Nice to meet you! I’m Maryam, Founder & Director of Tally Riding Academy.

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My love for horses began when I was 13. At the time, I was a competitive figure skater in California and began horseback riding as a way to unwind from the intensity of training and competition. It didn’t take long before I fell completely in love with horses, traded my skates for riding boots, and found the world I truly belonged in.

At 16, horses also led me to my first business, Fleur À Cheval, an equestrian accessories company I co-founded with a barn friend. What started on Etsy quickly grew internationally, with our products appearing on horses around the world—and even on an episode of Game of Thrones. That journey contributed to my recognition through the 2017 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program and launched me into several years of entrepreneurship, leadership, and nonprofit work.

 

But eventually, I found my way back to where my heart had always been: the barn.

 

I founded Tally Riding Academy to create a place where horses could help people build confidence, independence, responsibility, and real-life skills. Today, we specialize in adaptive riding and horsemanship, with a particular passion for serving neurodivergent individuals and riders with disabilities.

 

I’ve spent more than a decade in the equestrian world, and my first horse, Ares, is the heart and start of Tally—and he’s still here today!

 

Our team at Tally is committed to continuing education in adaptive instruction, equine welfare, and horsemanship. And while I’ve learned a lot over the years, my horses still teach me something new every single day.

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It’s an honor to share that knowledge—and the magic of horses—with you.

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See you at the barn! ​