At 10 years old I was already cantering. I remember how I was taught, was my friend would canter ahead of me, and the pony I was riding would follow the pony she was riding. We did that for a few lessons. While cantering I remember the wind whipping across my face, and thinking we were going so fast. It felt so freeing.
I didn’t learn what that really felt like until I started jumping big jumps, but that wasn’t until a few years later.
Speaking of jumping, I started jumping 18” cross – rails. I am honestly, trying to remember my first jump, but I can’t. The only thing I remember at the time was my trainer setting it up and telling me to pop over it. At first, I thought she was setting it up for other people in my lesson, so it took me by complete surprise. I was giddy with excitement and had a bunch of butterflies in my stomach, as approaching it.
The only reason why I remember having butterflies in my stomach, is because every single time I am riding up to a jump, I feel those butterflies. Even at the age of 30. Thinking about jumping, still excited and nerve wracking still. Not everyone feels nervous riding up to the jump, everyone feels the excitement and fun of it. (More stories to come)
Since my barn didn’t have an indoor ring, when we couldn’t have a lesson in the ring, we went on a trail ride. That was a lot of fun, since there were areas where we could trot or canter. It was always good to get out of the ring occasionally, for us and for the horses.
When anyone is leasing and at the age of 13 was able to go on trail rides without the trainer – if experienced enough, but always needed someone with them. At the age of 15 or experience, we were able to go on trail rides by ourselves. (More stories to come)
I took lessons all year, even though winter. Still to this day, if you are riding in the winter and you dismount your horse, you must be extra careful. If you don’t, then when you land on your feet, it will hurt because they are so numb from the cold. Don’t get me started when your home, taking a hot shower to get warm. It will hurt under the warm water to get your toes warm again.
But all the pain of the winter, every second is worth it when you’re in the saddle or just being at the barn. It gives you the experience you need to keep moving forward. The other upside is, you are known to be strong and resilient when you keep going to the barn, even during the winter.
At 10 years old, I got my first concussion. And it is not what you think, I did not fall off. I wasn’t even riding. My barn had two miniature horses, Jed, a gelding (male) and Tallula, a mare (female). My friend and I decided to take them out of the paddock and run them and take them over little jumps. We often took them out and played with them.
Tallula (Left) and Jed (Right)
I was holding onto Jed, who doesn’t like it when Tallula is too far from him, or if she says hello to other horses. As a small for her age, 10-year-old, I didn’t have much strength when my friend had Tallula and brought her down the ring to say hello to a horse on the other side of the fence. Jed did not like that. He took off towards Tallula and he dragged me with him. As he was dragging me, he went on one side of the jumping post, and I went on the side. Unfortunately, the post fell right on top of my head. I immediately let go of Jed, and I was too scared to tell anyone that my head really hurt. Since I was still new to the barn, I felt embarrassed. Everyone was very nice though, asked if I was okay, and I told them I was.
This was not the last time I played with the minis with my friend. We took them out often and ran with them, walked them on trail rides, and even rode them. (More stories to come with those two)
Even as a 10-year-old who was not leasing yet, was having a blast at the barn. I really liked helping and getting to know the kids who were leasing and boarding at the barn. I met very good friends at that barn.