Life and Work with Sofia Frontiere

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sofia Frontiere.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico where my family owned a small horse property. Needless to say, horses were a big part of my life. I began lessons at a very young age with Jose Luis Perez Soto, 1980 Olympic bronze medalist. When I was 16, my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and it turned my world upside down. Horses were my only comfort. I began riding with renowned trainer and judge Erlene Seybold-Smythe. There, I started to hone my skills and ride many world champion Morgan horses in many different disciplines. I learned how to start young horses, drive, and had the opportunity to work with many different breeds. I worked as a head counselor for kid’s horse camps, and, as lead instructor, I taught many children and adults the fundamentals and joys of horsemanship. I was fortunate enough to work with legendary rider/trainers in the fields of hunter, jumper, and dressage. After experiencing this wide range of skills, I decided that dressage was the discipline for me.

After successfully competing locally, I decided it was time to branch out. I contacted Shannon Peters, in Del Mar. She and her husband Steffen Peters, 4x Olympian and 2x team bronze medalist, run the beautiful Arroyo Del Mar barn. After a few amazing weeks of training, she offered me a position as a working student, and I definitely could not turn it down. I called my parents and told them I was not coming home and staying in California! I worked alongside team Peters for two years and learned a plethora of skills. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that the Peters gave me!

Now, my horse and I are incredibly happy to be riding with Tiffany Silver at her lovely barn in Rancho Santa Fe, we train five days per week getting ready for the next competition.

Horses have been a part of me for as long as I can remember. They are there through the good times and bad. Being a “horsewoman” is so much more than just sitting in the saddle. We create a bond with the horses we ride. They become our teammates, our partners. We travel the world together. The horse I currently own and compete with is Arkle B. He goes by his barn name “B.” He is a 13-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood, and as corny as it sounds, he is my best friend. Seeing his happy face every day at the barn is what drives me to become a better rider. We train to become the best riders we can be for our horses to make sure we are fair and kind to them. “B” is an extremely hard worker and sometimes tries a little too hard and can get himself very worked up. I’ve had to learn how to comfort and reassure him. There are a lot of “good boy B” and TONS of treats after the ride, and of course, kisses.

When riding horses, you never stop learning. Here in California, I am lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing trainers and riders to learn from. There’s always something new to learn, and equestrians learn from each other. We push each other to be better. To work harder. To ride better.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have definitely had my fair share of challenges as everyone does. Unfortunately, the equestrian world can be harsh at times. Being a competitive rider revolves around being “judged”, so the pressure is always on. While most of the people can be extremely kind and supportive, there are some that beat you down. As a curvy girl, I have faced a lot of body shaming. Riders do need to be at a level of fitness to ride well and a lot of the time this can be interpreted as a need to be a size 0. That definitely is not and should not be the case. This has probably been the hardest thing for me to deal with. I have personally been treated unkindly about this issue and it has done major damage to my self-esteem and confidence. At one point, I almost quit riding altogether. I was told that until I lost weight, I would not be able to ride to the best of my abilities. It was soul crushing. I am an extremely strong and fit woman but my body shape will never be the “desired shape.” The only way I would ever achieve that would be to starve myself and that wasn’t something I was ok with doing. It has taken years for me to feel comfortable in my own skin, even now, I still feel the pressure to be skinnier because I don’t fit that image most riders have. Shopping for form-fitting riding clothes in catalogs featuring stick thin models feeds into the body shamming issue. My advice for young women in any field is to not let people’s ideas of a successful woman stop you. Let your hard work speak for itself. Never let somebody make you think less of yourself just because you don’t conform.

Please tell us about your work.
I am an equestrienne. I primarily ride and compete for dressage horses in San Diego, CA. I would say that I am known for my organizational skills in both the barn at home and at competitions. Some of my responsibilities include; tracking feed, medicating, bandaging, grooming, tacking. My main interest is riding daily, training both my horse and myself. Sometimes, it can be a daunting experience, in that there are so many other young riders working to achieve the same goals.

Who have you been inspired by?
I have had many women in my life that have inspired me! The one that had the biggest impact would be my first trainer Erlene Smythe. She is a third generation horsewoman. She ran Roy-El Mogan farm, a family training, and breeding facility, for many years at a very young age. She won her first national title at the age of six. Erlene holds numerous local, regional, national and world champion titles. She taught me so much about life, not only horses.

Thanks to her I am the women I am today. We are still best friends.

Contact Info:

• Email: sofiefrontiere
• Instagram: @sofiafrontieredressage
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFdressage/

Image Credit:
Terri Miller

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