Overcomer: Tabatha Poling

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230 – March/April, 2025

By Elizabeth Arnold

Tabatha Poling describes the past year as a fairy tale. And for good reason. After overcoming a devastating accident, Poling says she experienced an awakening that prompted her to reevaluate her priorities in life and listen to the dreams she had since childhood–to ride and compete at a high level.

With the help of Kail Quarter Horses, Poling found her dream partner in a special mare named Stella aka Lazy Holla Dayz. Since coming together the pair has been unstoppable, earning multiple circuit awards, prestigious championships, and national titles. But Poling’s road to the winner’s circle was decades in the making and not without challenges.

Career-Focused

For most of her life, Tabatha Poling was the epitome of a successful career woman. At 18 years old she got a job with Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supply in southern California. “It was a man’s world,” says Poling. “I was only the second female to work there, and I started at the bottom of the company.” A savvy and ambitious young woman, Poling saw an opportunity to grow her career from the showroom to the boardroom.

She says, “At the time, Phil Leslie had less than 30 stores. I said to myself, ‘Wow – this is an opportunity because this company is growing. If I can just be the best at what I’m doing, I believe they’ll give me an opportunity to move up’.” Poling’s strategy worked. Working around the country and often around the clock, Poling consistently rose through the company from Manager to District Manager, to Director, to Vice President to eventually earning her spot on the executive board as a Senior Vice President responsible for running a sizable portion of the company.

Success in business at a high level requires hard work, commitment and dedication. Poling shares that, for much of her life, work was all-consuming. “I worked holidays and weekends. I was constantly at the office working 70- and 80-hour weeks.” Despite the long hours, Poling found great fulfillment from her career success. Her hard work and sacrifice would one day make it possible to pursue her dreams with horses.

California Horse Kid

Click here to read the complete article
230 – March/April, 2025