A part of me has always had my heart set on moving out to the country, buying a ranch, and owning as many horses as I possibly could – I guess you could say I’m just like any little girl who goes through a horse phase, but I never grew out of it. Unfortunately, there were never any opportunities for me to ride growing up, because horse lessons were just too pricy. I thought I’d have to let go of my love for horses, until I got the chance of a lifetime when I got to college. I took a risk and tried out for the equestrian team at my university, and I made it on by nothing less than a miracle. Being thrown into the equestrian world with so many girls who had been doing it for years was intimidating, but I learned so much from so many amazing people. There are a lot of struggles you go through when you first break into the equestrian world, and I’m sure anyone who started riding later in life can relate to these.
- You feel like you never stop asking questions
My first day of practice was terrifying. I didn’t know how to put on a saddle, I didn’t know the lingo, and, in all honesty, I had no idea what I was doing. Luckily, I had amazing coaches and teammates, who never tired of answering my thousands of questions they had known since they were little.
2. Your bank account shrinks by atrocious amounts
Not only do you have to purchase gear to ride in for practice – the boots alone can be expensive depending on what brand you go with – but if you compete, you have to buy special competition wear as well. When you’re just starting out and buying everything for the first time, it can really be devastating to your savings.
3. You question yourself every second
Do I look dumb? Am I doing this right? Can people tell I don’t really belong here? It’s easy to feel insecure about yourself when everyone else seems to know what they’re doing. Even when you’re not making a fool of yourself, it might seem like you are.
4. Your ability increases by huge amounts
It’s a lot easier to progress in riding when you’re just starting out, because every little thing you learn in practice truly goes such a far way in improving your riding abilities. While other’s are honing in their skills, you truly are starting out from the bottom, which makes every improvement a huge step forward.
5. Every victory is a celebration
Whether it’s getting that stubborn horse to stay more on the outside of the arena, or it’s saddling up correctly for the first time, everything is a massive victory and accomplishment. A good practice truly makes your day.
6. You take competitions very seriously
Competitions become a place to prove to yourself, and to everyone else, that you truly belong in this world, and that you really do want it. When you do well, it’s like Christmas morning, and you can really see how far you come each time you compete.
7. You struggle with the competition clothes
As a Western rider, chaps were incredibly hard for me to get into for every competition, especially when I came back from Christmas break a few pounds heavier. The case of the broken zipper was one of the most stressful days of my life, and I’m just thankful someone my size was willing to lend me their (much nicer) pair to help me out.
8. The lingo will never stop being confusing
No matter how many equestrian-based words and phrases you learn, there will always be ten more that you’ve got no clue about. It’s so embarrassing talking to someone when they use one of these that you just don’t understand, but how else will you learn?
9. Your team means the world to you
You’ve probably grown up without a lot of equestrian friends, because it’s a relatively small circle of people, and you didn’t get to experience the joy of sharing your passion of horses with others. When you’ve got a whole group of people going for the same goals as you, you bond to them quickly.
10. You’re terrified of that horse
You know the one I’m talking about – that one horse that just won’t cooperate with you no matter how hard you try, and no matter how much you change up your riding strategies. If your practice includes riding this horse, you can pretty much guarantee your entire day is ruined.
11. You desperately wish you would have started sooner
As you gallop around the ring in practice, or hear your name called first at a competition, you feel that amazing rush that only comes with the pride of riding. It really makes you wish you could have pushed harder to get into it years ago, because it truly is one of the best feelings in the world.
12. You’ve had to become a wiz at makeup
Some competitions don’t have mirrors in the bathroom, and sometimes there aren’t even bathrooms other than a porta potty. Because there is no way you’re going to do your makeup at five in the morning, you have learned how to do it in basically every reflective surface, which is a pretty impressive skill to have if you ask me.
13. Your family has a hard time keeping up
If you’ve never done it before, your whole family will probably be asking you where this interest in horses came from, and if you’ve been riding for years without them knowing. Then you have to explain that this is in fact your first time, and no, you don’t really know what you’re doing. Even if no one knows what any of it means, it’s amazing when your friends and family come to watch you compete for the first time.
14. It takes a while to realize you really are an equestrian
It may always seem like you’re behind everyone else who started before you, but all it takes to be an equestrian is dedication, hard work, and passion. If you’re trying your hardest, you’re going to be able to look back at where you started, and realize how far you’ve come. You can do all the skills that seemed so hard before, and you have faith that you are a true equestrian.
It may be a difficult and intimidating world to break into, but I’ve never once regretted joining the equestrian team. It has brought me so much joy, and it’s the only sport I get depressed about when I’m not at practice or at a competition. It’s something I wouldn’t give up for the world, and I’m so proud to call myself an equestrian.
