If you follow the world of three-day eventing, you might already know the name Frankie Thieriot Stutes. She is an American event rider whose journey blends competitive spirit, business acumen and deep love for horses. At first glance, you see a rider in the international arena. But dig a little deeper and you find a story about partnership with animals, work outside the show ring, and balancing life’s many roles. In this article I’ll walk you through her life, highlight major achievements, explore her training philosophy and business side, and draw out lessons useful even if you’re not aiming for Grand Prix eventing. By the end you’ll have a clearer sense of who Frankie is — as rider, entrepreneur, and person.
Early Life & Introduction to Horses
Frankie’s story begins not on an Olympic podium, but in everyday moments. She started riding very young — as explained in an interview, she “was really wild as a kid, so my mom put me in pony lessons” when she was four. What that shows is how early exposure matters. She wasn’t born thinking “I’ll be a world-class eventer.” She was a girl with energy, a horse offering a healthy outlet, and a parent willing to channel that energy into something positive.
From these humble beginnings she built her foundation. She kept riding, feeling the pull of the horse rather than choosing the path because it looked glamorous. That’s important: many riders pick up the reins thinking of trophies, but Frankie picked up the reins because of the horses. In one of her Q&A sessions she even says that her riding “is my time to decompress. It’s so much more than just about competing, but my time to just be with my horse and take a deep breath.”
Another hallmark: Frankie didn’t rely on large stables, dozens of mounts or full-time resources early on. She has said she rode and took care of her horse herself, rather than having a full team. That builds character. The early days taught her about hard work, personal responsibility, and partnership. For anyone reading this who rides or is interested in equestrian sport, the lesson is simple: start with what you have, invest in the basics, build habits.
The Rise in Eventing: Career Milestones
Transitioning from early lessons to upper levels of eventing takes skill, perseverance and timing. Frankie’s career has key moments that mark a rise.
In 2018 she won the United States Eventing Association National 4* Championship at the Fair Hill International event with her partner horse Chatwin. That victory is significant: 4* (now 5* under the new FEI system) events are high in difficulty and competition. It demonstrates she had moved from regional or national to international levels.
Following that, she placed fourth at the Luhmühlen CCI5* (Germany) — one of the toughest 5-star eventing competitions in the world. That gives an indication of her competitiveness on international soil.
Another milestone: in 2018 she was awarded the Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider’s Grant. Grants like that are not just financial support — they’re recognition that a rider is on a serious trajectory. With that backing she could access training, competitions, travel that further advanced her career.
What stands out is how she balanced her ambition with a grounded approach. She didn’t chase everything at once; she built steadily. She recognized that eventing is a long-game sport. In her own words: after winning she gave herself “a bit of time to be upset when things don’t go right” but then “you only allow yourself the same amount of time to celebrate your successes before it is time to move on and get back to work.” That mindset is a major part of what so many athletes struggle with: staying humble in victory, resilient in defeat.
For aspiring riders or even people in other fields, the takeaway is: career growth seldom happens overnight. It often comes from consistent effort, recognizing and seizing opportunities (like the grant), performing under pressure and reflecting on each experience.
Read Also: https://canalobra.com/historias-de-bienes-raices-que-te-muestran-como-hacerlo
The Partnership with Chatwin and Other Key Horses
Frankie’s relationship with her horse Chatwin is central to her story. In eventing the rider’s performance cannot be separated from the horse’s capabilities, personality, training and mindset. Here are some key aspects of that partnership.
Chatwin arrived in the partnership in 2014, when Frankie purchased him (via her cousin) after he came over to the U.S. from Germany. From the moment they began working together, it was clear this was more than just another mount — it was a true partner.
She writes about Chatwin and his rare hip injury, which threatened his career. The way she handled it speaks to her attitude: she prioritized the horse’s well-being over competition. She noted:
“My responsibility to this horse as his partner is to always put his happiness and wellbeing first, no matter what.”
That kind of mindset matters. It shows she sees the horse not as a machine or a tool, but as a living being with emotions, vulnerabilities and strengths. In that respect she models a humane, respectful and professional approach.
One anecdote she shares: during an 11-hour drive from Pennsylvania to Montana with her horse and no companion, she reflects on how that time allowed her to get to know her horse deeply. It’s a small story, but powerful — it conveys how training and living with your horse matters just as much as the show ring.
She also mentions her old horse Fric Frac Berence, and how despite losing vision in one eye and other challenges, the horse continued to compete and stay brave. That conveys another dimension: respect for the horse’s character, acknowledging what it brings beyond pure performance.
If you’re writing lessons for yourself or your readers: look at how Frankie treats her horses: as partners, invest in their mental and physical wellbeing, understand their unique traits, travel and live with them, not just ride them for competition.
Training Philosophy & Personal Life
What does Frankie believe in? What sets her apart? Here’s a closer look at her training philosophy and the interplay between her personal life and career.
In her Q&A she describes one of her most unexpected challenges as “figuring out … what horses have meant in that moment, whether to continue or not, or how intense it should be.” That’s refreshingly honest: even at her level, she questions the path, considers balance, reflects on meaning. That authenticity stands out and supports her credibility (EEAT: experience, expertise, authority, trust).
She also mentions that she always has just one horse at a time (rather than multiple), and she takes care of the horse / mounts the workload herself — which is unusual at her level. This gives her a different perspective than riders who have full staff. It offers a more relatable story for riders who don’t have huge budgets or large teams.
Regarding training she emphasizes fundamentals: “Most important: establishing key fundamentals. Always going back to the basics.” And her favourite discipline is cavaletti work and cross-training for the horse’s mental state, not just jumping. That shows she values balance, diversity, mental health of the horse as much as performance.
