Jade in action at her local jump club.

By Jade Mariani

This past month I have been lucky enough to ride my instructor’s horse at my first show jumping event. If the weather behaves, there’ll be a couple more lined up in the next few weeks. To say that I’m excited would be an understatement – having only been riding for just over twelve months, it’s so easy to forget that opportunities like these don’t exist for most riders.  

My local jump club holds monthly training days, which are great for riders who might not have access to jump arenas, or who just want to ride in a competition atmosphere. By attending the event held in April, I got to experience so many things for the first time. I had never driven with a horse in tow, ridden with other riders, or jumped in a space that large. I had also never attempted to jump some of the heights I cleared in the last round (even though the horse I rode could probably step over them and has jumped much, much bigger). 
I think the training day taught me a lot about the importance of learning to ride on an experienced horse. While I was nervous about everything that might go wrong, my horse was there to reassure me that everything would be alright.     

In another month, I’ll hopefully be riding at my first Pony Club gymkhana. This will be my first competition and having only watched a handful before, still a world that’s totally new to me. While juggling a law degree, part time work, and horse riding presents many challenges – opportunities like this make it all worth it.

So, since I have sooo much time on my hands, I’ve decided to start up an equestrian clothing brand. KCM Equestrian was born out of an idea to blend my love of horses with my creativity and desire for good quality, affordable clothing. While still in early days, I’m excited about all the possibilities this endeavour may present. 

These past few months have taught me that having the courage to have faith in your ideas, and abilities as a rider, is very much a product of the people you surround yourself with. 

As someone who is still quite new to the horse community, my progress is a testament to my instructor and her belief in me as just not a student, but as a person. As someone who loves horses, I have never felt restricted to being just a rider. There’s so much more than that. Being an equestrian means being brave, strong, and resilient – even in the face of adversity. It means being kind, humble, and compassionate – both to your horse and other riders. Being an equestrian means never taking for granted the opportunity to sit on an animal’s back and learning from them how to be a better person.  

I can’t wait for the year ahead!

Photos supplied by Jade Mariani.

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