Horseback riding has long flourished as a sport, with its roots dating back to 682 BCE when a four-horse chariot race was held during the 25th Olympiad in Greece. Today, the sport is incredibly diverse, with over 30 different riding styles. However, the price of riding can put a halt to the fun.

One of the most significant obstacles to becoming involved in horseback riding is the cost. Lesson programs and private training can cost upwards of $100 an hour, not to mention the significant cost of owning or leasing a horse. Keeping a horse healthy also requires paying for feed, vet bills, shoeing, property maintenance or board at a stable, dental work, riding equipment, riding clothes and more.

Archie Williams junior Mackenzie Mann rode for nine years at the Sonoma Horse Farm in Petaluma and still owns her horse. However, Mackenzie quit riding competitively in 2022, as the expenses became too overwhelming for her family.

“At the level that I got to, [riding] became way too expensive for my family to pay for me to keep improving,” Mackenzie said.

Some of the local barns students ride at include Creekside Equestrian Center and  Dickson Ranch in Woodacre, Blue Dot Barn and Killham Farm in Nicasio, the Sonoma Horse Farm, and Morning Star Farm in Novato.

While students participate in several different styles of horseback riding at Archie Williams, the Hunter class of horseback riding is the most common. Sometimes referred to as “hunter jumper,” this style of horseback riding evaluates the form and elegance of both the rider and the horse. These competitions include precision jumping over a series of fences and obstacles. 

In addition to horseback riding being an expensive pursuit, it also requires a significant time commitment. Both training and the time required to care for a horse can eat away more time than a varsity-level sport. Competitions, often lasting from two to 12 weeks, are rarely held in the Bay Area, forcing riders to travel across California or out of state to compete. 

Archie Williams junior Teagan Grimmer, who has been riding for 12 years at Kilham Farm, says that her time commitment to the sport has changed since entering high school. 

“When I was younger, I would spend every day [at the barn], from the second I got out of school to dark. But now that I’m in high school, I feel like it’s harder to spend all my time there as much as I want to,” Teagan said.

The time commitment has also led other riders like sophomore Mareena Cosgrove to take alternative routes in their high school career. Mareena, who has been riding for nine years, transferred from Archie Williams to Tamiscal High School to partake in their Independent Study with a customized learning system that allows her to dedicate more time to her sport. For Mareena, horseback riding takes up so much of her time she finds it difficult to manage other aspects of her life, especially her social life.

“For this sport and everything I have invested in it, it’s become less of a time commitment and more of a lifetime commitment. The hardest part of this sport for me, besides its mental fatigue, is definitely trying to balance a social life and stay close with my friends. My friend group has become smaller over the years as I’ve prioritized eventing over everything else, but I wouldn’t want it any other way” Mareena said. 

Over the past 20 years, anybody who rides has needed to contend with the stigma associated with being labeled a “horse girl.” The stigma surrounds the idea that specifically girls who ride horses are fiercely passionate about horses, and that their life revolves around them from the clothes they wear to their room decorations. 

Archie Williams junior Campbell Stoughton thinks the term “horse girl” has negative connotations attached.

“I’m not even sure why the term is so negative. I just know when I hear someone using [the term “horse girl”] they don’t mean it in a kind way, they mean it in a mean way, basically saying the person is weird,” Campbell said.

Archie Williams junior Kai Smith feels that being a horse girl changes the way people act as a whole.

“I feel like horse girls make horses their whole personality,” Kai said.

This misconception has impacted some horseback riders, influencing their confidence and willingness to talk about their interest in riding.

Archie Williams sophomore Gillian Beach, who has been riding for eight years at Marian Nelson Equestrian, feels that the “horse girl” stigma had a significant impact on her during childhood. Over the years, however, she has grown past it.

“When I was younger, I really didn’t like it when people talked about horses around me… It was kind of embarrassing, but now I feel like it’s not as embarrassing because I think it’s cool that I have a horse,” Gillian said. 

Compared to other expensive and time-consuming sports like skiing, sailing, and rowing, horseback riding comes with an extensive amount of responsibility. Learning to take care of a living animal from a young age is both a huge commitment and a learning experience other sports don’t entail.

“As you increase as a rider, you [can] get someone to take care of your horse for you because of how high the stakes are, but before you get to that point, you have to learn what it takes to take care of a living thing,” Mackenzie said.

Horseback riding requires long hours of daily practice and commitment to multiple week-long competitions. Despite the financial strain and the social stigma, the passion and hard work put into the sport are worth the challenges.

This story was originally published on The Pitch on February 26, 2025.