This shouldn't be a factor for choosing a college unless she wants to be near a particular barn or even a particular venue, like WEF or something. There's no reason to spend any tuition money studying anything to do with horses except veterinary medicine and there's no reason you need any kind of college infrastructure for riding. If she picks a school that is otherwise her best option, and she finds she likes being on the club team, terrific. If not, no big loss, she can find a place to board and train nearby.

Anonymous wrote:Niece who was very into horses went to Cal Poly SLO for animal science. Lots of hands on horse things she did. There was a private barn nearby where she could ride as well. Beautiful school BTW, bit not the easiest to get to from east coast.

+1 They also have one of the top college rodeo teams, which I did not know was a thing until I went to college there LOL

William and Mary

Lynchburg College.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.scad.edu/academics/programs/equestrian-studies

Expensive and unnecessary degree (see my post above)

The advice here about IHSA is great. It's a great experience and fairly well organized.

You didn't mention if your daughter wanted to major in equestrian science, but I feel the need to address it. As someone active in the industry for more than 30 years, a degree in equine studies is unnecessary for employment and a waste of a college education. Go to school, ride IHSA, but pick another major that can dovetail with horses or be a backup plan (business, accounting, biology...even communications...)

Anonymous wrote:Barracks
@ UVA

She could do Club

They have the best horses in the region and a nice facility. That said, it is expensive (very) and the team is very competitive as far as getting on it.

Barracks
@ UVA

She could do Club

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is really a thing?

Yes, but at the top levels it's basically reserved for the children of the uber wealthy.

Or trainers’ kids.

We are rich by normal people standards but are always the poorest at the A level shows. My kid “only” has 1 horse (although she is with a top level trainer, who laments that we only have 1).

Anonymous wrote:Mt Holyoke has lovely stables right on campus and it seemed like a close knit team.

My understanding is they have several teams. I could not get my equestrian interested.

Anonymous wrote:This is really a thing?

Yes, but at the top levels it's basically reserved for the children of the uber wealthy.

Anonymous wrote:This is really a thing?

Its absolutely a thing. Our DS competes and it has been amazing for him in every way a tween/teen needs to grow and develop. Also, our other children competed in more traditional sports and would say the absolute best scholar-athletes were from our son's equestrian team.

GL to OP's DC

PP again - if she’s taking her horse, I would look at schools in Florida, Clemson is also good as recommended (near Tryon and Aiken), triangle area schools (near southern pines). University of Delaware (huge horse area) and MD (same).

Is she taking the horse or trying to do the equestrian team? I took my horse and rode independently in college and you can do that pretty much anywhere as long as you don’t go anywhere too cold.