Ever since I was a child, I have always had a special connection with animals. Feeding stray cats in our neighborhood, petting dogs and leaving water for the birds during summers were just a few things I enjoyed doing. However, it is my love for horses that trumps all of them. My father used to ride horses for fun, but when he introduced me to it last year during the pandemic, it was love at first sight. There’s something about horses that just draws me to them. The stable is now my favourite place, the place where I feel like I truly belong. Although I may not get along with every horse I ride, I am in love with these gentle giants. However, horse riding is an extremely risky and dangerous sport solely due to the fact that we can never predict how a horse will react to stimuli. Horses are very moody animals, whose moods can change in mere seconds. However, this quality of theirs is what makes horse riding a very interesting sport.
Although I have only been riding for a little more than a year, I have been told several times that my hard work, dedication and natural talent for horse riding are what helped me learn how to ride so quickly. Just a year later, I’m almost galloping in the open desert on slightly crazy Arabians who don’t know what the word slow means. In this span of one year, I have had a few falls and even a situation where the horse bolted with me. Yet, I never gave up and kept going. By next year, I’m hoping to compete in endurance races, so now I’m trying to ride stronger horses to build my strength. Horse riding isn’t just a hobby for me; it is the love of my life.
– Sukruta Kuchi – 10A