Riding for the Team - by United States Equestrian Team Foundation (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

From playing with plastic ponies and taking their first riding lessons, to finding success in the arena, thousands of horse lovers hope they can one day represent the United States in international competition. Riding for the Team chronicles the lives of those who dreamed about competing for their country and "made it," sharing inspirational stories from the international governing organization's eight equestrian disciplines:

• show jumping
• dressage
• eventing
• driving
• vaulting
• reining
• endurance
• para-dressage

Readers are immersed in the fascinating histories of the medal-winning riders, drivers, and vaulters who have dominated American equestrian sport over the past 28 years, such as:

• McLain Ward
• Karen O'Connor
• Debbie McDonald
• Tim McQuay

Get the inside scoop on legendary horses who have become household names, including:

• Flexible
• Biko
• Verdades
• Gunners Special Nite

Offering exclusive insights, Riding for the Team gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of top-level equestrian sport. Athletes tell their stories and those of their horses during the years they honed their talent and dedicated their lives to representing their country in the Olympics, World Equestrian Games, World Championships, and Pan American Games. Beautifully illustrated with breathtaking photographs from prestigious competitions held around the world, Riding for the Team not only provides a dazzling record of American equestrian accomplishment, it promises to inspire the next generation of champions.

Review Quotes

"This book will appeal to equestrian sports super-fans and to horseman looking for life lessons alike. The stories are entertaining, uplifting and are almost parable-like in the moral philosophy beneath the surface of each one. They are wonderful insight into the lives of these US Equestrian Team members and reading them may bring both smiles and tears." --Equine Times

If you haven't scooped up your copy of Riding for the Team yet, you will most definitely want to add it to your wish list. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. After reading it from cover-to-cover three times through, my copy is proudly displayed on our living room bookcase, but I can promise you that it will be making its way down from time-to-time when I need some inspiration to get me through my difficult rides. --Horse Nation

Take an amazing behind-the-scenes journey with the incredible human and equine athletes that represent our country at the highest levels. Riding for the Team showcases incredible imagery with the inspirational stories of success. A beautiful coffee table quality hardcover, this book will astound equestrians as well as non-horsey dinner guests. --Northeast Equestrian Life

"In Nancy Jaffer's latest book Riding for the Team. She has compiled inspirational stories from the eight Olympic level equestrian disciplines: show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, vaulting, reining, endurance, and para-dressage. In conjunction with the United States Equestrian Team, this book gives you behind the scenes details of those who lived the culmination of an equestrian career--Riding for the U.S. Equestrian Team. Readers are immersed in the fascinating histories of the medal-winning riders, drivers, and vaulters who have dominated American equestrian sport over the past 28 years, such as McLain Ward, Karen O'Connor, Debbie McDonald, and Tim McQuay. Get the inside scoop on legendary horses who have become household names, including Flexible, Biko, Verdades, and Gunners Special Nite. The text is beautifully illustrated with breathtaking photographs from prestigious competitions held around the world." --Mid-South Horse Review

Riding for the Team is an enjoyable read and would make a great gift for a horse lover of any age who's ever dreamed of representing the USA in equestrian competition. --U.S. Dressage Federation Connection

A collection of inspirational stories from top level riders in all disciplines, all the way from McLain Ward to Tim McQuay. I think it's always interesting to get an inside peek into what goes on behind the scenes on the world stage, and learn more details about famous horses. Since this one covers show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, vaulting, reining, endurance, and para-dressage, it should cover the bases with just about any horse person. Who doesn't love an inspirational story? --the900dollarfacebookpony.com

About the Author

The mission of The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is to provide the necessary resources to make equestrian competitive excellence possible, now and in the future. The Foundation supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's Elite and developing International High Performance athletes and horses in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation. High Performance programs are developed in the eight international equestrian disciplines of dressage, eventing, jumping, driving, endurance, reining, para-equestrian and vaulting. These programs train and support top US athletes and horses to compete at the Olympics, World Championships, Pan American Games and other major international competitions. USET Foundation is based in Gladstone, New Jersey.

Nancy Jaffer is a renowned equestrian photojournalist whose articles have appeared regularly online and in the pages of Practical Horseman and Dressage Today magazines. She has covered nine Olympics and is a contributor to Horse & Hound magazine (UK), Horse International, andIn Stride, and writes the Due South column on the Horse Canada website. Jaffer, who has a website www.nancyjaffer.com, wrote a weekly newspaper column on equestrian sports that appeared inThe Star-Ledgerof New Jersey from 1972 until 2015. She is the coauthor ofRiding Throughwith dressage Olympian Debbie McDonald andLife in the Galloping Lanewith eventing Olympians Karen and David O'Connor. She also edited the last USET publication, entitledRiding for America. Nancy makes her home in Peapack, New Jersey.