By Stephanie Alexander
Entertainment Editor
Almost every girl remembers “Saddle Club” from their childhood days, but it seems to have stuck more with some little girls than others.
Juniors Hailey Wolf, Kristin Hodges and Ashlyn Singer find solitude in the art and sport of horseback riding. These girls manage to juggle AP classes and time at the barn pampering their horses and improving their skills.
“I try to be at the barn as much as I can,” Hodges said. “The barn is in Flower Mound which takes about 20 minutes, but anytime spent with my horse is time well spent.”
Hodges quit softball and soccer and now has more time for equestrian.
“My horse comes first in my book,” Wolf said. “I get as much work done as I can before I get to the barn so I am able to ride extra.”
Wolf’s horse, Bex, is the love of her life. Wolf got Bex and slowly groomed him to be the award-winning horse he is today.
“When I got him he was green broke, meaning he could be ridden safely but had zero training. A lot of people hire people to train and prepare their horses, but I wanted to do everything from the ground up,” Wolf said. “It has not been easy, but it sure is worth it.”
Wolf has been riding for seven years and does not plan on stopping any time soon.
“I’ve always loved horses and my mom took lessons as a kid but quit later, she thought that was going to happen to me,” Wolf said. “After I was going for a while, she asked me if I wanted to stop and I just thought, ‘Are you insane? I love this.’”
The horse world is competitive to say the least.
“Riding is one of those things where every single element has to be perfect,” Wolf said.
Whether riding at a showcase or a competition, the heat is always on.
“Shows and competitions are pretty similar. There are different levels of competition so the competitiveness varies,” Singer said. “The schooling level shows aren’t very competitive, but the regional and national level competitions are extremely competitive.”
With big price tags and high stakes this sport is not for everyone. But these girls pursue it wholeheartedly.
“It is almost like ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’,” Hodges said. “You don’t have to pay for makeup artists get a fake tan, but you always have to look presentable. Everything has a decent size price tag.”
As of a future in riding, Singer, Hodges and Wolf hope to ride for collegiate equestrian teams. But they all have their own vision of where this dedication will take them.
“I hope to be committed to Oklahoma State University for their equestrian program,” Hodges said.
Though college is still in the back of her mind, Singer is more focused on her career path and goals at competition.
“Short term, youth nationals are in June in Albuquerque, N.M., but long term I definitely want to keep riding and work with horses,” Singer said. “Hopefully when I’m out of college I’ll become a trainer.”
Wolf has other ideas too.
“I don’t know what this will lead to, but I am thinking about becoming a large animal vet,” Wolf said.
In the meantime, nothing compares to the time each spends doing what they love.
“It is really all about the horse. The bond is the most important thing and the rush of the fence along with that love I have for him is what really drives me,” Wolf said.
