Equestrian is a tough sport by any measure and not for the faint-hearted. The 23-year-old Ariana Dhond from KC College is one who is pursuing her dreams with full vigour and passion.
Being a National-level Equestrian rider, she has big plans going ahead and we celebrate her zest and passion for the sport and her quest for excellence on the occasion of International Women's Day.
Ariana recollects her initiation into the sport of equestrian with great fondness.
"My very first horse riding memory was when I was eight years old, barely four feet tall and my legs were just about long enough to reach the stirrups. In all honesty, I only started it because my friend was doing it too and what better way to pass your childhood free time than being around animals. Little did I know that ten years later that sport would become dearer to me than life itself. As time went by, I fell more in love with it than love itself and a day would feel incomplete without at least one visit to the racecourse. As I grew older, nothing changed, the sport beautifully consumed me and riding had become my constant. It turned from a passion into an obsession and today, I literally breathe the sport."
The highlights of her short career have been the CDI (Concours de Dressage International) events she has participated in.
" My highlights so far have been placing 3rd in the CDI 1* in January and placing 3rd again in the CDI* in February. Competing in CDIs have always provided the best exposure to a rider as you compete at such a high level (Prix St Georges) and it allows you to compete against the most seasoned riders in the country, which gives you a great understanding of where you stand in the sport. My aspirations going forward will definitely be big. I’m truly a believer of the fact that if your goals don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough. I truly live by this."
She is being coached by Riyad Gandhy and they have been training together for the past five years.
"He’s been with me through all my struggles ever since I was a little girl who didn’t even dare to enter the dressage arena. He has supported me through all the highs and lows in my journey. The rider that I am today, I fully owe it to him and his efforts."
Challenges are an intrinsic part of any athlete's journey and and it's no different for Ariana.
"I’ve definitely had my fair set of challenges in this sport. Unlike other sports, equestrian involves us to compete in harmony with horses who have a mind, mood, and personality of their own. This poses a fully different set of challenges that all of us face in every competition. As for advice for the young women in this sport, the one thing I always tell people is ‘Seek what sets your soul on fire’ as it’s very important to love what you do and to fuel that internal passion.
Ariana has some interesting equestrian events coming up including some CDI events in India, the FEI World Dressage Challenge and the Senior Nationals.
"I'm always looking forward and hoping for the best,"
The young lass looks upto Charlotte Fry, a top international dressage rider, as her inspiration and aspires to be in that league.
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