The dark silhouette of a horse and rider flashed past an open barn door, thrown wide to reveal a peaceful afternoon sunlight sparkling upon the rolling golden fields. Hooves sent dust swirling as Deutsch, a sepia-colored mare, broke into a canter around the barn arena.
Ever since sophomore Gianna Marchese suffered a concussion after a falling off her horse last summer, finding the courage to canter again posed a challenge. It is just the sort of challenge, however, that Hillsdale’s equestrians consider one of the greatest experiences of horseback riding. Overcoming obstacles like this may explain the equestrian team’s tireless commitment to their latest quest: achieving the status of a Division II varsity team.
The equestrian team was founded three years ago and has grown steadily ever since. Although the team competes on the varsity level with Division I schools in the area, the college has yet to provide funding. But this has not stopped the team from pursuing its goal.
“There are a lot of people who are part of the Hillsdale donation program who are looking to give to an equestrian team because they have horses,” Marchese said. “They just haven’t had a place to give.”
The team’s effort to create an identifiable presence on campus has already seen success. The team won $100 for best display at the college’s club tent, the Source, and have had 35 new sign-ups so far. Members will also ride in this year’s homecoming parade.
The team participates in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, traveling to different Michigan schools to compete in shows at every level from beginner to advanced. Some members, such as senior Glynis Williams, the team’s fundraising delegate, have ridden horses since childhood. Others, like Marchese, had no prior experience before attending Hillsdale. The team emphasized that experience is not required to join, and that all levels can compete.
Competitions typically last an entire day. Host schools provide horses for each compeition where contestants draw the name of the horse they will ride on the day of the show. Then, each competitor rides through the arena in a set pattern. The judges ask them to display skills, such as walking, trotting, and cantering, and award ribbons based on their performance.
Improvement requires commitment. At least every other week, Marchese and the other members of team swap their desk seats for saddles and head to practice at the Premier Equestrian Center in Hudson, Mich. Here, the team’s coach of two years, Danielle Cole, owns and maintains the team horses. Marchese and Williams agree that the half-hour drive out to the peaceful barn and idyllic countryside provides a welcome way to relax in the midst of hectic campus life.
Both girls do English horseback riding, but Hillsdale’s Equestrian Team also includes a branch for Western riding. While competing on the English team involves trotting, cantering, and eventually jumping, the Western team requires reining, barrel racing, and roping.
“Western riding is a little more laidback than English,” said senior Daniel Kish, western team president. “I would recommend it to someone who wants to feel secure and relaxed but be able to compete in a wide array of fun disciplines.”
Just as both branches of the team steadily work together to make their dream a reality, Marchese continues at her canter a little longer before calling it a day. As she and Williams brush down the horses, they explain why participation on the team perfectly complements their Hillsdale education.
According to Williams, students earning the right to govern themselves can learn from the way riders strive to earn a horse’s respect. For her and the other equestrians, riding is a means of living out the belief that strength rejoices in the challenge.
Williams smiles as she recites her favorite Winston Churchill quote:
“‘There’s something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.’”
