Our Featured Junior Rider of the Month is Bella Morgan
Bella standing on the right!
Bella has been riding at Lancers for almost three years now. She started riding at age eleven which is a bit older than many of our junior riders who start at age eight. Bella used this as a strength and has moved up to ride five. In those few short years, Bella has enjoyed her riding lessons and has also been a member of the Junior Executive and has completed in some of our training shows in the 18” and cross rail divisions (with Punkin and Ben respectively). One thing that is striking about Bella is that she knows her job and does it and always offers to help before she is asked. This is especially true when she is doing chores before and after her rides and she helps with hay and shavings deliveries too. This willingness to help is extended to Open Houses as Bella always volunteers to be a tour guide. She has also proudly stood as an Honour Guard for the past two years. A highlight of last year’s season for Bella was performing an Honour Guard at the Halifax Public Gardens 150th birthday party!
When asked what she enjoys most about Lancers, Bella said that she was lucky she can walk to the barn in just ten minutes and that she likes all the instructors at Lancers. Most all, for Bella, the best part of Lancers is the people. She noted, “I felt so welcomed when I came here. I felt so happy”. It is so evident that this positive experience has stayed with Bella. She is always helpful and welcoming to new riders and gives reassurance to younger riders in a highly empathetic way. In a similar vein, one of Bella’s favourite memories of Lancers was her first day when the kids took her upstairs to show her the shavings loft and all the forts they had made up there. For Bella, another great thing about Lancers which has produced many favourite rides is the ability to ride outside. She loves breathing in the fresh air and looking at all the people pass by Citadel Hill, especially in the summer.
It is little surprise that Bella’s favourite horse is…Bella! She is very happy that she has the chance to ride Bella often. She likes Bella’s personality and she thought they had an instant spark when she heard her name! It is clear that Bella’s love of horses extends to all of her time spent at Lancers. While she used to play Ringette since the age of four, she stopped playing and decided to focus on riding because she liked it more. Now Bella comes for her lessons on Tuesdays and Saturdays and stays for a long time. She likes to help out with the younger riders and do chores! In the future, Bella wants to make sure she will ride until she can’t anymore! She noted, “I can’t explain why I love riding. The joy that I get from it is a joy that I can get from nothing else. I have always loved horses and animals my entire life”. Upon this reflection, Bella added, “Even though I had a late start at riding, there were many things that I thought I could never do but now I can. It is crazy to think back; I have learned so much and I am so grateful for all the instructors who put time and effort into helping me grow as a rider”. Equally, we thank you Bella for going that extra mile and being a great Lancer!
