Hunt Seat Team
Our hunt seat team welcomes both competitive and casual riders of all levels and experience. Our competitive riders compete in hunter seat equitation classes as apart of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) circuit (Zone 7, Region 5.) Although IHSA focuses on hunt seat equitation, riders of all backgrounds and levels of experience are welcome to take lessons and show. Aside from equitation riders, some of our team members have had backgrounds in eventing, dressage, and even vaulting and polo!
Lessons
WUET English riders mainly lesson at Baskin Farm, a private hunter/jumper farm 30 minutes away from campus. Our main English trainer is Nicole Wilkinson, out of Baskin Farm. Nicole successfully competed in the pony divisions, junior hunters, and working hunters before the age of 14 and rode in multiple different collegiate equestrian teams during her college career. She even had a successful Dressage career!
If you plan to show with the WUET hunt seat team, lessoning at Baskin is required -- this is an IHSA rule. Lesson groups are made up of 3-5 riders and are determined by availability and experience level. WUET organizes transportation to lessons, which usually requires carpooling. Groups typically lesson once a week, but there is no limit to how much you can ride. It just depends on your availability and access to transportation!
Showing
We compete at several shows throughout the fall and spring semesters, which are entirely funded by WashU. IHSA shows require that you travel to the host school and compete on their horses, which helps to ensure an even playing field when it comes to judging. Any skill level of rider is welcome to show, classes in IHSA shows range from Walk/Trot to Open Over Fences. We typically bring 8-15 riders to each show. Unfortunately IHSA limits the numbers of riders we can bring, so your ability to go to a show depends on your availability, dedication to the team, as well as what our coach sees during lessons.