{"id":1701,"date":"2011-05-09T11:31:49","date_gmt":"2011-05-09T16:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/?p=1701"},"modified":"2014-04-07T07:16:27","modified_gmt":"2014-04-07T12:16:27","slug":"horses-are-a-part-of-many-students-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/?p=1701","title":{"rendered":"Horses Are a Part of Many Students’ Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Freshman Danielle Erickson's new horse is a five-year-old paint horse named Hawk. Photo contributed by: Danielle Erickson<\/p><\/div>\n

By Ellen Smith<\/em><\/p>\n

Equitation, cantering, and dressage. \u00a0Tack, bridle, and posting. \u00a0These are all terms that are familiar to enthusiasts of one hobby: horseback riding. \u00a0Many are not familiar with this activity that five PHS students share a passion for.<\/p>\n

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Horses and ponies come in a variety of breeds, sizes, colors, and temperaments. \u00a0Freshman rider Megan Snyder said that she owns \u201cone Quarter horse and one miniature horse. \u00a0[The Quarter horse\u2019s name] is Hot n Zipped, or Vinnie.\u201d \u00a0Generally, horses have show names, but are not called by them regularly. \u00a0Sophomore Michaila Nate owns \u201ctwo horses, named A Debonair Dee (Jackson for short), and\u00a0 A Smidgen of Smooth (Smidge for short).\u201d \u00a0Snyder\u2019s miniature horse is named \u201cTiny Trotter\u2019s Honor, or Buddy.\u201d \u00a0Freshman Danielle Erickson owns a paint horse. \u00a0\u201cHis name is Hawk,\u201d she said. \u00a0Sophomore Heather Griewank owns \u201cthree Quarter horses and a pony, [named] Russell, Leggs, Bennie, and Trigger,\u201d while freshman Christine Beckman also \u201c[used to] have a Quarter horse named Junior.\u201d Beckman still rides quarter horses, but she is \u201cjust looking for new mount.\u201d<\/p>\n

No matter the color or breed, temperament is the most important quality to look for in horses. \u00a0Riding frequently is something that all riders must do, especially if preparing for a competition. \u00a0Erickson said \u201cshe rides whenever she can,\u201d and Griewank said she rides \u201cvery often, a lot during the summer, [and] pretty much every day.\u201d \u00a0Beckman rides her horse \u201capproximately three times a week,\u201d and Snyder rides \u201cthree to five times a week.\u201d \u00a0Nate said that \u201cin the summer she rides five days a week, and in the spring I ride as much as possible.\u201d \u00a0The dedication that riders express is not only because they want success. \u00a0There is a whole other dimension to horseback riding that exists as the relationship that a horse and rider share.<\/p>\n

Horseback riding offers many things, including many different types of competition, whether it be showing or racing barrels. \u00a0Griewank shows in many events, including \u201cpleasure, English, Western, Equitation, Horsemanship, and Showmanship. \u00a0I can do any [event] on my horse,\u201d she said. \u00a0Beckman does many similar events. \u00a0\u201c[I do] Equitation, English and Western Pleasure, Showmanship, and Horsemanship.\u201d she said. \u00a0Nate said she \u201ccan jump and ride Western and English.\u201d<\/p>\n

4-H offers many opportunities as far has horseback riding is concerned. \u00a0Many PHS students participate in their annual horse shows held during the fair in July. \u00a0Nate announces at the shows, and competes in open shows. \u00a0Snyder said, \u201cI show in my quarter horse circuit and I am also in 4-H. I am currently training my horse in hunter under saddle and jumping. \u00a0I do halter and showmanship and drive with my mini [horse].\u201d \u00a0Griewank and Erickson are also in 4-H, and Griewank participates in \u201chorse shows, and 4-H.\u201d<\/p>\n

Griewank has had much success riding her horses. \u00a0\u201cMy greatest success [was] placing 9th and being a finalist twice at the All American Quarter Horse Congress-the largest single breed horse show in the world.\u201d she said. \u00a0Beckman has also done very well in the competitions she has been involved in. \u201c[At the] IQHA, [or] Indiana Quarter Horse Congress I received two top tens and finaled twice.\u201d she said. \u00a0Attaining success almost always requires preparation in advance. Griewank and Erickson both ride at their houses, while Beckman rides in Hebron, Indiana. \u00a0Snyder rides her horses \u201c[at] the Athletic Style Ranch in Plymouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Riding has been a part of these students\u2019 lives for years, and for some it has become a lifestyle. \u00a0Beckman began because she has always loved horses, and her mom offered to take her to lessons. \u00a0Griewank \u201cgrew up on a farm and had a miniature horse,\u201d and Erickson grew up with horses as well. \u00a0Snyder had the opportunity of riding the horses of a family friend when she was little. \u00a0Nate got into horses because her little sister was\u00a0involved, so she tried it and liked it.<\/p>\n

With spring here and warm weather becoming more frequent, all riders are excited to ride more often. \u00a0However, Griewank, Snyder, and Beckman all go to facilities that allow them to ride in the winter. \u00a0\u201cI normally give my horses the winter off after a long hard summer of showing every weekend,\u201d said Griewank.<\/p>\n

Horseback riding is a hobby that is different from many, because it gives riders the chance at an emotional relationship with their ride. \u00a0Nate loves riding because it is fun and challenging. \u201cI love going out and just riding to relax,\u201d she said. \u00a0Griewank is very attached to her horses. \u00a0\u201cI am very close to [my horses], and they mean a lot to me. \u00a0They are my best friends, and they\u2019re more loyal than any human could ever be.\u201d she said. \u00a0Beckman said that riding has made her a more confident and determined person. \u00a0\u201cI love horses, and I feel like I\u2019ve achieved something after [riding].\u201d Whether their horses are old companions or new, relationships are always being built. \u00a0Erickson has just recently gotten her current horse, Hawk. \u00a0\u201cHe is fairly new, so we are still building a relationship.\u201d she said. \u201c[He has] seemed to open up very quickly though, and it\u2019s going very well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snyder said that riding has made her a \u201cmore patient [person]. Sometimes it will take months to train your horse to do one thing.\u201d \u00a0Trust is very important, she added. \u00a0\u201cI like to think that I have a really good relationship with my boys,\u201d said Snyder. \u00a0Nate said that horseback riding had made her \u201cmore patient, and a harder worker.\u201d Erickson agreed, saying that horses have helped her senses of responsibility, patience, and trust. \u00a0Snyder added, \u201cI ride because it\u2019s fun, and it\u2019s also a great way to stay in shape.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horseback riding shapes lives, teaches important values, and all riders agree that it is also good, plain fun. \u00a0\u201cWhen I am riding, I can\u2019t help but feel happy.\u201d Erickson said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Ellen Smith Equitation, cantering, and dressage. \u00a0Tack, bridle, and posting. \u00a0These are all terms that are familiar to enthusiasts of one hobby: horseback riding. \u00a0Many are not familiar with this activity that five PHS students share a passion for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1701"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1701"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1712,"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1701\/revisions\/1712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}