An FSU Sport Club

The Equestrian Club is a university sports club open to all full time Florida State Students who are interested in riding, showing or learning about horses.  Riders of every level are accepted, and even riders who have extensive show experience find our way of showing challenging.

Depending on the type of riding, shows are governed by either the Intercollegiate Horse Show Associate (IHSA) or the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA).  Our members show in English and Western. The English division consists of Hunt Seat Equitation over fences, Hunt Seat Equitation on the flat, and Dressage.  These range in difficulty from Walk-trot classes (Introductory level in dressage) to Open level flat, jumping (3’3”) and first level dressage.  The IHSA also offers classes for western riders from walk-jog to Open Western Horsemanship and Reining.

Shows are held at the host colleges’ facility in our region.  The colleges who host IHSA shows span from the University of Miami to the College of Charleston.  The IDA region spans from Miami to Gainesville.  This region may expand with additional IDA teams.  Since last year we have hosted IHSA hunt seat regionals for 2007 and a two day dressage show in 2008. In the upcoming years we hope to host a regular season hunt seat and western shows 

What makes intercollegiate horse showing different from other shows is that the rider does not know the horse in which he or she will be riding.  All horses are provided by the host college for that show; though the structure is different between IHSA and the IDA.  At the beginning of each IHSA show, riders are matched with a horse by drawing names out of a hat.  Teams are given a list of horses and short descriptions of each, such as: Charlie, 15.2 hand Quarter Horse gelding, whether the horse needs a crop, and if the horse will swap leads.  Simple lead changes are certainly acceptable.  Though riders are unable to warm up these horses, they are able to watch the horse being warmed up and possibly ridden in classes earlier than their own.  Riders mount up right before entering the ring: the only adjustments allowed are to the stirrup length.  In IDA shows, each team of four riders is matched with a team of four horses.  The show begins with a “Parade of Horses” in which the riders and trainers watch the horses worked in the ring.  It is then up to the trainer to decide which rider will mount each horse, though some do have level restrictions. Unlike IHSA, dressage riders get between 10 and 15 minutes (depending on level) to warm up with their horses before the test.

The horses are mostly donated to the facility and some may have quirks, but are generally good horses.  They also take into consideration the level of riders in a class and will leave the more difficult horses to the more capable riders.

Each class is placed for points (1st -7 points, 2nd -5 points, 3rd -4 points, etc.). In IHSA riders need 35 points to compete in regional competition and move up into the next level.  In IDA riders need 28 points.  The top riders from the regional competition move on to zones and then possibly nationals.

The team continues to grow every year in membership and community support!  We hope one day to have a facility to call our own for hosting shows and raising awareness about the equestrian sport.