MARYLAND

These are two separate student organizations at UMD. The Maryland Equestrian Club provides lessons, both on and off the horse, for students using the horses on the campus farm. It is often a big group of equine studies students who wish to expand their knowledge on horses overall. The Maryland Equestrian Team is more tailored for riders who wish to continue being competitive in college through the IHSA.

We carpool to lessons, shows, off-campus fundraisers, etc. Many of our members have cars and volunteer to drive, so we assign drivers based on living arrangements for any event that requires being off campus. Drivers are reimbursed for the cost of gas.

Anybody is able to join the team, regardless of skill level or experience. However, to ride in lessons and compete, you must be able to walk, trot, and canter comfortably in a group. Coming in with IEA experience is helpful, but we have members who come from different backgrounds and discipline. As long as you are open to learning, this is not a problem!

We have a variety of socials throughout the year that are organized by our social chair or a small group of teammates. This could be socials with other clubs, team dinners, team workouts, weekend trips to Dover, a visit to a pumpkin patch, or anything our members might want to be a team event! We also do a number of community service outings as a way to spend time together and give back to our community.

UMET is very flexible and it is absolutely possible to balance being on the team with other extracurriculars. Many of our members are also members of other clubs/teams/Greek life and find it possible to balance the two. Of course, you can't be two places at once, but we will do our best to accommodate your interests!

Although UMET is the highest form of organized equine competition on campus, we are recognized as a club team which means we cannot recruit and we do not work with the admissions process. We recruit UMD members to join our team once they are admitted to the university in the same way that all clubs do, but we would be happy to answer any questions you have going into the admissions process. Good luck! ​

There are many ways that you can support our team. The easiest way to hear about fundraising opportunities is through our social media (mostly Instagram/Facebook). We also accept donations online through Maryland Giving Day, as well as partnerships for sponsors. You can learn more about donating or sponsoring UMET here.

Not at all! Many members choose to join UMET and participate in our socials, fundraisers, help at shows, etc. but do not compete themselves. Whether you have an exceptionally busy semester or can't justify paying the show fees, this is completely normal and the team is very understanding. It isn't a cheap sport, but we do our best to make it accessible to everyone!

We do not have the option to board horses on campus. The farm is strictly for the university’s horses and is very small. We are not in charge of operating Meadowbrook Stables, but you can reach out to them about boarding fees and accommodations. Please note that although your horse could be at Meadowbrook, the goal is to ride lots of different types of horses to best prepare for IHSA competitions.

Yes! When we go to horse shows we ride the horses from the hosting barn (and any horses they may have recruited to accommodate rides). Meadowbrook has a plethora of lesson horses for us to learn from, so don't be surprised if you don't ride the same horse every week!

The best way to get ready for riding in college is to ride as many different horses as much as you can. Practice as much as you can on a variety of horses and get in shape to be able to handle anything that could get thrown at you! This being said, the horses in each division are based on safety and the horse's level, so you should never be put in a dangerous situation. If at any point during a show the judge and steward decide that a rider had an unfair performance due to circumstances out of their control, the rider could be granted a re-ride on a different horse. Luck of the draw is a big part of IHSA, and sometimes things are out of your control! It's all a learning experience.

For showing, we ask that you obtain tall boots, tan breeches, a white collared show shirt tucked in with a belt, a navy show coat, black gloves, and your hair up in your helmet in a hairnet. Please reach out with any questions!

There isn't an easy answer for this question. Because there are so many riders in our region and a limited number of horses, the number of rides at each show tends to be quite limited. Our roster for each show is made by our coach while considering point standings, seniority, team success, and rider availability. It is our goal for everyone to get an opportunity to show, but please respect the process and the team-wide perspective.

We have about 10-12 horse shows a year. The location and dates vary each year but are generally similar. The shows are hosted at different team’s barns, or in some cases, a rented equestrian facility. Schedules are provided at the beginning of the semester so members can plan accordingly.