Our Mission

The mission of IEA is to introduce students in private and public middle and secondary schools to equestrian sports,  to develop understanding and appreciation of equestrian sports through organized student competitions, to provide students with organized competitive events and to provide additional equine educational opportunities. Through the IEA, students may also have the opportunity to earn scholarships towards their college education. 

How It Works

The IEA was founded on the principle that any middle school or high school student should be able to participate in horse shows, regardless of their financial status or riding level.

The IEA attempts to eliminate the expenses of students owning horses and allows more students to compete. Students ride horses that are furnished by the host barn and chosen by drawing lots.

The use of personal tack is not allowed and limited schooling is  permitted. The theory behind this structure is to equalize variables of the competition and test the horsemanship of the contestants.

Classes range from walk/trot/canter for first year students to the Open Division for the more experienced riders. 

For instructions on starting a team, click here.

The Competition Process

Zone 4 hosts 99 high school and middle school teams throughout the southeast.  In order to make the competitions manageable, we are divided into georgraphic regions.  We currently have six regions.

• At the beginning of the school year, each team starts with a goal of accumulating enough team points to make their regional playoff.  Winning teams at Regions then move on to the Zone Finals.  This year (2010), Zone 4 sent it's top four hunt seat high school and middle school teams to the National Finals.  Zone 4 also sent it's top four western teams to Nationals.

• Teams consist of riders in four different high school levels and three different middle levels.  These range from Beginner (walk, trot, canter) to the Open division for the most advanced.

• Teams take turns hosting horse shows throughout the season.  The show season starts September 1 and ends in April at the National Finals. Horse shows are one day shows that generally do not involve travel.

• Each horse show also offers individual classes so that students may compete as a team member and individually.  A rider may make it all the way to the National Finals as an individual even if their team does not.

Many school teams offer their students an opportunity to earn letter jackets and achieve other types of school recognition.  In addition, last year's IEA riders were offered over $125,000 in college scholarships