Building Confidence, Community, and Calling at the Barn

Published: November 24, 2025

Author: Liz Dowell

On a quiet patch of land less than three miles from Greenville University's main campus, students are finding their footing in unexpected ways. The equestrian program, now in its third year, has evolved into more than just an opportunity to ride horses. Under the guidance of Elizabeth Bays, the operation is being transformed into a living classroom where confidence, leadership, and service are taking root.

“We want students to know that they are not just here to have fun with the horses,” Bays explained. “We’re actually using these horses to benefit the community and to help students build confidence and leadership skills along the way.”

That blend of learning and service reflects the spirit of GU’s Experience First program, where immersive, hands-on education prepares students to meet the world with courage and compassion.

Raising Awareness, Building Community

This fall, more than 30 new students visited the GU barn during New Student Orientation, many of whom discovered for the first time the opportunities just minutes from campus.

Some joined the equestrian club, while others explored the newly approved equine studies major—an academic track designed for those interested in careers across the $177 billion U.S. horse industry, which supports more than 2.2 million jobs nationwide.

The major prepares students for work in facility and equine management, training, teaching, equestrian activities supervision, and therapeutic horsemanship. Adding to the momentum, the program now has a home base at Iron Gate, a nearby house where student barn managers and equestrian club members live within walking distance of the horses. More than just housing, Iron Gate has become a hub of community life, where students share meals, study together, and build friendships while taking on the daily responsibility of horse care.

Together, these initiatives are weaving equine training into the broader fabric of GU’s experiential learning.

Lessons in Leadership

From the outside, barn work might look like grooming, feeding, or leading a horse from one pen to another. But for students, those daily routines are shaping something deeper.

“Just being around horses makes your confidence go up a couple of pegs,” Bays said. “Students start terrified, and then suddenly they’re leading an animal 10 times their size with steadiness and courage. That changes how they see themselves.”

Barn life also requires teamwork, emotional regulation, and clear communication—skills that are essential in any workplace. “The horses force you to engage in the moment,” Bays explained. “Students learn responsibility, empathy, and how to project themselves positively so the horse responds positively back.”

Bays envisions the program continuing to grow, offering challenges for students who arrive with horse experience as well as those starting fresh. Whether novice or seasoned, students leave the barn with character, leadership, and management skills that prepare them for success in the equine industry—and beyond.

A Moment of Transformation

One story stands out for Bays. During a therapeutic riding program for children in foster care, GU students worked alongside faculty to teach children how to brush, sit on the horse, and eventually ride independently. One quiet *-year-old girl, hesitant at first, gradually built her skills. By the fifth session, she rode a pony on her own for the first time.

"As soon as she finished, she ran to her caregivers, yelling, 'I did it! I did it! Bays recalled. "It helped her realize the value of what she was capable of. And that was possible because our students took what they learned in class and immediately applied it to someone’s life.”

For Bays, moments like that capture the heart of GU’s mission: classroom knowledge turned outward, fueling service, transformation, and joy.

Looking Ahead

With the equine studies major now approved, the program is poised for growth. Bays envisions partnerships with other GU disciplines and with outside organizations, expanding opportunities for experiential learning in leadership, therapy, and community development. But even in its early stages, the program is already shaping students in profound ways.

“The main reason to support programs like this is the development of students,” Bays said. “They’re not just numbers here. They’re being prepared to live lives of Christlike character and service and to go out and change the world.”

At Greenville University, the lesson begins with a halter, a brush, and the courage to take the reins.