navicular disease, so he's not really rideable anymore. But that horse has been a big-time game changer for my intercollegiate programs. He came with me from my Albion program in Michigan to my current program at Alfred. He's taught me so much about the medical side of horses and rehab. I've always felt that taking care of these animals at the highest level possible is important, but man, that horse has driven it home. He's worked with my awesome vet and farrier teams, and the horse is pasture sound now. That gives me a lot of hope that there's a right way and a not-so-right way to do this. As my students say, he's the perfect director's horse, because they can't ride him, but he's a walking equine science project. He's upped my knowledge and my thirst for knowledge, and my students, by default, get to learn all of that too.

I could go on about all the horses that have changed my life, but those two geldings pop right to the top.

3. What's been your proudest moment as a rider so far?

Winning my first national IHSA title. I did not grow up with the privilege of access to horse showing, and I was around so many amazing athletes at the University of Findlay, really just incredible riders at that time. Riders like Trevor Dare, a very successful NRHA trainer, and Matt Piccolo, a top A-circuit trainer, were on the teams with me. There were so many awesome riders and trainers, and for me, it was such a sense of accomplishment that I had put the work in over the years and earned the respect of those two Nationals' judging officials, that they saw something in me. That was a really good confidence builder to say, this is definitely a sport I can move forward in as a professional. When you don't grow up with it and don't have that background, you need those confidence boosters.

That moment was really, really cool, especially with the coaches. Two of the coaches I had at that time, Cindy Morehead and Clark Bradley, are legendary in the horse industry, and for them to shake my hand was such a humbling experience, because I had made them proud. The Nationals was in California, one of the two times nationals has been held at Burbank's LA Equestrian Center, and my parents got to fly out and watch. My mom was so excited she almost fell out of the stands. They don't know a lot about showing horses, but they knew that was a big deal. That was a really special moment in my career as a rider.

4. You've built a career in the equine space. How did you earn the spot as an IHSA coach, and what does that role mean to you?

I came into it in a roundabout way. At Findlay, I was really attracted to teaching. Mark Smith, one of their current instructors, teaches a course that's basically a methods-of-teaching course, and I took it and thought, I really like this. I was really focused on opening a training business at the time, so I figured it would just make me a better horse trainer. But I found that teaching was actually where I was more successful. I'm not being braggadocious when I say that I feel like I have good competencies in horse training, but my area of expertise definitely seemed to pop up in teaching.

I was ready to graduate with my undergrad and didn't have a plan for a master's, but the Head Western coach, Cindy Morehead, approached me and asked if I'd consider an MBA while working with the equestrian team. Earning an MBA was an absolute no-brainer for me. So I did that, served as an assistant coach, and coached the JV team. I liked having my own little unit of riders! I really enjoyed teaching, and that's when I started to fall in love with it.

When I graduated with my MBA, I moved back to Syracuse, that's where my parents were, and I was thinking, what's next? I wasn't intending to move into the IHSA coaching world, but at the time Jodi Follett was the Head Western Coach at Cazenovia College. She called looking for an assistant coach, and I said, well, I'm in town and I don't have any plans for the next semester anyway. I ended up trying it out. I taught one riding class as her assistant, and then I stayed there for seven years, eventually becoming the Head Coach. From there I moved to Albion College, and now I'm at Alfred University. I really want to say IHSA found me. As a competitor I really liked it. I made friends everywhere. But as a coach and instructor, it started to truly find me.

For 10 years alongside my coaching, I was running Empire Performance Horses fairly full-time. Once I made the decision to come to Alfred, Empire Performance Horses slowed down. The business still exists, and I still have clients and judge quite a bit, but it morphed more toward judging. IHSA is a large part of my career now. I've been an area rep, which is the Western version of regional representative, in multiple regions, and I've been involved on the IHSA leadership side as well.

I just really believe in the organization. But it found me, and that's not everybody's experience. If I can recommend a path to connect as a coach: if you're in school, talk to your faculty and your coaches, tell them you want to get involved. We know everybody. I just connected one of my graduates with another institution looking for an assistant. Shadow programs if you can. If you know there's a barn with an IHSA team, ask if you can watch some lessons and talk to the riders. IHSA riders, in my experience, are so forthcoming and enthusiastic about their experience. And at the very least, follow along on social media. The IHSA social media team is on fire right now, and there's so much transparency about the experience and finding teams. The website just got a major overhaul and it's so much easier to find teams now.

