"Hella" Crazy about Horses

By Samantha Hernandez

FORT COLLINS, Colo. --
Sitting cross-legged on the floor of our Corbett dorm room with CSI Miami in the background, Amanda Dingley giggles as I conduct our “professional” interview.

Dingley was born in Phoenix where she lived for four years before she moved to San Jose, California. Being a northern “Cali” girl at heart, “hella”, a slang word meaning really or very, is embedded in her vocabulary.

She discovered her love for horses at the young age of two. Years later Dingley took the long drive out to Fort Collins, Colorado with her “cartoon-faced” horse Remi for CSU’s Equine Science Program. Dingley aspires to become an equine vet, specializing in nutrition which shows through the clubs she has joined early in her freshman year here at Colorado State University. She plans on being very active in the Pre-Vet Club, Rodeo Club, and the English Riding Club. When I asked Dingley about Remi, her Belgian Warmblood, she responded with a big smile, “I seriously have the best horse in the whole world.” She went on to tell me about his demeanor and his unique facial expressions.

Dingley’s fun cowgirl personality shined when I decided to end the interview with her excitedly saying, “I found a place to go mechanical bull riding!”