Personal Narrative: My Experience Of Horses

It was a warm mid-september day and I was preparing to go horseback riding for the very first time. I was celebrating my bestfriend’s birthday with her family and a couple other friends. On the ride over you could feel the jitters in the air and the excitement to try something new. We arrived to Bobby’s Ranch in Westford MA and settled on petting some of the other animals. It was all very bizarre, almost movie-like. We joked around about rookie mistakes and wondered how many of us were going to fall under it’s trap. The ride was scheduled to be an hour long, through the woods and in an orderly fashion. I got on top of a platform and was instructed on how to get up on the saddle and how to use the reins to guide the horse. The birthday girl

Some people think of them as animals. Some people think of them as objects. Some people think of them as friends. Then there are the few who think of them as family. Horses have always been like family to humans, except sometimes closer. There are many benefits to owning or being around horses. They come in many different colors. There is a multitude of breeds, also. Additionally, they have a long history with humans. Horses have unique behaviors. Showing horses has been the past-time or even career of many people. Furthermore, caring for horses can be a handful, but is definitely rewarding. Finally, riding horses is not just a hobby or a sport, but an action of your heart. Horses are wondrous creatures that have lived with man or

I took a deep breath as I walked my horse into the Greeley Stampede Arena. I told myself just to "relax." I loped a circle around the arena to make sure that my horse was warmed up and ready to go. He was ready but I was starting to get nervous. I stopped in front of the roping box to put my piggin' string in my mouth. I looked at my calf in the chute to make sure that it was number 33, which was one of the best calves out of the whole set. It was, and I was ready to ride into the box and rope my calf, or attempt to rope my calf. I began to get more nervous, more nervous than I ever had been at a rodeo.

Seven nights ago I arrived at Red Dillon’s homestead. Before sleeping that night I dined on a bowl of red chili and a cup of coffee while Red Dillon went over the agreement, he made with the agent from the reservation. After Red finished reviewing the agreement he urged me to have some more food to prepare for tomorrow's bronc riding lesson. That next day I only managed to ride two horses and before being thrown five times, but I learned how to ride with skill. Each horse has a pattern and I can gauge their pattern to find my timing and rhythm to control the broncs. By the end of the week I managed to ride two horses in succession to a complete standstill and I felt accomplished, although Red immediately set up the corral after

When I was 10 my dreams came true and I got my first horse. Her name was Shesha, she was only a 23 years old, jet black, quarter horse. The first time I let her in the arena to play she ran, bucked and rolled. It was really fun to watch. After she played for quite a while i decided to try and chach her, it didn’t quite work out that way, she ran away from me for quite awhile until I decided to grabbed a carrot and broke it in half with that i found out that she really liked carrots because when she heard that sound she actually came over to me to eat the carrot. Which was so nice to find out.

Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t think you could do it? Well I have many times and I’m going to write about a time during Rodeo when I didn’t think I was going to be able to do well in goat tying.

Have you ever wanted something so badly, just to be left in pure disappointment? So have I. That something was the all-around buckle in the senior horse division at the 2015 Finney County Fair. Everything was going as planned until the third to last event. All of a sudden..I guess you will just have to keep reading to find out the rest.

My career in barrel racing began when Katie, a lifelong role model, brought me to one of her races. Immediately after seeing her run, I knew my calling in life, I was to become a barrel racer. Arriving home, I immediately attempted the pattern on Patches. As we worked to perfect the pattern, I came to the conclusion she wasn’t fast enough for what I seeked to accomplish. Agreeing with me, my mom started looking for a new barrel horse. Around six years old, my new horse, Tip, came home. When he arrived, we quickly learned he was “too much horse” for me; he was nothing short of a bucking bronco horse at a rodeo. For further training, my cousin took him to college with her. He returned back home as an utterly

There have been too many times to count where a horse has taught me a lesson whether it be in the saddle or on the ground. But there are a few horses that have taught me lessons that I'll never forget. Specifically, there was one mare who was named Molly she is a twenty-year-old Saddlebred that was an ex-park horse. Like most stereotypical mares, Molly was more than just challenging to get around with on the ground and in the saddle. Under saddle as soon as you put your foot in the stirrup and pressed any weight into the stirrup you better be prepared to swing your leg over and ride because she was off at the canter or a trot. There was no such thing as a flat walk, nor did you get to choose the gait you rode, it seemed every second of

