Growing Up With Horses

I’m not usually big into surveys, but this is a fun horsey one that’s been making its way around the horse blogs lately. I’ve had so much fun reading On The Bit, Glenshee Equestrian, Grey Horse Matters, and others’ answers that I realized you might enjoy reading mine too. If you have any fun stories of your own for any of these questions, please do share in the comments!

(Hey mom, feel free to correct any of the early riding answers, as you probably remember better than I do!)

1. How old were you when you first started riding?
T-minus 6 months. My mom rode in a horse show when she was three months pregnant with me. I always joke that she had me on a horse before I could walk, and we have the pictures to prove it. We rode at a barn called the Riding Centre in the town where my mom grew up when went to visit mom’s best friend several times a year. My mom’s best friend and childhood riding buddy Carolyn grew up to take over management of the Riding Center. I started riding regularly at home when I was 8 or 9.

2. First horse ridden:
The first one I remember riding was a pony named Thunder. I think my mom has pictures of me on Carolyn’s horse before that, but I don’t remember her name.

3. First horse trotted on:
Probably a black and white paint pony appropriately named Domino.

4. First horse cantered on:
Smoke, a 14.2 chesnut Quarter Horse pony. My mom was helping his owner train him and he was the first horse I started riding on a regular basis. I did so well the first time I cantered him that mom had me try it without stirrups ….

5. First Horse fallen off of:
… and I promptly fell off. Smoke was quite pleased and thought it was funny. I wasn’t hurt in the least, but boy was I mad at my mom for making me go with stirrups. I refused to canter for months after that.

6. Most recent horse fallen off of:
My mom’s thoroughbred Penny, who I rode and showed in middle and high school. I worked at the barn I grew up at (Little Neshannock Stables) teaching lessons and summer camps when I was home on break from college. I would go ride at 7:00 in the morning before I had to get ready for the incoming camp. I was jumping Penny in the indoor and the goofy horse stopped AFTER the jump. She left skid marks to rival the best reiner’s sliding stop about a stride after we landed. I, naturally, didn’t have a chance and went right over her head. She hightailed it out of the ring, up the hill, through the barn, and to the pasture gate. I retrieved her, got back on, and took her back over the jump. Long way from the girl who refused to canter for months after falling off, huh? Thanks mom.

7. Most terrifying fall:
I outgrew Penny in high school and started riding her dad, Big Jack, (who’d since been gelded) while his owner was in Germany for a year and half. He lived at my best riding buddy Lindsay’s house just up the road from LNS. We were riding out in one of the fields when Big Jack reared up and fell over backwards with me. It happened so fast that I didn’t have a lot of time to be scared until afterwards, but it sure freaked mom and Lindsay out. I hopped right up and was more concerned about my new saddle than about myself. I had some scrapes and bruises, but was otherwise fine. The worst part was that I had to go to band camp the next day. I had a cut inside my lip, so I did get out of my playing my horn for a few days.

8. First horse jumped with:
My boy Smoke. After the falling off episode at the canter I hadn’t quite developed my nerve yet. It was like pulling teeth for my mom to get me to even canter over poles on the ground. I eventually got over it though and did all of my early jumping with Smoke.

9. First horse who ran away with you:
A fat, stubborn, black pony named Beauty who had been used for hauling rocks in her previous life. She had no mouth and no manners. She took off with me down a row of corn when mom and I were out trail riding. It wasn’t that fast, but there wasn’t anything I could do to stop her. She was such a pain that any of us kids who were brave enough were allowed to try to ride her.

10. First horse that scared the crap out of you:
Smoke. As previously mentioned, I was a huge wimp when I first started riding. Smoke knew it, and would push my buttons. He knew how to pretend to be intimidating and I was scared of him for a long time. Besides the canter episode, he would throw his head around and dance at the gait or his stall door and make it hard for me to halter him. Mom would refuse to help me, and I’d cry and whine until I eventually did it. It scared me like crazy, but she made me work through it and I built up a healthy dose of confidence in the end.

11. First horse shown:
A whole lot of my riding “firsts” were with Smoke, and this one is no exception. We started in 4-H and went to our first show when I was 11. Smoke loved going to shows. He would stand with his head over his stall door and whinny hello to every horse and human that walked past. And he always got a little extra spring in his step at shows. Smoke knew where we were going as soon as he got his shipping boots on and would stand in the cross-ties and then the trailer and dance and paw until we were moving down the road. It helped that he enjoyed it so much!

