Hay there!

Nice to meet you, I'm Maryam, Tally Riding Academy's Founder & Head Instructor.

 

My story really begins when I was 13 years old. I am a former national competitive figure skater based in California and used horseback riding as a way to relax after my rigorous competition schedule.I was also homeschooled to meet the demands of figure skating, fell madly in love with horses along the way, and decided to quit my career as a figure skater and step into the equestrian realm. 

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It wasn't until 3 years into riding, which is when I was presented with the opportunity to start my first business adventure: Fleur À Cheval. My friend at the barn, Kayla, started hand-crafting flowers for her horse Mikko - a GORGEOUS and adorable Belgian draft. She made me a few flower samples, and BOOM. 

 

With Kayla's first flower prototype, my entrepreneurial mindset, and a pair of adorable horse models, Kayla and I put our heads together and formed Fleur À Cheval, a French name translating to "The Flower Horse." I started the original company to sell floral accessories that clip into the horse's mane and tail. My vision at age 16 was to create a brand that would allow girls who never fell out of the "I love horses phase" to express their inner creativity within a global community of equestrians. As I like to say, 'Fleur À Cheval is glam from head to hoof!"

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Fleur À Cheval began on Etsy in March 2016, right as I was preparing to graduate high school. Two months into the startup the flowers became a hit in across Europe & South Africa. Fleur À Cheval's buzz-worthy colorful flowers became a social media hit and have been spotted on horses/equestrian influencers all over the world in parades, shows and photoshoots. 

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I am so grateful for the entire team's collaborative effort which earned Fleur À Cheval the 2017 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of the Year Award. I spent a few years delving into the corporate world, I was President of a company for a couple years, chaired a non-profit supporting budding entrepreneurs, and traveled across the country to share my story. Decided it was not for me, and sharing the magic of horses was my true calling. 

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I will be teaching you all about horsemanship and the lovely world of horses. I have been riding for over 10 years, and Ares is the first horse I have owned who is the heart AND start of Tally Riding Academy- he's still here today. Tally Riding Academy is licensed through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship. I personally hold certifications in Equine Welfare from University of Florida & Equine Management from UC Davis and my B.A Degree in Business Administration. School and the thirst to learn is the core of my entire life. And I am deeply honored I get to share all I know (and am still learning from my horses daily) with YOU!

 

See you at the barn!

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