April 4, 2016 
Don Stewart can often be found at the ingate of the junior hunter ring cracking jokes, keeping the atmosphere light and offering tidbits of wisdom to his talented group of riders. Sometimes he can be tracked down by one of his famous ringtones; some of the more notable ones being “Imma Be” by the Black Eyed Peas and Ludacris’ “My Chick Bad”, or his favorite—the Looney Tunes theme song. In tow, you will find a huge team of people all working to keep the busy schedule (and the fearless leader) of Don Stewart Stables on track and running smoothly.
When asked how he manages so many horses and people he admits, “You have to have a lot of help.”
© Kayleigh Spicer
It’s no surprise Don has coached countless riders to national championships when you take a look at his own illustrious riding career. Stewart was named the Leading Hunter Rider at the National Horse Show in 1993 and again in 1995, which he cites as some of his greatest personal accomplishments as a horseman—the others include coaching his daughter, Erin, to the win at the 2002 Maclay Finals or the Grand Championship at the National Horse Show. He was also awarded the Leading Hunter Rider title at Devon in 1992. Stewart piloted many, many horses to championship honors at just about every horse show you can imagine. His favorite horse, however, was one named Without a Doubt, a thoroughbred that Stewart showed in the eighties.
“He won Horse of the Year twice. He was very legitimate, true blue, dependable—and a good jumper,” Stewart said.
For years, Don has been using his expertise to produce national champion after national champion. Humor is one of the key ingredients in Stewart’s teaching style—and obviously, it works.
“I feel like people [trainers] do way better if they’re relaxed and have a nice rapport with the student. Nerves get enough of them and I feel like if they can relax they can do it way better. It’s not the end of the world if they make a mistake. There’s life after Maclay Finals,” Stewart explained.
Regarding which trainers had the biggest influence on his style, Stewart referenced some of the best in the business—including Katie Prudent and Jimmy Lee.
Don with 2012 USEF Medal Finals winner, Meg O’Mara. ©Kayleigh Spicer
Horse showing has evolved enormously in recent years. When Stewart was a junior, there was a relatively small number of horse shows.
“We were lucky to have one show a month. We had May to November showing—it wasn’t year round,” Stewart recalled, “The courses were nothing…side, diagonal—very normal courses even at the biggest of shows. It was also way less expensive.”
With the multitude of shows that happen every weekend year round nowadays, it is important to note how much the industry has changed. It continues to transform every day, allowing the world of horse showing to become bigger and bigger.
“I think you’re going to see more and more of these big conglomerates. I feel like they’re going to edge out some of the smaller shows,” Stewart said, imagining the business of horse showing in ten years. “The money in the hunters has been very stagnant until these derbies came along, and I think that [the derbies] will help with that. With horses, like everything else, there’s inflation and you’re going to have to keep paying more and more.”
Don Stewart Stables has a long driveway lined with magnolias and an incredible expanse of green fields, some of which are filled with brightly colored jumps set in complicated courses. When he’s not at a show, Stewart starts his day on the farm in Reddick, FL at about 8:30 A.M., spending most of the day in the field “teaching lessons and schooling horses all day long, until about 6:30.”
Teaching lessons for Don [or any trainer] means a lot of repeated directions. “Get your heels down and your eyes up,” and “Relax your arm and follow the horse’s mouth,” are just some of the phrases Stewart finds himself saying over and over. “They don’t do it. Especially the eyes up part—it’s really annoying because that’s easy to fix,” he said with a laugh.
Many of Don’s students start their careers on ponies with his partner, Bibby Farmer Hill. Stewart says that this works because they are “exact opposites.” Bibby teaches the younger juniors responsibility and focus, and then Don works off of these learned qualities. “She’s driven and focused and very organized and skillful in what she does. She has a very regimented schedule; I, on the other hand, am way more flexible.”
Hill ensures that the pony riders are prepared to move on to the Junior Hunter and Big Equitation ranks when the time comes.
© Kayleigh Spicer
Every year, Stewart continues to produce winning horses and riders in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings. He says the best qualities in a student are a good work ethic, and for juniors, to be structured and disciplined. For amateurs, Don tries to “keep it lighter and be more flexible—they’re there to have a good time.”
Driven by coffee (in the morning), iced tea and a genuine love for his job, Don keeps working hard to develop top competitors.
“I really enjoy the job. I like being a know it all.”