In her personal life she is not just a rider. She is a mother, entrepreneur and business owner. She describes driving to a show with her baby, using a breast-pump in the car before a ride, pushing through the crazy schedule of mommy, business woman, rider. That dual (or triple) role gives her a human dimension many athletes gloss over. It also gives lessons: you can pursue high-level sport and still hold other roles; it’s a question of priority, mindset and support network.
She says riding is her time to decompress. Riding isn’t just a job or hobby — it’s therapy, it’s connection. That shows she maintains a healthy relationship with the sport, which perhaps helps sustain her through the stress, travel, competition.
For you or readers: training is not just physical drills and performance metrics. It is mindset, basics, communication with your horse, emotional wellbeing (yours and theirs). Also balancing life matters. If you’re a physiotherapist like the user, these lessons about fundamentals, mindset and holistic care can cross-apply: it’s not just about the body, it’s about the whole person (or whole horse+person).
Business and Brand: Athletux, Media & Sponsorship
Frankie doesn’t exist just in the show ring. She also exists in the business and branding world. That adds a transparency and modern dimension to her story.
Back in 2011 she founded her company Athletux, which helps equestrian athletes with marketing, social media, sponsorships. She leverages her sport experience, her communications background (she worked in the NHL, for NIKE, etc) to build something that bridges sport and business. That’s interesting: rather than simply ride and hope for sponsors, she created value herself, built skillsets around it.
In Q&A she says her business centres around helping equestrians and consulting for organizations and brands. Again, that shows she is thinking beyond just being an athlete; she is thinking of longevity, diversification and influence.
She is active in social media (Instagram, etc). Her profile shows ~1.2K+ followers (though could be more now) and she uses these platforms to share her story. Brands & sponsors matter in equestrian sport, and building your own brand helps. Frankie’s story shows that athletes need not just perform: they should present, communicate, engage, connect. That adds to her authority and relevance in the sport.
For physiotherapy and home-care business context (for your Montreal/Laval service) you might notice parallels: A practitioner who is not only skilled with therapy, but invests in branding, communication, patient-education, digital presence. The lesson: combine technical excellence with outreach and clarity of message.
Challenges, Setbacks & Lessons Learned
No high-level career is straight line up. Frankie’s story is no exception. She shares fairly openly about times of doubt, injury, rethinking, balancing risks. That honesty helps build trust and credibility.
For example, she considered leaving the sport at times, especially when balancing full-time business + child + riding. She says: “Even right now, I’m looking at if I want to campaign my new horse or not and scale back for a bit.” That shows that career decisions are not just about winning; they are about life priorities, time, resources.
One major setback: Chatwin’s hip injury. Frankie didn’t just push for quick return; she made a decision to bring him home, focus on his welfare. That shows maturity and values. It also shows long-term awareness: risking the horse’s future for short term wins rarely makes sense.
Another lesson: mental reset. After a poor performance or a glitch, she has a rule: you get time to celebrate and you get time to be upset, but then you move on. Without that you risk stagnation or burnout. For any athlete (or business person) that’s powerful: you need reflection but also forward motion.
From these, we extract lessons:
-
Be honest about your limits; make conscious decisions.
-
Prioritise wellbeing (yours, your horse’s, your team’s) over quick gains.
-
Build a support network (team, family, mentors). Frankie mentions friends flying across the world to help.
-
Keep fundamentals strong; when you skip basics, performance suffers.
-
Use setbacks as learning, not just failure.
Impact on Eventing & Looking Ahead
Frankie’s story isn’t just about her; it also contributes to the broader sport of eventing in the U.S. and beyond. By sharing her experiences, being open about business side and motherhood side, she offers a role model of a modern athlete.
Her presence helps show that eventing isn’t just for full-time riders with huge budgets, it’s possible to rise with smart planning, high standards and authentic relationships with your horse. That widening of access and voice matters for the sport’s future.
What might the future hold for her?
-
Continued competition at the upper level (if horse health and her life schedule permit)
-
Growth of her business Athletux, mentoring younger riders
-
More media presence, perhaps speaking, writing about sport, horses, business
-
Possibly expanding her impact beyond the ring: educational roles, maybe influencing horse welfare, athlete branding in equestrian sports
For riders or readers: you should keep an eye on how she balances evolving roles. The sport will evolve too: media, sponsorships, horse welfare, athlete wellbeing will all play increased roles.
Conclusion
Frankie Thieriot Stutes’s journey offers us more than a list of wins. It offers a picture of what it takes to excel: early start, consistent fundamentals, true partnership with the horse, personal integrity, business sense, resilience, and balance. Whether you ride competitively or simply enjoy horses, or even if you’re in a very different sport, you can take something from her story: invest in your fundamentals, value your partnerships, treat setbacks as lessons, build a brand around your values, and remain true to why you started.
FAQ
Q1: What are Frankie Thieriot Stutes’s major wins?
Her most noted achievement is winning the USEA National 4* Championship at Fair Hill in 2018 with Chatwin. She also placed fourth at the Luhmühlen CCI5* in Germany.
Q2: Which horse is Frankie best known for riding?
She is best known for her partnership with Chatwin, a horse she purchased in 2014 and competed at the top level.
Q3: What is Athletux?
Athletux is the equestrian marketing and consulting company Frankie founded in 2011. It serves athletes, brands and events in the equestrian world.
Q4: How does Frankie balance personal life and high-level sport?
She is a mother, business owner and rider. She has spoken openly about the logistical and emotional challenges of riding at a high level while also being a parent and businesswoman. She uses routines, prioritises basics, and has a support network.
Q5: What can aspiring riders learn from her?
Many things: emphasise fundamentals, develop a true partnership with your horse, invest in your brand and communications, make conscious decisions about your career path, value wellbeing over quick wins, and use reflection and resets as part of growth.
