Riding equipment used
by a young equestrian
recalls Hermès's origins

Karen Polle

Hermès partner rider (Showjumping)

The South Florida city of Wellington attracts some of the world’s top equestrians. That’s where we caught up with Karen Polle, an Hermès partner rider who spends her days training and caring for her horses.

A life with horses

—My first encounter with horses

I started riding when I was 7 years old. We happened to pass by a small barn, and I told my dad that I wanted to try riding. I didn’t know anything about horses at the time, let alone that there was a whole sport dedicated to jumping horses.

I started going to lessons once a week, then started attending summer camps where I could ride horses every day. Horses became a bigger and bigger part of my life until they became my whole life.

Karen (left) and her sister Erica (right)

I’ve been participating in competitions around the world since I was a teenager, and have been an Hermès partner rider since 2017. It’s been an absolute dream come true.

—Why I chose showjumping

I like jumping because it combines three things that I really love. First, I get to be around horses, which are incredible animals with great power and athleticism. Second is the feeling of actually jumping. It’s a moment of partnership with my horse that’s just indescribable. And the third element is competition. I am very competitive; I love working hard every day to achieve a big goal. In other words, jumping is a combination of a lot of things that I love.

—My relationship with my horses

My horses are my best friends and also my partners and teammates. My horses give everything they have at training every day, and when we are competing, I feel that they sense the importance of the occasion. Since I cannot communicate with them verbally, it’s crucial to care for and ride them every day so that we can form a strong partnership of trust through physical methods of communication. I’m surrounded by people who support me: my groom, Roos, who helps me care for the horses day in, day out; the barn staff here in Wellington, where we stay during the winter and spring; and Hermès, which supplies me with equipment. It’s great to know that my team is looking out for me and my horses as athletes so that we can perform at our best in competition.

Horses are just like us in that they can get burnt out and anxious. That’s why Roos and I believe in making their environment as natural as possible and letting them just be horses. We give them a few hours every day to graze outside in the field throughout the day.

—Hermès’s saddles

Showjumping is all about precision. The difference between winning and losing is often a matter of milliseconds and centimetres. So, it’s really important that every single decision is well thought out. The saddle is one of the most important pieces of equipment in jumping. I find that my Hermès saddles minimize the separation between horse and rider and let me feel a deep connection with my horse. The Hermès saddle makers measured my horses and made a custom saddle for each of them. The artisans put care and attention into every stitch, shaping each saddle to the horse’s unique body and musculature and even incorporating my input as the rider.

This finished saddle bears the names of both horse and rider.

I’ve been lucky enough to tour the Hermès workshop in Paris twice. They have books there that list every saddle ever made by Hermès. I was moved to see my horses’ saddles listed and impressed by how long the maison has been in the business of saddle-making. I have really big dreams, so I’m lucky to have such amazing artisans supporting me and helping me achieve my goals.

MORE ABOUT KAREN

A glimpse into Karen’s life

1. What do you bring to every competition?

I need a lot of equipment, but most important are my Hermès saddle, which helps me feel connected to the horse, and my halter, reins, and bridle, which are all beautifully designed by Hermès. Whether in training or competition, their equipment and clothing make me feel more confident. I also have two omamori charms that I bring with me for luck.

2. Tell us about your horses.

Celine and Jet Run (Jet for short) are my two very athletic horses. They are both German warmbloods and were born in Germany, but their personalities are quite different. Celine has a bit of an attitude. As she started jumping higher, she got more confident and developed a bit of an ego. Jet is so sweet, with a kind heart. He was rather timid when we first got him, but he’s grown more confident in his running and jumping over the 4 years that we’ve been working with him. I feel so lucky that I get to train and spend time with such amazing horses every day.

Karen Polle

Karen Polle is an equestrian specializing in showjumping. She was born in 1992 in Tokyo and raised in New York by her American father and Japanese mother. She was named the first Asian Hermès partner rider in 2017 and competes at events around the world.