As a senior, Kendall Ball has begun her final year on the JC Equestrian Team as the captain.

For those who do not know much about the Equestrian team, Kendall shared a quick description of what this team does. She said, “The Equestrian Team is made up of riders who compete at varying levels against other teams as part of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA). JC partners with Claddagh Manor Farm and trainers in Churchville, MD where we do lessons/practice one to two times a week.”
The competing aspect of the Equestrian team are within the shows where “the rider draws a random horse for competition. Competition occurs at horse shows within our region on the flat and over jumping fences. Riders can accumulate points individually and for the team. Each placing provides the rider/team with points.”
For Kendall, this has been a major part of her life for years, since she was six years old. Through riding briefly at different events, she was able to get a taste of riding. She said, “My mom asked me before my sixth birthday if I wanted to take riding lessons, and the rest is history. I have been riding ever since.”
Kendall rides year-round at Claddagh Manor to practice and show independently, which keeps her working whether the team is in season or not. This shows her devotion and deep love for the sport. With how long she has ridden, she has learned a lot from her experiences, “Riding has taught me so much about horsemanship, animal care, responsibility, and discipline.”
As for what advice she’d give to others, it would be to “enjoy the ride.” Whether or not every ride goes your way, it is important to embrace the moment. “There will be good days, bad days and some in between. Regardless, you are learning and creating memories,” Kendall said.
“Another good piece of advice is always remember to put your horse first. They are your partner in this journey and are responsible for taking you around the ring and over the jumps safely.” The uniqueness of riding is that each rider is working with an animal that has a total mind of its own. This teamwork and partnership between rider and horse are key in this sport.
With every sport comes the challenges, where in showing Kendall said, “The early morning start time” is the most challenging. Shows require lots of preparation, so the day of shows average start time is around five in the morning.
Contrary to the challenges, her favorite aspect of showing is “getting to show off all that my coaches and different horses have taught me and competing and riding with all my friends.”
Looking into the future, Kendall plans on riding in college. “I plan to hopefully continue doing local and rated shows and possibly participate on a college team.”