Our Featured Junior Rider of the Month is Emily Rafuse
Our Featured Junior Rider of the Month is Emily Rafuse
Emily has been riding at Lancers for almost 10 years, starting in the beginner course at 9 years old and now going on 18 and riding in ride one. Emily has been a dedicated Lancer, getting involved in almost all of the activities we have to offer from musical ride to stablehanding and barn monitoring to off-property shows, Salmon River camp, and the Junior Executive. “The Junior Executive is my favorite Lancer extra-curricular as it is an organization run by junior riders that is constantly teaching me about leadership, responsibility and perseverance. Junior Executive has also been involved in many activities such as the 2018 mission to seafarers campaign as well as the 2019 shoebox project! Not to mention all the social events, off-property canteens and barn maintenance tasks. I am very grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I’ve gained through every one of these involvements over the years.”
The Lancer community is one of Emily’s favourite things about Lancers. “There is always someone to talk to, a horse to hug and a shoulder to cry on until you have the courage to pick yourself up and try again. I have never given up on trying my best because of the people (and horses) at Lancers who have believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I don’t even know how I could begin to thank the utter support this community has for every one of its riders.”
Emily has two favourite Lancer horses. “I have recently been working with Clementine who I absolutely love. She has taught me so many valuable lessons and I hope I can teach her just as much as she teaches me. I am very proud of how far we have come as a team especially considering the short amount of time we have had together, and I can’t wait for what the rest of the year will bring. However, I can’t go without mentioning Rainey who is my absolute best friend and never fails to put a smile on my face. I love her unconditionally and she is and always will be my favourite Lancer horse.” One of her favourite Lancer memories was getting to share Rainey with her dad at the 2019 Parent Ride. “This was a very special way for me and my dad to connect with something that I am passionate about as well as getting to know Rainey a little bit better too.”
Going forward Emily is planning to attend university to study marine biology and though that may mean moving away from Halifax she hopes to carry the lessons she’s learned and the passion she’s gained from riding with her always. “I have made so many lifelong memories here as well as many two legged and four legged friends and I know that in a few years from now, when I look back on my childhood, Lancers will be the place I think of.”
Emily’s passion for horses and Lancers has not gone unnoticed she can come across as quiet and reserved but it has never stopped her from trying new things and her empathetic nature has lent itself extremely well to working with some of our younger horses and children. We look forward to seeing how Emily further develops these strengths as she goes out into the world. We know she will always come back to visit as this has been her second home.