Also get involved in IEA, YEDA, and NCEA. IHSA is not the only route. The American Stock Horse Association has a collegiate division; collegiate rodeo is another way. There are also collegiate polo and eventing organizations. There are so many ways to be involved in collegiate riding. At Alfred we have IHSA and also IDA, the Intercollegiate Dressage Association. The demand for coaches is growing. Collegiate riding, random draw, high school and middle school riding, it's here to stay, and it's growing in popularity. You can also volunteer coach. You don't necessarily have to start by working for a University. Riders can also start their own teams. I know plenty of schools that started that way, where three or four undergrads talked an advisor into it, worked with a trainer, and a couple of those people became coaches. There are a lot of unique ways to approach it. And I am an absolute resource for anyone interested in that career. I'm happy to talk to them.

5. Tell us about your involvement with AQHA and APHA. How did you get involved working with large governing bodies?

Findlay was my first real introduction to them as large breed organizations. I knew what they were as a young person, but my first actual job in the horse industry was working for the Ohio Quarter Horse Association at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. I was working with George Seanor, who was running the Trail set up, so I was resetting courses. As an 18-year-old, that was a stunning experience. The Congress trail classes were very popular at that point, and it was overwhelming in all the best ways. I was really enamored by AQHA, and showing a Quarter Horse became a goal of mine.

From there, I worked for Nancy Sue Ryan, who is an AQHA Professional Horseman of the Year, an AQHA judge, a renowned hunter under saddle breeder, and just an impeccable horsewoman with so many firsts in her career that it's unreal. I went and worked for her. I don't know if I was 100% ready, but I learned really fast, and it was a life-changing experience. That really locked me into the Quarter Horse Association as a home for my business.

In grad school, I worked for Scott Jones and Dave Miller. At the time their business was called Showstring, a big AQHA operation, but they also had some APHA clients, and I started to investigate that world a little bit. When I moved back to New York, I applied for Pro Horseman status with both organizations and got it, which means I'm held to a higher standard than the average member. At the time, there were only about 60 APHA Pro Horsemen in the country, and I was one of the first in New York. I took that really seriously, because I was proud to represent the American Paint Horse. I had a lot of Paint clients starting out in New York.

For 10 to 15 years, I showed Quarter Horses and Paints. In New York, the stock breed market is smaller, so your business has to be diverse. I think of it like how many trainers cannot just do hunters or jumpers, but both to support a growing business. I also had quite a few Palominos, because that color breed organization was still pretty big in New York at the time. I'd probably do 10 shows a year, mostly local, but I did go to the Quarter Horse Congress, Pinto World, and shows like that. 

Giving back was also really important to me, so that's when I started open show judging and doing clinics, some of them on behalf of APHA. At the New York State State Fair, there was a World of Horses tent featuring many breeds. I was invited to bring Investors Norfleet with me to represent the American Paint Horse. APHA sent me materials, and it was pretty cool to introduce people to that breed for the first time and share its history.

After my PhD, I would like to apply for some judging cards. I have to take things one at a time, because that's a lot of work in all directions, and with my current job at Alfred, I don't want to drown. But I really believe in those two breed organizations and what they're doing to keep the Western horse industry healthy and ethical, and to take care of these amazing animals. In our barn here, our entire Western side is Paints and Quarter Horses. To me, that's a really important way to influence my students, and that's how I stay involved as a professional now.

6. Do you have advice for young professionals looking to get into the equine industry?

You have to know yourself and what works for you. That is number one. I have young people come to interview with me all the time, and some of them I actually connect to other programs because I think they'll find more for what they are seeking there. Some ask me honestly, "Is this for me?" And the answer isn't always yes. You might be a better rider going to work for someone right out of school. There are benefits to both paths, and I think there are real cons to both as well.

For me, it's really about knowing yourself. Are you good at school? Do you want to invest that kind of money, understanding that you're going to take on a debt load, and that that will limit some of the places you can go? But that's not everybody's story. Some people can pay for college outright, and some people have the opportunity to work for a trainer who will invest in them in a way that's almost similar to what a collegiate program would. There's honestly no direct route. If you want to work in a part of this industry, you need to talk to the people already doing it. When you're 18 and looking at colleges, if you have relationships with trainers, ask if you can talk to other trainers they know and interview them. I have not met a horse trainer yet who will not talk to a young person who is genuinely interested.

But you have to be ready for that information. Some of it is pretty direct. Horse trainers are very proud of their jobs and will be honest with you about the amazing parts and the hard parts. I get so many twinkly-eyed 18-year-olds who want to train horses and think it means showing horses, and that is maybe 5% of the job. You're going to be a business manager, a pseudo-vet, a pseudo-farrier, and so many other things.

