Hey guys (or gals)! Today’s question is:
“Describe the important horses you’ve had in your life”
I guess I should start off with the horse that I had my first lesson on, so that would be Gypsy. She taught me how to post a trot, canter, and go over my first cross-rails. Although she turned lazier over the years (I guess the barrel-pony thing grew old), she taught me a lot. She was the pony that I had my first fall off of, and she was the one who tested out my confidence. She would never canter a full lap in the outdoor arena, except for one time in the spring when she was feeling really fresh. Not even my parents know this, but there was one point when I was about eight or nine, when I was almost scared of jumping in the winter. Gypsy would do these really weird bunny hops, and it always unbalanced me, and made me look like a sack of potatoes. Or sometimes, she would stop dead before the jump, causing me to slide over her neck. This happened every single lesson, but I never wanted to admit that I was scared, and over time, I was able to get back into loving jumping again. Gypsy taught me many things, but the most important thing that she taught me was courage and perseverance. Without her, I might not even have been around horses as much.
(When she did even a half lap of canter, I always felt so happy)
(Wow, me EQ was pretty bad, but I’m smiling so happily)
(I love her colour)
(She was so tiny, but I guess I used to be small as well 🙂 )
(We look like ants)
(Her canter is so pretty!)
Now, another important horse in my life was Magic. After I moved barns, it took me a long time to find the ideal pony to ride. I tried different ponies: Toby (a medium paced pony), Archie (a slowish pony that resembled a cow), Spook (an older, slower, horse), Firefox (a grumpy horse), and then I met Jacob. He gave me a lot of confidence, but he wasn’t “the one”. I really liked him, but one day, the owner of the barn changed me to the other horses. After a while, I found Magic, and she really helped with everything. She was such a forward pony, and so obedient. She was a great jumper, and I jumped oxers and walls with her. She gave me my confidence back after the other horses had lowered it by being stubborn and taking off when I wasn’t ready. Magic helped me focus on my EQ, and she taught me about using a wall, half-halting, and really being in control. My riding really improved from riding Magic, and my two-point was coming along really nicely. Soon, I changed to a “more advanced” group lesson because I was learning so quickly from Magic. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and so I had to bid good-bye to Magic sooner than I had liked. I had grown too tall for her, and I needed to switch to a horse.
(This was our very first ride, and I loved her from the get-go!)
(Her little jump is so cute, and she really improved my two-point)
(We were unintentionally matching in purple!)
(Still can’t get over how much she improved me!)
(She’s honestly such a fast pony)
(I’ll always be grateful for her, in fact, I think I’m going to go cuddle her tomorrow!)
The last horse that has really changed me is Diva. On our first ride, I had just switched over from eager little Magic, to the sassy, slow, Diva. I couldn’t get her to canter, or trot, and it was hard to steer her towards the jumps. I remember feeling so hopeless and tired on her, but I also remember feeling quite determined. Diva has taught me how to use a crop (like smacking her with it), be in charge of a stubborn animal, and how to really use my legs. She has proved to be a real challenge, but she has toughened me up, and made me a better, more in-charge rider. Without her, I wouldn’t know how to really ride, and I wouldn’t know the true feeling of success. Although she frustrates me so much, the good times are worth so much more than the frustrating times.
Overall, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities that life has given me, and all the horses and ponies that have taken me on this journey. I hope that there will be more wonderful horses like these in the future, who don’t walk on command, and challenge me both mentally and physically.
P.S. I wrote this on Mar 24, so I didn’t skip a day!
Seat in the Saddle 