Pony Up!

Hey Y’all.

SMU Equestrian finished the regular season with an 8-3 record. However, there is one big competition left before the Mustangs conclude the 2012-2013 year.

SMU Equestrian will be traveling to Waco, Texas, on April 16th, to compete in the 2013 National Collegiate Equestrian Championship. The Mustangs are the No. 6 seed in the hunt seat bracket and will face No. 11 New Mexico State in the first round on April 18 at 9:00 a.m. The winner will go on to compete against No. 3 Georgia on April 19th.

With a potential roster in place for Nationals, the SMU show girls have been practicing intensively to meet the demands of the approaching competition. The coaches have organized several inner-squad scrimmages over the past few weeks in order to make their last assessments and finalize the roster before Nationals.

Courtney Line riding Slate during a team scrimmage

Ryan Umberger excited for Nationals. Pony Up!

Preparing for Nationals

Practice makes perfect

Go Mustangs!

Good luck to all the SMU girls competing for the NCEA championship. Bring home the trophy and stay tuned for updates from Waco.

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all.

SMU Equestrian is very proud to announce the addition of a western team. Currently, SMU has an english team only. However, we will be adding a western team beginning in the 2013-2014 season.

The western team will include two disciplines, horsemanship and reining. In horsemanship, a rider is judged on their ability to control the horse while maintaining the correct riding position. The rider follows a precise pattern that consists of multiple maneuvers. The rider and horse execute each maneuver with subtle aids and cues as they exhibit elegance and confidence with the correct body position. In reining, the pattern includes small slow circles, fast larger circles, flying lead changes and 360 degree spins. Reining is also composed of sliding stops that are an exciting part of the reining pattern.

SMU is actively recruiting horsemanship and reining riders. We are also looking for donation horses, with previous show experience and specialized training to add to our western program. Donating a horse to a NCAA Equestrian program is a great option for owners seeking a tax deduction. In addition, we are welcoming tack donations, whether it be saddles, reins, blankets, stirrups, leathers, bits, etc. If you are interested in riding for the SMU team and/or would like to support the team with a donation, please contact one of the SMU coaches for further details.

With this new discipline, SMU will be eligible to compete for the overall NCEA championship title. SMU Equestrian is really looking forward to this new endeavor.

Please send all inquiries and resumes/videos to the following coaches:

Head Coach Haley Schoolfield (email: hschoolfield@smu.edu)

Assistant Coach Natalie Burton (email: nburton@smu.edu)

All the support and donations are greatly appreciated!

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all. I am very excited to announce SMU freshman Schaefer Raposa won the 2013 WEF Collegiate Equitation Challenge at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Feb. 8. Raposa was one of the 16 college riders who were invited to compete at the WEF Invitational.

Raposa has been a great asset to SMU Equestrian and we could not be more proud of her and all her accomplishments this season!

Schaefer Raposa

SMU Equestrian kicks off the spring season as we host LSU on Feb. 15 and Baylor on Feb. 16 at BuckBranch Farm.

Please come out and support your SMU Mustangs!

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all. SMU Equestrian beat the No. 1 team in the country today, the University of South Carolina. The final score was 5-4. With the win, the Mustangs now move to 5-2 on the season!

Special shout out to the MVP over fences, freshman Schaefer Raposa, who earned a score of 88.

Greer Hindle, Schaefer Raposa and Renick Townsend

Team huddle before the competition. Go Red. Go Blue. Go Mustangs. SMU!

MVP Schaefer Raposa

Mary Abruzzese, Erin Nelson and Ryan Umberger

Kendall Skreden and Slate

Pony up y’all. Julie Fischer, Courtney Line and Coach Burton

Alex Butterworth, Caroline Ellis, Paulena Johnson and a former SMU Equestrian, Emily Gardner

Erin Nelson competing on the flat with Slate

Courtney Line after winning her point with a score of 79

Greer Hindle and me

Rachel Cline and Conde

Ramsay Hanson and Coach Burton

Coach Schoolfield giving a few last words of advice before SMU enters the show ring

SMU vs. USC scoreboard

I am so proud of all the SMU Equestrian girls and could not be happier on another great victory for the team.

SMU Equestrian will return to action, kicking off the spring season on February 16th, as we host Baylor University at BuckBranch Farm.

Until next time, Happy Holidays and Pony Up! 

Hey Y’all. Big congratulations to the SMU Equestrian team. The Mustangs beat Fresno State 9-3! With the win, SMU Equestrian moves to 4-2 on the season.

