In 2016, Sarah Griffin received an unexpected text message from Malibu, California. It was professional show jumper Jamie Barge, and she was looking for a groom for her two horses at home and on the road. At the time, Griffin was working with kids and ponies at a stable near Newnan, Georgia, where she grew up. “I would teach lessons and ride all day,” said Griffin. “We had 30 to 40 horses, so it was just horses all day, plus horse summer camp and all of that stuff.”

Throughout her childhood and teenage years, Griffin took lessons and competed at local shows. During summertime, she enjoyed even more farm experiences. “I have one part of my family that owns a farm in Tennessee. It’s like 300 acres, and they have ponies, cows, the whole shebang,” she said. “And I would go there every summer and spend all summer just being a farm kid, riding the ponies, helping with the baby goats. I really learned to love that kind of farm life.”

Grooming on the Fédération Equestre Internationale fircuit was unlike anything Griffin had done, but she had come highly recommended, and Barge had been hoping for a female groom. From then-22-year-old Griffin’s perspective, taking the job would be a big change, but she was up for the challenge. “I was like, being from a small town in Georgia, I don’t want to look back on this and regret not moving to Malibu, California. So, I just moved right out.”

After several years with Barge, fate intervened with another job offer. Griffin was offered a position at Pomponio Ranch in Rancho Santa Fe, California, but turned it down because she was worried about high cost of housing in the San Diego area. Griffin was two days away from taking a job in Florida when Pomponio’s barn manager called her again. She had arranged housing, she said, and Griffin couldn’t say no. “My first show with Karl [Cook] and Eric [Navet] was the Las Vegas National in 2019, and I’ve been here ever since.”

Griffin appreciates the opportunity to provide individual care for a handful of horses in the Pomponio Ranch string. On a day-to-day basis, she is responsible for three horses, most famously Kalinka Van’t Zorgvliet, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Thunder VD Zuuthoeve—Goldfee Van’t Zorgvliet, Flipper D’Elle) who recently won the $1 Million Coachella Cup Grand Prix (California) and earned the 2023 USEF Channel I Grand Prix Jumper Horse of the Year title.

Kalinka benefits from Griffin’s knowledge of physiotherapy and commitment to continued learning. Kalinka’s regular routine includes laser therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, specialized massage therapy, and a stretching regimen. Griffin first became interested in physiotherapy after meeting Janus Marquis, the equine physiotherapist for the U.S. show jumping team.

“It’s very educational here,” said Griffin. “We are surrounded by knowledgeable people, which allows us to excel in our own personal growth and care, which I really love.”

Griffin has continued to learn from Pomponio veterinarians Phillippe Benoit and Kate Zukiewicz-Benoit, the latter of whom specializes in equine bodywork. While some Pomponio grooms do a fair amount of exercise riding, Griffin has found her passion in physiotherapy. “I like to do more on the ground,” she said. “I want to know what I can do to help the horses feel 150% in the ring.”

Additionally, Griffin leaves no stone unturned to make every part of the horse’s job as easy as possible. For example, she has a strategy to make FEI boot check painless for everyone involved. “ ‘Kali’ has a reputation for being a little spicy at boot check, so I always practice before I go to the ring, always. And that is so I can be quick for Kali,” she said.

As an added layer of strategy, Griffin gives Kalinka a mint right before boot check. “Usually that’s enough to just stimulate her brain to think about that instead,” she said. 

It’s that level of detail that helps a horse like Kalinka feel her best, and Griffin enjoys that part of the job the most.

“I really like to know my horses, day in and day out,” she said. “I like to know how they feel before they jump. I like to know how they feel after. I like to know how they feel on a bad day. It’s an important thing, especially for someone like Kalinka, when she can actually be pretty stoic. Even if something is bothering her, she can be pretty stoic. So, I think it’s better to know her a little bit more in depth, so I can catch those small things quicker, and make sure that she’s really taken care of.”

That dedication is part of what makes her so vital in Cook’s eyes.

“Everyone talks about the relationship between rider and horse, and also groom and horse, but the relationship between rider and groom is also important,” he said. “Sarah is amazing, and I know I can trust her. Having someone you know really well, who knows you really well, is so important—especially with a horse like Kalinka.

“Sarah is very sensitive in a great way,” he added. “Where some grooms might miss something, like little emotional details about how the horses are feeling, Sarah doesn’t. When the finest margins matter, it’s important to have that.”

Griffin’s committed to Kalinka and Cook’s road to the very highest levels of the sport, and she feels that grooms are vital to that journey. “Grooming isn’t just about knowing the horse’s saddle and bridle,” she said. “It’s about knowing their brain, their whole body, plus their soul and spirit.”

Do you know an exceptional groom who deserves to be showcased in our Groom Spotlight section? If so, email kloushin@coth.com to tell us all about that person.