My response was to DBB's comment "privileged" - which I interpreted her comment meaning that only privileged people own horses for equestrian events.

My response to her was to explain that not everyone who owns a horse does so for the purpose of competition. I was giving her a different view.

Sorry! I understood that but failed to include DBB's quote in my response. But even young people who compete are more often than not not "privileged". That is an unfortunate stereotype.

I am around horses and riders a lot as I still have a horse, an off the track Thoroughbred mare. The riders who more closely fit the stereotype are middle aged women who own $100,000 horses to show that they are far from being able to handle themselves. The trainer will typically ride and warm up the horse before a competitive class and will turn the horse over for the adult amateur to ride only for that class. Most of them never rode as a young person. The typical young rider just loves horses and riding and will put every dime and every spare moment they have into it.

University of Minnesota - Morris allows students to bring horses to school with them. I had one friend who did that. She worked in high school and spent around $3000 to buy her horse. She paid all of the costs out of her money. She didn't have a car. She was just horse crazy. Her family was solidly middle/middle class, but not wealthy.

Sweet Briar has an excellent and highly regarded equestrian program with wonderful facilities. I imagine the quality of equestrian programs at other schools will be a major determining factor for many of the young women when looking at where to go from Sweet Briar, especially those on the equestrian team and/or those seeking certification in training or barn management. Hollins will likely be a choice for many of them as some of the trainers also work there.

We in Virginia are still stunned by this completely unexpected closing!

What happens to their $95 million endowment? So, so sad for all my SBC friends!!!

Just learned about this on FB....I should have known that the GreekChat grapevine was faster. (Maybe it's a kudzu vine rather than a grapevine.) My source gave this article: http://m.richmond.com/news/virginia/....html?mode=jqm

That was the same thought I had. I need to delve further.

My experience is mainly with girls (and women) who do Western riding, but I concur—I can think of very few I would describe as privileged.

As for Sweet Briar, I'd be interested to know what other options they considered.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_...osing_its.html

" According to the Sweet Briar statement, "In March 2014, the College began a strategic planning initiative to examine opportunities for Sweet Briar to attract and retain a larger number of qualified students and determine if any fundraising possibilities might exist to support these opportunities. Unfortunately, the planning initiative did not yield any viable paths forward because of financial constraints."

Report back when you find out.

One thing I heard/read was that one of the detractors from being able to recruit students was the remoteness of the school. They were having a hard time getting internships for the students nearby. And many people wanted more of a town around the school. I don't know much anything about the area around SBC but it sounds like there was nothing there?

But I kept thinking, that school isn't alone, right? Aren't there are 100's of remote colleges and Univs in this country? What's the difference here?

I found this...sounds like speculation at this point, but it will go to a little debt and then to a different charitable cause or back to the donors. And it was $85 not $95 million...my bad.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/...m-endowment-go

I find this all very fascinating.

Sweet Briar is not THAT remote! Lynchburg is very nearby. But with the more recent emphasis of the college in the sciences and engineering, there may not be many intern opportunities in Lynchburg.

A group of alumnae has started a group to raise money to save the college.

There are many colleges in rural areas but usually they are in walking distance to a small town. Sweet Briar is not in walking distance to Lynchburg nor is Hampden-Sydney to Farmville. Randolph College (formerly SBC's main cross-applicant competitor R-MWC) is IN Lynchburg and Mary Baldwin is in Staunton.

I am sorry to learn of Sweet Briar's closing, but I cannot imagine a student choosing to attend Sweet Briar instead of going on a near full-ride scholarship to any of the other schools referenced!

Many of the Virginia women's colleges had GLO's in the past. My husband's late grandmother was a Theta at Randolph-Macon.