This year marks the second year of existence for Southeast Missouri State University's equestrian team. There used to only be an equestrian club, where members would ride horses. From that club, members decided to start a team that would compete in events.

"There was a club, they didn't compete," team treasurer Kellie Constantin said. "They'd just ride."

Southeast's equestrian team is a club sport, so it doesn't receive funding from the school. Members must pay out of pocket to go to competitions and practice.

Owning a horse or having riding experience is not necessary to join. Horses for practice are provided by Fox Run Stables, the facility where the team practices. For competitions, the host school must provide the horses.

The team will compete in 10 shows this school year. A show lasts for two days, but each day represents a new competition.

Last year, team vice president Kristie Miller made it all the way to nationals.

"We had a girl get enough points to go to regionals, where she got second," Constantin said. "So she went to zone. I think she got first, and she went all the way to nationals."

There are many divisions riders can advance through. A rider starts out in walk, trot, then advances to beginning walk, trot and canter. Advance walk, trot and canter follows. Novice is the next level, in which jumping is introduced. Following novice is intermediate and then open. Once a rider graduates, he or she can participate in an Alumni division.

Meagan Smith, secretary of the team, has been riding since she was six years old and enjoys making a connection with the horse.

"The moment when you're riding, when you can feel you and the horse click and you're moving at the same time and you're making movements based off movements they make," Smith said. "I know it sounds really cheesy but when you get to that point to where the horse is not doing what you're telling it to do but doing what your asking it because of the way you move, that's just a real big deal for me."

Team president Alex Wolf thinks of the team as a family.

"Some of my favorite moments have been when new people join the team, becoming best friends with some of the girls and riding the horses," Wolf said.

Smith's favorite part about joining the team has also been the newfound camaraderie.

"You make good friends in college, but I think you make really good friends when there is something that you all can relate," Smith said.

The next competition takes place on Nov. 11-12 in Chicago at Northern Illinois University. In actual competitions, riders are not allowed to use their own horses. Riders choose their horses for competition in a lottery process.

"You pick literally out of a hat. You pick a number, and they tell you what horse that is," Constantin said.

Since riders can't use their own horses in the competitions, they have to try to establish a connection with a horse that they have just been acquainted with minutes before entering the arena.

"The first time you ride that horse is when you step into the arena," Smith said.

"So, that's why we practice so hard, and practice so long to get that feeling when you connect with the horse because you're on this horse and you don't know what it's going to do."

On March 10-11, 2012, Southeast's equestrian team will host its first competition. It will take place at Fox Run Stables at 121 Fox Run in Cape Girardeau. Both males and females can join the team. For more information about the team and joining, visit the team's Facebook page, "Redhawks Equestrian Team."