The physical education department offers a wide variety of classes to reach different students’ interests, from fencing to underwater aerobics. One unique class gives students the chance to take a class off campus, work with animals and learn new skills they can use for a lifetime.
The beginning and intermediate equitation courses are an opportunity for students to take horseback riding lessons at a professional stable and receive class credit. These lessons, taught seven miles from campus at MacNair’s Country Acres, Inc., teach skills ranging from tacking and grooming to cantering and jumping small hurdles.
The University P.E. program’s goal is to teach basic fitness and also provide a broad range of recreational activities for students to choose from, according to Sally Almekinders, a physical education professor who teaches riding lessons for both class levels.
“We want students to take as many P.E. classes as possible,” Almekinders said. “In my equitation classes, I encourage students to engage in other physical fitness activities so that they can feel stronger when they ride.”
Almekinders said she enjoys teaching horseback riding classes because she has the opportunity to see students who dislike exercising find motivation through this sport.
The beginning riding class is open to all students, regardless of experience level. Students who have completed the beginning class or already have sufficient riding experience can advance to the intermediate class.
“We have some students that have never been around horses before, and some that have been riding their whole lives,” Almekinders said. “Many students considering vet school take the class to gain experience with animals. I have seen students who were at first timid come to love riding and decide to stay with it the rest of their lives.”
Sarah Hager, a freshman in business, had ridden horses a few times but had never taken lessons before she enrolled in the beginning class this semester.
“I enjoy my class because it’s a lot of fun, something different and I enjoy getting a break off campus,” Hager said. “I’ve learned a lot because it’s a hands-on experience. I enjoy both riding and learning how to take care of animals.”
Students considering the equitation class need to consider the $300 registration fee and the fact that the class is off-campus, according to Almekinders.
“We haven’t had any trouble this year with getting students out to the stable because they carpool together,” Almekinders said. “The registration fee is also less than students would pay to have lessons outside of the University.”
Classes have no more than 13 students and every student is paired with a horse. The stable has a wide variety of horses, including Arabians, Paints, Pintos, Quarter Horses, Welsh Ponies, Appaloosas and Thoroughbreds. The horses are all evaluated to determine if they are suitable for beginning riders, according to Almekinders.
Bernadette Cox, a freshman in psychology, said the individual attention is one of her favorite aspects of the class.
“I took lessons for five years, but I am still learning a lot from this class,” Cox said. “The instructors are good at focusing on the individual needs of riders. We are also matched to horses based on our personalities, so everyone feels comfortable.”
Both Hager and Cox plan on taking the intermediate level class in the future. They advised students considering the class to buy good riding boots and wear jeans they don’t mind getting dirty.
Almekinders said safety is a top priority in her classes, but the horses are also of great importance.
“We spend a lot of time learning about how to care for horses and keep them healthy,” Almekinders said. “The riders are given a personal responsibility to watch out for their horses’ health and notify me of anything unusual. My students really enjoy having that responsibility because they usually form strong attachments to their horses.”
