April 28, 2025 
In an industry growing more out of reach for Americans every year, trainer Adrienne Grasso is trying to spark change. The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) coach is using her platform as a professional to not only educate the next generation but to also open doors for those with fewer opportunities.
It’s a cause close to her heart. Growing up, riding lessons were a financial stretch for Grasso’s parents. The Northern Californian said she was fortunate to meet Irene Lorimer, a trainer who recognized her passion for riding and offered her a working student position.
“I basically lived at the barn,” she said. “I would have never gotten to do everything that I got to do without her help. My parents simply couldn’t afford it.“
Now, Grasso is the one paying it forward.
As owner and head trainer of Sterling Farms in Livermore, CA, she takes pride that her program, specializing in hunters, jumpers, and equitation, offers a more affordable price point than most in the area.
“I think we’re pricing out most people out of the horse industry entirely,” Grasso continued. “I think horses make us better people, they teach us so many skills, and I think people should have access to them.”
One way she’s doing that is through her involvement with the IEA. Grasso currently captains two teams, comprised of about 32 middle and high schoolers and four adults. What began as a way to find new opportunities for her clients became an educational tool that is opening doors to compete on the national stage.
“From a riding standpoint, I would say the best skill that they get from IEA is learning to control their emotions. Learning to manage their energy, being able to adapt their riding style to fit their draw the best. That’s the kind of stuff in IEA that kids don’t really have opportunity to develop necessarily through other avenues of riding. It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids to essentially practice their catch-riding skills. So that’s the big thing.
“Plus it’s great to offer kids that maybe don’t have the financial backing to be successful at a national level,” Grasso continued. “IEA opens an avenue for kids to still compete nationally, and I think that’s really important.”
Beyond the riding skills, she said IEA participation also teaches work ethic, teamwork and collaboration—both within the riders and the community of trainers.
“The kids have to work all day,” she shared. “They’ve got to get horses ready and hold horses. It helps with work ethic. I think that’s kind of disappearing a little bit as the generations go on, especially because our sport is becoming so elitist that the hard work has gotten lost.
“What I’ve noticed, especially in my region, is that the trainers have been very helpful as well. We all come together, and that’s not something that’s typical. You don’t necessarily get a lot of collaboration in the industry between professionals. What I really enjoy about IEA is that we’re all on the same team.”
For Grasso, it’s an extension of an already rewarding career path. “I just love my horses and I love watching the kids ride the horses and learn from the horses.”
But lately she’s been inspired to take her work a step further, laying the framework for a nonprofit that will offer IEA scholarships to those without the means to ride.
“I’m still in the very, very early stages. I have to resources—horse-wise, equipment-wise, facility-wise. We’re working on getting our non-profit set up. We want to offer scholarships to kids that maybe could not afford to ride or, if they do ride, could not afford to ride on an IEA team. So basically we would cover the expenses for them to take lessons and be able to show the IEA season with us.”
The next immediate step in making her nonprofit goal a reality is finding a team member to help manage the logistics so she can focus on the resources and identifying riders who would benefit from the scholarship opportunity.
“I just want to make horse sport more accessible.”
This story is brought to you by Three Mares, a company committed to creating a cultural shift in sport by funding nonprofits that give back to athletes. Three Mares collaborated with Show Trunk II and Eq Team Apparel during the IEA Nationals weekend to donate $500 and a portion of all sales from Dreamers & Schemers, ManeJane, and The TackHack to the IEA Scholarship Fund. To learn more, visit TheThreeMares.com.
