
Yay for Parker Watson! Parker joined our team last winter and stepped right into the groove very easily. She is more mature and responsible than her years, and what a delightful energy she brings to the team!
Ruth Hogan-Poulsen
Meet Parker Watson – hunter/jumper turned dressage rider.

Parker visited East Hill Farm in 2023 after answering Ruth’s ad on Facebook looking for working students. After graduating high school in the spring of that year, Parker aimed to focus on her riding and immerse herself in the full working student experience. Coming from Scottsville, Virigina at just 18 years old, Parker started working with the team in Vermont in the fall.
“Before I rode here I was riding as a hunter/jumper rider with a local trainer and at small local shows,” Parker says. “I liked jumping but it started to become less engaging for me. I wanted to try something that would feel new and have more one-on-one connection with the horse; this sparked my real attraction to dressage.”
“My very first week working on the farm as a working student was during the same time as one of the adult camps. I got to sit in and watch Ruth teach which was so cool for me since it was my first time seeing and learning about dressage.” – Parker
In winter of 2023-24, Parker experienced her first full season in Florida and spent the majority of her riding time taking lessons on Ruth’s Haflinger, Carlee. With about a year and a half spent as a working student now under her belt, Parker reflects on her time: “I have loved every moment of it. Working here has been one of the greatest learning experiences I have ever had.”



“To say that our re-entering into Florida this year (2024) was easy would be way too optimistic,” Ruth says. Her trip south was delayed due to truck trouble, so Ruth’s assistant, Emilie, had to pack up her Airstream on short notice to head south to meet Parker, who had already started getting the barn ready. They got the horses settled in and Ruth finally made it down, only to turn around a few days later and head to Kentucky for the US Dressage Nationals!
Emilie and Parker got the horses lightly started back into work while Ruth was away. This left Parker as the sole person in the barn – grooming, tacking up, untacking, and keeping the day running smoothly – which she did with optimism and efficiency.
“It’s such a joy and a pleasure to have someone with such good energy, who is so dedicated and responsible. Thank you, Parker, for your commitment and dedication to detail. We’re so happy you’re here!” -Ruth
Now, for the ’24-’25 Florida season, Parker is riding another school horse – a second level Thoroughbred mare named Emmy. Emmy has been a part of the team for several years now, while owned by Annabel Clark, another student who has since gone off to college. The pair have been enjoying each other’s company, and Emmy has been teaching Parker more about connection and about dressage in general. Emmy can be pretty particular, and it is obvious that she is very happy with Parker!
When asked about her goals for this year, Parker says that while she would like to attend some shows in the future, her main goal right now is to “continue gaining experience and confidence while riding. I just love that I get to ride and improve little by little every day. I get to focus on one day at a time and have so much fun while doing it.”
One thing that has stood out to Parker about Ruth’s teaching is how quickly she was able to pinpoint how to help. “I can be an anxious rider sometimes when the nerves get to me and I lose focus. But she knows how to talk me out of it and help me feel more confident in my riding skills.
“She’s always so encouraging and uplifting even when I’m struggling to stay positive or focused during a lesson.”
Interested in an internship or working student position with Ruth Hogan-Poulsen? Follow Ruth @BespokeFarm on Facebook and subscribe to her newsletter to hear when openings come available! Read More Staff Stories.