Simone Biles is trading in gymnastics on a thin beam for the acrobatics on a saddle.
After a whirlwind run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she added three golds and one silver to her already historic haul, the 28-year-old gymnast is taking a breather. But if you know anything about Biles, “rest” doesn’t mean standing still. Instead, she’s channeling her energy into a fresh pursuit: horseback riding.
“I had a lesson yesterday at 5:30 p.m.,” Biles tells People magazine, laughing at the shift from chalk dust to hay bales. “Usually, I go early in the morning, but since I had calls, we were like, ‘Let’s do it the night before.’”
For the most decorated gymnast in history, the pivot is part of a bigger theme — balance. It’s also the core of her latest collection with Athleta, a brand partnership that’s become synonymous with her personal evolution. “I’m in my balance era,” Biles says. “I’m choosing what I want to do, not just what I need to do.”
A new kind of arena
It started, she says, with a spark of curiosity.
“There are stables right next to my house,” Biles explains of her Houston home, which she shares with husband and Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens. “It’s all fencing and equestrian, and one day I was just bored and thought, ‘Why not?’”
Her neighbor, who happens to own several horses, had long offered to introduce her to the sport. Finally, she took him up on it. “I was like, ‘Okay, yeah, I’m definitely doing that!’” she recalls with her signature grin.
The result? A newfound hobby that’s as grounding as it is thrilling. “It’s so different from gymnastics,” she says. “You have to trust the animal, trust yourself, and just be present. It’s very calming — but also, it challenges me in new ways.”
Beyond the beam
Horseback riding isn’t the only thing Biles has her sights on. With the same drive that made her a four-time Olympic champion, she’s already plotting her next adventure: ice skating.
“I want to start taking lessons because the rink is three minutes from my house,” she reveals. “Yesterday, it was either horseback riding or my first ice skating lesson, and my riding teacher said she was available, so … ice skating will have to wait a little longer.”
For Biles, these new sports aren’t about medals or mastery. They’re about curiosity — giving herself permission to explore without the pressure to be perfect. “I feel like it’s daring,” she admits. “I’m just exploring. It’s fun.”
The power of pause
The ability to slow down — and savor — is something Biles has earned. After years of defining excellence on the world’s biggest stages, she’s found that her current challenge isn’t a new routine, but a new rhythm.
“I wanted it to be not just about fitness, but overall wellness,” Biles says. “We made it trendy, fun, and fashion-forward — something that reflects who I am now.”
Her confidence in design mirrors the self-assurance she’s gained outside of gymnastics. “Over the years, I’ve developed my own sense of style,” she adds. “This collection really reflects that.”
Love, leotards, and life after the podium
As Biles ventures into new territory, gymnastics remains close to her heart. “I’ll always love the sport,” she says. “It’s a part of me. But I’m also learning that it’s okay to step back and just be.”
For Biles, balance isn’t about perfect poise on a beam anymore. It’s about finding stillness between the leaps — trading flips for freedom, and realizing that sometimes, the bravest move of all is slowing down.