dressing up horses | Mommy Adventures

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Flashback Friday – horses

“You could get a horse and keep it at my house,” The Jess told me as she daydreamed about where she eventually wanted to buy a house.

The funny thing is, I’m not really interested in getting a horse.

I started riding as soon as I could sit up. My mom would put me in front of her and hold me on while she rode her horse. I continued to ride until I moved over here when I was 18. I was an active member of a horse 4-H club for 15 years, and I competed in horse shows from when I was about 1 (if lead-line and stick horses count as competing!!), until I was 17. Along with Taekwondo, It was my thing.

Some days when school was out for the summer, I’d put my morgan/welsh pony called Snowman in the arena so I could go out multiple times per day when I got bored and hop on him for a quick ride, no saddle, no bridle, not even a halter. I would just swing myself up, and control him with weight shifts, tongue clicks and voice commands, and he would go wherever I told him, at whatever speed I wanted him to.

Me and Snowman with some ribbons we won at a horse show

I would give him carrots, kiss him on the nose, pat his neck and scratch him between his ears. I knew him and he knew me. We got along, and we had a bond.

Snowman and me. Yes, I had permed burgundy hair.

I remember when we very first got him. I was only about 9 years old. My mom bought (or was given, I can’t remember which) him while I was staying with my cousin in Minnesota for most of the summer. My flight got in fairly late for a 9 year old (it was my first time flying by myself), but when we got home, my mom took me outside and turned on the arena lights. I whinged about wanting to go to bed until I saw this obese little pony lying down in the middle of the arena.

I was so excited. And cranky that mom kept him a secret the whole time I was gone (she didn’t want to spoil my trip). I loved him straight away. It took a long time, but we got him in shape and eventually, he lost his excess weight.

We also dressed up as the Village people for costume class. We did love costume class.

We also dressed up as the Village people for costume class (a different year). We did love costume class.

I loved riding horses.

It’s not so much that I loved riding horses though, it’s that I loved riding my horse (pony, actually if you’re being technical). I went to training days at the fairgrounds each year, and pretty much every time, the trainers and judges told me that I would do so much better if I wasn’t riding a pony. They said that if I wanted to win, I should get a horse.

Jumping over a log at the ocean. Our 4-H club used to take the horses to the beach every summer.

But I never did. Not because I didn’t want to win, I am one of the most competitive people that I know, believe you me, I wanted to win, but I didn’t want to win on any horse, I wanted to win on my pony. It was me and Snowman or nothing. I would rather lose with Snowman than win with anyone else.

Riding in the water, bareback. Snowman loved to splash in the water and I would get soaking wet.

So no, I don’t want to get a horse, because it wouldn’t be the same; it wouldn’t be Snowman.

ready to ride from camp to the beach

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