How did you first get into riding/horses? Whats your story?

My parents moved to scotland when I was in 3rd grade and I started taking lessons on the most adoreable welsh pony. A friend of my dad's asked us to take care of his horse on the farm we lived on and I began a year of great memories. At the age of 21 I bought my first horseand had her for two wonderful years, but had to sell her when we moved to florida. I got married and had to put the dream away for my babies but have always loved horses. My wonderful husband just bought me two horses for he and I for mothers day. what a sweetie. I am so happy I have horses in my life again and love learning as much as I can. I will never be without them again.

Guess you can say its in my family too. My mom loves horses, my dad rode them in the Yukon, and my sister also rides too.

I've always liked horses. And the stories I hear of little me with horses are really cool. There is one story, where when we lived in BC, I snuck off and played in the hay under a friend's large stallion. I was 3 years old then. I began actual lessons in Germany with my aunt when I was 10. Her and her daughter both ride (and drive horses too!).

I've been riding since 2000, and don't want to give up yet. There are days I need space from horses, but I will always return.

Seems like my story's quite different from most of yours. A decade or more ago, I finally could afford a house somewhat out in the country (not enough for my taste, really, but what can you do?) with room enough for a decent garden. And the neighbors next door had a couple of horses, which meant free fertilizer So between the fertilizer pickups, and the couple of apple trees the previous owner of my place had planted, the horses and I got to be pretty good buddies, and eventually (because I do get on much better with animals than humans), the horses' people became friends too.

I like to hike a lot, so I started going on trail rides with them, me & the various dogs walk/running along with the people on horses. And of course they kept telling me I should get a horse & learn to ride (while I'd tell them that they needed to get off and stop making the horse do all the work). And eventually I caved in - though to date I've still spent far more time leading Ellie around than I have riding

I got my first pony at six. My sisters got tired of me always getting on their horses. I started taking dressage lessons from Captain Heyer in Sarasota Florida. He was very German and I rode his huge dressage horses in the lessons. His saddle had a seat belt on it to hold me on. That would never fly today! Anyway, he taught me how to think like a horse and never allowed any show of temper on a horse. My favorite mantra that I learned from him...."the tenser the horse gets, the softer you ride". A life lesson.

I was so lucky to have him in my life. Col. Kimball later told me that the Heyer Cup (awarded for the world cup in dressage) was named after him.

I was introduced to horses about 6 years ago through a good family friend. Ever since then I have been really hooked. Now I compete in show jumping and ride everyday.

I have loved horse all my life.When i was a little girl i begged my mom for lessons but never got them so i had to settle for riding friends horses any chance i got.Finally when i graduated college i was dermined to own a horse, it took me about a year but i found a place right beside my house that was willing to board a horse for me and saved up some money to purchase my very own horse.My dad found a horse through a friend of his so i went to see him a fell in love at first sight.Peewee was a 4 year old quarter horse that was as dead broke as they get, they guy that owned him was a really ruff "cowboy" that wasent very nice to his horses so i knew i had to do whatever it took to get peewee away from him.A week after i offered to buy the horse they guy told me that he had changes his mind and no longer wanted to sell the horse eventhough i have visited this horse everyday and fell in love with him, i just couldent take no no for an answer so i aggrevated him everyday for 2 weeks until he agreed to sell me my horse, the guy told me that i would have to come to his house everyday 2-3 hours a day for 6 weeks to get some training on horses because i was new to horse ownership but i didint care i was having the time of my life.So it is 8 years later and we are still best friends and i love that horse to pieces.My 3 year old daughter has inherited my love for horse and i look forward to many years of fun with her and our horses.

My mother always talked about the "little mountain mustang" she rode when she lived at her brother's ranch in Colorado. She was just a kid at the time. I've always loved horses, but we lived in town and didn't have any $$ for horses. When I was seven, I promised my Daddy I would clean out the garage all by myself if he would let me keep a pony in there, but he didn't go for that (he did tell me I could clean out the garage, though!)

When my husband and I got married, we lived on his uncle's 80 acres. We didn't have much $$ when we got married - not even enough for an engagement ring. We decided that he would get me a diamond ring to go with my wedding ring for our fifth anniversary. Just before our anniversary, he bought me my first horse - then a few days later one for himself. They were both two-year-olds. Mine was a gentle giant strawberry roan. His was an OTQH that was also gentle. (I got my diamond ring anyway - as a Christmas present!) The next year we got the girls a little Shetland pony. After about 10 years or so, we were forced by finances and lack of time to sell our beloved horses.

My youngest daughter married her second husband and moved a trailer in next door to us. He wanted his three kids to experience the "country life", that was pretty much all her two had ever known. He promised his kids they could have horses. Last February, they bought three horses from my cousin, who had fallen on hard times and no longer had the $$ to feed his horses. Since the daughter and her husband didn't have much $$ either, I knew I was going to be stuck with the feed bill. (they had no clue just how much it costs to feed a horse!) I told my husband if I was going to be feeding horses, by golly, I was going to have one of my own down there to make it worth my while.

After much searching on my limited budget, a friend of mine at work told me she was going to have to move and leave her horses behind. She had no way of moving them - either to her new home out of state, or even to an auction. She was devastated and desparate. We worked out a deal that let me pay out the price of the horses over time (almost done!) and she could relax because she knew they would be well cared for. Hubby was furious with me because I bought two horses, when all he expected me to buy was one. However, when he saw DJ - it was love at first sight. He's working on building up his strength (he had a stroke several years ago) so he can ride again. DJ is not very well trained, but he is such a gentle baby that hubby won't have any trouble with him. (he knows his basic stuff).

We are so happy to have horses again...and chickens...and goats...OH! the feed bill!!!!

From the first time I remember wishing on my birthday candles, there was only one wish, horses, horses, and horses. I learned to read before school so I could "learn more about horses" and I have been horse crazy since living memory. I started riding at six, and paid for my horse/lease/lessons starting at the age of 9. I'm grown and married now, but my horse is still a daily part of my life. I now own my own business (Horse Appraiser) that can put all my knowledge to good use. I think horses are more than a hobby, they can be a part of your soul.

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i dont remember when i first started getting into horses unfortunately. But i do remember my first ride and it was at my cousins house (whom just passed away friday from 2 yrs of battling lymphnode cancer) and i loved it ever since than. I still do not own a horse but i might as well becuase my fiance's aunt has 3 horses and honestly doesnt know much about them and kinda scared of them but she rides...anyway, the one i ride she wont cuz shes scared so basically i'm over there everyday taking care of all of them, especially Dee (the one i ride) she takes great care of them too tho

When I was about 5 years old I started to be interested in horses, my moms friend would give me pony rides on one of her ponies. All I used to want to wear were cowgirl outfits. I even used to pretend my dog was a horse and make him jump over little jumps that I would set up around my house. My mom finally gave in and signed me up for riding lessons at the age of 7 and ever since then its been my life.