by Rebecca K.

Created on: November 29, 2010   Last Updated: December 14, 2010

Owning a horse was my childhood dream! As a young teen, I was able to start riding lessons at a local stable and years later after getting a part-time job and saving money, I was able to convince my parents to help me buy a horse. Finally my dream came true at age 15. I've been a horse owner ever since and that one horse has now turned into 12. Love them all, but owning a horse sure isn't easy.

First, there are all kinds of different equine personalities to deal with. Sure that golden palomino you found online looks super and has halter points and such, but what it doesn't say is he bucks! Or that beautful sorrel mare, only eight and a Quarter Horse. A good first horse right? Oh... she'll teach ya how to ride alright!

My first horse Abby (who I still own today) is what I call an equine diva. She hates crossing mud, water and generally anything to do with work, especially chasing cows or jumping fences. We mostly rode English, so the whole refusal thing was kind of a bummer. I did feel better as I watched two of my riding instructors struggle to get her over a gate during a lesson. See, it wasn't just me. She also liked to buck on occasion and when I lounged her in the winter, she reacted something like a wild mustang, rearing and bucking. I'd just laugh at her show and figure, better now than when I'm on her.

I've had the good fortune of training a horse or two from scratch as well. Now that is a joy (mostly if you've done your homework). Seeing a horse go from dummie who doesn't know how to lounge to- a well-mannered horse that you can ride on a trail, is something that give you confidence and a good feeling. The first horse I broke was a blue roan named Renegade. I loved him dearly and thought about keeping him, but my husband wouldn't allow it because he didn't stay in a fence. Any fence really- our farm rule, the fence crasher has to go.

We've raised and sold foals, broke stallions and trained geldings. My next project (in between having children) was our four year old appaloosa curly horse gelding named Skyler. He's a near leopard, very flashy and appeared calm. My hope was for him to be a kids' horse one day because he had the makings and a smaller stature for a horse.

I started him early spring when the snow was deep and by the end of the summer, we were placing at local horseshows. I'm so very proud of Skyler, he proved me right. He kept his calm nature and isn't afraid of obstacles on the trail or ringside. A pat on the neck calms him down and he proceeds. I even started him on some cowboy extreme racing obstacles like- dragging a pole, herding cattle, riding up a sandhill and riding near chickens. If I did any of those things with my first horse, I'd be chasing cattle in reverse (from her trying to run away) and would end up all tangled in a rope on the ground trying to drag a pole.

A calm trusty horse is something to treasure, a hot feisty one can be fun to gallop- but don't ever let your guard down or you'll end up eating dirt. I've done that literally, at a show, in front of people. Not my finest hour. Ah the joys of horse ownership. I'd do it all again in a hoofbeat!

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