“Lay out your hand flat, tuck your thumb behind your index finger, and don’t get scared when the horse’s lips touch you” are the instructions that freshman Addison Johnson gives to anyone who is brave enough to feed her two horses their favorite treats, peppermint tums. 

      Johnson practices saddle seat, a horse-riding style, twice a week for hours on end with her two world-class show horses Bentley and Louie. Saddle seat is a specific sub-category of equestrian sports, which Johnson has been passionate about for over a decade. 

     Saddle seat is rather unique. The rider presents themselves in formal attire and is judged on their ability to make themselves and their horse meet specific visual standards. It generally requires horses bred specifically to carry their necks very high and lift their knees as they move to form a motion that looks almost like a controlled, sassy stomping. 

     However, this particular discipline isn’t easy to get into. Aside from the multitude of equipment required for any equestrian sport, like a saddle, bridle, stable and, of course, a horse, it also requires a specialized custom suit and special coaches to help refine skills. 

     A reliable stable with sufficient training also isn’t as easy to find. Johnson’s horses are kept at Solaris Farm in Ocala, Fla., which is about two hours away. 

    “For a long time, we went to this barn about 45 minutes away,” Johnson said. “Now we have to trek up to Ocala.” 

     Despite the distance, the barn seems to be quite worth it for Johnson, primarily due to her coach Sarah Russell, a world-renowned saddle seat rider. Russell is a Saddle Seat Triple Crown winner, member of the United States World Cup team and national champion with multiple horse breeds. 

     “I’m super excited to work with Addison. She is super talented and a very strong rider,” she said.

     At Solaris, hung on the wood of stables, in between horses and on the walls of dining rooms lay tributes of saddle seat riders that came before. These photos, however, are almost all identical. The only way to distinguish between a photo from 1920 and the current year is that one is black and white. 

     “Nothing really changes in our sport,” Russel said while pacing the barn and pointing to a photo of herself and then to one of the pioneers of the sport. 

     Riders still wear almost identical suits and hats as in the 19th century while continuing to ride Morgan horses, which are known for their muscular appearance, intellectual prowess and versatility. 

     One thing that has allowed the sport to continue its tradition is the bond between human and animal. Johnson has a unique ability to form a connection with her horses. She takes animals weighing almost as much as a small car and walks, trots and canters with them, even switching between the three in the blink of an eye. 

     Although horses Louie and Bentley are both named after luxury brands, perhaps what’s even more valuable than their names is their connection with their rider. 

     By now, Johnson doesn’t mind the long drives and regular study sessions in the car. She’s learned how to adjust to maintaining high academic expectations and a rigorous practice schedule, and teachers are often flexible because they understand the demanding nature of her sport. 

    “It’s a lot, but my teachers connect with my coaches and give me work to do, and I’ve just gotten used to doing homework in hotels a lot,” she said. 

     Hotel rooms have become a sort of second home for Johnson, as she travels very far to compete on the world stage. In the fall, she attended multiple championship events in Oklahoma such as the Morgan Horse Championship. Her performance in these competitions — more commonly referred to as “shows” — led to a placement among the top three saddle seat riders under the age of 20 worldwide. 

     “I’m very proud of her,” junior Aidan Johnson, Addison’s brother, said. 

     Yet, Addison Johnson’s fervor for saddle seat wasn’t always as strong as it is now. She originally decided to get into the sport because her mom, Kristi Johnson, showed her the ropes, or better yet, the reins.

     “I really loved it, but I don’t know, [I] just didn’t fall in love,” Addison Johnson said. “Then I quit for a little while when my brother Michael fell off his horse.” 

     After this scare, Addison Johnson was wary. Getting flung off is rare, but it was a real fear of hers. Soon though, she got back on the horse, literally. With a little help from friends and encouragement from family, it became love at second sight for Addison Johnson. This time, she truly found a connection with horses. 

     Riding is now a family event. Kristi Johnson travels with Addison Johnson as well as her younger daughter Amelia J. A Lower School student at Shorecrest, Amelia J. enjoys riding a hunt seat, which employs a completely different style of riding focused more on the movements of the horse.