12. First horse to win a class with:
Smokey boy! The second year we showed 4-H, we won Hunter Hack, the first time we ever jumped in a show. My mom lectured me the whole way home that we had done a fantastic job and it was exciting that we won, but not to expect it to happen every time. She didn’t want me to have unrealistic expectations. So, I didn’t. And boy was I shocked when we qualified for the 4-H Distric show that year and went on to win the Hunter Hack class there and moved on to States. I just rode our test with mom’s voice in my head coaching me through the whole thing and did the best I could. We nailed it, which was good enough for me. My dad calls that class the “Miracle at Meadville.”

13. Do you/have you taken lessons:
My mom was my trainer, so every time I was on a horse it was a lesson. It was definitely tough at times working together, but she pushed me hard and I am a much better rider and person for having her teach me. I rode with a hunter/jumper trainer for a while in high school as well as went to some clinics. It’s been ages since I’ve had a lesson, but I’m going to try to get some at least once in a while now that I’ve got Ace. I love having somebody on the ground who can watch and help me and my horse improve. It also helps to have someone to provide some structure, because I tend to just get on and go.

14. First horse you ever rode bareback:
Probably Lance, a school horse I rode a lot when we would go visit Carolyn and the Riding Centre.

15. First horse trail ridden with:
Again, I think this was with Lance at the Riding Centre. I can remember being excited because he cantered up a hill with me and I stayed on. I never liked trail riding much because I usually rode Smoke and he was bad. He’d refuse to go over the creek and he’d jig and get excited. I always ended up on the horses who would act up and it scared me. I’m starting to learn to like it, although I tend to get bored if I’m out for more than an hour and a half. I think Ace is pretty level-headed, so we might have some good trail riding days ahead of us.

16. Current Barn name:
Crosswinds Ranch. I think. Or is it Farm, Dave? At any rate, it’s really just my friends Dave and Tracie’s house. Their three horses and Ace live there. We have a nice-sized Cover-All sand arena with the four stalls in the end, and three small pastures. It’s a great combination between having my horse at home and boarding; the best of both worlds. I’m a boarder at heart though. I like being around other horse people, and I like that I don’t have to do all of the day-in-day-out care myself.

17. Do you ride English or western?:
English. I grew up riding hunters and am starting to get into some dressage. Jumping is where my heart is, though.

18. First Horse to place at a show with:
Smoke. We got a beautiful third place ribbon in Huntseat Equitation at our very first show.

19. Ever been to horse camp?:
I’ve taught a whole lot more of them than I’ve ridden in. My mom sent me to a week-long day camp at the Riding Centre for my 10th birthday. I got to go stay with Carolyn for the whole week by myself, which I thought was a blast. I rode in a few advanced camps that my mom taught at Little Neshannock Stables too.

20. Ever been to a riding clinic?
I go watch the ones at Equine Affaire, and rode in a dressage clinic once when I was 13. I’d love to do more of these now that I have my own horse.

21. Ridden sidesaddle?
Not exactly. Lindsay and I would ride bareback all winter and just goof around. We use to throw our legs on the same side and pretendd to ride around sidesaddle. We slipped off more than a few times trying it, too.

22. First horse leased:
Smoke. He had a private owner when I started riding him and the first year that we showed. After our last show of the year, mom sat me down and told me that he’d been sold. Of course, it was to Little Neshannock Stables and really the only thing that changed was that we had to now pay to ride him. We did a half lease on him, and I started working at LNS one day a week to help pay for it. That was probably one of the best things to happen to me, because I learned to work for what I wanted.

23. Last Horse Leased:
Smoke was the only horse I ever leased. All the rest were project horses who were too “advanced” to be used in lessons, or belonged to someone who needed help caring for and excersizing them. Not a bad deal for me!

24. Highest ribbon in a show:
I’ve got my fair share of blue ribbons and trophies boxed up in my grandma’s attic. The best ribbon I ever won though was a sixth place in a hunter under saddle class at the only A-rated Hunter Jumper show I went in with Penny. We mostly did 4-H, schooling shows, and C-rated shows. It was super exciting to place in a class of 38 big-money horses on our little off-the-track thoroughbred mare that we trained ourselves.

25. Ever been to an ‘A’ rated show?:
Just one, the Hartwood Show Jumping Festival in Pittsburgh. It was a great experience for me because I was only 14, got to ride in all kinds of classes, run around with my friends all week, and was completely unaware of the politics.

26. Ever competed in pony games/relay races?:
Just messing around with my friends at the barn. We always had a 4-H fun show where we had bareback classes and costume classes and all kinds of stuff.

27. Ever fallen off at a show
Nope. Not that I can remember.

28. Do you ride Hunter/Jumpers?:
Yep! That’s my background and what I love, but I’m starting to get interested in trying some other disciplines too. I’m going to see in which Ace excels and what he enjoys before I decide what I’m going to do with him. He likes to go long and low though, so I might still have a hunter on my hands.

