When I first rode my 7 year old gelding at a lope out on the trail I realized how far I had come from being a young girl riding around our pasture on a stubborn little pony.
When I first rode my 7 year old gelding at a lope out on the trail I realized how far I had come from being a young girl riding around our pasture on a stubborn little pony.
For me, being a rider was never just about the riding part. It was about being with horses and learning things that were incredible. I really knew I had become a horsewoman when I was 13 and three months after I bought my first horse he tore a serious ligament in his back leg. I was in way over my head and naturally I was freaking out. But those 6+ months taught me what patience and commitment was. I know appreciate every horse I am told to ride and every challenge that is thrown my way. Without that push, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today and I probably would be stuck not knowing the difference between a polo and a wrap. To me, that is what being a real equestrian is about. It is not only how you sit on a horse, it is about how you care for the animal, and it is how you learn from that animal. I learned a lot from my first horse and am now confident that I can wear the Equestrian badge proudly.
I thought I was a real rider when I was taking lessons and competing in hunter/jumper, saddle seat, and western disciplines on other people's well-trained horses. I thought I was a real rider until I literally was handed the reins to my very own horse after my husband purchased him at auction for me. As I stared up into his big beautiful brown eyes and took in all 16-hands, 1,200 pounds of him, I realized that I was now responsible for every aspect of his happiness, health, and well-being. He had less than 30 days under saddle and everything I knew about horses was about to be challenged and tested. I became a real rider when I admitted that I didn't know it all, cowgirl'd up, and got dirty with my own horse. The moment came for me nearly a year later in a pure moment of joy when we cantered around the arena, knowing that all the blood, sweat, and tears, both mine and his, had lead up to this one moment of perfection when all my fear and frustrations floated away and my horse and I were truly one. There were no words, just tears streaming down my face and the sounds of his breathing and hooves dancing across the earth.
It wasn't when I had my third fall. Or my tenth. Or my twentieth. I realized I was a real rider when someone scared my horse in the pasture. Instead of running to the back fields, he ran to me and buried his muzzle in my jacket, because I realized that he trusted me to help him and protect him from the Scary Thing.
The first time my horse cantered up to me when I came to him in the pasture, I felt like a real horse person. In a few months, he had come from bucking me off on our first ride to really being happy to see me. Developing a bond with my horse made me feel that I truly belonged in the horse world.
Raising my somewhat 1/2 Arab 1/2 Morgan filly from birth. Looking back now to when I had to bottle feed her every 3 hours to now, with us going running up and down a field like we're flying, no city person could ever "get" that feeling like we horse people get every day. Waking up that one morning to see her in the field, training her by myself to ride and pull,showing her this fall, and of course the 101(and still counting) falls she's put me through, has made me a real rider.
The thing that made me feel like a true rider is when me and my four year old thoroughbred accomplished our first 3ft oxer. That may be "easy" for some riders, but training my own horse and learning how to jump without the help of an instructor makes me know that I can truly do all things through Him who strengthens me. He is an excellent horse, and I am proud of him.
It's kinda crazy... But the first time I felt like a real horse person was when I had my first semi-major horse injury. I was riding in the woods with a friend and my 16 hand horse was cantering. I didn't duck low enough to miss an overhanging tree limb and hit my forhead. Luckily enough, I came away with a large scrape, bruising, and some swelling, but no concussion!!!
I have loved horses veer since I was 4, but I was still a little scared about being in a higher speed than a jog. I got used to it, but I was still scared of falling off, but I thought I never would even come CLOSE. But I came close to a fateful fall when I first tried to gallop.....I wasn't ready. But a few years ago, I realized that I wanted to completely connect with horses, not be scared about possibly falling off. Now, I have my very own horse, that I am training myself. But I have soared to new heights with horses, I have walked, jogged, loped, galloped, and even experienced a few definite bucks from other people's horses! Me and my horse work as a team, so hopefully, we never will have to deal with any fate full falls, but even if we did, horses are well worth the risk!