Vivian Picheny: Hopefully Hooked on Horses and the Artistry of Dressage

With roots grounded in a tapestry of educational degrees spanning marketing, pre-med, and dental school, Vivian Picheny has branched out far and wide, leaving corporate America behind and immersing herself in the equine world where she naturally belongs.

Today, Picheny owns several dressage horses as well as a dressage and equine facility called Perfect Harmony. Perfect Harmony Enterprises began on the North Fork of Long Island in Jamesport, and has now moved to a privately leased barn in Mattituck.

Several years ago, Picheny decided to extend her sights south and opened Perfect Harmony Dressage in Loxahatchee, Florida. This private boutique facility is situated on 10 bucolic acres in Deer Run, a gated equestrian community. She now divides her time between Quogue and Florida.

Here, Picheny talks about how she was first introduced to horses, the physical challenges she’s endured over the years as well as her most memorable moments and milestones.

A Chat with Vivian Picheny

How did you get into riding?

I married a man whose deceased wife had miniature Sicilian donkeys and a miniature Shetland pony. Until this point in my life, I had a goldfish and a cat. I loved feeding, petting and combing his animals. One day a call came in that the burros and pony were proceeding down the mountain, one behind the other. I quickly became the controlling girlfriend and brought them to a small farm on Long Island where I could personally care for them. After I was there a while, the owner encouraged me to ride a 25-year-old retired horse from Madison Square Garden. The rest was history.

Why dressage for you? What was/is the appeal?

I took my first dressage lesson with Norah Dumbrowski in 2001 and I’ve yet to look back. What stood out the most was the heightened sense of communication between horse and rider, and precise refinement of the aids. You are always working to be a better version of yourself, and developing a partnership with your horse is the end-all goal. I loved how technical the sport is; dressage has challenged me in ways I never thought possible. In competition, you are essentially competing against yourself. Ever since I trotted down centerline for the first time in 2005, I have been hopelessly hooked.

The most beautiful thing to watch and feel is the communication in the movements between horse and rider. Riding is my passion and hobby…I am certainly not going to the Olympics in this lifetime!

What is your role at the farm?

I oversee management of the horses that are boarded, and I also ride. I have competed in dressage and unfortunately sustained many setbacks. Some were personal obligations to family, but the physical setbacks I sustained in major auto accidents. I have been dealing with breaking and healing since 2018. My last surgery was this past September to my cervical spine at level C1/C2…I am back in the saddle as of this January. I am optimistic and very lucky…I am a true survivor and I thank my parents for the good genes, my husband for his encouragement, my trainer for his patience and life for giving me this tenacious fighting attitude.

What are you most proud of?

The moments I am most proud of are the little milestones I have reached during daily life together with my horses. When I started, I could not put a bit into my horse’s mouth, nor ride them through their back. I found out my core muscles were virtually nonexistent. In 2004 we debuted and scored in the low 60s as well as into the 50s. Through diligent training and hard work under the tactful guidance of trainers Ed Borrenson and Stephen Hayes we began to click through both triumph and failure.

Three other accomplishments that stand out prominently in my mind were seeing my husband’s face when I entered the house dressed in award ribbons, remembering Aunt Dot come to watch me ride a test in a thunderstorm – she was a feisty 90-year-old ex-rider and martini drinker, and the joy of sharing this experience with her will always stick in my mind, and the joy of owning my white Unicorn and watching him compete successfully was inspiring. Watching him move was more than gorgeous, it was magical watching horse and rider effortlessly performing these difficult technical moves and yet make them look effortless elegant and impressive. It makes my heart race.

What your typical day like?

I wear many hats. I wake up around 5 a.m. every morning and hit the floor running (another acquired occupational handicap, or you can say blessing). I grab a cup of coffee and go to the computer. At 6 a.m. there is a routine punch list for the grooms at the barn to do… Horses get fed at 6 a.m. and turned out 7 a.m. Stalls are mucked, water buckets cleaned and filled. I make sure these duties are done correctly, oversee any maintenance that needs to be done and see that supplies are ordered.

I get feedback that all is OK with each horse and make sure medications are administered if needed. I handle customer requests, issue a riding schedule in conjunction with the horse trainer. Things start to slow down for me around noon and then there is my other life to tend to, which is also pretty full with charity work, real estate management, family obligations and hobbies like cooking and gardening.

I love every minute of it. As much as I complain while I am doing it, I would not change it. Ironically, I find being with the horses provides stress relief, an opportunity to meet new people, encourages fitness, creates a spirit of teamwork and most rewardingly, I get to spend more time outdoors. Nature brings me a sense of calmness and stillness. In a day buzzing with fast cars, smartphones and telemarketers, the outdoors remains raw and untethered.