Making her third Olympic appearance for the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team, Adrienne Lyle will arrive in Paris with two new additions: her new mount, Helix, and her 9-month-old daughter, Bailey.

A 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center and cared for by Marina Lemay, Helix was purchased with the Olympics in mind for Lyle in late 2023. The horse and rider team competed together on just a handful of occasions in spring 2024, but quickly made it clear that they make for an impressive duo.

Horse Illustrated had a quick chat with Lyle ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics to discuss this year’s Games.

Horse Illustrated: What qualities do you look for in an Olympic horse?

Adrienne Lyle: When we’re searching for horses for the Olympics and high performance, we obviously need them to have the physical capabilities and the physical talent to do it. But a huge part of the equation is their heart, how hard they try for their rider, how intelligent they are, and how much they enjoy learning new things. Because to get to the Grand Prix level, they have to really be open to constantly learning new things and evolving. So their character is also very, very important.

HI: What has been the biggest challenge for you in your journey to the 2024 Olympics?

Lyle: This year, my journey to the Olympics was unique for two different reasons—one of which is that Helix and I are a new partnership. That’s not something I had done before in my career, so there’s a lot of new challenges and things to figure out with getting a horse in a shorter timeframe.

And the other thing that made it challenging, or at least different, was that I’m a new mother. I had a daughter at the end of September of last year (2023), so there’s been lots of new additions to my life this season.

HI: How does having previous Olympic experiences help you prepare for this year’s Olympics?

Lyle: This will be my third Olympic Games and for sure every time you go, you learn such an incredible amount. Not just about riding and competing, but also what it means to be a good teammate—to be there for other competitors and the honor of representing your country.

HI: What are you most looking forward to about this year’s Olympics?

Lyle: French pastries!

HI: What is your favorite Olympic sport outside of equestrian?

Lyle: Outside of equestrian, I love to watch the track and field and gymnastics. They are just, to me, the pinnacle of amazing things that the human body can do. And it’s pretty cool to get to see them train and compete in person.

HI: How has motherhood changed your preparation for the Olympics?

Well, besides the fact I can’t get anywhere on time ever again for the rest of my life, it’s added just a different element being in Europe here and having my daughter with me. So we’re not only focused on the training, but also obviously the role of being her mom and just figuring out how to delegate our time. It hasn’t taken away anything from the training; I’m still training just as hard and just as focused as before. It’s just kind of added another fun dimension to it.

For more news, visit our 2024 Paris Olympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Olympics: Q&A with Adrienne Lyle of the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Sometimes life is pretty good.

Like working as a freelance writer and covering the four-day Equine Affaire in MA for Horse Illustrated.

And sometimes life is downright awesome.

Like getting the chance to sit down with Steffen Peters for a quick interview at Equine Affaire. Our chat revealed the depth of passion that Steffen brings to the world of competitive dressage, the obvious joy he has in working with his wife Shannon at SPeters Dressage, and the lifelong hobby that lets his spirits soar.

Julie Maddock: Of all the horses you’ve worked with, which one stands out as your favorite?
Steffen Peters: That’s a tough one… It might have to be Ravel because he accomplished so much. The World Cup win is still one of my favorite moments. But Mopsie is a very, very close second.

Yes, he is referring to that Mopsie (nickname of the famous “Rave Horse” Suppenkasper; the dynamic duo’s freestyle performance set to pulsating dance music went viral. Steffen and Mopsie were part of the silver medal-winning U.S. Dressage Team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and placed in the top 10 in the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music.

JM: The Grand Prix Freestyle in Tokyo—that was so special in that it introduced dressage to a whole other world of people. How did that affect you?
SP: The one word that comes to my mind is “pride.” I was so proud of Mopsie—that he was able to address so many people… 70 million Google searches. For well-known people like Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg to mention dressage was pretty amazing. At that time, I did receive a phone call from Kevin Hart’s producer and she said, “Can you bring Mopsie into the studio? We’d like to put Kevin on him.” I thought that would be great—Mopsie is 18.2 hands and that would be a wonderful picture with Kevin on him. And I said, “I would love to do that, but check with your insurance. See what they say.” And absolutely no—it was just too much of a liability.

JM: What advice would you give to adult amateurs new to dressage?
SP: Everything depends on the horse. Of course, the rider has a lot to do with it. But there are so many problem horses out there. And I find that people do sell their problems a lot. I want to be super protective of anybody who is just starting in this sport. If you look at a horse—the temperament, the gaits, the conformation—it is so obvious. But the rideability of the horse, you know, how the horse listens to the contact, the way he listens to the leg aid, the seat aid, the way the horse offers some movements with more elasticity… I find that so extremely important to look for because horses are either born with that rideability or they’re not. I’ve ridden stallions with perfect conformation because of breeding purposes, but that doesn’t mean they are very rideable. So I’d much rather have a horse like Ravel that didn’t have the perfect conformation, but he was still willing, so elastic, and so supple.

JM: What are you most proud of in the creation of SPeters Dressage and Arroyo Del Mar training facility?
SP: What I am most proud of is the vision that my wife Shannon had of turning this into a 5-star boarding and training facility. This was Shannon’s baby. And when I tell people that it was Shannon’s baby, she always comments that it was “Shannon’s quadruplets”—that’s how difficult everything was. But she managed the whole construction, remodeling, everything that needed to be done, and she did that while I was in Europe. I’m very, very proud that she accomplished this.

JM: What’s next on the horizon for SPeters Dressage?
SP: We start our Olympic trials. Final team selection for Paris will be in Europe, and it would be wonderful if Mopsie could make it again.

JM: What role does support of your family play in achieving your equestrian goals?
SP: There’s no way I would be where I am today without Shanni. At the shows, she’s there and she still gets a little bit teary-eyed when things go well.

JM: What is one thing you’ve learned this past year that has made you a better horseman?
SP: I think something I have been working on for a long time is just being more patient with myself. I’ve always been pretty patient with my horses. But with myself, if I felt like I didn’t ride good enough, it used to occupy me way too long. And this idea of letting go is finally happening. I became so much better at meditation… Letting go and establishing even more calmness inside.

JM: Any interesting hobbies that allow you to just chill?
SP: Mainly flying model airplanes and gliders. It’s a really fun group of guys that we do this with. We go up to Central California, we camp out there, and I cook for the guys. It’s just a really fun way to relax.

JM: And this hobby goes back to your childhood in Germany and your dad?
SP: Yes, when I was about seven years old. Dad and I started this a long time ago. The airplane that my Dad built at that time, I still have a replica of this particular plane in my shop. It’s pretty neat.

This Q&A with Steffen Peters is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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