Any ideas/tips on how to start a HIGH SCHOOL equestrian team??

Question

i know there are at least 3 other riders at my high school 2 jumpers and a dressage rider... do you think its possible to start a team to just go to local shows?

Answer 1

I'm not sure where you live but a lot of areas won't allow something like this because of liability issues.  Of course all sports have liabilities so it's always worth a shot.  You would have to first get interested people together and then go as a group to talk to your school board members.  If you can't get one started in high school, remember there are a lot of colleges with equestrian teams.

Answer 2

Depends on your school, where you live, and if you can secure funding, an instructor, a training area, and horses for every interested rider.

Funding is the toughest one since you will probably have to pay your instructor, the barn whose ring your using for practice, and if you do all that you will probably need to lease some horses for "team use" for riders without their own horse, or those that keep their horse at another facility. It's doubtful that your school will pay for all that so you'll have to collect dues from team members which would be a lot to ask considering that they will probably also have to pay for their classes at local shows and transportation for their horses to get to the shows. Its a BIG job organizing something like that and is pretty unrealistic if you only have 3 or 4 people. Start recruiting first!!

Answer 3

i live in CA and it is very easy to start a high school team because of a program called iel  

Answer 4

Put a notice in your school news letter. Then have an independant person pick the team on experience and current form. You'll need a team manager, and younger inexperienced members may wish to help as grooms.

Best of luck. We have interschool competitions, so keep an eye out for those.