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September 2023 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE
icture a suburban neighborhood in
Jackson, Mississippi, with a large yard,
a miniature barn with fencing and a
miniature horse named Little River in it. Cedar
Potts-Warner grew up living every young girl’s
dream of having her own pony in her backyard.
Cedar’s mom worked tirelessly to obtain a permit
to keep a miniature horse within city limits,
igniting Cedar’s lifelong passion for horses.
When Cedar was 12, it became evident to her
mother that her love for horses was unwavering.
“I can’t say where the passion for horses came
from exactly, but I can say it has always been
there,” Cedar said. “Dale Rose was my first
CEDAR POTTS-WARNER
AT LIBERTY AND BEYOND
Story and Portraits by Jennifer DeMaro
DRESSAGE
instructor, and she provided me with a strong
foundation in dressage and balanced seat riding.”
During summer camps, Cedar discovered
her fondness for designing and performing
quadrilles. Fast forward to today, she loves
designing dressage freestyles, from the patterns
to the music. Cedar was also introduced to
jumping, driving and natural horsemanship early
on in her career.
After graduating from college in 2009,
Cedar embarked on her professional career
as a working student at JP Giacomini’s farm,
Equus Academy, located in Harrodsburg,
Kentucky. Through dedication and hard
work, she gradually climbed the ranks and is
now a full-time trainer at the academy. “I feel
fortunate to have found training early in my
adulthood that just made sense to me,” Cedar
said. Over the course of 14 years, she has
evolved into the instructor she is today, earning
her USDF Gold medal and Gold freestyle bar.
Passion for Horses
While Cedar has had the opportunity to
work with various horse breeds, it was JP that
introduced her to the world of Lusitanos and
Andalusians. The academy’s careful breeding
program has allowed them to produce
Cedar Potts-Warner, a trainer at JP Giacomini’s
farm, Equus Academy, in Harrodsburg,
Kentucky, with Joplin, owned by Keri Hall.