Kayla is the Fall 2021 OYES Dream It awardee.
Hi, my name is Kayla Murray, and I am a full-time third year, second semester State University of New York (SUNY) at Cobleskill student. I am currently pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, but I did not begin here; far from it to be honest. I started out my college career in the equine studies associates’ applied science program in the fall of 2019 at SUNY Cobleskill with the mindset that two years was plenty of school for an aspiring horse trainer. Looking back, I could not have been more wrong. While I absolutely could find a relatively comfortable position in the equine field with a basic two-year degree, I do not wish to be comfortable. I want to make an impact on the world through both human and equine partners alike. I pushed through my comfort zone, and after successfully completing my associate degree as the highest GPA holder in Equine Studies, I have decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences with a focus in equine through SUNY Cobleskill.
I became involved with riding at eight years old while on a drive with my father and younger sister through our small town of Mooers, N.Y. We had passed by a smaller local equine barn as a riding lesson was going on, and from that point my life changed forever. I took my first riding lesson from that very barn and instructor a few days later. My love for the animal and the sport was forever going to be unstoppable.
My current riding goals have changed since this first lesson as I have refocused my time and energy from western pleasure to the adrenaline-pumping barrel racing field. I am confident that through this field I can make a difference in equine lives and better the way we as humans approach this sport.
I am an aspiring equine trainer looking to revolutionize the way we breed and train these incredible animals for the sport we all love, focusing primarily on the barrel racing industry. I believe I am on my way to acquiring these goals by absorbing all the knowledge I can from everywhere and anyone, but I am aware of the time and effort it takes to get there. I believe in trusting the process and doing everything that I can to reach my goals.
I have faced many challenges in my career as a young horse woman in this industry, and I realize the challenges will never stop. It’s about persevering and playing the cards that your hand holds wisely. I am the only equine enthusiast in my immediate family which makes it hard to relay just how important weekly lessons are or making sure my horse is in the best care possible. For the last three summers, I have independently looked for small horse trailers to rent so that I could attend barrel races and gymkhanas. However, I have faced lacking the finances to make some barrel races and shows or skipping a McDonald’s dinner so that I could cover gas on the way home from a show.
My parents have been incredible supporters, but I could never ask them to exclusively fund me while paying for my college, permanently relocating south, and contributing a large chunk of money into my younger sister’s private college down south as well. Therefore, I stepped up and have worked since I was physically able to afford what I do and keep my horse healthy and happy, all while attending high school and college. However, through all these challenges, I see opportunities to humble myself and learn from experiences to improve.
If awarded the scholarship funds, my plan is to set aside $100 for entry fees towards the
2022 season, while the remaining $500 would go towards buying a project horse as a resell project. I have chosen this approach for two reasons: one being that I can showcase my abilities as an equine trainer with an animal I lack history with. The second reason is to offer this horse a real chance at a brighter future. I am a firm believer in the theory that the best thing you can do for an animal, specifically a horse, is to train it. I am hoping to use these funds to purchase a horse that appears to have no purpose, when in reality it may just need direction. Like I mentioned earlier, my hope is to impact the world, both human and horse. “Saving one animal won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal.” I believe that directly pertains to this situation, and I think that it would be an exceptional way to use the award money.
My hope is to set this horse up for success by starting it, training it, and finding a wonderful full-time home for it after I believe it to be the perfect partner for an approved home. All the while, this process also helps me establish my name, and training abilities in the horse industry as an aspiring horse trainer.