Emma is the Spring 2023 Dressage Dreamer Award recipient, sponsored by Optimum Equine LLC
I didn’t get the opportunity to grow up riding, as unfortunately it wasn’t realistic for my family financially. Something always drew me towards horses though, and the moment I was able to get my first job at 14 I worked towards being involved with them. I did what I could given my circumstances, volunteering all of my free time to a local horse rescue in order to gain as much experience as I could with horses. Something about them just made me feel better, and gave me something to work for. I thankfully was able to get my own horse and begin showing at my local competitions. Working with horses is still the highlight of my day, and so for that I hope to make it my goal to one day do it professionally.
Because I had a “late” start in riding, I’m trying to learn everything that I can to help continue advancing myself in Dressage. More specifically, I would like to move up the levels in Dressage, and once more hopefully ride professionally one day. As of right now, I ride in 1st Level and so am certainly not close to where I would one day hope to be. I ride on the daily and am constantly thinking of what I can do to help get better through lessons and reviewing videos of myself riding. I dream of becoming a professional rider, or even giving lessons of my own. As little or as big as the goal may be, in the end I wish to simply land in the equine industry by the end of it all.
Since I have started working with horses, I have been able to overcome quite a lot. I struggled with social anxiety for all of my life, and still do. Once I began handling and training horses, most of it has since alleviated. The same could also be said for my depression. I feel so much better than I once did, and found it to be more therapeutic and beneficial than anything else I have tried. My former social life had to be dropped as well, but it was certainly for the better, as now I’m able to surround myself with supportive individuals to share the same passion as I do.
If I am to receive the scholarship, I primarily am going to be putting it towards lessons, as I find that more valuable than showing at this stage. This all would help me immensely, as I would be able to further my experience under saddle to hopefully one day apply towards a working student or an apprenticeship position.