With so many entries coming in for our halter contest, I decided to put several into one post for easier reading. Want to get in on the contest? Send your story and photo of your best accomplishment this year to fivestartack@mac.com. Deadline to submit your story is January 2. Three stories will be chosen and fans will get to vote for their favorite!
Let's get started.
Hi, my name is Miranda.
I live in NJ & I'm 16 years old. I started riding when was 8 years old. I took lessons and moved up so fast in my training and in a years work I was jumping 2 ft. I was fearless, I'd ride any horse & jump anything. But that all changed after my first riding accident. I was 10 at the time, and I had a lesson and it was dark out, but the arena was well lit. I was riding this new horse and we were doing really good. I warmed him up and felt confident on him. We were trotting up past where the parents would watch us ride and someone was folding their baby's blanket & shook it in the air- the horse saw it and jumped to the side and began galloping to the far end of the arena & bucked until I fell off. I fell on my arm, and broke it.
I wasn't able to ride until it healed, but even when it did I didn't want to ride. I wanted to be around the horses again, but I was too afraid to get back in the saddle. I didn't ride for about 4 years. Then my new friend in middle school was telling me about her horses and invited me to her barn. I went to watch her ride, but she had other plans for me. She saddled up 2 of her horses and forced me to get on. And I did. It felt great to be riding again, all my knowledge of riding was still there. After cantering around her arena on her horse, I even decided to jump the hay bale jump- that was my mistake. As her horse launched off the ground, over jumping it, the right stirrup slipped out of the saddle and I lost my balance and fell with the stirrup. Again, I was traumatized.
I decided not to ride anymore. I would only take care of the horses because I did love them. I volunteered for a horse rescue taking care of all the horses 3 days a week, mucking, grooming, feeding, helping the vet when she came. But I wouldn't dare ride. I watched the owner's daughter soar over 3 foot jumps and I would say to myself "wow, I can't believe I used to do that." I've been volunteering for about two years without riding, but after always seeing the owners daughter ride, I wanted to again.
Just this past August I met my now trainer at the blood testing place. We started talking because I was wearing a hunter jumper t-shirt. I told her about my riding experiences and how I want to ride like I used to. She agreed to take me as a student and gave me a free first lesson. When she introduced me to the giant friesian cross I was going to ride I nearly fell over. But I quickly learned he's a gentle giant who aims to please. My first 10 lessons I spent walking, I couldn't bring myself to trot. I was beyond afraid. My anxiety kicked in and I couldn't do it. Phantom was so patient with me, and when I did trot it was maybe 3 strides and I stopped him. I could tell he wanted to just go fast so bad, but he held it together for me. And with all his fancy dressage training, he let me just walk around on him for 30 minutes, trying to regain confidence in the saddle.
After 4 months of riding, I'm finally making more & more progress. Now I can trot no problem, but it came with a lot of work for me. I broke down and cried several times while riding, and claimed I couldn't so it and that I wasn't riding anymore. But I'm so glad I pushed thought it all. I feel like starting over as a rider has made me appreciate it so much more as a sport. And I'm so thankful for my trainer for all she's done, as hard as it's been she never gave up on me, and every time I overcome one of my many riding fears she's so happy for me. And I'm most thankful for Phantom for allowing me to ride him and for working so hard with me. He's really the most kind, and caring horse I've ever ridden, I think he deserves a beautiful halter from you guys for all he's done for me. I'm now looking forward to cantering again, and then finally jumping again. But for now I'm taking things slow, and looking forward to my future riding Phantom. (:
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From Jessica B.
My achievements this year both bring tears of joy and sadness. This year I was able to participate in my first clinic with eventer Allison Springer. My mare and I conquered all of our fears of ditches and banks. This year I lost her to a brain aneurysm resulting in tearing all the ligaments in my knee except one including both meniscus. A couple months ago I was given a horse from a friend who was to be euthanized for insurance money but the vet would not sign off on it. He has been a blessing assisting me in my recovery. I now get to start riding again at the first of the year without stirrups. I would love to win a new halter for my new boy since he is DRASTICALLY larger than my old mare. So my goals are to get back in the saddle after a heart wrenching last year of old and new beginnings.
