Hind Al Ali has always loved animals. Over the past decade, she had turned her love for a particular graceful animal into a lifestyle.
“The first time I rode a horse, I was scared, but since I love animals, I got over it and trusted it,” says the 27-year-old Emirati from Abu Dhabi.
The accountant goes horse riding three times a week, and, depending on the weather, she spends most of her days in the stables.
“Being around animals is amazing. They calm you down, they give back love and help you develop an inner peace and strength,” she says.
She has three dogs, a parrot and a horse name Sol that she taught to bow in just a couple of months.
This year, the young Emirati was chosen to ride for Al Wathba, which has a women’s and a men’s horse riding team. She credits Obaid Ghedayer Al Dhaheri, the owner of Baniyas Equestrian Centre, and her coach for seeing something “special” in her skills.
“I went into horse riding not just to take care of horses and ride, but to train myself and become fit. It is a sport of endurance and elegance and I love every minute of it,” she says.
As the first woman in the family to ride, she has become a hero among her loved ones. She is encouraging her young brother, Rayan, 17, to ride as a way of showing him a positive way to spend his time.
“Teenagers don’t have much to do and end up staying up at night, wasting time. A sport like horse riding is an amazing outlet for their energy: it builds muscles and confidence,” says Al Ali, who has two brothers and one sister.
Horse riding isn’t Al Ali’s only accomplishment. In 1999, at the age of 13, she was the youngest bowler in the UAE national team to compete in world championships. “That sporty gene has always been there in me,” she says.
rghazal@thenational.ae
