Yes, I'm Horse Crazy

Every group has at least one person that is completely horse obsessed, and has been longer than anyone can possibly remember. I happen to be that person.

My first time on a horse. Note the horse sweater and fabulous purple pants

I think I may have been born already fully knowing what horses were, because I don't remember a time that I didn't desperately want to horseback ride. What can I say, it must be in my DNA. But as a young horse obsessed girl, did I get to take weekly riding lessons like many of my other horse loving friends? Not exactly.

We had a friend who gave us some lessons when I was about eight. She gave us a super cheap deal, and in exchange I got to be led around on her horse, and eventually started to learn how to go up and down hills, steer, start and stop. That was about as much as I learned there, as we didn't take lessons from her for very long. After that was a long spell of being unable to take lessons.

I did, however, find a few ways to get myself on horses through the inbetween times. On our trip to Yellowstone we took a two hour ride to a cookout and it was absolute bliss even though we were riding on a cliff much of the time.

Me, on L Three, getting ready to head home

My memories a bit fuzzy here, but eventually I started riding at an actual barn. I have no idea what the name was, but it was run by Monica, who rescued horses. All her lesson horses were rescues, and I rode Hope.

I forgot Aang was sooo tiny!!

Looking back, it was an extremely unsafe situation, as five inexperienced riders were put in a small arena while Monica mostly sat looking at her phone. Her rescues weren't given as much TLC as they needed, and were often rather dangerous. Seven, an ex racehorse, was particularly unsafe as he apparently had a tendency to bite people. No one was ever hurt, but at the place I currently ride, that wouldn't be tolerated. Even from a rescue horse. Unfortunately I can't seem to find any pictures from Monica's.

Financial trouble stopped me from riding there, though for a while I still went weekly to clean out all their stalls. Eventually I found my way to yet another barn that I do not know the name of.

This place had a wonderful instructor, and lessons that made me leave feeling satisfied. As much as I wanted to though, I was not allowed to clean stalls or do much more than catch my horse, groom and tack up (with help bridling), ride, untack and put away my horse.

It was around this time that my dad was laid off, and thus my riding lessons had to come to a halt. Five years passed before I stepped into a saddle again.

But you know what? I wouldn't trade those five horseless years for the world. Not having the very thing I loved in my life has made me appreciate every moment even more than if I'd grown up with it. Now I volunteer for lessons at All Starr Stables, and I feel like the luckiest person in the world. I've learned more about riding and caring for horses there than any other place I went. It was truly meant to be.

This is me and my dear Lacey girl. I don't think I've ever loved a horse as much as I love her. At the other stables I never made connections with the horses like I have at All Starr, and even though Lacey was sold some time ago, I'll never forget her. She was something special.

This is Ellie and I. A few months after Lacey left, I got to ride this beauty, and it was like riding Lacey so much. Moving into her trot, which is as big, if not a little bigger, than my dear Lacey's trot, was like flying. She can be a bit moody, but she's an incredible ride and I've cherished the few times I've gotten to ride her.

This is one of the few photos that I'm actually really happy with how it turned out. Joey is a super cute rescue Rachelle got a bit ago. He came in really skinny, and I was one of the first to ride him. Since he arrived he's gained weight and is the cutest thing. If he could just stay white for more than one day that'd be nice. It took three baths to get him white for a show my friend rode him in. Three.

This is Portia, a gorgeous Warmblood standing at a nice 16.2hh. I've ridden her a few times and she's a dream. She's usually pretty bomb proof, but once a branch snapped and I totally fell off. Bruised a rib, but falling off such a tall horse feels kind of satisfying, if you know what I mean. I just rolled with it (literally) and got straight back on.

Party Kitty is the resident mouse catcher, and has six fingers on her front paws. Ain't she adorable?

That about wraps up my life with horses. Now, every Thursday, I take care of the barn in exchange for lessons. Rachelle and Katelyn, the resident instructors, are amazing. The horses, as always, are wonderful. Nothing beats the feeling of walking into the barn, and knowing the horses recognize me as I enter. I try and greet each one as I do all my work, and I love when they sniff my face and pockets. Horses truly make me happy.