Junior Aleema Garfinkel practices her riding at Whispering Hills Horse Ranch in Milpitas with her horse Tytus. She recently competed and placed first in her jumping class. Garfinkel hopes to make it to zone.
By: Ashley Chen
According to the World Sports Encyclopedia, there are 8,000 indigenous sports and sporting games. However, there is no other sport quite like equestrianism, also known as horseback riding.
Junior Aleema Garfinkel has been horseback riding since she was 12, and she currently rides as a part of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, a non-profit organization that introduces students to equestrian sports. She practices two to three times a week at barns located in San Jose and Los Altos Hills, Garfinkel said.
The main discipline she practices is jumping, Garfinkel stated. “Last year I made it to regionals and to get to zone you have to place third or higher, and I got fourth,” Garfinkel said. “This year I’m trying to get to zone.”
Garfinkel competed in Watsonville on Oct. 21 and placed first in her jumping class and third in her flat class. She also competed in equitation, which judges the rider’s ability to ride in a proper position and have effective aids, she added.
Her favorite part about horseback riding is the bonds she made with the horses and friends, Garfinkel said. She cherishes the memory of when she got her horse, named Emerald Zahita, or Emma for short, she said.
“[Emma is a bit] old; she’s 20 now,” Garfinkel said. “I got her about three years ago as a rescue from a fire because her owner’s house burned down. We took her in, and right now she’s mainly retired, but it’s been fun owning her.”
Horseback riding has had a positive impact on her, Garfinkel reflected. It has given her a sense of confidence that is necessary to succeed in competition, she continued.
“To work with horses you need to be a more confident person,” Garfinkel said. “[It is like] the dominant horse in a field. I’m not a very confident person, and I really have to learn how to do that.”
There are risks to horseback riding, she acknowledged. However, she takes precautions to stay safe, she continued.
“More horseback riders get concussions a year than football players,” Garfinkel said. “But you do what you can to stay safe. [An example would be that] we wear helmets.”
In the future, she hopes to compete on a team in college, she said. To learn more about Garfinkel and her equestrian journey, follow her Instagram @equestrialeema.