To Be An Equestrian

What is an equestrian? This is a question I have been asked time and time again. The short answer: someone who rides horses. But to truly be an equestrian is so much more than that. It doesn't matter how long you may have been riding for, or how experienced you are, or what discipline you do. At it's core, being an equestrian is a mindset.

There are many niches within horse riding, from showjumping, to dressage, to racing, to endurance, and many more. Within all of these disciplines there is a core attitude within all true equestrians, whether they are rich or poor, old or young, an equestrian is someone who feels that true sense of belonging when they are with their horse.

An equestrian is someone who will get up at the crack of dawn to see that their horses are fed and cared for. An equestrian is someone who will stay up hours into the night to mind a sick or injured horse. An equestrian is someone who will cancel plans with friends when their horse needs them more. An equestrian is someone who puts their horse first, above all else.

A friend once said to me, "you can either be obsessed with horses, or you don't get involved," and I completely agree with that. Having horses can be the most exhausting, painful and frustrating thing in the world, but all the heartache in the world is worth it for that one moment when everything comes together and horse and rider work in perfect unison. That euphoric feeling when you and your horse finally perfect the skill you've been practising for months, when you can't stop the grin from taking over your face and you can sense your horse's happiness at pleasing their rider. That is the moment that makes it all worth it for an equestrian.

No matter how many times an equestrian falls off, they will always pick themselves up and dust themselves off. No matter how frustrating it can be when their horse doesn't want to work, an equestrian will always treat their horse with respect. No matter how many times they fail, an equestrian will always try again.

An equestrian could be an Olympic athlete with dozens of world class horses in their stables, or they could be a retired school teacher whose horse is too old to ride anymore. An equestrian is someone who understands that the bond between a horse and their rider is the most valuable thing in the world, and will go through anything to keep it.