When Hannah Pickar ’11 left her home in Orinda, California, to attend Scripps College, she left behind Kailey, her half-Hanovarian, half-Thoroughbred horse. She did not, however, have to leave behind riding, one of her longtime passions. Fortunately for Hannah and many others with a similar inclination, the Claremont Equestrian Team enables students at the Claremont Colleges to continue to spend time around — and on — horses.
Founded in 2006, the team is a 5-College club sport open to any student of the Claremont Colleges. The group currently has about 40 active members, the majority of whom are Scripps College students; the remainder this year come from Pomona and Pitzer colleges.
The team can accommodate both English and Western riders and everyone from beginning riders to advanced-level, competition equestrians.
While most participants do not have their own horses in the area, they have access to horses at two nearby stables. Participation in weekly meetings and at least one hour-long hunt seat or Western lesson per week are the group’s only requirements. Some students also take part in Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) events at various venues in Southern California, competing against other schools such as Cal Poly Pomona, USC, UCLA, and the University of Arizona.
While the club clearly offers students the chance to share their love of horses and to improve their riding skills, it also provides a great break from their studies and a chance to enjoy the outdoors. Participation in the team gives students an opportunity to meet classmates they might not have otherwise met and to get to know other Claremont Colleges’ students.
As a culmination of the year’s activities, members of the club participate in the much-anticipated end-of-the-year trail ride to the HOLLYWOOD sign. The two-hour ride, preceded by a picnic, is the ultimate bonding experience for members of a group that is brought together by a common love for horses.