29. Have you ever barrel raced?
Just for fun at home, and definitely not well.

30. Ever done pole bending?:
Nope, but it sure would be a fun way for Ace and I to practice lead changes. Once we learn to do them that is. Although I think we need to actually start some canter work first.

31. Favorite gait:
Trotting. I love a springy thoroughbred trot and could ride it all day. (If I was in better shape that is).

32. Ever cantered bareback?:
Most definitely … and I’ve jumped bareback too (mostly with Lindsay in the indoor when nobody was paying attention. I figure it’s been long enough that I can admit to it). I used to ride Marahute (one of Dave and Tracie’s horses) bareback all winter. I love riding bareback, and sometimes actually ride better that way.

33. Have you ever done dressage?:
Not officially. I know how to do some of the basic moves like leg yielding and such. I’d like to try it though!

34. Have you ever evented?:
Nope, but it’s something I’d like to try! I just found out about a really nice schooling circuit in my area that I’d like to try with Ace someday.

35. Have you ever mucked a stall?:
This question is unecessary of any self respecting horse person. I clean stalls on a regular basis. I could probably do it in my sleep. And I’m willing to admit that I actually LIKE it. Cleaning stalls is my very best thinking time.

36. Ever been bucked off?:
Yep, just once. I was riding Penny out back at LNS in a large hay field. She took off bucking and unseated me. I managed to hang on, but just as I was starting to get my seat back she started all over again. I ended up sideways hanging on to her neck and then just gave up and slipped off. I can still picture her galloping back to the barn with her tail in the air. She managed to dump me in the furthest corner. Boy was I ticked!

37. Ever been on a horse that reared:
See scariest fall question above. I think it was the only time I had a horse really rear with me. Go figure, it was all out. I think it’s so stupid when horses rear all the time in movies, because they don’t really do it all that often in real life. Oh, and they don’t whinny constantly either people.

38. Horses or ponies.
Anything equine. duh.

39. Do you wear a helmet?:
Always. I think I’ve maybe been on a horse twice in my life without one. I don’t feel right if I don’t have my helmet on, no matter how safe and sane the horse.

40. What’s the highest you’ve jumped:
3’6″. I jumped 3′ regularly, but higher a few times with Penny and also some with a lumbering draft-cross named Dale at the Riding Centre. Mom and Carolyn decided they wanted to see how high he could jump and used me as a guinea pig. It was lots of fun. I’d love to try some real jumper jumps sometime … but I need to get back in shape and I want to do it on a schoolmaster.

41. Have you ever ridden at night?:
Sure. I’m just glad the horses can see better than I can.

42. Do you watch horsey television shows?:
From time to time. I was addicted to ABC Family’s Wildfire and watched all five seasons, even though it was a little silly. I watch RFD-TV occasionally and have recently started recording Julie Goodnight’s show, but still need to catch up on actually watching it.

43. Have you ever been seriously hurt/injured from a fall?:
Nope. I’ve had plenty of falls but have never had anything worse than a few bruises. And I was always able to get right back on.

44. Most falls in one lesson:
I’m pretty sure I’ve never fallen off more than once at a time.

45. Do you ride in an arena/ring?:
Yep. We’ve got a nice indoor with beautiful sand footing. I’m spoiled.

46. Have you ever been trampled by a horse?:
Nope. That would be scary. Most of the horses I’ve been around have been well-mannered enough to respect my space. I can get Ace to chase me, but he stops two feet away every time and waits for me to come to him. Good boy!

47. Have you ever been bitten?:
A few times, but with minor bruising only.

48. Ever had your foot stepped on by a horse?:
Of course. The first was that paint pony named Domino. The stinker stepped on my foot and leaned on it. Carolyn’s son Drew and I were convinced that he broke my two smallest toes, and tried to bandage it with vet wrap. It was really just bruised. Last October a 2500 pound Percheron stepped on me at the therapeutic farm where I volunteer and I’ve still got a bruise under my big toe nail (and the very next day Ace stepped on my other foot!). Ah well, it happens. At least they usually get off right away.

49: Favorite riding moment:
The very first time I rode my own horse. I just sat on him while Tracie led me around (he hadn’t been ridden in years), but it was pretty amazing just the same.

50. Most fun horse you’ve ridden:
Little Jack, Penny’s brother was one of my favorites. He was just enough of a challenge to keep me interested, had great gaits and jump, and we just clicked like I never had with any other horse. I’m sure Ace will top this list eventually, but honestly we’re still just getting to know each other and he’s still really green. He’s my boy though and I wouldn’t trade him for anything!