Horses that made me: Snowfinder

I was looking through some old photo albums the other day and came across some pictures of me riding when I was little. Looking back at all the horses and ponies made me realize just how lucky I am for all the experiences I had with these horses over the years. So, as the snow falls outside, I've decided to start my first of several posts dedicated to the horses that made me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed looking back :)

I wasn't quite two years old when my mom took me to sit on my first horse at a local game preserve.  

Look at that natural balance :)

It took several more years of asking, though, before she agreed to sign me up for lessons at a local barn. That's where I met Snowfinder and I was instantly in love. What more could you want for a little girl than a little white pony?

Snowfinder

The barn wasn't anything to write home about, and there was no indoor, but boy did I learn a lot riding out in the field with my trainer's old blind TB meandering freely around the property after us.

Krupper! haha

Snowfinder was a wonderful teacher. I was eight and he was probably in his late teens, old enough to know the game but still pony enough to have the spunk to teach me how to really ride. We walked and trotted around, worked across poles and around barrels, learned out to start and stop and turn with leg and rein cues. Snowfinder was very patient and I was an eager student.

I lessoned there throughout the summer and fall until winter came and I had accomplished the basics. At that point we started looking for another barn with new more challenging horses to ride. I was hooked.

To be continued...