62 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Brianne Goutal
Skipping college was never an option for me. My parents raised
me to put a high value on education and intellectual matters, and
I have always wanted to be challenged. I feel strongly that you
never know what life will throw at you, so you should plan for the
worst and hope for the best. College allowed me to do just that.
Deciding to go to school was the easy part, but picking
where
to go was another story. I narrowed my search to the East Coast
to be close to the horse shows in the Northeast, since my time
would be split almost 50/50 between studies and riding. I visited
lots of great schools in the region – NYU, Princeton and more –
but when I stepped on the Brown campus it was a done deal. The
teachers, classes, curriculum - everything there felt right for me.
On top of all that, traveling to horse shows would be made easy
by a national airport 20 minutes from campus and an international
airport just an hour away. So, I became a Brown Bear.
Since Brown boasts one of the best history departments in the
US, I had intended to be a history major. Once school started,
though, I became obsessed with my English courses and
switched to an English major. Old English literature classes were
my favorite, and I loved reading the classics such as
Beowulf
and
The Odyssey
. Because I didn’t have the fluid schedule of most of
my classmates, I had to get creative with how and when I got all
that reading done. I would do schoolwork while I was traveling –
on a plane, on a train or in the car. And I got used to doing work
at odd hours, often waking up at 5 a.m. to get homework done
before going to the barn.
Showing while in college presents challenges, but can also be
very rewarding. I competed on the Brown team during my first
semester of school and then turned pro. With all the traveling
and trips to the barn, I became adept at compartmentalizing
different parts of my life as a way to help prioritize and make sure
everything received its due attention.
Here are some tips that kept me sane while trying to balance
showing and schoolwork. If you’re in a similar situation, maybe
they will help you as well!
e
- Always be ahead of your work schedule. Make sure you
know what you need to do and when it’s due. Last-minute
surprises and cramming don’t work very well with a busy
schedule.
- Before registering for classes, email the professors to see if
their classes will work for you. Be sure to ask about the format
of the class, i.e. grades based on essays, on tests, on weekly
quizzes, etc., and what their attendance policy is. Be upfront
that you will have to miss class for competitions, and make
sure you will not be penalized.
- Build good relationships with your professors once you enroll
in classes, and maintain an open dialogue. In my experience,
they tend to be more lenient if they know that you value their
classes and know why you are absent.
- Skip the meal plan. You probably won’t be on campus
enough to make it worthwhile.
Missing so much school was hard sometimes. But I was lucky
enough to find a great group of friends, and we made sure to
make the most of the time we were together so that it didn’t matter
how often I was gone. I always knew that when I was on campus,
our friendship would pick up right where it left off. My fondest
memories from school are of the dinner parties we used to throw,
having 15 people over to share a great meal and lots of laughter.
College was one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced;
yet it was also one of the most rewarding. I know that attending
college is a daunting task for many riders, but I am living proof
that it can be done. With a strong support team and a good work
ethic, you can do anything. I can honestly say that I am both
stronger and smarter as a college graduate, and I wouldn’t trade
my experiences for anything.
About the writer: Brianne Goutal is a 2012 graduate of Brown University and
professional show jumper. She made history by becoming the only person to win all
four junior equitation finals.
College and Riding: How to Make it Work
Show jumper Brianne Goutal (left), a Brown University graduate, learned how to juggle
the challenge of college and riding. Brianne is joined by her sister Clementine Goutal
(center) and Melanie Masarin.
Photo courtesy of Brianne Goutal
