"I don't get nervous. I'm pretty level-headed," she reflects.

Johnson has one of those sought-after tight legs. "But, I don't like to keep my knees toward the saddle: I use my thigh and the middle part of my leg. For the equitation, I need to keep my leg more still."

She rides most every day during the summer, and yes, "I ride without my stirrups if there's a big eq class coming up." School is not her favorite place to be, and why not, with so many wonderful horses to ride?

Her favorite subject? It's music, and she's quite the singer. Plus, she's expressed admirable fashion savvy and could be a designer. She also has the gift of applying make-up like a pro, and embellished her friends' faces for her last prom. 'I did so many that I had to rush home and get ready myself!" she remembers.

Her riding idols include grand prix greats Laura Kraut and Margie Goldstein, "both very aggressive riders who get the job done when they go in the ring."

An ironic, funny moment? While casually sitting on her former medium pony, "For Kid's Sake," in her own indoor arena. While watching a friend ride, Johnson laughed so uncontrollably that she tumbled right off the pony.

MANY HORSES, TIME IS SHORT: JOHNSON MAKES THE MOST OF IT Johnson's trainers of eight years, Chuck Keller and Bill Maroney, believe their student's great strength is that "she's able to get on any type of horse and get along with it. We do ask her to work on cross-country riding, and jumping natural obstacles in the field, though, and we work on her position -- allowing the horse to do its job. She's got a lot of good horses. I think they'll peak very well during the indoor shows."

Johnson campaigns six high junior jumpers. She took blue in the Year 2000 $25,000 Calvin Klein Show Jumping Derby on Dominique, a 13-year-old Holsteiner purchased from international grand prix winner, Beezie Madden.

"The horse is short and fat, and Laura Kraut (U. S. Olympic rider) thinks she looks like a little sausage! She's quiet, mellow, and you have to pull her toward the ring," Johnson describes about her equine pal.

A poignant moment for Johnson was that prestigious derby win, since "Dominique had just come back from an injury - she'd had October to July off. I won with another clear round and no jump-off that day. It meant a lot to me."

The teenager's other jumpers include Ready Teddy, Contemporalis, Landria W, Beach Bum and Just Dreamin'.

Pacific D was junior rider Jenny Jones' vehicle to the Washington International Equitation prize last year. Now doing the eq for Johnson, at seven, "he's really quiet and easy. He wouldn't ever buck in the ring."

With three large junior hunters to pilot, Johnson has high hopes for this fall and that division. Look for her to win on Kokopelli, Regal, and her acclaimed Magical Moments.