Imagine, I’m standing in front of a ride that makes my stomach drop all the way to my toes. But for some reason I’ve agreed to go on it. I’m getting buckled in as I wonder how I agreed to this. To impress my little sister? As if that would happen. Meanwhile I’m climbing up the sling shot, slowly, like a ticking clock, then, suddenly I’m falling, I scream in terror as my legs lift off the seat, like they’re going to fall off and shoot up into the sky. It doesn’t help that I’m scaring myself to death with thoughts like “what if I fall

I walked out into the summer sun and made my way to the barn. Frank was sweeping the main entry of the barn when I had walked up. He said “ Good morning” of course I replied with “Mornin”. He put some Copenhagen in his mouth and led me to the open arena. Frank knew everything about anything, he answered all the questions I asked. He began to show me the horses that he had been training. He showed me the horses that were almost completely trained, and ones that were still ornery. Frank never called training horses “training horses” he called it “breaking horses”. I never knew breaking meant training, so for the longest time I thought they were actually breaking

When I stepped into my cart at the 2017 Eastern Regional Championship Show for my first class, I instantly knew that it was going to be the most fantastic show I’d get to experience in my few years of showing the Miniature Horse. The spiritual connection between me and my horse, Red, was indescribable and an astonishing feeling that I’ve never felt with any animal at such a level. His legs were soaring through the air as he was strutting like he owned the place, and he naturally had his head tucked with such light pressure on the reins. That was probably the first class I’ve ever smiled in because I could feel the connection we had, and I knew he looked elegant as he floated above the ground with his sweeping trot. We did get Grands and Reserves

The ideal time to ride came rolling around at approximately six o’clock, when a chilly breeze picked up. Unprepared and starting to shiver, my older sister notified us that she was going to grab her coat from the house. She left my younger sister and I to deal with the horses which was easy, or so we thought that it was. Assuming that it was going to be an effortless task, I took my attention gradually away from the horses, and commenced a conversation with my sister. Totally forgetting about what I was supposed to be doing, I did not perceive that Dexter spooked and pulled back on the board that he was attached to. Turning around and seeing him rear up on his hind feet, shocked me and I froze. My mind went blank for a second, and when it came back, Dexter was darting so rapidly you would assume a bear was chasing him. I could see the fear in his eyes. He was terrified of the post he was dragging behind him. Not knowing what to do, I immediately yelled at the top of my lungs for my older sister. Never in my life has my heart beated so fast. Freaking out, panicking, stressing out, I attempted to grab Dexter’s lead rope, but him being a thoroughbred caused an issue. He was too quick for me to even get near him. I knew I had to something to calm him down, I didn’t want him to get hurt. This horse means the world to my sister, and I want to slow him down

Lunging is when you have a long lead rope hooked on a bridle, with a lunging whip, and to warm up the horse by making them go on circles on a walk, trot, and canter. A trot is like a mild intro of a fast walk, and a canter is like a jog. Also, during the time I made sure to take notice on how Aspen moves, such as: the beats she held at a trot, and a canter. The beats of a horse are: a walk has a four beat, a trot has a three beat, and a canter has a three beat then they suspend in the air for one beat. Ellen made some rounds around the arena, making sure to tell us that Aspen barely needs to be guided since her mouth is very sensitive. She then let Chesa get on Aspen, but Chesa did not use the steps, which was weird because Aspen was a huge horse with her head reaching to almost six feet tall. I knew Chesa was a good rider, yet I know she has been doing this since she was a teenager like me. While Chesa was riding in circles, making sure she did not feel any sore spots on Aspen’s movement. During this I was standing by the corner of the arena with my mom, making sure that I took pictures of Chesa and Aspen. Ellen asked me about all of my experience from riding while I was waiting, so I told her that I have been riding all my life, so I was decent rider. Chesa told me that Aspen was nice to ride, so she finally told it was my turn to ride. She

Horses can be dangerous! I would know because I have owned many. Dad and I always remember this event by going by the raspberry brush near my house. Every time this event is talked about I still wonder how it happened.