Carly Kist began riding as a four-year-old in a decidedly unstructured program. First exposed to horses while visiting the barn with her mother, she rode exclusively bareback until the age of seven. When their proximity to Spruce Meadows registered on the youngster, her eyes were opened to the great heights to which tack could carry you, so she saddled up and began riding competitively.

Carly’s recent decision to spend a year abroad stemmed from a desire to experience some international competition and exposure to the European methodology of horse sport. She is currently in Belgium training with and working for Vincent Lambrecht, where she has the opportunity to compete every weekend at either international shows with her own horse, or national shows, bringing a younger string for experience. “I’m at a fantastic stable that gives me a lot of opportunity and functions in a way that I really respect and have greatly enjoyed,” she says of her time in Europe thus far. “In general, people here are a lot more knowledgeable about horses and horse sport. Everyone knows the stables in town and the shows in the area, even if they aren’t directly involved.

“I am a huge believer in continuous learning, so another reason to come to Europe was the opportunity to train in a bit of a different system and to learn more about the business aspect of show jumping that is more prevalent in Europe. This is my first experience riding professionally full time, so I wanted to really immerse myself as a rider, working long days and travelling to lots of shows.”

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