Page 34 - The Hunt - Summer 2024

It’s one of those cold, dreary winter mornings in the rolling hills just outside of Unionville. Hunter Holm, his face placid beneath his jockey’s helmet, leads a horse from a darkened barn to the mounting block just beside a battered fence. He quickly swings onto the animal’s back, then the two slowly plod up a rutted path toward a field where a few jumps await.
KSN Racing’s Katherine Neilson follows a
few paces behind on her mount, simultaneously talking on her cell phone and chatting with Holm about the morning’s exercise plans.
Holm is atop Withoutmoreado, the 9-year- old winner of the 2023 Maryland Cup. As they reach the top of the rise, the horse begins to act up, shaking his head and gently snorting. “He’s just too fresh today,” says Neilson, one of the Brandywine Valley’s most esteemed trainers.
She quickly judges Withoutmoreado’s temperament, calling an immediate halt to the exercise plans. Holm swiftly dismounts while keeping a steady hand on the reins as the horse kicks up his hooves. He leads the horse
(Here and opposite page) Hunter Holm and Grace Harris have a unique understanding of their horses at all times. This is especially true during competition, when all the focus is on the animal, its rider and its trainer.
32 THE HUNT MAGAZINE
summer 2024