12 reasons to ride at 欧美AV

Maddy shares her favorite things about being part of the Equestrian program at 欧美AV.

by Maddy Skrak 鈥18

is one of the best decisions you鈥檒l ever make. It鈥檚 a community. It鈥檚 friends. It鈥檚 a team. And most importantly, it鈥檚 pursuing a passion alongside an inspiring group of people who share your love for horses.

Here are 12 more reasons why.

Sabrina Fox 鈥18, shown with her mother Anne Fox, rides the horse Viktor during the national anthem
Sabrina Fox 鈥18, shown with her mother Anne Fox, rides Viktor during the national anthem
 

12. Our school horse sweethearts

Some short, some tall, some quirky 鈥 our 40 horses are full of lessons to teach. There鈥檚 Sadie, an angel who will jump anything you point her to. Stanley is the Paso Fino with the smoothest trot. Noah 鈥 you鈥檇 better hold on! Viktor is the star of the national anthem at shows. Scarlett is a top-level dressage horse, but good luck getting her bridle on without a bag of treats.

A group of riders on Mountain Day 2016
A group of riders enjoying the climb on Mountain Day 2016
 

11. Climbing as a team on Mountain Day

You鈥檒l finally be at a place where it鈥檚 cool to walk around in your riding clothes. With 43 of your newest friends/teammates.

10. We take workouts seriously.

As varsity athletes, riders are treated as seriously as 欧美AV鈥檚 other impressive athletes. We have mandatory workouts twice week, led by team officers in the Lyon鈥檚 Den (bottom floor of the ) or outside, and often mix cardio with weights. We鈥檝e been known to throw in some yoga and Zumba, too.

Coaches Morgan Lynch and C.J. Law
Coaches Morgan Lynch and C.J. Law
 

9. Working with some of MHC鈥檚 smartest and finest

We have two of the in the entire world. C.J. Law and Morgan Lynch work endless hours to make us perform at our best. They teach us lessons in and out of the arena 鈥 most of which go far beyond riding. 

8. Wednesday night team meetings

This is a weekly chance to talk about news, team responsibilities, jobs at our home shows, workouts and team bonding. It鈥檚 also a time for C.J. to share hysterical stories from her 33 years of coaching at 欧美AV.

7. Secret psych-ups

Imagine playing a semester-long game of Clue where you have no idea who is pepping you up before every show: bags of candy, hand-made cards, balloons, decked-out lawn chairs, etc. Some of the best things I鈥檝e received include a unicorn pillow pet and a mug that I actually used this morning! The big reveal 鈥 who is my secret psych-up? 鈥 happens at a team banquet.

Two riders on horseback riding through the snow
Riding in the winter
 

6. Every season is riding season.

This is true even if you come from a warm place like, say, New Mexico. You will quickly learn that 鈥渉otties鈥 (hand and foot warmers) are your new best friends in the arena during winter. We always pop them in our boots and in our gloves to keep warm.

Riders on horseback during cross country day in the fall
Cross-country day in the fall
 

5. Famous lessons and a magic bag of tricks

Get ready for wildly creative lessons. We exercise on trampolines to improve coordination and half-halts in the saddle. We make a fist on the reins and place small rocks atop our hands to keep them still. We gallop around the arena in jockey stirrups to practice moving the horses forward and opening their strides. We practice 鈥渞envers,鈥 an all-time favorite, during which C.J. bellows in a funny voice to work the horses laterally. We jump in the giant cross-country field behind the stable, a fun adventure full of photo ops. Sometimes we even ride bareback, western or dressage. And within C.J.鈥檚 black canvas bag of tricks? Creations like 鈥渢he goggles,鈥 which keep you from looking down. And the 鈥渦niboob鈥 helmet, which forces you to stay off the horse鈥檚 neck. And the 鈥渞ubber band,鈥 which keeps your hands still. 

4. Amazing riding alumnae

They are empowered, talented and inspiring 鈥 with awesome professional and professional riding careers to boot. They come to visit all the time, especially before shows. They are a testament to one of C.J.鈥檚 favorite sayings: 鈥淵ou鈥檒l make friends for life.鈥

The riding team seated together on an airplane
The riding team in flight
 

3. Traveling as a team

Seeing nationally ranked competitors at the tournaments of champions keeps us focused and aware of how hard we need to train throughout the season. But traveling also means having way too much fun, often in airports. Like the time we wore our helmets and hairnets. Or the time we made a full-out music video on the electric walkway (鈥渕agic carpet鈥).

The riding team diplaying their awards at IHSA Nationals, 2016
The riding team diplay their awards at IHSA Nationals, 2016
 

2. One word: Nationals

It鈥檚 an honor to be on a team that almost always makes it to this prestigious competition, where you get a chance to compete at the top level. I cannot imagine a better feeling than seeing at the IHSA 鈥渂ig time.鈥 We also have more fun than anyone out there. We won the 2017 Spirit Contest, an honor we largely attribute to our coach dressing up as Pokey, the talking orange pony from the Gumby and Pokey claymation duo. At the IHSA Nationals in 2016, C.J. debuted her very own music video to Adele鈥檚 song 鈥淗ello鈥 鈥 pink wig, fur cloak and all 鈥 on the jumbotron for all to see.

Close-up image of a riding boot in a stirrup

1. No rider mounts alone 鈥 or without super shiny boots.

Every time you mount the horse you drew before a class, our 鈥渂lue army鈥 鈥 team members in our blue coats and gear 鈥 will be at your side. Whether it鈥檚 at a home show, an away show, a tournament, regionals, zones or nationals. And thanks to pre-show boot-polishing parties, our equipment always shines like the top of the Chrysler Building.