Personal Narrative: The Day I Got My Horse

I slipped my left foot into the stirrup and pushed off the ground swinging my right leg over the back of the horse. I took a moment and a deep breath in thinking back to a month before when I had taken a bad fall in a show, landing on my head, and getting a concussion. Sitting in the saddle I could feel my stomach turning and visions of falling off again kept reappearing in my mind. I had fallen off a handful of times before, but never that bad. I took grip of the reins and put pressure to the horse as I signaled for him to walk on. My confidence level had taken a toll, but step by step I was becoming less nervous and back to my old riding self.

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

At first, all I did was sit on him while he walked around and my trainer walked alongside me. Slowly, we started trotting, cantering, and jumping once again. This span of time affected me greatly and still does so today. Even though I was nervous, I knew that I could not give up on him. Together, we had to work for everything we accomplished as a team. Even if our little team is only two parts, and one of us cannot speak, it made me realize how much having him by my side made me into a better, stronger person. I had to overcome even the simplest of tasks in riding, which is mounting your horse. Every time I get on his back, this experience affects my riding. I have habits in my riding that date back to this experience of having no control and feeling powerless. Sometimes I grab the reins and pull him back, searching for the control I want. Other times I hunch forward in a powerless position in my saddle, instead of sitting up tall. As a rider, my experiences with my horse affect me greatly, but I have learned more from horseback riding than I could have ever

Behavior is a key factor in riding horses. Individuals can learn how to better themselves for the future by improving the way they act. When a young person is focused on brushing, feeding, or working with a horse, their focus is no longer on their own problems and issues. People who have struggled to achieve their treatment goals have made significant breakthroughs through equine therapy. Like all animals, horses set their own boundaries that a rider has to learn respect. Loving an animal can help a child learn how to love themselves as well. “The need for animals to be taken care for on a daily basis fulfills the humans need to be needed, to nurture, and to love.” (Trotter). Children learn to become responsible for themselves and

On the horizon, the sun formed a P when its edge appeared to touch the top portion of the barn’s lightning rod. Beside the tack shed, there were tractor tracks, wagon tracks, footprints, paw prints, and at the barn’s right rear corner a rat left droppings in the snow.

Rachel walked Guiness down the metal, studded ramp. When I saw him I felt so many different emotions; happy that he was here, nervous as it had just hit me that I was now responsible for my first horse and also sadness as I could see that Rachel was devastated to give him up, and that she was just about holding herself together. Together, we walked him around to show him his new home and tried to settle him but I could tell that he was anxious and scared, breathing heavily and looking around, obviously sensing that something unusual was happening. Eventually he relaxed and started to munch away at this hay. I kept my distance as Rachel said her goodbye’s. We waved her off as she left with the empty horse-box, tears running down her cheeks.

When I ride, I feel free, confident, and happy. I would ride almost every day, I enjoyed the sweat horse smell. I could not get enough of it. I would go home and tell my parents how much I loved riding. I told them how much I loved Lucie and how I wish I could be with her twenty four seven. I would even ask my parents repeatedly to skip school and go riding because I learned so much from my horse. Lucie became my best friend, not one person on Earth could compare to her. There is a saying “ horses aren't my whole life… they make my life whole.” The quote could not fit how I feel about horses any

Many young kids dream to own a horse, but for the majority owning a horse is too large of a responsibility and commitment for parents to handle. In my case however, my animal loving parents were eager to support my interest in horseback riding. They arranged lessons and eventually I inherited my very own hand-me-down horse from my sister. I was on that horses back every summer day and jumped on every opportunity I had to ride. As I grew older, my love for horses did not seem to fade, but the commitment grew larger and larger. My first pony turned into a much more demanding and expensive horse, and my once a year local county fair competition appearance, turned into a competition almost every weekend from early June to early September. Even though the constant preparation, competing, and responsibility were tiring at times, it could never diminish the experience that I gained from riding horses. Forming a bond and learning the art of getting a 1,200 pound, independently thinking animal to cooperate with you, are

My friends and I consider ourselves to be pretty outdoorsy people. Whether we are kayaking down rivers or exploring through caves, we tend to always have the most fun with each other whenever we are outside. So as Lauren, JR, Maya, and I were thinking about what to do for Maya’s birthday, hiking the Walls of Jericho just seemed like the best idea ever. None of us had ever hiked the Walls and had only the highest expectations for the adventure. All week we were anticipating the trip and finally the brisk October Saturday came and as we were filling up our water bottles and bags with granola bars, we talked about how fun today would be. Little did we know that we were going to learn during the hike that some of the most fun days are the ones

I have been riding horses for years, ever since I was in second grade. I went to a camp and did a few lessons that year, and loved it a lot. However, I didn’t start doing lessons consistently until the summer after fourth grade. I began taking semi private lessons, either by myself or with another student, and graduated out of that after about a month and a half--apparently I was one of only a few people to have graduated out of that so fast. I moved up into group lessons and began to quickly excel. A few months after I started to fall behind again, and I entered a period where I didn’t really become any better. However, the year after I broke my hand only three months into my school year lessons and had to stop riding for six months. When I came back, it was almost like a fresh start, and I began to progress again.

My mom and I were in the airport awaiting our flight to Kentucky. It was a one hour flight and it went by quickly as I watched a movie. After we got there, we picked up our bags and rented a car. WE drove to the hotel, started unpacking, and I went to the horse park. My pony Sparkles was at the horse park. WE were tent twenty-five, it was the week before pony finals and the show that I was competing in was that week.

Spending the frosty morning in the deer stand where you are on the hunt for the big one. Sends a medley of the sights and sounds. The birds talking like humans carrying on a conversation , the quail scatter for cover as they hear the footsteps on the crisp frozen grass. As you play the waiting game when you see a mom and her baby prancing around the field like two dancers on a stage, as the day goes on you see the big one walking out with his head held high and his chest puffed out knowing he is the biggest one out there. I play the quiet game knowing if I make a sound he would be gone like he was never there, raising my rifle slowly and steady looking through the scope, putting the crosshairs behind his shoulder, squeezed the trigger as your

I started riding on the safest horse ever, his name was Tyler. He was so gentle and a great horse to begin on, I even rode him later on. But I was early on in that barn I had my fourth grade birthday party there and it was enjoyable and you learned a little more about the horses. I rode lesson horses for years and it was fun, but I really wanted my own horse so I could be able to love on him and spoil him rotten. It got to around Christmas of my 7th grade when I was able to start leasing a horse. We started leasing Harvey and I rode him for a little bit and even had my first show on him. We started looking to lease a new horse who I could ride and while we were looking the owner then sold Harvey to someone… After a little bit, our trainer showed us Mirific a wonderful mare. I rode her the first time and wasn’t feeling much for her. However, the second time I rode her with a bareback pad instead of a saddle and I bonded with her. For only riding her about a week or so I did my first show on her. I rode her for about two years and she was amazing and a great horse to of ridden during those

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been interested in horses. I believe I have inherited this interest and passion for them because my father loves them as well. My father has had horses in his life ever since he was 13 years old, and he never seems to get enough of them because he just really appreciates them. I grew up loving them because he taught my sisters and I how to care for them and how they can be a person’s best friend.

Belief that you and your horse are a capable team is vital to accomplish anything, even as simple as a trail ride. However, the horse’s actual capabilities must always be considered first.