James Loy 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the hosts and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Miami University.

Student 

I'm a senior. I'm about to graduate, and I've done a lot of cool things in college.

Student 

I never thought that I was going to be an intramural curler. I never thought that I was going to be the student body president.

Student 

These four years have been the biggest amount of growth I've seen in my entire life.

Student 

It's not just about the academics, but like, what kind of person you turn into, which is super cool.

Maggie 

So we are back on major insight with another episode of the sounds of college life. We have Lauren Kelley back in the studio with us today.

Lauren Kelley 

Hello

Maggie 

Lauren. Can you tell us about where you went this week?

Lauren Kelley 

I went to the equestrian center, so that was really cool to see the horses up front in person, and to just meet all the amazing teammates.

Maggie 

I have a few friends myself who are on the equestrian team, and they talk about, you know, like, what it's like to ride, and they teach the horseback riding classes, and I'm so jealous every time they talk about it, because part of me, deep down in my soul, wants to be a horse girl, so bad.

Lauren Kelley 

Have you ever ridden a horse?

Maggie 

I've never been on a horse.

Lauren Kelley 

We need to change this.

Maggie 

So the Equestrian Center, I obviously know Miami, we have the equestrian team. We have a competitive team. What all goes on at the center?

Lauren Kelley 

Okay? So first off, I have ridden horses before with my grandparents, so I have some experience. I've never been on the team before, but I took a beginner horseback riding class, and basically I just missed it. It's been like, three years since I revisited the center, and so when you walk in, you see everybody practicing, but yeah, like they just practice, and it's very in a laid back setting as well.

Maggie 

Wow.

Lauren Kelley 

It's very spacious.

Maggie 

So, I mean, you talk like, the the atmosphere, the vibe, kind of like laid back, kind of more chill, like, was that reflected in the people who were there?

Lauren Kelley 

Yeah, like, we just pulled aside someone who had a horse, and they were warming the horse up, and she ... she talked about the horse like it was her own best friend, and it was this really cute, like, "oh yeah, he's awesome." So it was, it was awesome just to hear from her and what her experience was like riding with the team. And we also interviewed a few other people as well.

Maggie 

Well, let's hear what it's like at the Equestrian Center.

Anna Wilson 

What a pretty trot. Good boy.

Anna Wilson 

Are you feeling better?

Anna Wilson 

So my name is Anna Wilson. I am a bio pre pa major with a minor in neuroscience. I love horses because it's always been such a safe place for me, a place that I can escape and go to when, like the rest of my life is like in chaos. There have been so many moments in my life where the barn is the only place I wanted to be, because it's the only place that I felt like ... not accepted, but I knew what I needed to do. It was consistent, like, I knew my horse was gonna be there for me. It's just such a wonderful place, like, it just takes you away from the world and brings you to, like, a better mindset, and just helps you out overall.

Michaela Sherlock 

So I am Michaela Sherlock. I am a junior here at Miami University. I'm a biology major with a neuroscience co major and a pre medical studies co major. I got involved with the equestrian team. When I reached out, I just sent a little email. I was senior in high school, and I said, can I come and tour? And our head coach? She was like, yeah, come on down, and I'll give you a tour. And I was like, wow, I could really see myself here.

Teacher leading a class 

Let's walk, but not letting yourself get pulled up out of the saddle too much. What can you do to make sure they're not anticipating the canner and then putting us onto the wrong lead, or having that canner departure that's a little rougher, right? So talking to them, give them a little scratch on the withers.

Teacher leading a class 

Just take a deep breath, your own self, right? Will help more than you know

Michaela Sherlock 

I think a really good gateway to the team, if you don't have any prior horse experience, is taking one of the SLAM courses offered. SLAM is Sports Leadership and Management, and you get to come to the barn and learn all those on the ground, and on the horse skills, that you need to be someone who can actively participate in the team. So there are some horses ... coming so I'm gonna move... [horses walk past]

Michaela Sherlock 

Okay, we have just, like, an array of, like, really cool, amazing school horses that, like, you know, they want to teach you and they're gonna be really great way for you to get into the horse world. You're gonna learn how to pick feet, tack up, and, you know, be able to become independent.

Lauren Kelley 

What's your favorite thing about riding horses?

Michaela Sherlock 

I think it's just like the connection. I think that horses are really intelligent animals, and it's really cool when you can work with one of them to accomplish the same goal, whether that's on the rail in a horsemanship rail class, or you're doing a pattern, or you're just having a practice and you're working through something together. I think having that connection and be able to do something as a partnership is really, really cool, and it's one of the few sports that I feel like you get to have a partnership with the animal and get to do something really cool with that.