54 SIDELINES JUNE 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Jan Westmark-Allan
A college student at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in
Dallas, Texas, 20 year old Alessandra Shultz is a proud member
of SMU’s riding team, the SMU Mustangs. She is also a business
major and, because horses are in her blood, hopes to open a
riding apparel company after graduation.
Alessandra journals her adventures on the riding team on the
Sidelines website in a blog called “Pony Up!” for high school
students hoping to ride on a college team and for those who want
to know more about riding in college. Alessandra is the one to
follow! We chatted with Alessandra to fnd out more about the
ins and outs of riding at college. Here is what she had to tell us:
How to pick a college…
When I started the college application process, I looked
exclusively at schools that had NCAA teams or reputable IHSA
teams. I made a riding video and resume and sent them out to
schools that I could envision myself attending. I narrowed my
criteria on other important factors, like academics, location,
majors, job opportunities and decided on SMU. They offered me
a scholarship and I locked in to SMU in the fall of my senior year
in high school.
Best part of being on a team…
It’s a toss up between my friends and simply having the
opportunity to continue riding. My best friends are my teammates
and our common passion for riding keeps us close. I don’t know
what I’d do without them and the horses.
A little about college team horses…
SMU has four team horses: Conde, Landy, Slate and Olivia.
They were donated to the team this school year and their addition
is hugely appreciated and benefcial to our team. Conde is a large
bay gelding with a goofy personality. He’s a big chicken but a lot
of fun to ride. Slate is an even bigger gray gelding; he’s an old pro
and a great draw on the fat. Olivia is our spoiled princess; she’s
very opinionated. She is a great draw for the fences, a hunter-
type. Landy is a tall fea-bitten gray gelding who use to event,
so he’s brave and fast. We joke that he needs two riders: one to
steer his front end and the other to steer the back. He’s a bit of a
wiggle-worm.
We get to ride all year…
Our season lasts the entirety of the school year. This season
we had one scrimmage against Baylor, two invitationals (where
one girl is chosen to represent the team in a class held at an
A-rated show for college team entrants), 12 regular season meets
and nationals.
Our riding schedule includes…
To save our horses and to get everyone schooled, we ride in
small groups twice a week. Two groups ride on Monday and
Wednesday and two groups ride on Tuesday and Thursday.
Depending on where we are in the season, the intensity and
amount of practice fuctuates.
The success of a team…
We went 7-5 in our regular season this year, which ranked us
ffth in the nation. This is the most successful season of SMU
Equestrian to date. One of our freshman, Emma Roberts, earned
All-American over fences and three team members: Julie Fischer,
Renick Townsend and Jordyn Petterson, earned Academic All-
American. Our team is on the up-and-up.
It’s important to have goals…
The SMU Mustangs want to be ranked frst in the nation and be
“the team to beat”! My goal is to have a successful show season
and keep everyone updated about what it’s like to ride in college
on my Pony Up! blog on the Sidelines Magazine website.
Want to learn more about
college riding…
Alessandra’s post “The
Rules of the Game” is a
great way to learn more
about riding on an NCAA
team. Visit her blog at
www.sidelinesnews.com.
Follow the link to blogs and
then click on Pony Up!
e
Education
The 411 On College Riding Teams
The SMU riding team
Alessandra Shultz