When most people think of team sports, they envision tryouts, a coach, team practices and playoffs. For horseback riders on the equestrian team, this isn’t the case.

The Whitman Equestrian Club was formed in 2013 to unite the school’s many horse enthusiasts. The club was dismantled in 2014 due to lack of interest, but this year, senior Madison Warner brought the team back together. Led by co-captains Sofia Riordan and Maya Caceres, the club now has seven passionate members.

The equestrian club doesn’t have official team practices as the riders are members of separate club teams outside of Whitman. Depending on the intensity of the club, practice can range from one to five times a week. During practice, riders work on a variety of skills to help perfect their technique and prepare for the next competition.

“We don’t have official practices, but people on the team are required to take riding lessons once a week at a stable of their choice,” Warner said. “They must have their trainer fill out a lesson verification form that states the amount of lessons per week and their riding abilities.”

During club lessons, riders either work individually with a trainer or in small groups. The riders receive specialized attention which helps improve specific skills before the next competition.

“We usually work on something that the riders have been struggling with at the horse shows,” Potomac Horse Center trainer Caitlin Michinski said. “For many riders, the most difficult thing is overcoming the fear of riding. Fear can come from anything and the best way to eliminate fear is to identify and find a pathway to correct it.”

To improve technique and master key skills, many horseback riders practice as much as they can with the horse.

“Many of the skills come through years of practice,” freshman Stephanie Maiers said. “But it’s great to have balance, a light seat and a strong leg.”

Having an individual trainer helps the members prepare for club and Whitman competitions. Whitman competitions are often different than club ones since riders are unfamiliar with their horse and their teammates.  

“When we go to competitions, we have to ride a horse we have never met before, so we have to quickly figure out our new teammate to be successful,” Warner said. “We do not have practices together so we are not as close as most other teams at Whitman and some of the teammates don’t even know each other because they have competed on different dates.”

Yet their unconventional practices haven’t detracted from the team’s success. So far, the club has done well in the two competitions they’ve competed in this year: the Inter School Horse Shows series and Oatlands Farms competition. In both competitions, every rider finished in the top six and since the sport is three seasons long, the team plans to continue competing throughout the year.

Whether it’s the trainer or the athlete, horseback riding is similar to many other sports in that it requires great concentration and effort.

“There are no boring days in this job; horses come up with new ideas, both good and bad, in their progression,” Michinski said. “The students go through the same learning process of developing good and bad habits; horses and people have good and bad days and you never know which one you are going to get.”