From a young age, I have been captivated by horses. So, in the first grade, I became hooked when one of my friends had pony rides for her birthday. From that moment on, I was relentless with my parents and worked to convince them to make my dream a reality. I started taking lessons at six years old at a barn with mostly eventers, where I got my start on ponies, learned the basics of dressage, and quickly learned how to ride through even the most stubborn pony attitude.
After moving to Colorado from California, I started competing in the equitation and joined my barn’s IEA team. After a couple of years, I wanted to move up to the next level and begin competing at bigger shows against stronger talent. This was when I met my current trainers, Michael Dennehy and Toni Hrudka, at Bridlewood Farms, who introduced me to a new level of potential for a future in riding.
I am currently a senior at St. Mary’s Academy in Englewood, CO, where I have thrived as a student and developed my passion for learning and leadership. I have maintained a 3.9 GPA while taking honors and AP classes, along with managing a busy schedule of in-school clubs and extracurriculars including volunteering at a therapeutic riding center and traveling for horse shows. For many people, my schedule would be too much, and I often receive comments from friends about how they could never find the motivation to wake up as early as I do. I love pushing myself though, and juggling my busy schedule has taught me the importance of prioritizing and balancing my academics with athletics, a skill I will continue to use as I embark on my college journey.
Having the opportunity to ride at the collegiate level would be the ultimate payoff for my late-night study sessions and early-morning riding lessons. Finding the right school where I can continue my education and seek out new ways to further my riding career is incredibly important to me. I am extremely thankful to each and every person who has worked with me to elevate my riding ability and to all the horses who have taught me valuable lessons of persistence, patience, and dedication. I can’t wait to commit to a future of teamwork, new challenges, and friendship on a collegiate riding team!
~ Meghan Moore