After grade 12, many kids face the hard decision of ‘what next?’ For most equestrians this decision is even harder, similar to many athletes who come to a point where they have to choose between their sport and school. For many the decision must be made before the first year of university. There is always the possibility of being able to do both, but for many reasons it can prove to be a challenge.
For me, as the daughter of two coaches, Mac and Christi McQuaker ‒ one of whom decided not to attend university and the other who changed their career path before they finished ‒ it has been a difficult decision for many reasons and one that I went back and forth on many, many times.
I felt added pressure from both ends; my parents and family want to see me attend university and graduate with a degree and although they support a gap year, it is expected that I go back after that gap year is done. As coaches who have been in the industry for many years, they know the struggle of being a professional in this sport. And unfortunately that is getting harder and harder. Therefore they see an education as a fall-back option, which it is. But as a coaches’ daughter who has grown up in love with the sport and the horses and the lifestyle, I want nothing more than to ride. Therefore I had to make a hard decision.