Black Beauty, Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron, Seabiscuit, Hildalgo, Flicka- just a few of the lovable stars of some classic horse movies. If those cuties didn’t steal your heart, I don’t know who could. They’re majestic, enchanting, and straight from a fairytale. It’s time to saddle up ‘cause Katherine Martinez, member of the UW Equestrian team, has a story of her own about her horseback riding experiences thus far.
When did you first start riding horses?
I first started riding as far back as I can remember. I grew up on a farm and my mom always owned horses, so from a young age I went on trail rides with her and my sister.
Have you ever attended any horseback riding camps or participated in any competitions?
I never went to any riding camps but I loved competing in games at our local fair. When I was younger, I wasn’t the greatest at riding since I never received formal training. I had to rely on my mother’s instruction, and even though she knows a lot about horses, riding lessons from her wasn’t the same. For the past few years I stopped riding altogether. I lost my interest and I mostly rode when I was younger because my sister did and I wanted to be like her. After a couple years of not riding, I realized that I missed it a lot. When I heard about the UW Equestrian Team I decided to try out for it, but I was skeptical that I wouldn’t be put on the team. At least forty people showed up to the tryout meeting and only around 14 spots were open. After tryouts, I received an email saying that I was on the team. At first I was intimidated but I now love being on the team.
Tell us more about the UW-Equestrian team. What is it like? Are you close with the team?
Being on the team is awesome because I get to get out of the city and be around animals about twice a week. Everyone is friendly and our coach Mark is great and very supportive. So far, I have gone to two competitions, our home show and a LaCrosse show, and I’m still surprised that I won first place in my class at both of the shows. I have another show this weekend at Notre Dame.
What are shows like?
Shows are a lot of fun and sometimes exciting, but unfortunate, when a person falls off. Many people don’t see riding as a sport because we are sitting the entire time, but riding is a lot of work and you WILL be sore. Also, riding can be very dangerous (I fell off during one of my practices and I could barely sit up straight for a week).
Is being on the team a big time commitment?
We practice for an hour as a whole team twice on the weekends and once as a small group during the week. Being on the team isn’t really a time commitment but it is definitely a financial one. It is expensive, but it is really worth it. Being around the animals is great and our team is also really good, so it’s even more fun with the fact that we do so well.
What is the most advanced trick you can do on a horse? What are your hopes for the future?
Right now I am only in beginner walk/trot but I hope to advance soon, although it all depends on how many shows you go to and how many points you win. I hope to start jumping by the end of next year, although my balance is horrible. We practice for an hour as a whole team twice on the weekends and once as a small group during the week. Being on the team isn’t really a time commitment but it is definitely a financial one. It is expensive, but it is really worth it. Being around the animals is great and our team is also really good, so it’s even more fun with the fact that we do so well.