Jess Baumbach, 14, arrived at Unity Stables in Binghamton at around 4 p.m. She won’t get into her training session for another two hours. That’s about how long it takes to get a horse ready.

“We want to make sure that there is nothing that’s irritating them," Baumbach said.

Four days a week, this is the routine. The Owego native has been riding since she was 6 years old.

“My sister started in a program called ‘Healthy as a Horse,’ and I got to come up to the barn to see her do that. I really liked the horses so I asked to start doing lessons and I never stopped doing it I guess," Baumbach said.

She has stuck to it because of the bond that she establishes with horses like Liam.

“Being able to communicate with an animal is pretty cool," Baumbach said.

She loves riding so much that she gave up playing field hockey games for IEA shows. “IEA” stands for Interscholastic Equestrian Association. It’s a nonprofit that gives kids the opportunity to compete in team and individual equestrian competition without the financial burden of owning a horse. Jess is getting ready for a show in Perry, Georgia this weekend. She won’t find out which horse she’s riding until she arrives. That’s a challenge.

“Depending on what type of rider you are, you can get paired with a horse that clashes with you as a rider. That’s why it’s important because you have to learn how to ride all types of horses," Baumbach said.

Once Liam is ready, Jess hops on. As she leads “Lee-Lee” up to the training area, she chats about her past accomplishments.

“I’ve gotten first and champion," Baumbach said.

And she hopes this weekend, she’ll add another ribbon to the case.

Jess says she hopes to join an equestrian team in college or even better yet, make a national team way down the road.