Wilmington Standlee Sunday Spotlight: Gwen Goodwin

Wilmington, Ohio – This week’s Wilmington Standlee Sunday Spotlight shines on Gwen Goodwin, a dedicated working amateur from New Hampshire who balances a full-time teaching career, family life, and her passion for the sport. Goodwin has developed both of her mounts, Gangster H and Pythagoras, from a young age and continues to produce them at WEC – Wilmington. She shared more about her background, her horses, and how she makes it all work!

Q: Can you tell me how you got started riding and where you are now?
My grandfather played professional polo, but my parents didn’t ride at all. After that, I wouldn’t stop bugging everyone until I could ride. I started out in pony club and then had a quarter horse that ran away with me all the time. My mom eventually took me to the local hunter/jumper trainer because they had a ring — she figured I couldn’t get run away with inside the ring! I swore I’d never jump higher than 18 inches, but, well, here we are! I’m still kind of a chicken at heart; I have to be really confident to move up, but I feel like the more I practice, the better I get.

Q: Tell me about your program now.
I live in New Hampshire, and I ride with Gretchen Anderson at Apple Knoll Farm. I live right across the street, and I’ve been with her since high school. She’s amazing. I love it there. We just don’t have quite as many opportunities locally for the bigger jumper stuff, which is why we come here.

When we show at WEC, we usually team up with Becca MacWilliams, her mom, and Katie Wood. They’re really welcoming and fun, and it’s just such a good group.

Q: You’re far from Wilmington — what keeps you coming back to WEC?
Honestly, we have so much fun. I come out here because the people are nice, the footing is great, and the quality of the horse show is just that much better. As an amateur, my budget, both financially and time-wise, is limited, so I want to make the most of my show weeks. The atmosphere here is so organized, the horses are happy and comfortable, and the turnout in the summer is amazing. It’s really become one of my absolute favorite places to show.

Q: How do you juggle your full-time job, riding and family life?
It’s always been such a huge priority for me. I really believe that if you’re willing to work hard enough, you can make it happen. I teach full-time, so our days off are really limited. I have two kids and an amazing family at home. My husband and parents are all super supportive. My daughter rides a little, so that helps because she can come out and do it too. I think having all those moving parts has made me more focused with my riding, because my practice time is so limited. My horses live at house, which makes a big difference. I can ride at 4:30 in the morning or at 7:00 at night. It’s just about consistency and making it a priority. Sleep is usually the first thing to go, but that’s okay!

Q: Tell me about your horses, Gangstar H and Pythagoras Van De Hengstenpoel Z.
Both of my horses I’ve had since they were two. I bought Gangster H in Kentucky as a coming three-year-old, and it was rough for a while. But we just kept at it. He was always sweet and kind in the barn, and since they live at home, that’s really important to me. I love watching them grow. He’s just so consistent now and tries so hard. He’s got the biggest heart. I think he was hard in the beginning because he wants to win as much as I do!

My younger one, Pythagoras, is coming six. I got him as a two-year-old too. He was easy to break, but he’s big, so it’s been a slower process. WEC is great for him because he can go in the ring at night and just breathe and practice. We’ve been taking it slowly, and I actually have a three-year-old coming from Holland next week, which is really exciting!

Q: Since you’ve developed your horses from a young age, how has WEC been beneficial for their progress?
It’s made a huge difference. The horses are so comfortable here, and since we show here a lot, it feels like home for them. They don’t get anxious, and the stalls are so comfortable. The turnout is great in the summer, which is important because they’re used to being out at home — they’re really horses first.

The ability to school over the jumps at night gives them a fair chance as they develop, and I love how many opportunities there are for amateurs. If you’re having a great week, there’s always something to step up to. There’s something to do three or four days a week, which is perfect because my schedule changes a lot with work.