When I was little and starting to ride horses, my dad was cautious. I remember driving with him to my first competition at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (then called the Meadowlands) when I was about 4 years old. He’s played that stadium many times. I was doing a leadline class where you just sit on the pony as someone walks you around and you try to have good posture.

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He said, “Jessica, you know if you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to go.” And I was like, “If you don’t want to come, you don’t have to. But I’m going.” And he said I got on the pony and never looked back.

As I got older, I struggled to balance high school and college with my riding. It was tough. I didn’t have much of a social life. But my dad always reminded me that it’s so rare in life to find something you’re so passionate about, that brings you so much joy. And when you find that, you have to really respect it and pursue it. My dad has worked so hard and is very passionate about his work. Even when he has time off, he’s thinking about the next project that he might be excited to do.



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I ride professionally now, focusing 100 percent of my time on it. This sport is such a unique lifestyle, and never once did my parents try to steer me in another direction. I was always in love with riding—and now I do it full time. Thanks to my dad, I’ll never take that for granted.

This article originally appeared in the June 2018 issue of Women's Health Magazine. For more great advice, pick up a copy on newsstands now.

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