Shout out to the MOPs (Most Outstanding Players) Greer Hindle and Schaefer Raposa. The MOP on the flat went to Greer Hindle and the MOP over fences went to Schaefer Raposa.

The MOPs: Schaefer Raposa and Greer Hindle

Emma Roberts, Schaefer Raposa and Alex Butterworth

Lauren Hogan and Lucy Blundon

The three grays! Can you tell who is who…

Katie Jones and Dexter

Ryan Umberger, Kendall Skreden, Maddy Stover and Courtney Line

We’re sexy and we know it!

Freshman Schaefer Raposa cleaning Kendall Skreden’s boots before she enters the show ring

Alex Butterworth competing on Conde

Schaefer Raposa, Erin Nelson and Dinero

Katie Jones and me with Dexter

Kendall Skreden and silly Dinero

Celebrating the win with a BBQ after the competition

The Mustangs are currently preparing to conclude the fall season with one more competition. SMU Equestrian will host No. 2 University of South Carolina on Sunday, November 18th, at 10am.

This will be an exciting competition, and I strongly encourage everyone to please come out and support your Mustangs!

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all. Unfortunately, the SMU Equestrian Team fell to Texas Christian University on October 5th with a very close raw score tiebreaker of 815-812. The Mustangs also fell to No. 4 Texas A&M University on October 26th. SMU Equestrian is now 3-2 on the season.

As SMU begins to wrap things up, to conclude the fall season, the Mustangs will host Fresno State and the University of South Carolina on our home turf at BuckBranch Farm in Wilmer, Texas. SMU is energetically preparing for these competitions in hopes of two big wins and ending the fall season with a bang.

It’s all smiles at practice. Ryan Umberger and Landy

Schaefer Raposa tacking up Dinero

Colleen McKenzie and Dexter

Courtney Line practicing the flat pattern on Slate

Our two captains, Blaire Bogard and Julie Fischer

Elizabeth Hartnett and Olivia

Schaefer Raposa

Alex Butterworth and Teddy

Erin Nelson getting ready to ride Timber

Apples and treats for all the ponies after a great practice! Courtney Line and Dexter

Please come out and support the SMU Mustangs as we compete against Fresno State on November 8th, at BuckBranch Farm. The Mustangs will also be competing against No. 2 University of South Carolina on November 18th.

Stay tuned for more information about these upcoming competitions!

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all. SMU Equestrian is on fire! The SMU Equestrian team heads home from Kansas with 2 wins from the weekend. SMU Equestrian defeated Kansas State with a raw score tiebreaker of 793-732. The Mustangs were eliminated by KSU last year at the National Championships. Therefore, SMU’s win over Kansas State is a huge victory for the SMU team.

After the big win on Friday, the SMU girls competed again on Saturday against Tennessee-Martin. With all the hard work and dedication, SMU Equestrian pulled off another victory and beat UTM with an overall score of 6-4.

Schaefer Raposa and Courtney Line in Kansas

Julie Fischer

Schaefer Raposa

Alex Butterworth

Courtney Line competing on the flat

Paulena Johnson

Big smiles after 2 big wins

Coach Schoolfield and Coach Burton celebrating with the SMU girls in Kansas

SMU Equestrian has had the best start in school history and is now 3-0 for the season! The Mustangs travel to Fort Worth on Friday October 5th, to compete against Texas Christian University at 2:00pm.

Everyone come out to Fort Worth and watch the Mustangs fry the TCU Frogs.

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all. I am so excited to say that the SMU Equestrian Team defeated Baylor University in a pre-season scrimmage a few weeks ago. SMU and Baylor tied 6-6. However, the Mustangs won the raw score tie breaker, 962-818.

In addition, I am very pleased to inform everyone that the SMU Equestrian Team opened the season with an 8-4 win against Delaware State last Thursday, September 20, at BuckBranch Farm. Alex Butterworth, Emma Roberts, Kendall Skreden, Julie Fischer and Ramsay Hanson picked up points in Equitation over Fences. Paulena Johnson, Rachel Reid and Renick Townsend also picked up points for the Mustangs on the flat.

Katie Jones warming up Courage before the DSU competition

Some of the show girls: Alex Butterworth, Emma Roberts and Julie Fischer

Slate and his caretaker, Alex Roos

Julie Fischer competing on Landy

Alex Butterworth and Olivia

Greer Hindle and Rachel Reid

Alex Roos and Alex Butterworth

Greer Hindle competing on Spencer

Shout out to Courtney Line for all the wonderful photographs!

