INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM Mercy Trent '06 straight from the horse's mouth

Author: Tom McCann, Sports Editor

The Campus: Is riding horses your favorite thing to do in the world?

Mercy Trent: Definitely in the top five.

TC: How did you get into it in the first place?

MT: I don't know, I was a horse-crazy little kid - I mean, I feel like a lot of little girls are. So I started taking lessons when I was little with some friends and it stuck. I just loved it.

TC: What do you love most about riding horses?

MT: My favorite part is definitely the animal. I am going to sound like a sap, but it is amazing when you click with a horse and everything just, like, works. Everything just falls into order, it's such a cool feeling. I mean, I don't even have to ride, I can just go down to the barn and hang out and feel totally happy.

TC: Did the fact you could ride here influence your decision to come to Middlebury at all?

MT: I knew Midd had a team and that the barn wasn't too far from campus. I had to be able to ride some at school, that was a definite requirement, but I didn't come here because I wanted to ride here specifically.

TC: Have you ridden all four years?

MT: Yep.

TC: And you've been captain for how many?

MT: One and a half - I started when I got back from abroad last spring.

TC: What are the responsibilities for the captain of the equestrian team?

MT: We organize riding lessons, try to get people to join, get people registered to show, organize the show we host, enter riders into other shows, organize the occassional meeting or banquet - stuff like that.

TC: How often do you have shows?

MT: This year was weird 'cause we basically had all our shows in the fall. I think there are like eight or nine teams in our region and almost every one hosts at least one show… so we had six or seven in the fall and then one this spring, and then all the championship shows are after that. Usually they're more spread out, but we had one or two every weekend last fall and then basically none this spring.

TC: How do they work?

MT: Everyone is split into divisions based on level, and then you compete against other riders in your division. The top three divisions do two classes, a class is like an event, one jumping and the other is a flat class which is basically control of the horse and stuff. You are judged on your position and how well you ride the horse you are on. The trick is that horses are provided by the hosting school and you randomly draw one for your class, so you are on a horse you have never ridden before which can be kinda tricky.

TC: When you finally hang up your helmet, will you remember one show more than any other? Which one?

MT: I will never hang up my helmet. But if I had to pick one show, it would probably be my first show for Middlebury. I was so nervous, and I went in and I don't remember my ride at all, it was a total blur. But I won the class.

TC: Have you ever wanted to be a jockey on a racehorse?

MT: That is what I wanted to do when I was little, but I think I blew any chance I had when I passed 6 feet tall.

TC: Have you been to any of the major horse races?

MT: No, but one thing on my list of things to do before I die is to go to all three races of the Triple Crown the year one horse wins them all.

TC: Do you have a horse that you usually ride when you're at Middlebury?

MT: The horse I am riding most right now is named Willa.

TC: Do you think she'd be good friends with Shroeder?

MT: No, Schroeder only likes to hang out with little ponies. He likes to feel big and strong, and Willa is really big.

TC: What do horses do when they're not being ridden by someone?

MT: Eat, sleep and be merry.

TC: Why do people say that they need to pee like a racehorse?

MT: [laughs] I don't know. Maybe cause racehorses are always in a big rush and so are people when they have to pee really bad.

TC: How do you discipline a horse when he/she steps out of line?

MT: It depends.

TC: I hear you were on a calendar not so long ago…

MT: [laughs] Yeah... Miss June 2005.

TC: Did your horse strut around like he owned the place when he saw the photo?

MT: Iceman didn't like it. He thought it made him look fat.

TC: Is riding something you'll continue to do wherever you are?

MT: Definitely.

TC: What's your favorite movie involving horses?

MT: Honestly, I am not a big horse-movie kinda gal.

TC: Did you cry during Seabiscuit?

MT: Yeah, but so did you so you can't get me on that one.