07/29/2026
If you’re not crackin’ out a salty bronc on Saturday night and Jumping sticks in the big ring on a Sunday do you even ride? I’m proud to call this lady a friend not only she’s super talented and handy. She’s a great person as well. When people ask me about who the best riders are. It’s not always the best Ryder in one discipline or one event it’s the ones that can do it all and Carly Richardson is sure’nuff the best Cowboys I know
“I jumped my first Grand Prix and rode my first bucking horse in the same year that I turned 18, and I feel blessed that I got exposed early to the level of grit and dedication it takes to make it in this industry and how it made me who I am today,” says Carly Richardson of her start in the hunter jumper world. Her beginning would later lead her into bronc riding and other western disciplines. Whether the goal was for a horse to run fast, buck hard, turn tight, or perform with precision, Carly was as captivated by their character as she was by their athleticism and versatility.
At just 4 years old, Carly began her journey hand in hand with her mother, who was returning to the industry after a twenty-year hiatus. Both of Carly’s parents played a crucial role in her upbringing, in and out of the saddle. Without the financial backing to jump straight into the big leagues, Carly faced what many would call a disadvantage. “I was definitely at what would be considered a disadvantage in the hunter jumper world,” she recalls. However, through her eyes, her station was never a disadvantage. “Although my parents didn’t have unlimited funds, they fully supported my passions and tried to give me every opportunity to chase my crazy dreams.”
Her story began at a local boarding facility, where she not only learned how to ride horses, but also learned how to love horses and appreciate their willingness to partner with people. While most new riders would take to one discipline, generally the one they were most comfortable with, Carly was fascinated by several others. Each was of a very different world, industry, and culture. She knew from the very beginning that she wanted extended knowledge of each one. Her curiosity became dedication. Rather than settling into a single discipline, she sought experience in as many as she could, convinced that every riding style had something to teach her.
Despite the support of her parents and peers, Carly faced challenges that she witnessed many fade right through. She expressed lapses of setbacks and the endless cycle of limitations that made her seem, even made her sometimes feel, less fortunate. But Carly realized that she didn’t have to take the same approach to success as everyone else, and in fact, it suited her best that she hadn’t.
📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2026/07/23/carly-richardson-forges-her-own-path/