Whiz Kid: Rachel Harris

Rachel Harris has been riding horses for almost eight years. Rachel’s love for horses began when she was barely three years old. Rachel loved stuffed horses, storybooks about horses and anything horse related. The horse bug officially bit her when a family friend, who owned several horses, invited Rachel to her barn. Rachel laid eyes on a horse named BenAgin and immediately wanted to mount up.

When Rachel turned four, her friend began giving her lessons. Rachel started to show Arabian and Quarter horses and began to win ribbons, lots of blue ribbons! Several years ago, while showing a horse at Wills Park, Rachel was thrown from the horse, twice! Sadly, that was also the time Rachel’s instructor friend decided to move on.

Rachel took a brief hiatus and began riding again under the instruction of Cynthia Skipper, owner of a horse stable called Morgans. Skipper began teaching Rachel to ride Western and Rachel gained new insight into her riding abilities.

Earlier this year, Rachel showed in a Western Pleasure competition, earning a Championship medal, two blue ribbons and first place medals, and two red ribbons with her horse named Pistol. Rachel is continuing her instruction focusing on Western Riding, while incorporating instruction in English Riding so she can improve her jumping skills.

Rachel loves to participate in Team Penning, which she describes as three riders getting into the arena on their horses and chasing cows with numbers on their backs until they are rounded up and led into the pen. Rachel’s mom, Robin says, “There’s lots of hootin’ and howlin’!”

In addition to riding, showing and penning, Rachel loves to collect model horses, particularly the Bryer brand. As you can imagine, Rachel’s room is purely horses.

When Rachel grows up, she aspires to attend the University of Georgia, (to the grinning dismay of her father, a graduate of Georgia Tech), where she wants to study to become a veterinarian. Rachel does not describe herself as being very athletic or a sports enthusiast.

Her mom says of Rachel, “Riding is more of a natural love of the animal and a discipline. I believe Rachel’s riding talent is God-inspired.” Rachel’s mom added, “There is no other way to explain Rachel’s natural God-given ability with horses, since her father and I do not ride.”

When Rachel is not riding or collecting, she is busy with her studies and is an active youth member in her church. Ride on, Rachel!