The following are excerpts from Emily, a long-time student at Bright Promise who received a well earned athletic scholarship to college for her riding skills.

     from Emily...Riding horses changed my life in so many positive ways. When I came to Bright Promise I was 13, though I had been riding for about five years before that, I learned more at Bright Promise than any of my previous stables. Here, equitation was stressed, it was important for us to try to perfect it. We all thought, what's the big deal?, we thought we looked fine. However, I learned exactly how important equitation is.

     I left Bright Promise and went to college two years ago, I received a full athletic scholarship to ride on the equestrian team at Fresno State. While at Fresno, I took lessons and competed. I was not prepared that when I had lessons I received no instruction! I basically rode with an instructor in the ring but they never said anything to me. I found that I had to challenge myself, and after riding at Bright Promise, I knew how to find my mistakes and how to fix them. I took this way of thinking with me into the show ring.

     Competing at Division 1, NCAA level was tough. Before entering the show ring, you pull a horse's name out of a hat and ride that horse, with no warm up. I learned that I had to rely on my equitation, because each time I was on a horse I didn't know, I needed to concentrate on that and nothing else. After competing with the team for two years, I won 4 out of 5 shows at Fresno State, won many other ribbons at other shows, and placed fourth at the Regionals.

     I have been told by judges and my team mates that my equitation is fantastic, I know that is what won me my shows. I might have had a hard time with a horse but my equitation pulled my through. Because of this, I owe my success to Colleen and Bright Promise. I would not be doing as well with my riding if not for Colleen, she might be tough sometimes, but it is worth it in the end. I never thought that I would be going to college on an athletic scholarship, especially equestrian. I started riding for the fun of it, I never thought I would be doing it so long, I never knew I could get this far.   Emily