The Mount Holyoke Equestrian Center hosts three collegiate teams and a variety of options for Physical Education (PE) riding lessons. Mount Holyoke students have the opportunity to improve in a variety of disciplines with our dedicated coaches and wonderful school horses. Please reach out to the Equestrian Center at equestrian@mtholyoke.edu with any questions.
Hunter Seat
Instructor/Coach: C.J. Law, Director of Intercollegiate Riding
The varsity hunter seat equitation team competes within the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Riders within the IHSA compete in predetermined levels based on previous experience and coaches’ evaluations. Competing in the IHSA removes the cost of horse ownership, which allows riders of all backgrounds to be involved. Competitions are based on “catch-riding” where a horse is drawn from a pool and no warm up is allowed. Divisions range from Walk/Trot, open to new riders, to the Open division, for more advanced riders.
At Mount Holyoke, the IHSA team is made up of about 40 riders which are selected at the beginning of each semester at tryouts. Members of the team will ride a minimum of three times a week - twice in a regular PE lesson and once in a weekly team practice. Members also will complete weekly workouts, team meetings, and team bonding activities.
The Mount Holyoke College varsity Hunter Seat Team has an impressive record within the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Over the past 38 years, their achievements include 3 IHSA National Collegiate Team Championships, 6 Reserve National Championships, 22 individual National Championships, and 32 Regional Team Titles. This remarkable history highlights their sustained excellence and leadership in collegiate equestrian sports.
Riding Time Received:
- Standard will be to ride three times per week. Twice in your PE class and once in Friday practice
Dressage
Instructor/Coach: Ali Ingellis
The Mount Holyoke College Dressage Team is a highly competitive club team within the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA). Much like the IHSA format, IDA riders compete in predetermined levels—Introductory Level, Lower Training Level, Upper Training Level, and First Level—based on prior experience and coaches' evaluations. Competitions include two types of classes: Test riding, where riders are assigned a level-appropriate horse and complete a dressage test after a 10-minute warm-up, and Dressage Seat Equitation (DSE), a group class judged on riders' position and use of aids.
Each semester, tryouts determine the competitive roster, dressage equitation roster, and non-competition roster. Approximately 12 riders on the competitive roster participate in weekly team practices, while dressage equitation riders generally ride most weeks. Non-competitive roster members don’t typically ride in practices but play a vital role in team activities. While dressage team members aren’t required to take PE riding lessons, many choose to. All team members attend weekly meetings, workouts, and team bonding activities.
Since its inception in 1995, the Mount Holyoke dressage team has earned nine regional champion titles, four national team titles, and three Reserve National Champion titles, the most recent in 2022, with numerous individual regional and national champions across all divisions.
View more about Dressage at Mount Holyoke.
Riding Time Received:
- Most weeks you will ride once a week in team practice (horse availability permitting). Club riders are encouraged to participate in the PE Riding Program.
Western
Instructor/Coach: Kelli Wainscott
The western weam is a club team that competes within the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA). Members of the IHSA compete in predetermined levels based on previous experience and coaches’ evaluations. Competing in the IHSA removes the cost of horse ownership which allows riders of all backgrounds to be involved. Competitions are based in “catch-riding” where a horse is drawn from a pool and no warm up is allowed. Divisions range from Beginner Walk Jog (open to new riders), to the Open levels of Ranch Riding and Reining.
After tryouts each semester, riders are placed either on the senior show team or the junior show team. Members of the senior team will be entered in shows right away. Membership on both rosters is fluid, and the teams may be switched depending on how individual riders progress. All riders play an equal role on the team, regardless of the group to they are assigned. The Western Team is open to riders of all backgrounds and skills, including those who have experience with English, Dressage, 4-H, gymkhana and any other discipline and level.
In 2008, Mount Holyoke became the first liberal arts college in its region to host an active IHSA western riding team. Like dressage, the western team is a club sport that gives students unique leadership opportunities as well as a competitive western riding experience. The team has been on record, the strongest in Zone One Area Ten, winning the Region multiple years, earning the High Point Rider title multiple years, and winning the 2024 IHSA Western Semi Finals Championship Show as a team when they competed in Michigan at Albion College. This sent the team to Nationals to compete with both a team and individual riders where their success continued. If you are looking for a riding team that balances academics with the sport of horse showing, this is the team for you. The western team is proud to repeatedly accumulate the higheat GPA average among its members, in comparison to other club sports (data was accumulated with extensive research during the EC review). The western team is truly a one of a kind experience and opportunity.
Riding Time Recieved:
- Riders will ride once or twice weekly, and their membership on the team earns them one PE credit per semester. The team rides on campus and off campus at approved private facilities that specialize in horsemanship, ranch riding and reining. Riders that are Level II and Open will ride on average three to four times per week.
PE Riding Program
Each Mount Holyoke student is required to fulfill PE requirements. The Equestrian Center offers riding classes to students of all levels that count towards this credit. This extends from no prior experience to advanced competitive riders. Students will sign up for riding PEs the same way that they sign up for classes to insure there is no conflict with academic scheduling. PE classes focused on Dressage and Hunter Seat Equitation are offered from the intermediate level up. Students may also have the option to ride in a private or semi private lesson with any of our instructors depending on school horse availability. At each lesson, students will be assigned one of our school horses to ride. We have school horses capable of teaching beginner riders to upper level equitation, dressage, and western riders. Students boarding their personal horses at the facility are welcome to ride their personal horses in lessons as long as the horse is appropriate for the level, but it is not required. Students are expected to arrive at lessons with enough time to brush and tack their horses as well as properly cool off their horses and clean their tack afterwards. Please see “Class Offerings” for more information on the classes that may be offered.
IEA Team
Instructor/Coach: Laura Peteros
Mount Holyoke is also proud to have an Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Team. The IEA began in 2002 and was formed and organized to promote and improve the quality of equestrian competition and instruction available to middle and secondary school students. Our IEA Team is a strong contender regionally and regularly sends individuals to Nationals. We frequently have members of our team matriculate at Mount Holyoke when they move on to college.