Last week was a series of retrospectives. So what was it like trying remember all the horses I have ever ridden?
Surprisingly easy. Horses I owned, past & present. Horses I leased. Horses I rode regularly. Horses I rode once.
Names were harder, particularly IHSA or camp horses. Years were way harder than I expected. Was it late this year or early that? When in doubt, I ascribed events to separate years, for easy of display. Reality is +/- three months either way.
The years from 10 to 19 had the most variety. I suspect this is true of most people, whether or not they are involved with horses. I started off as a 10 year old in the middle of Manhattan, ended as a college student with horse of my own.
My 20s were about owning a horse and the concomitant buying and selling, Since I was boarding, a horse who didn’t work out had to move on.
My 30s & 40s had much activity by less overt change. Mathilda decorated our backyard all of those 20 years. Caesar was with us for 17 of them. Lots of riding, lessons, showing, falls, victories, lamenesses, illnesses, recoveries, and so on. The day-to-day life of taking care of horses.
My 50s are going to be fabulous. Onwards!
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 
Don’t forget to appreciate every day you can ride. You never know when it’ll be your last. Horses were my life for over forty years and I always thought I would ride until I die. Instead, reasonable young, in my fifties, a medical issue forced me out of the saddle. I miss it everyday.
Ditto what Kathy said. I didn’t have horses, or even lessons, for that long, but it was medical issues that grounded me. Permanently. Still have my old saddle….
Yes, I still have all my old tack. The daughter has horses so I get to watch her enjoy it. Sometimes watching is torture, but I can give her hints. I used to train, show and give lessons. Sorry to hear you’re grounded too.
Wonderful retrospective but you forgot your first horse, Scout.
Kathy & Deb: 😦
Kathy: I don’t know your situation. Have you considered driving? We have met a number of folks who took it up when riding became problematic.
Joan: If I start on plastic ponies, we’ll be here another week.
not enough money. life going to hell in a handbasket very, very fast. Just enough for me and Eowyn. Horses a dream, a memory……..