This week, Her Campus talked to Kat Wieber, a sophomore here at Wake Forest. Not only is Kat a member of our very own Her Campus Executive Team (she’s one of the heads of Social Media), she is a member of the equestrian team at Wake as well!
We wanted to know all about how our busy HC Staff member finds time for herself — just to horse around! Check out Kat’s story below.
HC: How long have you been a member of the equestrian team at Wake Forest?
Kat: I have been a member of the equestrian team since I first got here at Wake, so since first semester of my freshman year. It’s pretty much a year round thing, so it’s been about a year now.
HC: How long have you been horse back riding? How did you get into it initially?
Kat: Wow that’s kind of tough to say. I have been riding since I was in elementary school but my commitment to it has varied. When I got to high school I sort of realized that this was something I was really passionate about and took it more seriously. I was introduced to riding by a close family friend, who rode when she was younger. She could tell that I really loved animals so she thought that I should try it. My first lesson was actually very eventful. I was sitting on the horse and all of a sudden he started to lower himself down and actually tried to roll on the ground with me on him, so my trainer had to run over and pull me off because I had no idea what was going on. But even with that happening I loved it and the rest was history.
HC: How do you balance or manage the time commitment?
Kat: The time commitment can be tough. If you have a lesson, you are there at least fifteen minutes before to groom and tack up the horse, then you have your lesson, and afterwards you have to untack and put the horse away. If it’s hot we have to hose down the horses and let them cool off before we put them back into their stalls. So, you’re there for a lot longer than the hour lesson. It’s just a matter of budgeting your time. Shows are a little easier because your round only lasts about three to five minutes but we have to stay for the whole show to support the team, so in the off time most people usually work on school work!
HC: What has been your favorite part about being on the equestrian team?
Kat: One of the things I love about being on the team is that it’s a great stress reliever. After having a lesson I’m always in a good mood and just getting off campus for a little can be really nice. I’ve also loved meeting the girls on the team. They’re a really cool group of girls that I may not have met otherwise. Also, it’s always nice to be able to talk “horse talk” with another equestrian, which can sometimes be hard to come by.
We couldn’t be more impressed with how Kat balances her passions, her schoolwork, and her devotion to the Her Campus team! Great work, Kat!