To be or not to be...that is the equestrian

Wednesday, June 22, 2022
by Laura, Master of Accounting (MAcc) student

The School of Accounting and Finance caught up with Laura, a current Equestrian Club member and Master of Accounting (MAcc) student to learn more about the Equestrian Club and its impact.

Did you know that the University of Waterloo has an Equestrian Club? It was founded in 2005 by Lisa Cahill and other equestrian enthusiasts and the main goal of the club is to have a student-run organization that promotes the sport through clinics, socials, and competitions. Although the club started small, the club has grown each year and is currently made up of 15-20 riders with various levels of show experience.

Laura robertson

Tell us a little bit about you, and why you joined the Equestrian Club team?

I completed the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program in December and now, I am a student in the Master of Accounting program. Horses have always been a big part of my life and I was thrilled to find out that the University of Waterloo had an Equestrian Club so that I could continue to ride and compete while at university. We compete in catch-riding based hunter equitation classes against other universities and colleges in Ontario and have many fun events together as a team!
 

What kind of competitions do you compete in on the university circuit?

The main difference between competing outside of school and at university is that we get assigned a random horse for the university show whereas we would normally spend months practicing with our own horse. Because it's a random horse, it puts everyone on an even playing field and tests our ability to adapt. It is judged based on the effectiveness and skill of the rider.
 

How many horses does the team engage with?  

One of the most common questions we get is if the University of Waterloo has its own horses – and the answer is no! The team takes weekly lessons at a nearby stable which has many different horses we practice on. The circuit is all about riding different horses, each of which has their own unique personalities - which is what makes it so challenging!
 

What has been your most memorable experience being on the Equestrian Club team?

My most memorable experience must be the finals. At the end of the season, all the teams get together for an entire weekend of shows. It's so much fun to spend the weekend away with the team doing what we love and finishing off with year-end awards to celebrate each other's achievements.
 

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Even the small wins with horses are big ones but my greatest accomplishment is qualifying and winning the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.