Dirt and Dust
When my daughter Sarah was in fifth grade, we let her explore a new hobby. This hobby/sport was quite the undertaking! She had always loved horses and we had finally moved to a property that had land. She had pestered us for years to start riding lessons and get a horse. We reluctantly put our toes into the world of horses. It turned out to be the best decision we could’ve made!
Sarah’s first horse was a small Arabian mare named Pumpkin. Pumpkin was a beautiful chestnut color and loved to run. Sarah, however, had to learn to walk on that horse before she could let her run! I’ve never seen my girl so determined to master a skill as she was with that horse. Sarah learned how to groom, tack, and train horses. She took lessons, participated in every class and horse show she could, and spent endless hours in the dirt practicing. I learned how to hook up and haul horse trailers, large and small. I even learned how to back a trailer (like a boss, I might add).
Over the spring and into the summer, Sarah and Pumpkin became quite a team. At her very first show with Pumpkin, she won first place. I’ll never forget the look on Sarah’s face. It makes me smile just thinking about it. It was one of those times as a parent that made your heart joyful. Sarah had worked really hard and saw her efforts pay off. I loved that she was rewarded for her hard work. That is an important life lesson for any child to learn. After that first win, I knew we were in the horse world for a while. The journey was just beginning.
Sarah and Pumpkin grew up together, but unfortunately, Pumpkin was getting old. When Pumpkin finally passed (at age 29), Sarah’s world came crashing down. She didn’t think she would ever love another horse as much as her sweet Pumpkin. With time, Sarah braved the emotions and got on another horse. Sarah would go on to love Scottie, Sky, Roxy, Fergie, and Lacy. Each horse had its own strengths and weaknesses. They competed in various shows and performed well. Her walls quickly became covered in ribbons and awards. Sarah learned something different from training each horse. I remember thinking Sarah would be a much better parent than I am because she had learned how to communicate without using words. She knows how to build trust. Trust is the ultimate goal in a horse and rider relationship.
Because Sarah couldn’t legally haul a trailer on her own until she was 18, I spent hours and hours watching and helping however I could. I ended up being quite the “show mom”. Show days were long, 12-14-hour days. We rode in the blistering heat, cold, and even rain occasionally. Dirt was what we knew.
When Sarah was leaving home for college, she had some tough decisions to make. Her heart was in that barn outside. But she couldn’t take the horses with her. And she wouldn’t be around to ride them. My boys didn’t have any interest in riding. She had to make the adult decision to sell her beautiful horses to someone who could give them the love and attention they deserved. It would be years before she could ride consistently again. The horses were too well trained to just sit in the barn. One by one, they left our home. There were many tears from all of us.
Horses had become a bonding thing for me and my only daughter. We have many funny, frustrating, and happy memories with those horses! I will be forever grateful for that bonding time we had together over the years. Owning horses taught Sarah a strong work ethic and responsibility. She has carried that same work ethic into everything she does today. I’m so proud of her and who she has become. Who knew it would all start with a little girl’s desire to have a pony…