TBT

Last year my mother posted a picture of me on Facebook that was basically the beginning of it all.  When we lived in Broomfield CO we took riding lessons as a family at a huge barn,  I say huge because the whole thing was inside.  There were two rings inside (one western, one with fences) and the stalls were inside as well.  We took western lessons, all four of us.  My favorite mount was a palomino quarter horse named Watch Fob.  We would saddle up and do group lessons together.  I think I was about 6.  I can remember cantering one at a time in that ring.  And I remember looking through the gate between rings and watching the English riders and thinking that was the coolest thing ever and how I would much rather do that.  I don't know how long those lessons lasted, but they were only like once a month for a period of time, maybe 6 months.  Then one year we went on family vacation to a dude ranch.  That is where the picture comes in.

Me on Boss, with a friend

We each got our own horse.  I got Boss, the bay with an attitude.  We had to be in the back during rides because he would (and did) kick.  I got put on him because I was "experienced".  I look at the picture now and think he couldnt have been too much of a bad-ass with those knees, but I thought he was cool.  The dude ranch we went to is still around, although it is now called the Majestic Dude Ranch.  It was Lake Mancos, but was bought by the people who produced the movie City Slickers.  I have thought in the past about going back just to check it out, but it's expensive.  But I remember having a blast on that trip.  And it is what started my love affair with the ponies.  After this, we moved to Louisiana and I found a hunter/jumper barn that I took a few lessons at before moving to Florida.  But Colorado is where it all started, on the back of a quarter horse...