EAST LANSING, Mich. — Animal science junior Kadence Jennett compares her sport to watching a ballet, evoking images of dancers gliding across a stage in front of a crowded theatre. In reality, Jennett competes in dressage, where she guides her to horse trot, canter, and walk to take the spotlight rather than pirouettes and pointed feet.
Dressage is an Olympic equestrian sport that extends beyond just horseback riding. This performance art features a variety of precise movements, meant to highlight a horse’s responsiveness and the harmony between horse and rider. All of this is done by using invisible cues for commands.
Example
https://youtu.be/ohr_Vex4m4c?si=weLaXJREROQdtIPX
“My relationship with horses is built on trust and confidence,” Jennett, a first-year team member, said. “I use this to build a connection with every horse I ride because without that connection, neither the horse nor I can succeed as partners.”
Dressage has a rich history of successful competitors and horses, with which MSU Dressage Head Coach Ruth Hill-Schorsch is familiar. The native of England earned both her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in human resources from MSU. However, the university did not have a dressage team during her time as a student from 1998 to 2005.
She remained in mid-Michigan after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2007, and opened Stapleton Farm, a 48-acre property in Leslie, Michigan. A student approached her the following year about coaching the newly formed team, and she happily agreed.
“I was [ideal] for coaching as I was close to campus and had lesson horses available,” she said.
Hill-Schorsch’s extensive resume shows her experience and achievements. She holds bronze, silver, and gold medals from the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), and has competed at the International Federation for Equestrian Sports and the Grand Prix.
To translate, Hill-Schorsch has competed at the highest level of competition the sport has to offer.
Being part of the MSU dressage team requires dedication, as members are required to ride at least once a week. The nine-person team spends time together to bond, by hosting meetings or activities such as dinner or yoga. Jennett said that while she and her teammates have different majors and hobbies, their love of horses draws the group together.
“The biggest thing I'm proud of is the relationships our club and team members develop,” Hill-Schorsch said. “I've been doing this long enough now that I see our original members standing in each other's weddings, raising kids that are friends, just generally creating lifelong friendships.”
The sophistication of dressage comes at a high cost. The team pays $250 in annual dues to the Intercollegiate Dressage Association, which allows them to register for collegiate competitions. Each competition charges around $140 per day for MSU’s team to use horses. Team members are individually charged fees based on their show class, in addition to paying for travel, gas, and show clothes (jackets, boots, headgear, and gloves).
“We are fortunate to have a few really generous sponsors that donate financially to help cover costs,” Hill-Schorsch said. “In the past, we have also often done fundraising with tack sales and other community based events.”
The sport requires competition arenas to be 20 by 60 meters. MSU’s team is unable to host their own tournaments at the MSU Farm Bureau Pavilion due to the main arena being too small and the team not having access to enough horses.
The team has found its place amongst MSU’s agricultural tradition, despite these challenges. The university’s nationally ranked plant and animal science programs attract many students interested in working with animals, which builds a strong foundation for equestrian clubs.
“We stay much smaller than the other equine clubs and teams at MSU, and that allows us to really have a great team-based, supportive culture between our club and team riders,” Hill-Schorsch said.
It is a common saying that animals can tell when someone is nervous. Performance anxiety is a sense of unease that many athletes experience, but Jennett believes that remaining calm is vital to the success of dressage athletes.
“I would say that I do get performance anxiety. While I don't experience it as intensely as I used to, it is still there,” Jennett said. “The biggest way I manage it is by listening to music and giving myself lots of time for preparation.”
The moment she enters the arena, Jennett focuses on highlighting the hours of training and preparation she endured, while directing the audience’s attention to her favorite animal.
“[Horses] are majestic creatures to watch, learn from, and continue to improve my knowledge on,” Jennett said.