What got you started and more......

I know we have that survey thing but just to get a little unstructured just how did you get started into horses, what brought you to this point in your partnership and what were the high points and what was the lowest point?

My boyfriends sister has a bunch of horses and I was always drawn to them anyways (wanted to be a cowgirl ;) ) Well, one summer she took me riding a bunch. We were always bareback, and had all kinds of adventures (mind you I had no riding experience). She kept saying how I have a natural seat and what not. Within 6 months after that I had my own horse and a year after that, I'm ready to break him :)

The highest point for me was seeing my work pay off with Thunder, being able to recognize problems and bad habits and nip em in the bud. The lowest point was fighting with Nick's sis when I was boarding with her and having her say a bunch of lies, then having to find a new place to board within 48 hours because of her threats.

Summer camp got me started. I was trotting when everyone was supposed to walk in the first lesson, because my cousin who rode told me if you squeeze and cluck they'll go faster... and well, a walk wasn't fast enough for me. I was also the only beginner in that camp who had a jumping lesson at the end. I rode bareback, I was a daring little monster.

Then I moved to the farm where I am now, and got my gelding and got even more daring. :P

My highest point was probably getting 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places with Smokey in dressage at New England (A-rated) when he was 23 and I was 16, and neither of us had ever shown dressage before. My other high point, is happening right now, and that's training my filly.. but since she's not finished yet...

I don't really have too many low points, but I guess one would be riding for this tough instructor who really stripped me down to the bone and built me back up the year before I went to college. The other low would be everytime Scarlet set me back and made me feel like I couldn't do it. Now I know I can though, so it was all worth it.

When I lived in Europe we actually lived opposite a hill from an equestrian centre. Nothing better than the French country side to go on trail rides. My parents somehow managed to afford getting me a trail ride once a week for about 2 years. All they were, were trail rides but the owners knew my family well and I had the opportunity to pick and choose from a string of 25 horses or so every week we went out. Had my first pony(well 3 of them) within that first year of riding. My love for horses still continues.

The biggest low? I think it was selling my first pony and first horse. Not sure what my biggest high or accomplishment has been as I find owning horses is he most rewarding thing. I've been amazed on a regular basis at how fantastic horses are and continuously reminded why my passion is as such.

My family had horses when I was born and I just grew up on them. My highest point was when I trained my first horse from the start all by myself then later got him as my own as a gift from Dad cause the owners couldn't pay the training bill. My lowest point.........I got too cocky when I was riding a young horse, I pushed her too hard and asked for too much. She bucked (VERY HARD) and bucked me off on my head and shoulder. I layed in the pasture for about 3 hours thinking that I had broken my neck. Fortunately, I started to get feeling back and managed to crawl to the house. Turned out that I had only gotten a "stinger" (stunned nerve) and messed up my back alignment a lot. Spent lots of time at the chiro. Though some good did come out of it, it taught me to watch a young horse and not do anything until they tell me that they are ready.

I have loved horses basically since I was 2! I have always loved horses I proved that when I was in 5th grade and a stud horse who didnt see me ran me over and I snapped my arm in half (I have a mild bone disease) and I had to have surgery. Everyone thought I would be through with horses! But as everyone can see im still passionate about horses.

My high would be getting my first horse Dixie I got her around august and have been in absolute love with her.

Umm the only low point I had was when I had a horse take off with me and I pulled my back really badly so I was scared to go faster than a trot for a while.

But im a Can-turner now so I love going fast!!!

I have always loved horses! When I was little, I always brought home piles of horse books from the library and loved looking at pictures of them. I converted my little red bicycle into a horsie named Cinnamon. Hehe. But I never even bothered asking my parents for lessons because I knew they wouldn't let me. It was too expensive for us, and my parents had never been big on extracurricular stuff and I was already taking piano lessons. I actually rode an elephant before I ever rode a horse -- at the circus. Haha. But my first ride was when I was 11. I went trail riding with some friends and I was one of the ones that wanted to go fast. I would hang back from every one else and make my horse trot. Lol. I started taking lessons at 15, when I finally convinced my parents and have been dead-set horse crazy ever since. I started taking western lessons, then English. And a year ago I got my first horse Jubilee who is a literally a dream come true!

When I was a kid I dreamed about horses. I read a book about a boy whose father trained horses for a wealthy man. The horse owner had a black arabian stallion the boy loved. (No, it wasn't black beauty but I wish I remembered the name of this book). I lived in town and used to dream that I would ride my horse to school. While we were in classes I would leave my horse tied up to the fence out on the playground. On recess all the kids would line up for rides on my black arabian stallion.

Needless to say, I didn't have a horse as a child. I rode one once or twice during childhood. My daughter inherited her mother's love of horses. She nagged me for years to start giving her horse riding lessons. About a year ago, Dream Factory came to us and asked her if she'd like a wish. She, of course, asked for a horse. I figured there was no way in the world she'd get a horse. Early this year we found a wonderful riding teacher. Katie started riding lessons. I made an off handed remark to him that I'd love to take lessons too if I could only afford them. Well, after my daughter had taken lessons for a couple of months, I started them too. He only charged us $15 more a lesson to add me.

In July, Joshua came for a trial run. He's never left. For us, this year has been pretty wonderful on the horse front. The low times have been related to my daughter's health. She's had a really rough fall and she's had to relearn quite a few skills she'd mastered before.

I saw Black Beauty when I was 3 1/2 (I got it for Christmas) and I begged my mom for riding lessons for a half year before she found a place that would take a 4 year old.

My high point was when my instructor considered me her best student.

My low point was when I took about 8 months "off" (I still rode, but not much) and lost most of my talent. Ha.

I saw the movie "The Black Stallion" when I was 6 and had been riding a little since then but wasn't really into it. Then something about the movie and him riding that horse with no saddle or bridle got me going. I can't really remember why I am so into jumping other than I just love it! So When I would get riding lessons I always wanted "The black" pretty much every black horse was called the black till I got my first Pony (which funny enough was a white welshpony lol) named Valcore. It all just grew from there .

My high point was getting a 3rd out of 6 horses in a walk trot english pleasure class with my 3yr old Belgium who only had 20 rides on him hehe. The only thing that could replace that is winning State next year.

My low point was when I sprained the tendons down one side of my body and was told if I ever ride a horse again I will be stuch in a wheelchair for life (yeah... right).