My horse story started a lot later in life...way later than most horse crazy girls.
I've always been fascinated by horses but I was interested in everything as a kid so there wasn't much time for riding horses.
Fast forward a decade or so...
When I went to register for classes before my sophmore year at Bethany College, I noticed a hunt seat class was listed on the sheet. There was a fee but I also earned a credit...I signed up for the class. There was also a rep. from the equestrian center where the class would be held...apparently they were starting a hunt seat team where for another fee I could get a second lesson once a week.
Wanna join? Sure! I have almost no riding experience. ha ha!
They soon realized I was too inexperienced to be with the other riders so I essentially got two private lessons a week. I was so determined to show though.
After a semester of two lessons a week, I was ready for the walk/trot class. I did OK for the first couple shows but eventually, I started placing first and second regularly.
I even qualified for and WON regionals...I later placed 4th at Zones (This is IHSA in case you're wondering).
I was mostly an arena baby...I felt the most comfortable there. The equestrian center was located on some 2,000 acres so we had some awesome trails but I would by lying if I told you I wasn't scared to death every time we went out.
After graduation, I moved to coastal North Carolina. With little horse industry, I thought my riding days were done. I tried to do yoga, bead, scrapbook, etc... but nothing held my attention like horses did.
I finally decided enough was enough and looked on Craigslist for some sort of horses interaction. It didn't take me long to find a little barn that I could ride in exchange for horse feed and a little help. I did that for two months before I realized I needed more.
I wanted my own horse. I never in a million years thought that I would have a horse of my very own.
Most people didn't really support me or at least that's how I felt. "You know that's a big commitment!" "Horses are EXPENSIVE." blah blah blah DUH!
I looked on PetFinder but did see a whole lot that caught my eye. <- This shocked me because I figured I would want every horse I came across.
Something eventually lead me to the United States Equine Rescue League (USERL) where I found the CUTEST little Paso Fino X. He was super green but OMG was he cute with his blaze and three white stockings. The cherry on top? His name was Grayson...how cute!
I emailed USERL because I wanted to talk to his foster family and meet him before I just applied for adoption. His foster mom quickly responded and I went to see him that weekend. I most certainly fell in love with him the first time I met him. Super sweet guy with eyes that made you want to cry (true story). I rode him bare back the first time I met him.
I applied for adoption knowing it would take a month to get approved.
One Friday I took my older car in for some regular maintenance...they called me that afternoon to say that I had a hole in my frame and I needed $800 just to make the brakes safe...I NEEDED a new car. Unfortunately I also received a call to say I had been approved to take Grayson.
I was so upset. I literally cried ALLLLL weekend. Everyone I knew must've thought I was a psycho and everyone told me there were a million horses out there.
I felt bad for myself for a weekend, emailed his foster mom to say I needed to buy a new car first but would call her after I got a new car.
I created a budget for the first time in my life and figured out how to swing a car payment and pay for Grayson's board, feed, etc...I sent an email saying I was ready but apparently another woman had first dibs but the stars must've aligned because Grayson was lame and couldn't be adopted until he was sound and approved by a vet. The other woman must've been sick of waiting so by the time he was sound, she had moved on and Grayson was mine.
I've never trained a horse or really worked with a youngster but owning Grayson has improved my
Read about Grayson
