3…2…1…TAKEOFF! This is what Jenna Van Pelt is thinking as she prepares to fly over a jump at Prince George’s Equestrian Center. This moment is what she is counting on right now, with her horse, Secret Garden. Secret is one of Jenna’s two horses, and this is also their first show season together. This is also Jenna’s first time at regionals, and she managed to get a 4th place and 7th place against forty-five other people. Even though they have not been together long, you can tell that there is a strong bond between the two of them, which is important in the show ring. The event that she is here to compete for is known as regionals, which is part of the road to the prestigious Washington International Horse Show. Jenna has been preparing for this show all season, going to every show that her association has to offer and competing at the medals at the end of the season, including small schooling shows in the off-season and schooling her horse multiple times a week. Most riders exercise their horses between four and six times per week, and each barn visit including travel times, takes about three hours. They also have to stay extremely fit and make sure that their horses and equipment are getting the proper care. Jenna goes to the barn almost every day after school and spends countless hours there on the weekend.

All equestrians know that horse-back riding is more than just a sport. If you really want to compete, or just ride regularly, you have to be dedicated enough to make it through the bad falls and cold winter months. It can also be devastating if you have been working towards a large show, and your horse receives an injury. Even the smallest of injuries can take months to heal, and then the horse has to be brought back into work very slowly.  If you own your own horse, the work can be even harder, but riding a trainer’s horses can be just as challenging because you are not constantly riding the same horse with the same habits. Riding on the competitive circuit is no small feat.  Depending on your show association, you will generally have a show on almost every weekend, and most of the shows at the end of the season are bigger and will give you more points to qualify for the larger rated shows. In the end, it does not matter how many ribbons you get, but the memories that you make earning them.