Straight from the horse's mouth

MSU has a plethora of clubs for students to join. However, one that the campus community might not know much about is the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Club Equestrian Team. 

“We are a club team associated with the national IHSA. IHSA was founded with the goal to provide equestrian competition for all college and university students regardless of riding level while promoting sportsmanship, horsemanship and academic excellence,” senior and Fundraising Chair McKenna Quirk said. 

The MSU club equestrian team is a group of competitive and passionate student athletes focused on their heartfelt love for the world of horses. 

“After graduating from high school, it was no longer feasible for me to have and show a personal horse. I originally tried out for the team as a way to ensure that I would be on a horse at least once a week and that I would have the opportunity to continue improving my horsemanship during college,” Quirk said. 

For those wondering what the commitment level is, the club practices at least once a week at the Bob Miller Pavilion. They also travel across the country to compete with other IHSA college club teams. 

“The Western riders normally travel to Billings, Montana and Logan, Utah for horse shows, while the English riders travel to North and South Dakota and Minnesota for their competitions with the goal of qualifying for the National IHSA Horse Show each spring as a team and as individuals,” Quirk said. 

Western riding has a larger and heavier saddle and riders only use one hand to hold the reins. English riding deals with a smaller saddle and two hands on the reins. 

“Our team members ride either in the English discipline and compete in flatwork or jumping, or they ride Western and compete in horsemanship, ranch riding and reining competitions,” Quirk said. 

According to Quirk, the club is a welcoming, friendly group of riders who are actively continuing to pursue their passions. 

“Riders of all levels are welcome on the team, from individuals who have only taken a few lessons, to riders who have been competing for many years. Riders do not need to provide their own horses to be a part of the team, or to compete. IHSA shows are based on catch-riding, where team members randomly draw a horse that they will ride and compete on,” Quirk said. 

If you're interested in reaching out to get some information on how to try out for the club, check out IHSA Equestrian’s Instagram at @montanastateeq or email them at ihsamsu@gmail.com.