She’ll openly tell you that it took her three years to learn to canter or that she didn’t jump higher than 3’6” until college – details that some riders would hide or enhance. Sarah, on the other hand, is proud of her Northern California roots.

To anyone who knows her, I doubt it was a shock when she developed the idea for an equestrian magazine focused solely on the NorCal Hunter/Jumper scene.

But before I get into Horse & Style, let me provide a little background on the woman behind the venture.

For Sarah, a trail ride at Jack London State Park on a horse named Peso began her life-long journey into the world of Hunters and Jumpers. At the age of seven, Sarah began riding at a summer camp and, as a junior, she competed on the local and B-rated circuits. Although you’d never know it now, she jokes that she was a horrible beginner and took lessons for three years before she learned to canter. She would fall off weekly, but loved spending time with the horses.

After she had been cantering successfully for many years, Sarah moved to the East Coast to attend Pace University in NYC. She rode on the equestrian team and values the opportunities offered to her to ride and compete all types of horses. During the summers, she would return to California and lease a horse.

When she graduated from Pace University, Sarah moved home to attend The Academy of Art University.

“Something always brought me back [to California] – My love of horses and the equestrian sport,” she wrote in the premier issue of Horse & Style.

While she was earning her MFA in Fashion Merchandising, she was showing and working as an assistant trainer at an A-circuit barn nearby. In 2007, Sarah imported her current horse, Perlano, whom she competes in the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers and occasional grand prix classes.

The idea for a NorCal-focused equestrian magazine developed in July of this year. Sarah was looking to combine her love and knowledge of fashion and horses into one career and she knew she wanted Northern California to be her target market.

Just a few months later, in October of 2011, her Horse & Style Magazine premiered at the NorCal Medal Finals to rave reviews.

“After one issue, the overwhelming positive response has solidified that I made the right decision,” Sarah said.

Although Sarah is currently 9+ months pregnant, her future goals include winning a grand prix before she turns 30 and learning to balance motherhood and her career. She hopes Horse & Style will continue to grow in print and online, and be something “new and different in equestrian media.”

For more information about Horse & Style, please visit http://horseandstylemag.com or Facebook.