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told her about a college in Westerville that had a beautiful barn. “I toured Otterbein University and loved it,” Tepe says. “The barn sealed the deal. It’s a stunning facility with amazing horses. You pull up to the gate and it lifts in front of you, revealing this long driveway – it’s breathtaking.” Otterbein was a perfect choice for Tepe because, although riding is her passion, she wanted to major in communications and sociology. Many colleges require that a student who wants to ride horses and compete must major in some sort of equine studies, but Otterbein embraces students with a variety of interests.
By Malory Arnold Photo courtesy of Emily Tepe
Horsing Around Otterbein graduate’s journey with horses
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mily Tepe has spent more of her life in a saddle than on the ground – or at least, that’s how it seems. Originally from Chicago, Tepe has been riding since she was 7 years old. Throughout her childhood, everything was horses. Horse toys, horse movies, horse posters – she had it all. Her aunt owned horses and ponies, so Tepe would spend hours with the animals. It’s no surprise that love became a lifelong passion. Tepe began taking lessons at a small barn, purely for fun.
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“It was very relaxed, nothing super fancy,” she says. “It was a no pressured way to enter the world of horses.” Throughout high school, Tepe worked on a ranch during the summers teaching lessons, working cows and leading trail rides. But like many horse enthusiasts, the hobby evolved into a sport, and competitions and horse shows followed. When it came to choosing a college, Tepe knew she had to go somewhere she could continue to ride and compete. She happened to be in Ohio when her sister
Excellence in Equine There are many different styles of riding, and Tepe has conquered most of them. From Western to English riding, dressage, barrel racing and pole bending, she loves it all. At Otterbein, she was part of the dressage, hunt and events team. Jumping is her passion, leaping three-foot-high barricades and expertly navigating courses. And with that comes the occasional tumble. “I’ve fallen so many times – at least 15 or so,” Tepe says. “It’s so true, the saying, you have to get right back on the horse. It’s a psychological barrier in any sport. If you fail and allow that fear to sit with you, it can be difficult.” Tepe recalls the first time she fell off her horse. It was a simple mistake of leaning too far forward in her saddle and while she wasn’t injured, she began to cry. Her instructor picked her up, wiped her tears away and told her to get back into the saddle. Today, Tepe competes with Little Leo, a horse she leases at Otterbein. “Leo is a very accomplished event horse and he’s the coolest, most talented, most challenging horse I’ve ever worked with,” she says. “He has a huge character and big personality. It’s been really fun working with him and learning how to ride him well and help him be the best horse he can be.”
Young Tepe riding one of her Aunt's ponies www.westervillemagazine.com
