Sunday, January 20, 2013

Blog Hop

I totally meant to do this like two days ago, but spaced out and forgot! Better late than never, right?


So in honor of this first hop, the theme is: debut. No one is born knowing how to ride so all of us have memorable firsts.

Share a memory from:

  1. The first horse experience you can remember.
  2. Your first "aha" moment--when something really clicked for you as a rider.
  3. Entering the ring. Could be your first show, or another time when simply entering the arena could be considered a "debut" of sorts.
Here are my answers:

  1. The first horse experience you can remember. I have a few fuzzy memories and can't remember which is first, so I'll tell all three of them. I remember my fat gray Shetland pony Daisy bucking me off, then bucking my dad off, then galloping off at top speed. I was probably about four. Daisy ran clear off to the neighbors' farm and managed to break my tiny western saddle along the way. Around the same time, I remember riding a very ill mannered pony named Heather at the local stable where my mom had signed me up for riding lessons. She always had a pissy expression on her face, and I distinctly remember not liking her. I also remember the first time I got to ride a "big" horse at this stable (Heather was probably off trying to kill another student)- he was a bay gelding named Buster, who was probably only about 14 hands or so, but I thought he was huge. 
  2. Your first "aha" moment-- when something really clicked for you as a rider. I was surprised at how many people answered that they didn't have an "aha" moment! My first was when I learned a mnemonic phrase to recall which diagonal was correct when posting- "Rise and fall with the leg on the wall". I had a lot of trouble with diagonals and when someone (a Pony Club instructor, I think) related that phrase to me, diagonals suddenly clicked.
  3. Entering the ring. Could be your first show, or another time when simply entering the arena could be considered a "debut" of sorts. My first show debut was at the county 4-H show on May 18, 1996 when I was nine years old. I was riding my instructor's pony Ginger who was considerably better tempered than Daisy or Heather. I won first place in the novice walk/trot class. I still have the ribbon (it's hanging in my living room). Somewhere, there is a picture of an adorable girl in paddock boots and garters holding a cute chestnut pony with a ribbon hanging on its bridle, smiling with excitement and pride. While my show career hasn't been as successful as its launch would indicate, I think of that nine year old and how happy she was whenever I get frustrated at my lack of progress on canter departures or shoulder-ins.




1 comment:

Carla said...

Thanks so much for joining the hop! As you said, better late than never--that's why I'm leaving the hop open from Monday-Sunday so people have time to do it.

Lovely memories with your childhood ponies! I'm just about to poke around your blog now but it sounds like you had some great horsey experiences growing up.

I was surprised by the lack of "aha" moments too! I guess some people just acquire skills gradually, rather than with an "Ohhhh! Like THAT." realization.

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