Baltimore City -- a haven for beautiful show horses and endless countryside. Well, not exactly, but there is such a place nearby known as Clay Hill Stable. Each week a small group of Hopkins students travel to the stables to take riding lessons. These student athletes comprise Hopkins' own equestrian team.
"It is a great escape, the place is beautiful. It's nice to get out of Baltimore," said junior Vicky Soto, captain of the equestrian team.
Team treasurer, Weijie Ehang agrees. "It is an incredible feeling to ride a horse, one definitely worth trying," she said.
The equestrian team's skill level greatly varies. The riders range from beginners like Weijie Ehang to more skilled riders such as Soto and Nicole McGovern. Last weekend McGovern placed second in two different competitions, both for western riding.
The team has both western and English riders. English riding consists of walking, trotting, cantering and jumping. Cantering and trotting involve moving your body up and down while on the horse. In western riding you must remain on the saddle, no posting allowed.
"In western riding you put on a show, as many colors and sparkles as you can," said McGovern. "If you're good at western riding, you look like your not doing anything, basically you look pretty."
Soto, an English rider, enjoys this style more because of the jumps. Western-style is traditionally a more relaxed ride, while English tends to focus more on technique. "The English riders wear a helmet and the western riders wear a cowboy hat," Soto said. "Although the English get to jump and the jump is the most exciting part."
Each style offers its own set of challenges. McGovern has had trouble staying glued to the saddle. Judges in western riding, including those at her last competition, look to make sure a rider doesn't move.
"I think I could've won first, but I just wasn't focused," McGovern noted. "I had a two-hour wait between competitions. It's hard to be completely relaxed on the horse if you aren't in the right mind set."
Ehang, a beginner, is learning to ride western. He commented that his first horse, Fendi, was a significant factor in his decision to stick with riding. "I would just say Fendi, "trot' and he was able to, it was magical," she said.
The members of the team do not own horses, making competitions a bit more nerve-wracking. When athletes arrive at a competition, they are randomly assigned a horse. "Sometimes the horse you get can make or break a competition. You can usually tell how your horse will behave based on previous competitors," McGovern said. "After each round I like to ask the rider how the horse felt so I know what to anticipate."
Horses also have talent levels, and the only way to know which is an advanced horse is to ride it. Some horses are more tame than others, and more aggressive horses are usually assigned to advanced riders.
Several competitions take place throughout the year. Some take place at Clay Hill, various other Maryland locations and in Virginia.
Riders begin at various skill levels and then work their way up. Rankings are based on the number of points acquired through competition. Thus, the more competitions a rider participates in, the better. Usually those who first join the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) start out at the novice level.
Student riders who practice at Clay Hill come from different universities, among them American University, the Naval Academy, University of Maryland, and Catholic University.
Typically students practice twice a week and compete in the same competitions. One coach works with all the schools to improve skill level and technique.
Many of the Hopkins riders enjoy riding for hobby, not only for sport. For some of the riders it's even therapeutic to be on a horse.
"I first found out about Clay Hill through my involvement with the Maryland Therapeutic Stable," said McGovern. "Many children with disabilities come to the stable to work with the experienced riders. It is a great sport to help you relax."
Ehang, originally from Singapore, never had the opportunity to horseback ride and first tried it out of curiosity. "It is an indescribable feeling being up on a horse," she said. "I'm so glad I decided to take part in the sport. I'm looking forward to trying the competitions, but for now I really enjoy the riding."
Students interested in obtaining more information about the equestrian team should email Ana Soto, ootesoroo@aol.com or call (443) 414-9936.
