People have been riding horses for the last 5000 years, and sports involving horses emerged as early as 600 BC. This popular sport of equestrianism has cultivated a large fanbase and participants due to its captivating nature. sophomore Emma Wenzel has been riding horses since she was a toddler and has been through the many ups and downs of being an equestrian throughout her horseback riding career.  

“From the time Emma was four years old, she was asking for a horse,” Emma’s mother, Jana Wenzel, said. “We decided to sign her up for horseback riding lessons when she was five years old, and I had a friend introduce us to the barn where we are still today. We signed her up for weekly lessons, which became much more.”  

Once Emma started riding, she never stopped. She developed an inseparable bond with her horse, Titan, whom she worked with for six years. 

“I was excited to work with Titan because we were both working and learning together,” Emma said. “I listened to my trainer and learned how to connect with Titan as we grew to trust each other.”

Emma and Titan’s bond only grew as they continued to train together. 

“Though Titan was young, he always had my back and would never have hurt me,” Emma said. “He was so mature and sweet, and I loved him a lot.”

Emma’s mother watched her grow through the equestrian sport as she learned lessons in responsibility and dedication.

“Owning horses is a huge responsibility in general,” Mrs. Wenzel said. “There’s never a day where care is not needed. Not only is Emma an athlete, but the horse is one as well. There’s a lot of work that goes into maintaining that level, and countless hours dedicated to the animal’s care and training.”

A rider cannot help but grow close to their horse with all the time they spend together, so when tragedy strikes, it can be a struggle to continue riding.

“Any time a horse gets hurt, it’s difficult because they have a long rehab to endure,” Emma said. “Titan got sick and we had to put him down, which has been the most difficult part of my experience in horseback riding so far.”

Returning to the arena after Titan’s passing was difficult, but Emma found excitement and hope while looking for a new horse.

“There was a little time where I didn’t know if I wanted to return to riding because I was so sad,” Emma said. “I always thought I would have Titan through college, but I knew I needed to return to the sport I loved.”

Once Emma got her new horse, Jane, she had to overcome many obstacles to reach the skill level she was at with Titan. 

“When I first started riding Jane, it was difficult because it was like starting all over,” Emma said. “Titan and Jane are a lot different. I knew all his buttons, but I had to learn Jane’s and how she responds to different things.”

The symbiotic nature of the connection between humans and animals requires patience and dedication to achieve a meaningful relationship.

“The relationship between a rider and horse is very important,” Emma said. “You must understand that everything is not always your horse’s fault; you are a team and have to take responsibility, too.”

Emma recognizes that through her experiences, she has developed valuable life skills that will help her throughout life in the future.

“Titan’s passing made me grow up a lot because I learned that anything can be thrown at you,” Emma said. “One day, things can be well, and the next day they’re not.”

Although Emma was very sad about her horse’s passing, she always kept an optimistic attitude toward the situation. 

“No one ever saw her down about it,” 4-H Equestrian Club Manager Jamilyn Bolen said. “She was always very positive; I know she was sad about it, but she was always positive and really just wanted to push through and do her best.”

Though people often withdraw or try to shelter their children from sorrow, Emma’s parents allowed her to feel and go through the process as she saw fit.

“She never backed down from caring even though she knew how serious it was,” Mrs. Wenzel said. “She went to the vet every single day.”

After experiencing Titan’s illness, Emma faced lessons most adults are not ready to learn, much less a teenager, and her mom said she knew Emma had to grow up a little faster because of it.

“I think she handled Titan’s passing very well,” Mrs. Wenzel said. “I think she developed an understanding of life and came out on the other side as a stronger person.”

Capstone Ranch owner Beth Bass has worked with Emma since she started and sees how Emma’s experience and knowledge are helping her advance quickly with Jane.

“I think Emma jumped in with her new horse with high expectations,” Bass said. “I think the difference is that Jane is what we call ‘green’ and didn’t have a lot of experience in the events that Emma participates in, so she had the opportunity to become more of a teacher in the partnership.”

Although things were going well with Jane, right before the World’s competition, she sprained her ankle, tearing the tendon. 

“When Jane was first injured, I was sad because I had been training for Worlds and all my new shows,” Emma said. “It blocked my path. I was ready to do so many things, and it just messed everything up.”

Though Jane would be out of commission for the competition, Emma could lease a different horse for the Worlds competition. Emma had only two months to work with Rip before the competition. 

“When I first got Rip, working him at home, he was an angel, doing everything I wanted him to,” Emma said. “When I got to the show, he was sore from working so hard and had picked up some bad habits, so we had to learn how to work through them.”

After missing several years of World Championship competition, Emma performed at the top of the field, earning four World and Reserve World Awards and an overall Reserve Hi-Point. 

“I was shocked to earn Reserve Hi-Point at the World Championships because I didn’t think I would go so far,” Emma said. “I hadn’t been to World’s in about three years, so it was very exciting.”

Despite the setback with Jane’s injury and their inability to compete together as planned, Emma hopes to attend the event with her next year. 

“I’ve started working with Jane more and more,” Emma said. “She’s been in rehab for about six months now, but I plan to return to World’s with her next year.”

Bass believes that one of the qualities that sets Emma apart from other riders is her spirit and intuition, which she brings to the arena.

“Emma’s success in the show ring comes from her natural talent first and foremost, but her dedication to her horses and her love for the sport has also helped her achieve many of her goals,” Bass said. “She has set some more goals for herself, and I have no doubt she will accomplish them.”

Emma’s mother is equally confident that her daughter will continue to accomplish great things not only in the arena but in whatever she finds a passion for. 

“I think the sky’s the limit for her,” Mrs. Wenzel said. “I think if she wants to participate in college, she can. She has all of the experience. She has even been in 4-H and FFA on the horse judging team, so she is learning both the riding and judging sides of the sport.”

As Emma looks to continue working with horses in college, she recognizes how she has been impacted so far on a much larger scale by the gentle giants.

 “I’ve learned that I have to be patient,” Emma said. “It’s never just one person’s fault; you are a team working toward a common goal which is something I can take with me as a lesson throughout life.”