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Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2009

Oakdale High grad to keep riding after polo career at SLO

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She can't recall the exact details, but Kate Dalrymple remembers being about 5 years old the first time she got on a horse and went out for a ride.

The small pony was familiar with the path, it had taken the route dozens of times, so it was a pleasant ride through the forest for the youngster.

"I was hooked," she said.

Dalrymple's family moved from Washington to Oakdale shortly after, and "within six months of moving, I started taking western riding lessons and got my first horse as a Christmas present," she said.

Of course, as horsefolk will point out, you're not a real rider until you've fallen off.

Dalrymple remembers that incident with crystal clarity:

"The first time I fell off was shortly after I got my first horse, Rosie. I was riding in my pasture. She was older, so she tripped on a little incline and I came off ... landed right in a pile of cow manure!

"I grew up on a dairy farm, so the heifers would frequently be turned out into the pasture I would ride in. At least the manure made for a soft landing, and I was just fine."

Stray cow pies aren't a concern for Dalrymple anymore, at least not when she's on her horse riding for the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo polo team.

The Oakdale High graduate recently helped lead the Mustangs to the Western Regional title and the college national tournament in Virginia.

"I competed for Cal Poly rodeo my freshman and sophomore year, and took my junior year off due to expenses," said Dalrymple, who rode rodeo and polo in high school. "(Last) summer, I joined the Cal Poly Polo Club. I wanted an equestrian sport to be involved in my last year, and I had enjoyed polo in the past."

Though Dalrymple has taken her final ride for Cal Poly and she is set to graduate in June with an agribusiness degree, she still expects to spend plenty of weekends on horseback.

Whether riding a polo pony or trekking up a hillside trail, riding will be part of Dalrymple's workout routine, a pleasant alternative to hitting the gym for cardiovascular work.

"(It) requires strong and simultaneous use of the legs and seat," she said. "Add polo into the mix, and you are requiring the strength of your arms to control the horse at a high speed, and hitting the ball with the other arm.

"The stomach and abs are worked quite a bit with all of the leaning left, right, and reaching down to get the ball. I have come to realize ... some horses are bouncy or harder to ride, requiring more physical exertion on my behalf."

Dalrymple's idea of a physical fitness program might not be available to all, not everyone has a horse in the corral, but she said it can be as beneficial as a standard program.

Her arms and shoulders get a workout while directing the horse by the reins, while her thighs apply pressure to the horse to help dictate the tempo and maintain her balance.

The horse, Dalrymple said, benefits as much as the rider:

"Riding is extremely good exercise for the horses. I try to ride my horse four to five times a week, one to two hours a day. I might work him in the arena one day, condition him on the track the next, play polo the next, go trail riding around the ranch, and take him to the beach. Horses are like people; they get bored and less motivated to do something if it's the same activity all the time."

A desire to do something different explains why Dalrymple expects to keep playing.

"I would love to play polo after college. I intend to practice and help the Cal Poly Polo Club this next year if I stick around (San Luis Obispo)," she said. "If I move, there are polo clubs across the country that I could be involved in down the road.

"The best thing about polo is the horses and the people. Everyone I have met has been overwhelmingly accepting and friendly. The horses are amazing, and fun to ride. I started playing polo for fun, and now that I have gotten more serious about the game, the horses I ride remind me that at the end of the day that I am in this sport for fun."