Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted a horse. Almost every Christmas I would think that I would get one. We never lived in a place where I could have one. I guess I just thought I would keep it in the backyard, I don't know. I was young!
When I was about LM and Nature Girl's age, I used to ride my bike with a fellow horse lover, many miles, to a farm where they offered trail rides. In the beginning we would ride the trails. But, during the summer, I guess after we had been out there a lot, they would let us ride there horses and "compete." It was a long time ago, but I remember some of it pretty well.
When I went to work at my real job after college, I met a lady and became really good friends with her. Her husband bought and sold horses. And they would ride. Even go on week long trail rides. She would invite me over and we would ride and eventually I went on a couple trail rides with them. I never went for the whole week but I went for a couple days. I was in heaven. We would ride all day. One time, the ride ended up in a town and I was in the parade and then we went to the rodeo that night. All very cool stuff.
Well, eventually, after I was married, I talked hubby into letting me get a horse. It was a dream come true. We were a dual income family, no kids, he was working shift work. It became my hobby. I had ridden many, many times on and off my whole life. But, I never owned a horse. Wow, was I in for an education!
His name was Shorty and he was a Quarter Horse, although not registered. When washed and brushed he shown like a copper penny. He had a beautiful gold mane and tail. I actually enjoyed grooming as much as riding him. I met a few people in town who owned horses. When hubby and I were first married, I actually lived in the loft of a barn. It was soooo cool! I also remember riding with a friend to a grocery store. We parked our horses in the parking lot. She ran in and I stood outside holding them. Boy, did we get a lot of looks!
Then one day, I got pregnant. I am sure you have heard the story of how hard it was for us to have a baby. So, needless to say, I didn't want to ride. I knew lots of people who did. But, I was never comfortable and didn't want to take ANY chances. The lady where I was boarding Shorty at the time bought him from me. And the following week we got to see him in a parade. It was bitter sweet to say the least. But, I knew I wouldn't have time for him or the money needed for proper up keep.
So, the pictures up top are all the things I had to take care of Shorty. For the last 13 years I have been unwilling to get rid of them. They were a part of my past that I guess I just wasn't ready to give up on. They were very sentimental and part of a dream come true.
But last week, we decided it was time to get rid of a lot of our stuff. We have a storage facility which we share with family and we were done with it. But, that meant my horse stuff had to go. About a day or two later, I got an email in my homeschooling email group from a lady who was buying a horse to surprise her 13 year old daughter for her birthday. They were in search of any horse tack that anyone had to sell, reasonably priced.
Another answer to pray! I emailed her immediately. Gave her a really, really great price for all of my stuff because at that time I had no idea what I had or what condition it would be in I knew I just needed it gone. It had been in storage for about 7 years. Of course, her response was that it was a huge blessing. The daughter had given her dad, a couple of weeks ago, a plan about getting a horse that included the cost of getting all the tack that she would need.
The daughter is going to visit family this week. And, when she gets back her family is having a huge party for her and will give her the horse and all of the tack that we have sold them. It is such a neat story! And, as I told the mom, I am sad about parting with my childhood dream. But, so excited that we are helping to make another child's dream possible.
Once the daughter gets use to having a horse etc., she invited us out to ride. I hope it happens. I would love to meet the rest of the family and to see where all my horse stuff ended up. Like I said, it was a little sentimental parting with it all. But, somewhat fulfilling that it is going someplace special. . . .
Anyway, that is my story about hte above pictures. Thanks for reading my story . . .
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