Joanna Novakovic has been leading Cornell University’s Equestrian Teams as head coach since 2014, and has been personally involved with horses for 32 years. Novakovic is a United States Hunter Jumper Association certified trainer with a history of excellence in showing and horse care. Her coaching has brought the Cornell Equestrian Team an outstanding record with five Regional Championships from 2015-2019 and three Ivy League titles from 2017-2019, including the only perfect score ever at the Ivy Championship show in 2018. Cornell Polo has had multiple National Championships through the years as well! Over a year ago, Novakovic added Stable Secretary to her barn management arsenal to better oversee the care of the team horses.
About the Team Home Facility
All 17 equestrian team horses and 30 polo ponies reside at the John T Oxley Equestrian Center in Ithaca, NY. Team practices run from September to May, along with many competitions that are hosted at the facility. The team enjoys access to a heated indoor arena and two outdoor sand arenas for practice and competition.
Managing Special Care Requirements
All of the team horses are donated, which often means they come with special care requirements to keep them feeling their best. With over 45 horses to care for, and each with specific needs to keep them competition ready, Stable Secretary was a no-brainer for keeping organized. “We use acupuncture and chiropractic, in addition to normal veterinary care. We take pride in bringing out the best in each horse,” shared Novakovic. The equestrian team horses range in age from 10 to 21 years old and from 14 to 17 hands, which means a variety of diets and health needs! When asked how Stable Secretary helps streamline barn management, Novakovic commented, “Stable Secretary helps me keep track of everything so I never miss an important date.”
Getting Back to Normal
Looking forward, Novakovic hopes that teams can get back on track after a year of COVID-19 with no try-outs or competitions. With a winning combination of an experienced head coach, healthy horses, and Stable Secretary to stay organized and prepared, it’s likely we’ll be seeing Cornell University at the top of the leaderboard again soon!
