[kevinshorses]

When I was about 12 my dad and I were moving some cows on a big tabletop mesa. It was a great day with a bright blue sky and just enough breeze to be comfortable. We rode to the edge of the mesa and looked out at the country around us and below us was a hawk riding thermals looking for mice. I felt pretty blessed to be there when most of my friends were playing soccer and going to movies. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

 

[Brighteyes]

My fondest memory is pretty simple. It was a gorgeous day. Pretty blue sky with a touch of afternoon red. Puffy clouds like cotton balls floating above. Warm. The kind of day that makes you feel small, like that big 'ol sky's going to swallow you. After a lesson, I hopped on Moon, a big black Percheron, and rode bareback towards the pasture. It was special to me, and I remember thinking, "This is why I ride."

 

[TB4life]

Mine was the first time I cantered bearback.

 

[kmdstar]

My favorite memory was the first trail ride that I rode my mare, Starlite. She was a really hot horse due to her previous owner galloping her on trails all the time and even if she'd settle down in the arena, trails brought out her crazy side. One day she was behvaing well in the arena and I just decided it was time to trail ride her, she was amazing! We've had issues since then (none now, she's an amazing trail horse now! ) but that ride was the best.

 

[sandy2u1]

I've enjoyed reading your special horse memories. My favorite horse memory happened last summer. Even though I had sent my horse, Major, to the trainers for a month and she did wonders with his riding issues, he still had very bad mistrust issues on the ground. I had him in the yard one day grazing, I was standing and watching, but not holding him. It is something I often let him do when there isn't any other people at the barn for him to run over if he spooks. On this particular day, he got spooked, but instead of running around for 30 minutes in fear, he came running up to me. He was afraid and I had to calm him down, but I feel like that was the first time he really trusted me to take care of him. It really took weeks and weeks of spending lots and lots of time with him...but at that moment I knew every second was worth it.

 

[ridergirl23]

oh geez, can i share two? because i have two that make me want to cry

well me and my cousin were being taught to ride by my mom and aunt and uncle, i got to ride tacky, who was about 24 years old and an old mean ranch QH, well, i ADORED her, and i remember the firstime my mom let us go out of the corral without a parent, Tacky was n angel and always took perfect care of me, even though she bucked my brother, cousin, and aunty off and could really raise hell, haha <3 that wasnt really just one memory... srry, lol

and i just neeed to share my next one, haha
well i was at my first reconized show, and me and p.d. were doing training level, the whole barn was there riding in the show too. Well, me and payday rode the test, he spooked, we could barely ride a circle, and i came out of the ring practically crying, i actually had tears in my eyes, we got 40% on that test. but everyone at the barn told me stories about how they messed up on their first dressage test, or how their horses bucked them off, and they made me smile and laugh, haha oh good memorys <3

 

[Jessabel]

One of my best memories is the first time I jumped a fence on Victor. It was a tiny cross rail, but it felt like a six-foot oxer.

My other favorite memory is last fall when I went on a trail ride with three of my friends at twilight. It was a gorgeous evening and Vic never put a foot wrong, which is rare for him. We even rode past a combine and it didn't bother him at all. I had him on a loose rein the entire time and he was a perfect gentleman. I think that was the first time he was ever perfect on a trail ride.