Exhibit: Equestrian Team
Benchmark: Teamwork/Communication
Skills: TC107: Understand and contribute to the mission and goals of the team
    TC108: Show Commitment to the team

    For three years of my high school career I was on the Hanover-Horton Equestrian Team. I competed with many different people because the numbers waivered each year. Each year our goal was to make it to regional’s or at least become district champions for certain events. Competitions were very tiring and were almost always held during the first three weekends of September. We would all wake up at roughly 4 o’clock in the morning, because the competitions were held in Adrian Michigan, and each load our horses into our trailers and head out! The competitions lasted all day and we would usually not get home until around nine o’clock. 

    I competed in many different classes even classes I had never done before! I practiced for at least an hour four to five times each week in between competitions. Also during the off season for the equestrian team I took riding lessons in the new disciplines that I was required to do. For example during equestrian I was put in Saddleseat and Saddleseat bareback. I had never rode Saddleseat until freshman year. The summer of my sophomore year I took lessons for this. And during my junior year I became the district champion for Saddleseat bareback. I am extremely proud of the hard work that my horse and I did in order to accomplish this goal. Also my junior one of my other teammates, Kelsie Beckwith, took district champion in English showmanship and western reining! We were only a few points away from making it to regionals that year and everyone on the team contributed! Everyone was put into classes they knew and even some that they had never done before! But all of it helped! We had a lot of fun and everyone worked very hard. 

    My experiences on the equestrian team made me a better rider but also pulled me into the sport more; it inspired me to work harder in order to be a better competitor. I learned so many things from my experiences on the equestrian team and I am grateful for the many memories and friends I made at competitions. I know that the hard work and dedication of each and every person on the team is why we were so close to making it to regionals but it is also why we walked away with multiple district titles. 

    My dedication to my sport and ability to work harder and try new things for the good of the team taught me that I will probably have to do this for the rest of my life! I will also need to use these skills for my career in Music Therapy. I will need to learn new instruments, perfect my vocal skills, and learn more about psychology; I know that schooling will be hard but it will be well work it. And I know that if I work hard I will be able to adapt to new things and be successful. In my young adult life I will always have to be open to new things and new experiences. College will be a completely new experience for me and my skills that I have learned throughout being on the equestrian team will help me greatly through my education in college. I will always have to learn new things whether it is at college, work, or someday when I have children. Learning is a part of life and especially if I have a family I will have to learn new things everyday and put in the effort with my husband and children to support them and be devoted them completely. The skills I have learned through this experience have helped prepare me for both my career and my young adult life through being committed to the team and also learning new things for the benefit of the overall team.