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From Kelly J.
I was given this appendix gelding over the summer from a wealthy family who were sending him to slaughter because their son mistreated him to the extent that he was rearing and flipping when you got on and almost impossible to work with on the ground. I broke him in for them when he was a 4 year old and then I got him back as a 9 year old. The spoiled little boy wanted him sent to slaughter because "that's all he's worth." He would relay to me what he did to "train" him for calf roping including, kicking him in his knees and legs to back up, tying his head around under his stomach, whacking him in the face with things and other barbaric tactics. I got him off the trailer and as I was walking him to the barn I reached back to stroke him (habit of mine when I'm leading my horses), and he immediately shot backwards and panicked. I was for one, heart broken and slightly apprehensive. He would pull back when tied and panic when anything was raised to his face.
I worked with him solely on the ground for about three weeks getting him to trust again. The first time I rode him and asked gently for him to flex his head to the left and give to my pressure and he went right up and over. I got off and asked him to flex back again but this time tied the rein to the saddle horn with enough slack for him to be comfortable but enough tension to ask for a little bend. He flipped himself twice. But right after got up and stood quietly giving to the pressure. I walked up to him and untied the rein and asked him gently again myself and he responded nicely. After that I took the bit out of his mouth and started riding him in a hackamore. I worked him gently in the ring and took him out on trails frequently. Never once used a rough hand or even a rough voice and he came around far better than I had thought he would.
I do a lot of rehabilitation and I usually take them in, fix their problems and teach them to enjoy people again then sell them on to people who will use them to their full potential. I would never sell this gelding. Ever. He comes running and calling every time he sees me and paces the fence staring at the house if I'm not out to ride him by three. He will do anything I ask of him without any fuss a tall. I can get the mail on him, open and close gates on him, ride on the middle grass bit of m-59. We'll run full tilt out in a field and with a flex of my finger he comes right back to me. I run barrels on him but I can just switch his tack to English and hell jump for me. He's incredibly dedicated to me and I've never had a horse like that. He will be with me until he dies of old age.
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From Cassidy B.
This year, was my first year with my horse, Little Girl. I went through 2 other horses until I got to her. My first time riding her, we didn't really match well. I decided to give her another shot and then everything just clicked and we are unstoppable! She's my 3 gaited piece of heaven. We are very excited for show season and would love to have one of your amazing halters!
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From Emily M.
With dreams to finally go Preliminary this year, my show season with my horse started off well. But by June, he was lame. I took him to multiple vets and for four months (and many vet bills later) no one could figure out what was wrong. With some hope and a last ditch effort, we got him sound by September, leaving me no time to get him back into shape. Instead I focused on our dressage, and we ended up doing better than I ever could have imagined. We even ended up with multiple year end awards! I was so happy, having never won year end anything that it (almost) made up for being lame the whole season and not going Preliminary. Here's to a better 2014... as far as soundness is concerned!
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From Savannah
Hi my name is savannah and almost 6 months ago I saved a little Morgan cross off of the slaughter truck in PA. She was terribly neglected and had obvious signs that she wasn't taken care of. My mare had horrifically long hooves and she also obviously foundered a few times, and because of that she has rotation in both front feet. The farrier and vet said that we should put her down because it would be a waste of money to try and keep her, but we tried anyways. After a few months of working with her feet and trying to figure out a proper body weight I finally have been able to start riding her! Moral of the story, I love my little mare to the moon and back. Thank you for reading this.
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From Heather W.
My biggest accomplishment this year, and recently...December 23, was stepping back into horse ownership.
As a teenager, I competed in hunter/jumpers... Then took a break for school and to start my family. It never was the right "time" to get back into riding and owning my own, but this December, my husband finally convinced me to take the plunge.
At 38 weeks pregnant with my daughter, I found a horse through New Vocations. I am big of
thoroughbreds and big on adoption. Everything fell into place.
While I was in labor, I sealed the adoption. My father drove to Kentucky to pick up my Christmas horse two days after I was released from the hospital. I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with him yet due to my recovering c section, but as soon as I have the okay from my doctor, our bonding can begin.
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