I have always loved horses. When I was young, one of the best things that could happen to me was to get to actually pet a horse. I dreamed every Christmas and birthday of finding the perfect pony waiting for me in the front yard. My father was in the Air Force, so this dream was never fulfilled, but my love for horses never diminished. I played with plastic horses and I adored Trigger and Roy and Dale Rogers, Flicka and Silver. I read every book I could find about horses. My friends and I would play that we were a herd of horses, using old sheer curtains for our tails.

Finally, when I was 19, I had saved enough money, my parents lived in the country on 5 acres, and the scene was set for my first horse owning experience. I purchased an older mare and a 2 year old filly. Life was good. I had horses for the next few years, until my parents moved to Fort Worth. At that time, I was busy with the business of life and horses were put on the back burner. I sold my horses, but never forgot the wonder of horse ownership. I married, divorced, had a wonderful son and life was good. I decided that I wanted to go back to school and complete my nursing degree. Through a fellow nursing student I met my current husband. Life was good, work challenging, and I completed a BS in Business Administration and a MS in Management. I also found my calling as a leader in a hospice organization. While life was indeed good, but something was still missing... When driving by pastures with horses, I would yearn just to lay my face upon a warm neck and inhale the sweet scent of equine. Seeing someone riding would bring a sweet sense of sadness that it was not me upon the back of the horse. I wanted to hear the soft nicker of welcome at the gate and know that it was meant for me.

Two years ago, when I turned 50 years old, I decided it was high time to have a horse again. I told my husband that all I wanted for my birthday was to find a pony (horse) waiting for me in the front yard. I have a very supportive and loving husband but he told me that having a horse in our front yard in town probably was not the best idea. He said, however, to start looking for a horse to buy and a place to board. One of my coworkers (a prospective RHPC member) took me to the place where she had purchased her horses. There I found JoeJoe (American Quarter Horse) and a wonderful place to board him.

Having a horse again has been everything that I remembered and more. Now I am more interested in the whole experience and less focused on just getting on and riding. I love the time I spend grooming and just being with my horses. I never get tired of sitting and watching the herd interact. Yes, there has been sadness. I purchased a beautiful paint gelding (Jack) summer 2004 and had the most wonderful summer with him. JoeJoe had a stifle injury and had the summer off, so Jack and I rode nearly every evening and on the weekends -- I am lucky to have some wonderful trails where I board. Unfortunately, there was a pasture accident that broke Jack’s left hind leg. He had to be euthanized shortly after Thanksgiving 2004. I never figured out what happened and I was heartbroken to lose such a wonderful friend and companion. I bought Holly (BS Paint), Jack’s half-sister, from the owner of the stallion that sired Jack. She is just two and we are starting her slowly

JoeJoe and Holly have been a wonderful stress relief for me. I am the CEO of a hospice (as well as being a founding owner) and the nature of the business is sometimes hard to leave at work. But, when I am at the barn or riding the trails, a wonderful sense of peace and spiritual renewal sustain me through any of my work related challenges. In addition, I have developed deep friendships with the owners of the farm where I board and one of the other boarders. I have come to value the friendship of these women.

That has been my path to Red Hats and Purple Chaps. I want to get to know other women with horses. To share what, to me, is a magical bonding between horse and woman..pony and little girl. I am excited by the prospect of new friends both human and equine and sharing these experiences with current dear friends.