Grace is the Fall 2022 Platinum Stables HJ Excellence Award recipient, sponsored by Platinum Stables.
A little over two years ago, as I was entering college in the middle of a pandemic, I began exploring extracurricular options for my collegiate career and learned that Randolph-Macon College has an Equestrian Team. With encouragement from a peer who was already on the team, I signed up for a month of hunt-seat lessons at the school equestrian center and from my first lesson, I was hooked. Only two months into my riding education, I officially joined the Randolph-Macon IHSA team in the walk-trot division, and I began working with Ashley Adams and the R-MC Eventing team.
Throughout the past two years, I have remained connected with the school teams and have been learning as much as I can whenever I can by working in various local barns, taking lessons with Hunt Seat and Eventing coaches, attending clinics as an auditor and as a participant, and catch riding horses. In March of 2022, I purchased my mare, a 10-year-old broodmare, who I have worked with and started under-saddle. Now, we are working together with the school Hunt Seat and Eventing coaches toward walk-trot equitation classes and a starter horse trial in the spring semester. In addition, I am continuing to work towards gaining as much education in the equestrian world as possible so that I may remain in the equestrian world upon graduation.
In the future, my plan is to learn about the corporate side of the equine industry while seeking out every learning opportunity I can so that my mare and I can be the best that we can be. Currently, I am seeking out internship and education opportunities that I can pursue while I am in college so that I can be well prepared for my future career. One opportunity that I seek to take advantage of soon is the SaddleFit4Life Certified Equine Ergonomist course so that I can learn more about saddle fit both for myself and for others. I also would like to take advantage of as many riding and horsemanship clinics as possible. Finally, prior to the time I turn 25, I aim to learn and train as much with the hopes of being on the Area II Young Riders list.
In order to be involved in the equine world, I have faced many challenges including financial and social challenges. Since I started riding much later in life, I often feel that I am behind in the equestrian world. Many of my peers grew up in the equine world and participated in Pony Club and 4-H, and as such developed a significant knowledge base in the equine world and have significant advantages in experience riding a variety of horses with a range of experience. With the shared experiences of growing up in the equine world, I have always found that becoming involved in conversation can be more challenging since I do not have as much experience. In addition, due to my late start, when I started riding, my family and I agreed that riding and any other horse responsibilities would be mine and mine alone. Due to the financial limitations of fully funding both myself and my mare on a college student’s budget, I am unable to afford boarding at the college-owned barn and often find myself unable to afford to go to clinics, schooling, and competitions as often as other students can.
Between the general stressors of college, the heavy responsibility of owning my own horse, and gaining an education among my peers, I have found that on occasion, my mental health suffers. To continue in this sport, I am frequently working or trying to find the time to maintain a well-rounded plan for my wellbeing and that of my horse. However, with the aid of financial assistance programs like this one, I can make connections with others in the equine world and learn more about financial assistance that is available to me.