#11 Equine Therapy, part a

For longer than I can remember, I have always loved horses. It’s every little girl’s dream, isn’t it? To have her very own horse (or unicorn!) would be a dream come true. But for me, it was never meant to simply be a phase. When I sat on my very first pony at the fair, I refused to dismount as a lifelong passion was sparked. I even remember that pony’s name – Tanya!

Around the age of eleven, after many years of begging and pleading, my parents took me to a day camp for horseback riding. We had to learn the entire process – mucking the stalls, catching the horse we would ride, grooming them, tacking up (putting on the bridle and saddle), and then we would get to the fun part – the riding lesson. Once that was completed, we had to untack, put the horse away, and feed them. It showed me from the very beginning that having a horse wasn’t just about riding and having fun. It took time and hard work as well (not to mention money!).

My parents saw the good that horseback riding did for me. I had plenty of friends, but not many hobbies. I was never really into team sports or after school clubs. But show me a horse and I was willing to put in the work to be able to ride. So, after that first summer camp, they sought out a place for me to continue learning, and to lease a horse to ride in between lessons. In exchange for a discounted rate, I had to put in time mucking the stalls and paddocks as well as assist with feeding. I didn’t care, as long as I got to ride.

I leased a bay Arabian mare named Roxy. She had a very uncomfortable trot (the pace between walking and running, think of it as jogging), a marish attitude (she was moody), and would definitely prefer to remain out to pasture than to receive human attention and have to work. She was not necessarily a fun horse to ride – Roxy and I didn’t connect at all. But she was available for a fairly inexpensive lease fee, and at least I was getting to ride regularly. Leasing Roxy satisfied my thirst for a time.

Since Roxy was a leased horse, there were times I would show up to ride, but the other person leasing her would already be there grooming or riding. As my riding skills, confidence, and horse knowledge increased, I wanted more. Roxy was starting to feel dull and boring to me as I outgrew her. I wanted a horse that I could connect with, that was all mine, maybe even one who would challenge me a little.

To be continued…