Ringside Chat: Karina Harris

Known as The Hunt Equestrian to her almost sixteen thousand Instagram followers, Karina Harris is one to watch. Whether she’s replying to your DMs about the breeches she was wearing in her last post (they are Free x Rein, duh) or sharing her story about riding with scoliosis, the Southern Californian has a sunny disposition both in and out of the ring. 

Harris found her way to riding in an untraditional way: After film school didn’t work out she decided she wanted to work with animals and bought her first horse with her remaining college funds. She talks about the valuable lessons she’s learned from blogging, life with her two horses, and more, below. 

P.S. How cute is her new side gig, A Stitch in Stride? 

Free x Rein: What have you learned from equestrian blogging? 

Karina Harris: To take a leap of faith and put myself out there more. Everybody in the community is so nice, and really support each other. I was never the selfie kind of person, but people kept wanting to know the person behind the blog, so I put myself out there and don’t regret it. It’s so nice to do something out of your comfort zone and have people who are supporting you. 

FxR: What’s it like to ride with scoliosis? 

KH: I guess I don’t really know it any other way! I listen a lot to how I feel. I don’t think riding is as comfortable for me as it is for other people, but I get adjustments every week and I’m surprised by how balanced of a rider I am for having pretty bad scoliosis. I have a hard time doing the sitting trot because it’s really jamming into my back, but my trainer is sympathetic and works with me to find ways to make it more tolerable.  

FxR: How do you like riding in Free x Rein? 

KH: I love the pieces from Free x Rein. Everything is really comfortable, which is so important to me. Comfortable, practical, and stylish, for everyday life, even if you aren’t at the barn. I also love that you can’t tell the bodysuits are bodysuits. 

FxR: How do you style the pieces when you aren’t riding? 

KH: I wear the breeches on normal days, usually pairing them with a graphic tee and ankle boots or sneakers. The knee patches on The Hunt Pant blend in really well with the rest of the fabric. I love how the black ones look like cute black skinny jeans and have a great zipper detail on them. 

FxR: What’s your most beloved memory from riding? 

KH: It’s actually from the last show I went to, the Sacramento International. I had a round where I fell, then picked myself back up and went to do a bigger class, one I had never done before. Quinn was so great, and it was the best event of my life. Such a good feeling. I’m still riding high off that moment!