This past weekend was a hectic one, as it was parent’s weekend and campus was filled with parents, siblings, and family pets. On sunday, I found some time to head out to the gymkhana field and watch the freshmen horse presentations, where they organize a routine and show off what they have learned in two months of riding to their parents and other spectators. Even though I was doing the exact thing two years ago, I did not fully appreciate then how incredible it is that after only a few months on a horse, we all felt comfortable performing in front of hundreds of people.

A lot of that has to be credited to the horse department, who are all experts in their training and good teachers. But some credit must also be given to the riders, who work extremely hard for two hours every day in order to build enough courage and skill to be able to execute difficult maneuvers at high speeds. Watching the freshmen not only brought back great memories on the field, but reminded me of the tight bond that is created between the freshmen class as everyone works as hard as they can to improve. As a student, I was very impressed with what the freshmen were able to present. I can only imagine what a parent must feel.