An upper-level degree helped me organize myself so I could focus on my job, but there are plenty of amazing horse trainers who haven't gone that route. My best advice is: know what your mission is, build your 1-, 5-, and 10-year goals, and then figure out whether higher ed is for you or whether working for a trainer is for you. But furthering your education, regardless of the route, is important. You shouldn't just say "I'm ready to train" because you had a good youth career. Work with people who are successful in the industry. It's going to make you more

7. What do you think you do best, as a rider and as a professional?

Teaching other people. I was truly fascinated in undergrad by equine performance medicine and equine sports physiology, and how anatomy works in motion. Even as a trainer, that was just so fascinating to me. I never thought of horses as, "I need to move its shoulder." I'm thinking about how the muscle structures work together, the ligaments, the tendons. When I was studying at that level, I also started to study how people move on horses, which was equally fascinating. For me, every time I meet a new horse and rider, it's a Rubik's Cube: how do I make all of that align? That's what stimulates me as an educator.

My teaching style is not for everybody, but I don't think it's a niche style either. I'm a fairly adaptable instructor. I feel I was a challenging person to teach, and the folks who did best with me were very good communicators. I've never forgotten that, so I really try to be thorough in my communication. I also let my riders know where I'm at on any given day. If I'm frustrated with them, I'm going to be clear about it, but never in a mean way. If I'm really excited about their progress, I'm going to be just as clear about that.

But really, I feel my dominant strength is in helping people have a better relationship with their horse and perform better together.

8. What's something about the equine industry that has genuinely surprised you?

There's a lot of things. To speak candidly, the lack of racial and class diversity really took me aback. I think that comes from growing up in a bubble. I grew up in a very diverse environment of all types, and even my barn was like that. So when I stepped into the wider industry, I had just not seen such an ethnocentric and class-centric type of environment. It doesn't mean the industry is bad, but this just caught me off guard. A lot of my career has been learning how to open doors for everybody else. I don't feel the horse industry is against diversity. I just think it happens to have one dominant demographic, and that took me back when I was 18.

Now that I truly understand all the systems that created that, it makes it easier to bring access to other folks. Being fully honest, that one took me a minute to get used to. Everything else I kind of expected. I've been around animal people my whole life, not just horse people. I knew they were going to be really passionate about what they do, I knew it was a lifestyle and not a hobby, so a lot of that met my expectations. But the lack of diversity was new for me.

I see it in so many different areas that I feel people don't expect. There are so many horse trainers who are willing to do the same work. They just need the resources to do it, and that's what I've really tried to be, a safe space for others to learn how to access those resources. A lot of people are afraid to be judged for asking. I can be very outspoken about my beliefs, but that doesn't mean I'm going to judge someone for asking how to start a more inclusive program, or how to work with a client they've never encountered before. I don't pretend to be a know-it-all. I have a lot of blind spots and still do a lot of work on myself. But it is definitely improving, and I'm excited to see that continue, because there's so much value globally in how everybody does horses, and we're only going to learn from each other.

9. Who inspires you most in the horse world?

My students. The reason I say that is because they are so thirsty to learn. I find that many people in my generation are critical of this next generation, but they're so inspiring because they're different in their way of learning than we were. They're so excited about every opportunity, in the same way we were. That is endlessly inspiring to me, because when you're around people who want to know more and want to evolve, that's addicting. They challenge me with questions and make me go, "Oh crap, I don't know that. I've got to go look that up and call someone." So truthfully, that would be my answer.

But one of my biggest single inspirations is also Erin Brown. She is the CEO of the Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy. Erin has developed the organization from a thought, a grassroots organization with her board, and built it into something incredible. Philly has given them millions of dollars, their barn is opening in a month or so, and it's going to serve so many young people from Philadelphia. Her mission is just amazing! Watching Erin develop her idea into this amazing thing helps me remember that I can do anything with enough try. When I have my own little crazy ideas, I remember what Erin's been through and think, if she can do it, so can I. If you look her up online, she goes by the Concrete Cowgirl. She is, excuse my French, a badass. She was also an extra in the Netflix movie Concrete Cowboy, which was produced about the stable she grew up riding at. Erin is one of those personalities that is so humble and quiet when you're in her presence, but she's just such an inspiration to me in my career.

