Ponies! I thought as the bus passed a field of horses. I was riding the bus for the first time on my way to kindergarten. From that day on I picked my seat on the bus based on which side would pass closer to that field. Horses have always been my favorite animals. I always wanted to ride horses and at one festival my mom let me go on a pony ride, twice. There were two horses at the pony ride. I rode the shorter one the first time, but then I wanted to ride the taller one. I became too scared before getting on, so I rode the shorter one again. Late in the summer of 2003, I was finally going to my first horseback riding lesson. I was so excited to finally learn how to ride a horse. I loved them all eight years of my life and could not wait to finally be around them. I had no idea how that first lesson would end up shaping my life.
My mom parked in front of the barn and I had butterflies of nerves and excitement fluttering around in my tummy. The barn was large and two-tone brown with two pastures on the hill below it, and a path along the fence line of one of the pastures leading to the outdoor arena. My mom and I got out of the car and walked into the barn. I was really shy and hid behind my mom. We were greeted by the sweet smell of horse, hay, and a hint of leather. An older girl greeted us and showed me the horse I would be riding. She taught me how to brush my horse in her stall before my lesson and how to put the saddle and bridle on. The girl blended into the dark corners of the stall as I focused only on my newest best friend.
My horse was the star of the barn. Story was a beautiful, tall, brown horse with a white diamond on her forehead with the bottom corner running down her face. Story's shiny brown coat was so soft under my small hands, and she had a kind look in her eye. I was taught how to lead her, and then it was time to take her down to the arena to ride. Her feet clip-clopped down the barn aisle and path to the outdoor arena.
The arena was full of seven other girls with their borrowed horses. One other girl was also having her first riding lesson. I was helped up onto Story and showed how to sit in the saddle, hold the reins, turn Story, and ask her to walk and stop. Then I was sent off around the arena. I was in charge of my big brown horse. The feel of braided leather in my hands felt strange, but I liked it. Story swayed me back and forth as she walked around the arena. My instructor taught me how to trot as she ran beside me. I was bounced up in down in the saddle, so I held onto the smooth leather of the horn on the saddle to stay on Story's back. Right at the end of the lesson she let me trot all by myself. I was thrilled with my ride and so proud of my newfound trotting ability.
After the lesson, I took Story back to the barn and put her back in her stall. I took the saddle and bridle off and brushed her. I gave her silky nose one last pat before I left to say, "thank you."
I was so proud of myself. The whole way home I could not stop talking about how I had trotted without any help.
I got a taste of horseback riding and loved it; my mom knew it too. When we got home all she said to my dad was "Sell the motorcycle. We're getting a horse." I became addicted for life.
I did everything I could to stay around horses and ride as much as I could after my first lesson. Those two simple hours with Story one summer's afternoon changed everything about my life. I had a weekly lesson from that day forward. I thought and talked about nothing but horses. I had horse everything and I read every horse book I could find.
Two hours at eight-years-old turned me into a horse person. I am an equestrian.
Horses have become far more than my favorite animals. They have become a part of who I am. I was scared to get too far away from my mom going into the barn for my first lesson, but horses taught me how to be independent. I am not as shy as I once was because horses have given me confidence. Horses have taught me all the most important lessons in life. I have learned to love, deal with death, get hurt, win, loose, be patient, be gentle, be firm, believe in myself, and do amazing things. Every couple of months I have a moment when I think to myself, what would little me think about this? I am leading MY horse into the barn to tack up all by myself so I can go ride, without supervision! I can do that because I'm an advanced rider! How weird. Eight-year-old me would never believe how far I have come since Story. Story became just the first of many adventures I have had with horses.