What makes a memorable equestrian photograph? Is it knees to eyeballs? Perfect framing in front of a perfect backdrop? A newsworthy event, captured in a split-second that’s worth the proverbial “thousand words”? Ask our staff, who traveled this year to the biggest shows to capture the action, and they’ll tell you it’s a bit of all those things, but there’s one extra ingredient that really makes an image stick with you: emotion. We asked our staff to share their favorite photos of the year, and the list that follows includes big events and small moments in which you can see just what the rider is feeling … plus a few really pretty hunters!

I loved this moment on cross-country at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. The five-star cross-country had just started, and I camped out at the iconic “crab water” to shoot the first few pairs. Course designer Ian Stark warned that the course was going to have some tricky elements, and the combination jumping out at 22CD proved to be just that. After jumping up the bank, riders were treated to a pair of brush shoulders set on a committed two strides. The first two horses didn’t go that direct route, though; their riders cleverly pulled to the left after the first brush to give themselves more space before turning back to the final element. It was effective, but not the line we were all hoping to see. Luckily New Zealand’s Monica Spencer proved up to the challenge with her game Thoroughbred gelding Artist. When the pair successfully negotiated the direct two-stride, the crowd let out a cheer, and Spencer put her reins in one hand, turned back towards the crowd and gave a smile and a fist pump on her way to the next question. 

— Kimberly Loushin

There are Germans, Swedes, Danes, and yes, Canadians and U.S. riders at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida. This year two sisters from a country with fewer dressage stars—Thailand—made their way to South Florida for the season and put in some great rides.

It’s always inspiring to see underdogs shine on the international stage, and I was smiling as much as Suphajit Vuntanadit when she earned a personal best (69.55%) and sixth place in the Centerline Stables Intermediaire I CDI1* during AGDF 5 with Wall Street JV.

— Mollie Bailey

This year was my first time attending the CHIO Aachen in Germany, and though many places don’t live up to the hype, that’s one that absolutely does. I covered the dressage and some show jumping classes in beautiful weather earlier in the week, but cross-country day dawned misty and cold. I spent the morning traipsing around the far back field of the course, but then as the day’s rain got heavier and heavier—and my camera’s crankiness correspondingly worse—I retreated towards the relative comfort of the main area, where the pairs were finishing their courses. This turned out to be the best decision I made all day, as I got the riders’ final reactions—which ranged from deep disappointment to wild joy—on camera as the horses jumped the last keyhole fence then galloped through the timers. My Best Reaction Of The Day Award went to eventual winner Yasmin Ingham on Banzai du Loir, whose fist-pumping happiness was contagious enough to bring a smile to my own face. (And the camera even chose that ecstatic moment to cooperate, phew!)  

— Lisa Slade

The Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon is one of those rare U.S. horse events that spectators actually flock to, which adds a huge amount of atmosphere to the class. After Ashlee Bond won with Donatello 141 in her Devon debut, she spent a good 15 minutes in the ring chatting with spectators and letting them pet “Donnie.”

“They come here and stand out, and they’re outside for hours watching us,” she said of the spectators. “They were really appreciative. I think we all are, of being able to have this kind of environment. The average sports get this all the time, but we don’t. It’s cool to give back to the crowd.”

— Mollie Bailey

When Tamie Smith headed into Rolex Stadium on Mai Baum for show jumping at the Land Rover Kentucky CCI5* this spring, I could feel my heart begin pounding. She’d pulled into the lead after cross-country, and if she jumped clear, she would be the first U.S. rider to win Kentucky in 15 years. The anticipation in the stadium was palpable as she picked up a canter, and the photographers congregated on the hill facing the final fence expressed their nervousness. The number of shots I took after Smith crossed the finish line and began her celebration far outnumbered those I took during her round, and while not all of them turned out, this one was one of my favorites for many reasons: The pure joy on Smith’s face, Mai Baum’s intelligent expression, ears pricked as if he knew what he’d just accomplished, and the colors of the crowd behind them. 

— Kimberly Loushin

McKayla Brombach is a trainer’s kid who, according to her mother Colleen Brombach, will get on anything and everything in her eagerness to increase her equestrian education and get show ring miles. Colleen was candid in say her daughter had ridden many limited mounts during the year, so they were extra excited at USEF Pony Finals (Kentucky) when large green pony On Tour rose to the challenge and won the grand green title. 

— Mollie Bailey

I took this photo on the first day of the Devon Horse Show (Pennsylvania) and immediately felt like it was time to pack up and go home, because it was going to be hard to beat. Not only are Tessa Downey and her horse HH Moonshine picture perfect, they’re perfectly lined up in front of the new show signage over the in-gate. 

— Kimberly Loushin

The last day of the CHIO Aachen includes the Rolex Grand Prix—a Grand Slam event—and this year’s was as packed with talent as any Olympic Games. There was extra tension because McLain Ward was entered with his longtime partner HH Azur, and the pair had accomplished the rare feat of winning the previous two Grand Slam events, meaning a win in Aachen would earn them the big prize. For this class I shot inside the massive main stadium, penned in with dozens of other photographers so close to the horses that you could reach out and touch them. (Don’t worry, no one did that.) 

While watching the experts navigate this massive course clear was a highlight, an unexpected high point was watching Ward jump three fences on “Annie,” have two down, then elect to retire her—from both that day’s jumping and from her career. Of course McLain winning the class (and the Rolex Grand Slam with it), would have been the loud type of thrilling—and the storybook ending everyone wanted for Annie—but watching his quiet display of horsemanship gave me chills of a different kind.

— Lisa Slade

Who doesn’t love a snappy-kneed hunter? Horses jumped this particular fence at WCHR West Coast Hunter Spectacular really well, and Kingston was no exception. 

Halie Robinson has been a rising star in the hunter ring, and I first met her at Menlo Charity (California) in 2014 when she was a working student for Jim Hagman’s Elvenstar. She’s now holding her own in the big leagues, and she piloted Kingston to 11^th in outstanding company.

— Mollie Bailey

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Check out the rest of our Best Of 2023 coverage, and make sure you follow @chronofhorse on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with everything happening in the horse world in the new year.