Not just horsing around

     Even more important than the awards and accolades are the life lessons that Hering has learned along the way.
     “I think that horse shows are a great thing to get kids involved in,” said Hering. “They have taught me so much about what it takes to be successful.”
     “I have learned how to prepare, be disciplined, pay attention to details, and really dedicate myself. Plus it is a good way to teach kids how to be good sports.”
     Cindy Hering, Sarah's mother, agrees. “It was one of the best decisions we ever made getting her involved in showing horses.”
     “It may not be the cheapest hobby in the world but I think that the experience has been well worth it. Not only that but we have both really made quite a few lifelong friends by being involved in the horse community,” Cindy Hering said.
     “Even though I don't really get many opportunities to show anymore because of school I still love to go out to visit all my friends and cheer them on,” said Sarah Hering, who is currently a senior at Hood College seeking a degree in early childhood education.
     “Most people have a trainer who works with multiple clients and so we have kind of become a community. I have friends I met from my first trainer here in Maryland and even more from my second trainer, Pierre Briere. I keep up with all of them,” she said.
     While showing quarter horses may seem to be an obscure hobby to some, for those involved there is nothing better.
     “If I could choose any other way to grow up I wouldn't and I hope that someday my kids will get involved in showing too,” said Sarah Hering.