10. What are your dreams or goals for the future — in horses, in your business, or both?

Oh, I could write you a book on this. My five-year plan is to start and hopefully finish my PhD. I don't want to do that to make myself more important, but to be of more service to my students. I'm a lifelong New Yorker, even though I've lived out of state, and I’ve moved back to New York because I'm really passionate about seeing our horse industry go back toward a growth pattern. That's why I'm involved in Albany, with the New York Farm Bureau, really trying to figure out how we get access to horses for young people and keep the equine economy growing in New York.

That's taken me a little away from my performance goals. I haven't been in the show ring since 2019, which is bizarre to say out loud, because it was such a huge part of my identity. But I would like to get back in the ring. My original goal at Findlay, which would be outlandish to people who know me as a professional, was to be a reining rider. As a trainer, I dominantly did all-around and hunt seat; I own more pairs of breeches than I do pants. But I would love to show a reining horse. Whether I own one or work with a client, it just looks like so much fun! I love how those horses go, I love how they work. I teach reining here at Alfred, and going back to my performance background in sports medicine, there are just so many cool aspects to it in that sport.

Those are my dual goals. In the next 10 years, I'd also like to work toward my breed judging cards, whether that's Quarter Horse, Paint, or one of the other organizations. For me, none of that is about prestige. It's about service to other people. How can I help the horse industry continue to grow, and how can we help these horses be cared for better? It starts in the judging ring as much as it does in the vet clinic and anywhere else. I think we have amazing professionals out there, and I'm excited to join that group at some point, if I can be awarded that.

My partner is also moving here soon, so we're both excited to just get our life going. And my nephew is four years old. His first horse show is this weekend. He's really into horses, and he lives over in Connecticut. His other grandma is taking him on her Icelandic horse to an open show. If he's really into it, I could see myself getting into some horse show uncling as well.

11. How do you give back to your equestrian community?

4-H is a big deal to me. I know there's a discussion happening online between trainers and folks about the gap between 4-H and the performance industry, but I still give a lot back to 4-H, and that's actually how I always respond to that conversation. As professionals, give back to where you can. We host the New York State 4-H judging clinic here at Alfred for the judging teams, and I officiate that state contest when asked. I also work with 4-H groups and do Zoom sessions. It's kind of like an ask-a-judge format, but I've also done some business-focused calls as well. Getting face-to-face time with young people who want to know about careers in horses is pretty easy to do. As a trainer, if you contact a local 4-H, FFA, or youth riding club and offer a one-hour Zoom session, that could be such a great way to give back, and that's how I've chosen to do it.

I also sit on a 4-H state board. It's a visionary program, and I'm on the industry side. I'm kind of in the background and haven't had a lot of time to focus on it lately, but the purpose of that piece of the organization is to look at other ways 4-H can help. One committee I work with is a business think tank. It's within the 4-H framework, but working with young people who maybe aren't focused on animals. My mom was really influential in women's business in Syracuse and helped found the WISE Center there, and that inspired me to think: young people could do something like that through the 4-H brand, and they'd at least be proximal to agriculture, which might be a way to get more of them interested in ag.

In the past, when I was in Syracuse, I would also help the CNYSPCA with horse rescue, mostly really hard cases where horses were difficult to handle. I'd go and help navigate that. If they had horses at their clinic that needed a trainer-level of engagement, I'd offer my time, which was pretty spare, but I'd go when I could and help with halter breaking and things like that.

And I'm also an expert witness for the State of New York, which is another way to give back, even though it's never a positive situation. It helps protect horses and the industry in a different way. There is a financial component to that, which is nice, but the cases I've worked on, I'm always glad I was in the room, because there's a specific knowledge base required with horses that the layman simply doesn't have. As a professional in any state, be creative in how you give back.

12. What has the horse community meant to you as an LGBTQ+ person, and what are your hopes for where it's headed?

That's an interesting question, because I came out before my horse career. I have a very supportive family, and I had a lot of healthy, positive queer role models growing up: lesbian, gay, transgender, non-binary. I grew up in a world where being gay was kind of an old topic, not that there weren't some issues. So I was really taken aback when I got to school and it was the first time I was called the F-word in public, the first time I'd ever really experienced blatant homophobia. For me, the horse industry was a step back into the closet in some ways at the time. But it's always inspired me to be a community activist.

I've met a lot of people who say, "Oh, I love gay people," but whose actions don't reflect that. For me, it's been a space to offer that exposure for people, sometimes for the first time. It's less so nowadays, but I was really open about that as a younger trainer. Now I find it's also a great connecting piece. When you share an identity with someone, it can be a real icebreaker. Some of my closest friends in the horse industry came through being gay, being queer. That keeps me inspired to stay open.

