Shortly after junior Alison Carr was elected head of the Sweet Briar Riding Council in spring 2006, she found several scrapbooks that chronicle much of the long-running student organization’s history.
Flipping through one volume and pondering the pages her council would add to the historical record, a photo caught her eye. It was a carefully composed picture of the 1969-70 Riding Council members. All were decked in their show outfits, flanking a jump as a rider on horseback clears the fence between them.
“The photo was too great to pass up, and as a group the council decided to replicate it,” Carr said. “We found a similar jump in the Proving Grounds field by the boathouse. It may even be the same jump. We can’t really tell.”
The Riding Council is a student leadership organization whose members enjoy certain privileges and responsibilities. Members of the riding program faculty nominate students who exhibit leadership potential. Sitting councilwomen decide which nominees they will invite to “test on,” a multi-step qualifying process.
Nine of the 11 students who were invited to serve on the 2007-08 council are still in the running, Carr said. Because of weather and scheduling, testing can take the whole spring semester. Members must demonstrate competency on several field tests, including leading less experienced riders on trail rides on campus.
Candidates first have to pass a written test demonstrating knowledge of barn policies, information such as physical description and special needs on each of Sweet Briar’s roughly 45 horses, important phone numbers and what to do in emergency situations.
“It’s not that it’s that hard, but they have to take the initiative and show that they’re really interested in taking leadership,” Carr said. “They have to take that step to learn what needs to be learned.”
For safety, Sweet Briar restricts students on who can ride where and under whose supervision based on individual proficiency. Serving as trail guides is among the Riding Council’s responsibilities.
Members also volunteer for community service projects at the barn, clean and ready SBC horses and tack to prepare for placement rides when new riders arrive in the fall, and assist in barn orientation.
There are perks, too.
“Being on Riding Council means being allowed special trail riding privileges, being permitted to ride at Christmas Tree Lighting, and the big one, the senior ride,” Carr said. “[The senior ride] is the only opportunity to riders to wander main campus on horseback, and it takes place during finals week of members’ senior year.”
The 1969-70 Riding Council.
The 2006-07 Riding Council members pictured are Jessica McCarthy ’07 (from left) on Morning Edition, Kathryn Brock ’09, Erin Wittle ’09, Lauren Stephens ’09, Meg Hammock ’08, Alison Carr ’08, Lindsey Cline ’06, Jenny Walkiewicz ’09, Brook Schulze ’09 jumping her horse Sildino, Lucy Knaus ’08, Katie Bird ’09, Mary Pat Jones ’08, Rebecca Schneider ’09, Liz Churchill ’06, Lauren Guyer ’09 on Night Shift, Maggie Nicholson ’09, Robin Bicknell ’08, Alex Hiniker ’09 and Alison Sims ’09 on Renaissance. Not pictured: Lisa Bethune ’08, Laurel Sanders ’08, Gretchen McDonough ’08 and Jess Matlesky ’09, and abroad members P.J. Davis ’08, Laura McGarry ’08, Diana Simpson ’08 and Julie Midgley ’08.
