My name is Li Jialiang. I attended Tengfei School of Foreign Languages in Haidian, Beijing for primary and junior high school. During the 2022 promotion to junior high school, it was learned that the school had established a nationwide "Equestrian Vine Flying Class". This class not only requires excellent academic performance, but also emphasizes comprehensive development of morality, intelligence, and physical fitness, with a particular emphasis on resilience and love for animals. Although I knew nothing about equestrianism at the time and had only ridden horses during travel, I was deeply attracted by these promotional materials. All three of my choices for the promotion to junior high school were for the "Haidian Foreign Language Equestrian Vine Flying Class" and I did not accept transfers.

In the end, I was admitted as expected and became one of the fifteen students in the first equestrian Tengfei class of the International Department of Haidian Foreign Language School. My classmates come from Hebei, Shaanxi, Tianjin, Beijing, and Canada respectively. We became acquainted through equestrianism, and the story of me and equestrianism has officially begun.

The school's horse farm is located in a park on the West Fourth Ring Road, nearly ten kilometers away by car from the school. We have classes every morning and spend half a day studying the same class's daily curriculum. We not only have to complete domestic courses, but also study American textbooks. In the afternoon, we have riding training. The dual challenges of academic pressure and riding training come one after another.

Among the fifteen classmates, only me and two others have zero foundation in equestrianism. Under the guidance of our coach every day, we start with the basics of pulling ropes to mount horses and gradually learn basic movements such as sitting up and riding on flat ground. At first, I was confused by what the coach said about "following the waves of the horse" and thought to myself, "This isn't swimming, where are the waves? However, as time passed, my fear and curiosity when I first got on the horse gradually transformed into a love for equestrianism, and I looked forward to the teacher taking us to the racecourse for training every day.

During my time at the racecourse, falling off and being kicked by horses became a common occurrence. However, after persevering day after day, I not only learned how to ride, but also how to maintain the stable, bathe the horses, clean up horse manure, feed the horses, and load and unload saddles. The school racecourse is indoor, and the summer heat is unbearable. We wear thick harnesses, safety vests, and helmets. After each training session, our whole bodies are soaked in sweat, and our hair looks like it has been washed with water, emitting a sour smell. In order to rush back to the dormitory to take a shower and attend evening self-study on time, sometimes I even give up dinner and go straight back to the classroom to study.

As someone with zero foundation, I initially envied my coach and classmates for discussing professional terms such as "about 80 games" after equestrian class. After studying for half a year, I am still stuck in basic courses and cannot even jump from a height of 30 centimeters. Every day, I do laps, take off pedals, sit up, and jog, which is boring and tedious. I also long to participate in competitions and win honors, so I use all my spare time to practice. However, in a rush to succeed, I accidentally fell off my horse during a training session, resulting in a fracture of my right upper arm patella. I was sent to Jishuitan Hospital for treatment, where doctors installed a brace for me and required me not to exercise for four months. During that time, I watched my classmates go to training every day, and my mood plummeted to the bottom.

Encouraged by my parents and teachers, I used this break to watch equestrian competition videos, learn balance techniques in riding, and learn about the stories of great riders. Through watching movies such as "The Horse Whisperer," "Turin's Horse," and "Auswin the Steed," I gradually realized the profound emotions between humans and horses. Horses are animals with rich personalities, sensitive, brave, confident, curious, resilient, and active. Their personalities are influenced by various factors such as genetics, environment, and training. In dealing with horses, one should learn to respect and care for them, establish good interactive relationships, understand their emotions and language, listen to their voices more, and achieve a harmonious riding experience. Just like a horse using its front hooves to scratch the ground when it sees you from a distance, it's greeting you; On cloudy days, horses get excited and scared when they hear sounds; Understanding these 'horse language' and empathizing with the horse naturally ensures safety.

As my empathy for 'horse language' deepened, my injuries gradually recovered. After removing the arm brace, I immediately returned to the racecourse and rode back on horseback. At that moment, I realized that I had truly fallen in love with this sport and it had become a part of my life. With the accumulation of training, I have grown from an equestrian novice to a true rider, becoming a Beijing equestrian obstacle athlete who can easily handle 110 level obstacles and has won honors in multiple equestrian competitions.

The process of learning equestrianism is also a personal growth process for me. I have learned resilience and compassion, which have also had a positive impact on my learning. Riding horses occupies most of my spare time, and some bad hobbies are naturally abandoned. My parents are very satisfied with this and no longer restrict my use of mobile phones. Our relationship has become more harmonious, and we often discuss equestrianism and watch competitions together. Equestrianism has become a common topic for us.

I also occasionally go to the outskirts to train and relax with my horse, and as a result, I have met many equestrian partners. Their spirit of daring to fight and compete on the field has influenced me and also made my studies more outstanding. In my early years of promotion, I was admitted to the Talent Class of the Public International Department at 101 Middle School. All of this cannot be separated from the motivation that equestrianism brings me. Despite the high academic pressure now, I still set aside half a day every week for equestrian training, striving to find a balance between studying and equestrian.

As the number of competitions increased, I acquired my own beloved horse, "Kra". Kla is a 12-year-old Dutch warm blooded mare who has accompanied me for three years. We have established a stable partnership and many unforgettable stories have happened between us.

Do you want to know more about Kra's competition and training experience? Welcome to my equestrian world!