PonySnob wrote:Do the females on the team have to provide their own horses or are they provided by SMU?
The NCEA has an extensive donor horse program. I'm sure SMU pays for some of the stable expenses but if managed properly Equestrian is actually one of the lower cost-per-athlete sports contrary to popular opinion. A lot of the overhead is also offset by the horse community through donations and advertising which obviously is a pretty big money pool to tap.
http://www.collegiateequestrian.com/sponsorship/donateahorse.html
Equestrian student-athletes compete in a very unique sport. No other NCAA sport utilizes a "living piece of equipment". Equine athletes provide a platform for our student-athletes to showcase their talents. In order to thrive, individual programs need quality horses to practice and compete on. Programs actively seek out horses with previous show experience and specialized training to add to their show string. Donating a horse to a NCAA Equestrian program is a great option for owners seeking a tax deduction.
