A ‘Q’ and ‘A’ with BGHS equestrian coach Samantha Lutz

Last week, Battle Ground High School’s newest equestrian gaming coach helped readers get to know her by climbing down from her horse for a chat with The Reflector about, among many things, coaching, riding and why horses are better than dirt bikes. 

Battle Ground’s newest equestrian gaming coach knows the Clark County area almost as much as she knows horses. Samantha Lutz lived in Ridgefield until age seven before moving to Battle Ground where she graduated from Battle Ground High School in 2008. Much of that growing up was done on horseback as her parents had her on a horse before she could walk or even pronounce “horse.”

She started racing horses when she was eight and hasn’t stopped since — practicing and competing at the Clark County Saddle Club and in events across the Pacific Northwest. Now, as a first-year coach at Battle Ground High School, Lutz hopes to help spread the joy of riding and the disciplines she learned as a young rider to others. The team will start competition this spring.

The Reflector: What’s the best ride you’ve ever had? 

Lutz: When I won my first saddle last fall. 

TR: What’s the worst ride you’ve ever had? 

Lutz: I was going in to win the saddle at the Clark County Fairgrounds for the the Clark County Saddle Club and all I had to do was go in and complete one of my runs. My horse bridle got hooked on a fence and he panicked and ripped the fence off and it was hanging from his mouth and he threw me off; when he threw me off I broke both of my arms at the same time. 

TR: That does sound rough. How many times do you think you’ve been tossed off a horse in your life? 

Lutz: You can’t put that in there (laughs). How about I tell you how many things I’ve broken? I’ve broken both my arms, right femur, had knee surgery and I’ve dislocated my right shoulder — all from riding.

TR: Why did you get into coaching? 

Lutz: The equestrian team is a good opportunity for anyone in high school to explore all the different styles of riding you can do, in one environment. Participating with the team was a lot of fun when I did it. There weren’t a lot of coaches stepping up to the plate — no coach means no team. One of the girls that is on the team I had taken under my wing like my little sister, I wanted her and the whole team to get the same experience that I got. 

TR: Horses seem like high maintenance. Why shouldn’t I just get a dirt bike to ride? 

Lutz: I think a better question would be: What would be better for my child to have? What I tell parents who complain about the time and money that horses consume is that horses keep your kids out of troubles. I wasn’t one to party or be crazy. I was always on top of my grades because I had to be. My parents didn’t allow me to go out and do the things most teenagers do because I had chores to do, a horse to ride and stalls to clean — things like that. They were my spare time. It taught me a lot of responsibility. On the weekends I didn’t have days off. I got up every morning to feed the horse. It just teaches you a lot about life. 

TR: Apples seem to be the stereotypical horse snack. Is this true?

Lutz: Horses do love apples, but we give out a lot of horse treats because you can’t just carry around apples all day — they’ll go bad.”  

TR: What’s the best horse movie?

Lutz: Such a random question (laughs). Seabiscuit or Secretariat. 

TR: What’s the worst horse movie?  

Lutz: Just because I ride horses doesn’t mean I’m completely obsessed with horses (laughs). A lot of them are so fake. They’re unrealistic. I don’t know.