Samantha Chan

Background

I was born in Hong Kong and have been living here my whole life. Before riding I used to do art and play tennis. I started riding in 2011 when I was eight years old because a riding school opened in Happy Valley, which is near where I live. I always liked horses and I used to do pony rides in Beas River before I started riding for real. I am also born in the year of the Horse.

My most special experience was when I started moving up the levels with the school horse Lombardi because I knew I worked for it and we both were learning together and he was trying hard for me. My goal in riding is to become a professional in the future and ride internationally. I like riding because I just like horses in general and it's a really good feeling that I get on the horse, especially when I do something correctly. When I went to dressage training during the summer and saw the stables there as well as other stables throughout the world, I realized how different they all are. I also enjoy learning how stables are run, and how everyone is unique and tries to be the most efficient in different ways.

Horse riding is a really big time commitment and I have to keep up with my school work. It’s really great that I can get off school and have a few hours to relax and exercise from riding. It actually helps with school because I have a goal and with less time to do my work, I have to have better time management. Because it also takes a long time to get to Beas River and then go home, sometimes I do work while travelling, but I also read a lot because of this.