Get to know youth competitive equestrians, Chino Hills area sisters Callie and Nyla Tager
CHINO HILLS, Calif. — Sports come in many different shapes and sizes throughout our society. One thing that they all have in common, is that they require a unique skill set that takes many hours of practice to achieve. This is no exception for our feature athlete’s sport of choice. Meet the Tager sisters, who have devoted their time and efforts to the sport of competitive equestrian. Callie (13) and Nyla (10) Tager have been riding for four years and showing for the past two.
One major differentiator in the sport of equestrian, is that you have to not only hone your own skills, but also those of a massive animal! There are many challenges that come along with this task. Callie mentioned that, “The hardest thing about riding and competing is understanding your horse. All horses are different and it’s hard to understand an animal that can’t talk and tell you their needs and wants.” On top of that, there are many different tasks that go into making sure your horse is prepared for peak performance. With this in mind, Nyla said, “The biggest challenge is making sure my horse gets enough exercise, training and free time.”
Throughout their years of practicing, these sisters have been given some quality advice from their mentors on how to be successful in the sport. “The best advice I was ever given was to learn to ride on a pony! I learned on a pony who would do anything to throw me off, but once I learned how to truly ride and stay on, I could ride any horse,” shared Callie. Similarly, Nyla mentioned, “You’re a ‘real’ rider when you’ve fallen off seven times!”. Talk about tough!
Both girls also touched on the fact that riding is a very difficult sport. Without courage and determination, there is no way to improve. “You might be thrown off again and again. But ultimately, you have to get back on and ride,” said Callie. There is a special bond between a horse and the rider. During a show, there are a lot of unknown factors that come up for both parties, and an important philosophy that Nyla mentioned to become successful is, “It’s never the horses fault!”.
Both Callie and Nyla have the hope of riding in college when the time comes, but for now they attend Ontario Christian and enjoy playing softball, gymnastics and cross country when they are not with their horses. These well-rounded sisters have high hopes for the future, but are currently focused on the task at hand. They are on a mission to become the best riders that they can be, by overcoming challenges and being courageous in times of doubt. But at the end of the day, spending time outdoors with an awe-inspiring and loving animal is what they enjoy the most!
Best of luck girls, as you continue to grow in your training and relationships with your beloved horses!
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