Riding high

[Times photo: Krystal Kinnunen] Rachel Gard and her horse Venerable, or “Vinny,” take a break at the Tampa Charity Horse Show. Rachel, 14, is a sophomore at Largo High School. She won her age division in saddle seat equitation.

By Interview by JEFF KLINKENBERG
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 27, 2002

Rachel Gard of Clearwater competes in saddle seat equitation - riding with the ease and grace that will show a horse to its best advantage. Rachel's horse has quite a name.

Hi. My name is Rachel Gard. I'm 14. Next year, I'll be a sophomore at Largo High School. My favorite thing in the world is riding my horse. His name is Venerable. I can spell it if you want. Actually I call him Vinny.

Even when I was little, I wanted to learn how to ride a horse. My parents didn't want me to because they thought I might get hurt. But I kept begging, and they found a place for me to ride when I was 9. I ride at a place in Lutz called Avalon. My mom drives me two or three times a week so I can take lessons and so I can work. I have to work to help pay for them keeping Vinny. Mostly I get horses ready for lessons and stuff, but sometimes I even shovel you know what.

Vinny is an American Saddlebred horse, and he's very nice. Some horses aren't nice, especially when they're in their stalls. They bite. And sometimes they can throw you. I've never been hurt, except one time I fell on my butt. I was okay, though.

Vinny is very sweet. He has a sweet personality. I can go right up and hug him, and it's okay.

After I learned how to get on and off a horse and stuff, I learned how to ride properly. I like to ride in competition. The competition I do is called saddle seat equitation. Basically, I ride Vinny three different ways. I ride while Vinny walks, trots and canters. It's harder than it sounds. I have to have perfect posture, and you have to be, sort of, one with your horse.

When Vinny canters, he's moving pretty fast. The natural thing is to bop up and down. But you can't! You have to stay in the saddle. When Vinny trots, I'm supposed to go up and down in the saddle, but coordinate how I move with how Vinny moves. It's kind of cool to watch.

In March, I competed in the Tampa Charity Horse Show in my age division of saddle seat equitation. I was a little nervous, but then I felt pretty good. I won. I was a little surprised that I won, but I was very happy.

Vinny was happy too. I rewarded him with lots of treats, carrots and mints. Horses really like breath mints. If I have a dream, it's being the world champion. The world championship takes place in Louisville. They really know how to ride up in Kentucky. They're awesome! Even if I can't be world champion, I'd love just once to get to compete. That would be dream enough.

- My Dream is a feature in which people discuss their goals and aspirations. It appears on Saturdays in Floridian.

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