Equestrian rides with positive attitude

By Rachel Kucharski and Elizabeth Connelly

Hood junior Abigail Burns embodies equestrian excellence with her dedication to the sport while nourishing a unique partnership with her horse, Flowers.

 Her achievements on the Hood equestrian team have echoed through the stables these past four years while her skill and sportsmanship have captivated both judges and spectators.

Burns, a native of Hagerstown is the captain of the six-member team  and has had several accomplishments and awards, including the Novice Hunter Seat Equitation division for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Burns also placed fourth place on American University’s horse Zoe in the Pre-Novice flat in October.

Burns also has other responsibilities, such as attending the coach’s meetings during the IHSA shows and assisting teammates before they ride. She also provides transportation for events like the horse expo, and picks up her teammates for practice at the stable at the North Fork School of Equitation.

She gives lessons to the young riders and was in charge of the team’s recent silent auction at Hood. She explains that by helping with the auction, she can lighten the load for her coaches, as well as her teammates.

“We are delighted to have Abby here with us,” Kathy Stern, a boarder at the barn said about Burns.

Burns explains that her mother rode horses when she was younger so that had inspired her to continue a legacy at Hood. She would like to become a physician assistant but attended Hood College for the equestrian team. She manages to be a student and an athlete while also working a job.

This year the team has done well with riders placing fifth in a competitive Open Fences class on Goucher’s Lucky and third in Intermediate Flat on Goucher’s Dandy. Riders also placed third on Hood’s Fiona in Novice Flat, second on Goucher’s Sailor and fifth on Goucher’s Dancer to round out their regular season. In regionals riders placed fourth at the Zone 4 Region 1 Regional Competition, hosted by Goucher College. 

Flower and Fiona are the two horses that come along to competitions, although they might not be the horses Hood students ride. Each school at a show will bring a few horses and riders will draw for the horses they will ride.

Burns said she appreciates the smaller equestrian team because it allows the bonds to be stronger between the coaches and teammates. Although a lot of other schools have bigger teams and more experienced riders, Burns reminds her teammates that it’s OK not to win first place and that any time you ride it’s another lesson.

Burns thrives off encouraging her peers. “I always just encourage my teammates to have fun and it’s not about what placement you get and just try to keep that healthiness of it doesn’t matter what placement you get, you’re still a good rider and you should still keep going and that every time you ride is a learning experience,” she said.