Most athletes rely on their teammates for support and motivation. For horseback riders, however, this companionship comes from a unique partner: a horse.

At a first glance, horseback riding seems like a leisurely sport, but it requires large amounts of time, funds, and trust. To many riders, the rewarding benefits are undoubtedly worth the commitments.   

Senior Emily Bivens, who rides in Lakeville, Massachusetts at Holloway Brook Farm, boards her own horse there and rides at least four times a week after school or on the weekends. Riding has been something she has wanted to commit to ever since she was little.

“I started riding when I was really, really young,” Bivens said. “It just was always something that I wanted to do; it was kind of an anomaly in my family.”

Junior Isabella Civitarese, who said she rides about four times a week, explained that schedule-related adjustments and efficiency are necessary when it comes to having time to ride.

“It technically takes like 4 hours out of my afternoon, but I figured out how to efficiently get my work done so I get everything done and don’t miss anything,” Civitarese said.

According to Bivens, along with the huge time commitment, horseback riding is notoriously expensive, which contributes to why it isn’t as popular.

“As a kid, I had to work at the barn to be able to afford lessons,” Bivens said.

Civitarese said that in order to compete and ride at higher levels, a better and more costly horse is required, along with the normal price of upkeep and equipment. Therefore, many people she knows used to ride as children and fewer ride at more advanced levels.   

Freshman Amanda Lilienfeld said that many people simply don’t consider horseback riding as an option because they rarely hear about it.

“I think a lot of people don’t try it because it seems a little bit weird and not as common,” Lilienfeld said. “A lot of people just don’t know about it, and they don’t want to know about it, but I think they should because it’s really a fun thing to do.”

Working with such a big animal can definitely be scary at times, according to Bivens, who has experienced multiple riding-related injuries. Civitarese said that the temperature change from warm to cold weather can cause the horses to get into “bad moods.” Horses will even go crazy just from hearing sudden noises, or from seeing something unknown move abruptly.

“They might throw you off, or run away from you, and it can be kind of rattling to your confidence,” Civitarese said.

According to Bivens, the key to being a successful rider is trust. You have to trust that your horse isn’t going to throw you, just as your horse has to trust that you will give the right commands.

Trusting the trainers you’re working with is also necessary. Civitarese said that a rider will not be matched with a horse if it isn’t the right level for them.

“You can’t just think about yourself, you also have to think about the horse that you’re riding,” Civitarese said. “You have to be a good match for each other, and you have to understand how the horse works.”

With this trust between rider and horse comes a special bond and connection.

“It’s really different than any other sport because you’re not working with a piece of equipment,” Civitarese said. “You’re working with an animal with its own mind, its own feeling.”

Lilienfeld has been riding for only four years, but fell in love with the sport and said she personally benefits from it. Though horses sometimes can be either very hard to control, she said that overcoming these kinds of obstacles provides a great sense of self-confidence.

According to Civitarese, not only do riders use their whole body to control the horse, but they also use their whole mind as well. Bivens said that this mental aspect of horseback riding can be very stress-relieving.

“It’s such a great sport for stress relief; anytime I’m at the barn I feel amazing,” Bivens said. “There’s no cares, no thinking about college, nothing about anything else.”

To Bivens, injuries and scary moments cause her to have a greater appreciation for riding and the bonds made with horses.

“All the good moments kind of overshadow all the bad moments,” Bivens said. “They make them more special.”