Have you ever wondered about equestrians, their lifestyles, and the trajectories of their careers? Us too. We fulfilled our curiosities by reaching out to top equestrian Dalma Malhas to answer all our burning questions.
Dalma Malhas is a showjumper, athlete, and the first-ever Saudi Arabian female athlete from any sport to compete in the Youth Olympic Games. She lives by the principle of following her inner guiding voice and believes that consistency and dedication are the keys to success.
“Even before I could walk, I was on a horse. I was all in from day one. I just knew.” she says of her upbringing, which was on a ranch in KSA. Dalma’s dedication comes from her mother, Arwa Mutabagani, whom she says has “taught her everything (she) knows about riding”. She taught her that “horses are a commitment and they’re an expenditure. Not a toy that you throw away once you’re done with them.” Arwa herself was a notable equestrian and won many accolades and competitive performances. Today, both Dalma and her mother are on the board of the Saudi Equestrian Foundation.
Dalma hasn’t looked back since the day she first said she wanted to take up horse riding. “Ever since I pledged to devote my life to horse riding, I kept growing. At 18, I was at the Youth Olympic Games and after that I went to the World Championships. Representing my country has been my highlight though, in my story.”
We asked Dalma what equestrianism personally means to her. “The sport is my life,” she responded. “This sport is my teacher. You know, I find that sport connects you to people. It connects you with yourself, you learn how to improve and grow as a person.” Any athlete has to face obstacles every day. However, this is part of the process. The real beauty of it is that show jumping literally becomes jumping obstacles.
ICYMI, Dalma Malhas, at 18-years-old, represented Saudi Arabia in the Youth Olympic Games in 2010. She reminisced, “It was a very big honour. It is some moments in your life when you’re filled with pride and power. I was full of pride and I am really looking forward to the next Olympics.” Yes Dalma, that makes two of us.
Lastly, when I asked her what her one piece of advice for aspiring riders – especially female riders – she gave me an answer everyone needs to hear: “You need to face obstacles. It is part of the process. I have faced so many obstacles and frankly, I think that is the beauty of the sport. Learn how to focus and keep your eyes on the prize. Perseverance is key. Yes, we know equestrianism is the only sport where both, males and females compete together. Embrace your strengths and embrace your differences.”
Ultimately, Dalma Malhas is a breath of fresh air. She vouches for the fact that the sky’s the limit. If we can take one lesson from Dalma, it is that knowing (and capitalising) on your strengths is the most important factor in helping you succeed, because the moment you see yourself comparing yourself to others is the moment you stagnate completely. “When you compare, is when you set yourself up for disappointment”, and we’ve never heard truer words.