How many years have you been riding and what sparked your interest?
I started riding when I was 7 and took a one-year break, just about 8 years of riding. My mom has been riding way longer than I have and has always brought me to Pathfinder. I have loved horses for as long as I can remember.

Which horse has taught you the most?
Though all the horses and ponies have something to teach, Ranger had prepared me the most for my mother’s horse, Aria. He taught me to sit up in my corner, so we don’t fall over (like that one time we wiped out), to stay up and off their backs over jumps, to look where I want to go, and most of all, how to stop.

What do you love most about riding?
The horses: the experience we gain from them, having that partnership, the thrill of completing a course, gaining the trust of a horse, knowing that it’s not just you in that arena, and that relief you get when they take their hoof off your foot. Without the horses we would be hobby horsing and I don’t think I can jump that high.

What would you like to accomplish in the next year?
I’d like to jump up to 2'6 with Aria consistently. We have already jumped 2'3 in and out of the show arena, and so far jumped 2'6 at the comfort of Pathfinder. In addition to jumping higher I would love to learn more about the medical practices and check-ups that come with horses, whether it be watching the farrier work or how a chiropractor adjusts a horse, experience is accomplishment.

What goal would you like to reach within the next five years?
To be honest I have not planned that far, however I am sure that I want horseback to be a consistent part of my future. The hope is to get into college with horses nearby so I can keep riding.