Golden Through and Through

Stephanie Gustafson’s Journey with Three Remarkable Dressage Horses

By the time Stephanie Gustafson steps into the show warm-up, you can tell she’s done this before—packed trunk, calm hands, and a quiet focus that comes from years of teaching, training, and showing. A lifelong educator who retired in 2023 as Equestrian Director of Ojai Valley School, Stephanie now lives in Ojai and competes with three very different horses while volunteering and building a small equine bodywork business: Symmetry in Motion Equine Bodywork. She’s also an enthusiastic board member of the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the California Dressage Society, a group she says “puts on the best shows in the state.”

Her horse Goldenrod is a palomino with a personality. Goldenrod, a 19-year-old German Riding Pony gelding who grew over pony height, has been by Stephanie’s side since he was four. Found for her in Virginia by friend and coach Paul Belasik—who forgot to mention he was palomino before he got to California—Goldenrod arrived on the trailer years ago and promptly stole her heart. Now competing at I1 and schooling Grand Prix, Stephanie sums it up simply: “I do love all my horses, of course, but this guy is just the best horse ever.” Golden through and through, he’s the special partner who’s carried her up the levels with patience and character.

Corazana (Cora) is her overachiever. Cora, a 14-year-old Lusitano mare, has been part of Stephanie’s life for 12 years. The mare is currently showing 4th level dressage and has just begun exploring Working Equitation. As Stephanie laughs, “Cora is the overachiever of the group—she does single changes or 1-tempis, nothing in between as of yet.” Their next chapter will be discovering whether Cora takes to WE with the same gusto she brings to dressage.

Leandro is Stephanie’s Spanish import. Leandro, an 8-year-old PRE, came to Stephanie from Spain when he was five—a purchase she remembers as both exhilarating and a little terrifying. Athletic and full of potential, he’s currently competing at 2nd level. Their challenge now is refinement: keeping him truly “through” as he develops the strength and balance needed for the higher movements. Stephanie calls him a joy to ride and a rewarding project.

Stephanie loves the Santa Barbara Chapter. Even though she lives in Ojai, Stephanie joined the Santa Barbara Chapter because she loves to show—and because this chapter’s shows are, in her words, the best in the state. (Click here for the current show schedule.) What kept her active in the chapter, though, were the people including the show organizers she describes as sincere, kind, thoughtful, and exceptionally hard-working. For Stephanie, showing should be fun; she takes pleasure in planning and packing, and in doing everything possible to make her horses feel secure and comfortable at competitions.

Stephanie’s new venture is Symmetry in Motion. After retiring from her school position in 2023, Stephanie wanted to both support her own horses and stay mentally engaged. In 2024 she began the Masterson Method Equine Bodywork Program. The coursework—starting with Weekend and five-day intensives—pushed her in unexpected ways. “At times I thought, ‘Oh, maybe I bit off more than I can chew,’” she admits. But persistence paid off. The training taught her to slow down, listen, and connect with horses on a different level. Those challenging lessons have translated into “wonderful, magical moments” with her horses and inspired her to found Symmetry in Motion Equine Bodywork to bring those benefits to others.

Volunteering as the chapter education and social event planner felt like a natural fit for someone whose career was rooted in teaching. Stephanie is already organizing events members asked for in last year’s survey—rider fitness and biomechanics, equine bodywork, and nutrition—and hopes to put on as many events for the chapter as the budget allows. Previous events she put together include a Scribe Workshop with Diane Welenbach on February 28 and she supported the popular luncheon presentation by Janet Jones, author of Horse Brain, Human Brain, that Margaret Fleming championed and received a CDS Award of $1000 for.  Read about both events on our blog HERE (Scribe) and HERE (Janet Jones.)

Stephanie also has experience organizing equine trips abroad and would love to help coordinate something big—riding in Portugal, for example—if there’s interest among members. In the meantime she’s balancing three big goals: learning Working Equitation, growing her bodywork practice, and continuing to train and show Goldenrod, Cora, and Leandro.

If you spot Stephanie at a show or chapter event, she welcomes a hello. She’s always ready to swap packing tips, talk bodywork, or share stories from the ring—and she embodies the mix of dedication, curiosity, and warmth that makes the Santa Barbara Chapter a special place for riders.