For Waikato University student Emma Turnbull, coaching the Tamahere Pony club, competing in dressage competitions and completing her degree are all now part of her life.
After saddling a horse for the first time as a child, she received her first horse at 12 and has never looked back.
Eight years on the law and accounting student recently won the Fair Play award at the dressage conference in Blenheim, nominated by Dressage Waikato after giving up her stable for another horse.
Now, after scooping the award, Turnbull is planning for the up-coming season as the Tamahere head coach.
"The biggest thing for me as a coach, is for them to just have to have fun and just learning to be safe with the ponies and be safe as riders," Turnbull said.