As the World Turns

Horseback riding has been my hobby since I was a little kid. I started riding at a nearby stable when I was seven years old. I took lessons with a woman names Martha for a few years and learned a lot of the basics. When I was a little older, I started riding with a more advanced trainer, Chris, who I still train with today, With Chris’s help, I began eventing. There are three different main events in eventing- dressage, cross country, and show jumping. Dressage is like ballet on horseback. The horse and rider team performs a predetermined pattern and are judged on the balance and beauty with which it is executed. Cross Country involves jumping a series of obstacles laid out in a course across fields and woods. Show Jumping involves jumping in the show ring and is scored based on time and knock-downs of obstacles. This hobby takes a lot of time. I take a lesson with my trainer every week. I ride my competition horse five additional days per week. I am also working a few horses for other people right now. If I’m not at work, I’m at the barn, but I love every minute of it.