Equestrian, more often known as horse riding or horseback riding, consists of driving, steeple chasing and vaulting with horses. Equestrianism also includes the use of horses for: practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic exercises and, of course, competitive sport.

As the only international high school in Toronto that includes equestrian in the curriculum, QEA provides the equipment and professional equestrian training required for the challenging but rewarding activity. Students can learn the etiquette, equipment handling, movements at the standard training field, and practice to cultivate it as a lifelong hobby. As one of QEA’s elite courses, equestrian has become the most popular one among our students.

The first equestrian class draws a lot of excitement among students. Most of our students had never seen a horse in real life before, not to mention riding it. Many girls were even intimidated to approach them for the first time.

Before getting on a horse, it is important to put the safety protection and groom your ride. Horses are very sacred animals, and the relation between human being and horses dates back thousands of years. Traditionally, the horse has been used as a worker, a form of transportation and in combat. But, with the invention of the combustion engine and the modernization of agriculture in the 19th century, jobs for horses began to dwindle. Now, they are our companions and lifelong friends!

The instructors taught students how to bond with horses, as well as putting the required gears on them in the proper way. After that, students got to ride on the horses while instructors lead by the side.

Research has shown that horses and humans have developed a unique way to communicate with one another, a third language, neither fully human nor fully equine. Throughout the equestrian courses, our goal is to have students ride on a horse independently and communicate with the horse to overcome obstacles.

The equestrian course provides students an opportunity to experience it as a lifestyle and pique students’ curiosity. From grooming to overcoming obstacles, we witness their growth and, most importantly, the happiness shown in their faces every time they ride a horse.