My love affair with horses began at an early age.

My first "ride" on a 4-legged beast was on my Grandpa's farm.  He would lead me on his old milk cow named "Guernsey"!  I loved being led down the dusty, crooked path by his pond. These are very special memories!

When I was 8, we settled on a farm, and after riding every fattening heifer on the place, my sister and I convinced our parents to get us a horse.  My mom and dad had had a little experience as children with horses, but that only slight, so I commend them for accepting the challenge.

It is a wonder we lived through the several horses that came onto our farm.  They each had one “issue” or another.  My dad was always trying to get them to be gentle, agreeable mounts for us, so several came and went.  (I wish the newly resurfaced gentle horse training had been popular then, things would have gone much easier.)  Anyway, we finally found and kept a beautiful palomino mare named Ginger.  Ginger gave us two foals.  The first, a palomino colt, was my special boy, Shawn. With too little experience and horse savvy on our parts, his playful antics soon became dangerous, so, my mother mandated that he be sold.  I have never gotten over his loss.

Then came a beautiful sorrel filly, Kookie.  She was a sweet thing, but as she was approaching 6 months of age, my dad died. I was 16 then, and had always been the son my dad never had; I was always with him.  Devastated, I turned to my horses for solace.  I tell you this, because I know you all understand how that can be, there are times in our lives when our horses are our best, truest, most honorable friends.

After high school, and on my 18th birthday, I married my high school sweetheart.  Today is our 44th anniversary!  For 22 years I was without horses.  I have found that, for us horse people, (taking nothing away from our beloved human families); we just aren't complete without our horses.  This became clear to me when, one day at my work as a hairdresser, a client asked if I knew anyone that would take an old horse.  Hmm....(providential intervention, I think).  Well, at that time, my father-in-law, who had no use for horses, had just passed away, (I would never have considered asking him to keep a horse at his farm for me) so, I asked my husband if we couldn't arrange to take this old mare.  My husband was wonderful and said; he thought we could work that out.  Then, would you believe, two weeks later, I was asked the same thing again.  Well, a horse needs company, right?  So our newly inherited barn was turned into a "geriatric horse-barn"!  

With these two sweet old mares, I was somewhat gently reintroduced to the horse world.  I loved every minute of it.  As they aged and parted, we bought the first of what are now 5 horses.  We now have 2 Tennessee Walkers.  My husband loves them and is a great help with them, even though he does not ride.  He understands how good they are for my soul -- and his too, I think.

Our 2 sons do not ride, but I have hopes that our 3 grandchildren may take an active interest one day.

I joined RHPC in '04, but was not active.  I have recently rejoined, and my life allows more participation -- not without my husband urging.  When I feel too tired to pack up and take off to a function, he always helps and encourages me.  I think I am much easier to live with after therapy time with my trusty steed.

I must agree with Winston Churchill, "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a (wo)man."

I am looking forward to lots of fun times with my new RH sisters out there.

"He flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions."
Stephen Leacock (1869-1944)