Most little girls grow up with a love for horses. A handful of girls are lucky enough to be raised in an equestrian-centered family. A select few are blessed with the opportunity to get involved in the equine world later down the road.
Becoming an equestrian late in the game is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I was lucky enough to participate in a program at a trade school for equine science. Then, and even now as a second-year IHSA rider, I feel like a chicken running around with my head cut off.
There is so much more to being an equestrian than just knowing how to ride a horse. You must be able to identify lameness (injury), understand the different types of hay, know a thousand and eighty-three pieces of equipment (just kidding – there isn’t really that many) and how they all work and what they are all used for.
It is incredibly stressful to try to jump into the wonderful world of horses after most of the people around you have been around horses the majority of their lives. That is what makes being a part of an IHSA team so difficult. Sometimes it is just outright embarrassing to have the lack of knowledge because people always seem to forget the lack of experience that often causes the issues.
No, I do not have my own horse. No, I don’t ride horses over jumps. No, I don’t fly around barrels. I got a late start in the horse world and now I’m trying my very best to do everything I can to fit in.