That's why I wear my pride pin all through the month of June, whether I'm judging or anywhere else, because visibility is so important. A few weekends ago I was judging in Plattsburgh, New York, and a young rider stopped me as I was walking over to hand in my card and said, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I just want you to know I really love your pin." I almost got emotional. I'm usually pretty steady about that kind of thing, and I was just so taken aback that it meant something to that young person. All I could think was: they probably feel so safe right now, seeing that. That's what I've really learned about the horse community. There will always be a need for visible queerness, even if people don't agree with it.

I want every queer person to know that this industry, no matter what it looks like from the outside, is a safe place for them. But you've got to be tough. Nancy Sue Ryan, not a queer person, but someone with a lot of amicability in queer spaces, said to me when I mentioned being openly gay, "I don't care, but if you're going to be openly gay in this industry, you've got to be tough like the women in this business. You need tough skin." I had grown up in a matriarchy and been around strong women my whole life, but I had never been compared to them in that way. And she's not wrong. Tough doesn't mean not emotional, though. It doesn't mean not having feelings or not expressing them. I think sometimes queer people in the horse industry are so afraid to speak up.

I'm not. I have no problem telling someone when something was transphobic or homophobic. Right now I think trans people are under attack everywhere, including in the horse industry. I see it online, I see it in person, I hear it in barns. It doesn't mean those people are bad. It means they're not informed and not educated. I have a lot of trans friends in this industry, some openly trans and some not. I don't think folks realize that, and we need to create a space where everyone feels safe. Horses are not a growing interest in the world, and it only makes sense to welcome everybody in. That's one of my side quests, using my identity not to shove it in people's faces, but to be an open book. Sometimes that means people come at me with a lot of ignorance, and I try to stay open-minded and think, maybe they just don't know. Maybe they don't know how to talk to a queer person, or they have preconceived biases they're not willing to let go of, but that doesn't mean I can't be around them.

My queerness has also kept me open to understanding why Black communities, Indigenous communities, and Latin American communities are not as visible in show horses as white communities are. As a queer person, I can take a step back and look at it through the lens of my own experience with inequity. We need to be curious and courageous in how we discuss these things. Just because I'm at the horse show does not mean I got there on equal footing. Equity is about access. I had to work hard for the same access that some of my counterparts had, and I've seen that in an observed way with Black folks, Latin American folks, and Indigenous people.

Sometimes I feel the horse industry is scratching its head wondering why it's shrinking. Well, one reason is that the world is diversifying. There are fewer white people now than there were 50 years ago. There are fewer openly straight people. If we market our industry to only one type of person, it's naturally going to shrink. I look at it from a human lens, but I also look at it from a business lens. My queerness has been my superpower in that way. It keeps me focused and to keep advocating for equity in horses.

13. Who's your all-time favorite heart horse, and what made them so special?

I could give you a seven-mile-long list, but actually it's probably the horse that started it all. His name was Legend. His registered name was Truly A Legend.. He was a Quarter Horse, double Impressive bred, so he was very halter-type. He was born in 1989, so he is no longer with us, but he was my first love, in many ways. Legend was my first horse who I was given when I was 13. Growing up in a financially tight environment, I never thought horse ownership was going to be something that happened for me. My first horse was a "free" horse, which we all know isn't free. He had a pretty bad case of navicular, which his former owners were upfront about. Boarding him was definitely a big ask for my parents, but that horse was everything to me. He taught me a lot about myself, about my compassionate side, and about how to care for something that was above me. He gave me everything he could have.

And, later in life, I found out that the community behind me was so awesome. The owner of my boarding stable knew my family couldn't afford his consistent corrective shoeing, so she was quietly paying for trimming more frequently than my family could manage. There were just so many warm fuzzies in that environment.

When I went to college, we couldn't keep him. So I placed him with a therapeutic riding program. When I came home and saw a young person with spina bifida who needed a horse that could be ridden bareback, and I saw that person engaging with Legend, that was such a career-changing, spiritual moment for me. I thought: horses are so much bigger than getting ribbons in a ring.

In the most stressful moments of this career, he's what keeps me focused on why I got into this. Horses are a huge part of my soul. Even today, when I've had 20 students in my office, dealt with employee stress, and had a horse being difficult, I can still walk through the barn at night. I'm usually the last one here, and it's my favorite part, because I hear them all eating. There's just that energy of why they're so important.

Adam V. D'Agostino is the Director of Equestrian and Head Western Coach at Alfred University in Alfred, New York. He also operates Empire Performance Horses, his private training and judging business.

‍