How does horse ownership begin?

By Cindy Johnson | cjquimby@gmail.com

I can't remember a time when I didn't want a horse. I dreamed constantly about a horse. During car trips, I was racing alongside on my imaginary horse jumping ditches and flying through fields.

My maternal grandmother recognized my passion and made my cousin Kenny take me for a ride on his horse Lady. He sat me on Lady, tied her to a fence, and I sat on her all afternoon while he went to play ball. Grandma came looking for me and scolded Kenny. I wasn't upset, I was happy, I thought I was riding.

My campaign to get a horse began quite young. I started saving. Trimming my other grandparent's yard full of bushes netted me $5.00, sore muscles, and blisters, while the piggy bank grew

When I was in grade school, I was more horse crazy than ever My mother came home one day and said she had a surprise for me in the trunk. I ran outside looking for evidence of horse manure and worried that my tiny horse would suffocate in the trunk.

Mom opened the trunk, and I smiled as she proudly showed me a used saxophone. I dutifully played it and even played “Star of the East” at a school assembly I never showed my disappointment.

The savings continued, and I finally had $95.00! I approached my parents with my wish to get a horse. They said it wasn't enough and they weren't sure, but I kept hoping and working

One day, I came home from school and there was a horse! A Palomino/Appaloosa skinny cross 9 months old. My dad said he had cost $125.00 and told me I could work off the remaining $30 by helping him cement the toolshed.

I named him Star Blaze. He was uncut and liked to chase cows. We really didn't know much about horses, and it was trial by error. Star Blaze liked to bite. He especially liked to bite my brothers and other boys. Coming from a questionable home, his first worming piled out Strongyles in mass, but otherwise he was healthy and full of life.

He grew up, and I loved him so much! After he was gelded, the horse breaking began. I can't remember how many times he threw me, but they numbered several a day. He even reared and fell over on me. Years later, an x-ray revealed my fractured back.

My paternal grandfather tried to tame my horse-craziness and sat me down telling me that ladies didn't play with horses. He told me I was to give Star Blaze to my brothers and do more girlthings. Since my brothers didn't want my horse, and I wouldn't give him up anyway, I quietly continued my lifestyle away from grandpa.

Throwing me got to be such a problem, that my dad threatened to sell him. This is the truth - I told Star Blaze what dad had said, and he never threw me again. In fact, I rode him bareback everywhere with just a string of baler twine for a bit.

We were inseparable until high school graduation when I left for college. It was all I could stand to stay away from him for two weeks. As if he knew, at the end of the second week when I was due home, he would jump the fence and go to the neighbor's house. He just knew that would bring me home.

Star Blaze and I enjoyed many happy years together. He lives in my heart. There have been and are other horse loves each one accepting my devotion.

Mine is not the only horse crazy story. Horse people are born knowing horses. Why else would someone risk health, finances, and relationships to keep one?

They're expensive, unpredictable, big and the best beasts ever to be born. To a true horse person, being in the barn mucking stalls and making sure they are okay trumps housework any day. Long days caring for horses, worrying about them, and braving the elements to see that all their needs are met is unquestionable.

This series of articles will contain stories about horse owners. They will also deal with the challenges of ownership and share tips on how to manage finances, health and other pertinent information beginning with the lone horse owner to the challenges of running a boarding and or training barn.

True horse people are eager to learn and share and they never grow tired of their faithful steeds.

Until next month, Cindy Johnson

Cindy Johnson has been a horse owner since she was 13 years old. She is a freelance writer and can be reached via email at cjquimby@gmail.com