The upcoming week will be a busy one for the Mustangs. We are currently preparing for two meets next weekend. Both competitions will be on the home turf of Kansas State. The SMU Equestrian Team will compete against Kansas State on Friday, September 28, and Tennessee-Martin on Saturday, September 29.

Once again, Southern Methodist University is always looking for donation horses for our equestrian program. Please contact the SMU Equestrian Head Coach, Haley Schoolfield, for information about donating horses.

Wish us luck in Kansas!

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all. After an exciting first two weeks of school, practice and workouts, SMU Equestrian continues to work hard! The team is currently preparing for a preseason scrimmage on Saturday, September 8th, against Baylor University at BuckBranch Farm, the home of the SMU Equestrian Team. In addition to welcoming new freshmen teammates to the roster, SMU Equestrian also welcomes a new donation horse to the Hilltop.

Audrey and Debra Miller recently donated Dinero to the Southern Methodist University Equestrian Team this past summer. Coming from a barn in Houston, Dinero previously showed in the High Children’s Jumpers. The 14 year old, gray gelding is expected to be a great asset to the team.

Since Dinero has only been a part of the SMU Equestrian Team for a few short months, he has needed a little more attention over the past two weeks compared to some of the other SMU seasoned horses. However, Dinero has acclimated quite nicely to his new home at BuckBranch and more importantly to the SMU Equestrian riders. The SMU Equestrian girls and coaches are very excited about the newest addition to the team.

During a NCAA Division I Equestrian Competition, the difficulty lies in the fact that the visiting school borrows the hosting school’s horses. Therefore, if SMU travels to another school for a competition, SMU will ride the opposing team’s horses. Conversely, if SMU hosts a competition at home, both teams will compete on SMU horses, in which the horses are randomly assigned to the rider. It is essential for the SMU Equestrian riders to know their horses kinks and quirks inside and out in order to assure the highest scores possible at home competitions. Due to the fact that the home team competes on familiar horses, which they ride at practices prior to the home competition, the hosting team often has the home-field advantage.

SMU Equestrian has been working the past two weeks towards getting the newest addition of the team in tiptop shape and ready to compete. Dinero will be one of the many SMU-owned horses competing on Saturday, September 8th, as the SMU Equestrian Team kicks off the season at BuckBranch Farm. Come out and support the SMU Equestrian Team!

Sophomore, Courtney Line, and Dinero spending some quality time getting to know each other

On a side note, SMU Equestrian is currently looking for a few more donation horses. Please contact Southern Methodist University’s Equestrian Head Coach, Haley Schoolfield, with any inquiries.

Until next time, Pony Up!

Hey Y’all! My name is Megan Osteen. The love and passion I have had for horses started about thirteen years ago. The first time riding a horse, I fell off and broke my arm, but that did not stop me. Six weeks later, I had my cast taken off and went straight from the doctor’s office to the barn. Even though I was extremely nervous about getting on a horse again, I knew I needed to conquer my fear if I ever wanted to have a future in the equestrian world, which has always been my life long dream.

Getting back in the saddle was one of the best decisions I have ever made. That choice led me to where I am today, a Division I student-athlete at Southern Methodist University. Over the past couple of days, I have been a busy little bee getting ready for the start of my sophomore year and the next few weeks will be just as hectic. In addition to going to class, I will be attending team meetings, team workouts and team practices, as well as many other team functions and competitions that go along with being a student-athlete.

I am incredibly excited to have the amazing opportunity to take over the “Pony Up” blog for Sidelines Magazine. The goal for the blog this year will be to keep everyone up-to-date about the SMU Equestrian Team. I do not want ya’ll to miss out on anything. I am enthusiastically looking forward to another great year with SMU Equestrian. As I quickly learned last year, SMU Equestrian works hard everyday to stay physically and mentally prepared both in the saddle and in the weight room. I have never met a group of talented girls and coaches who are so dedicated and eager to make it to the top. The team is getting ready to kick off the 2012-2013 season with a bang, and I’ll be here to keep y’all informed every step of the way. Until next time, Pony Up!

Katie Jones and Conde, a horse owned by SMU, getting ready for practice

Schaefer Raposa, Julie Fischer, Liz Hartnett, and Courtney Line excited about the first practice of the fall season