When I was a small child I never dreamed of horses. I did not have horse posters on my walls or stare out the car window searching for horses. I did not beg for a pony or Breyer horses. I didn’t know you could jump horses.
We moved back to Texas when I was nine years old. The ten year old girl across the street from us took riding lessons from an old, weather beaten soul (with a heart of gold) called Tuke. At Tubo Ranch in Belton, Texas. About a year ago I finally had the inspiration that Tubo stood for “Tuke” and “Bob” – her husband.
Anyway, I went out to the barn one day with Jenny and saw this adorable little black Shetland pony. His name was Smokey Joe. I was instantly enthralled. Could I ride him? We will sign you up for lessons my Mom said.
So on the day we went for my first lesson, I was super excited. And absolutely outraged when I discovered I’d be riding SCAR FACE, a horse, not the little black pony I wanted to ride. But, as we all know, beginners don’t get to choose who they ride and so I started my riding career on a giant called SCAR FACE. He was probably a large pony but to me he was massive. And his name did not impress me one little bit. In spite of this, I fell in love with riding and thus a life and career were born.
At Tubo Ranch, once you were past the beginner stage, i.e. off the lunge line – if you could catch it, you could ride it. There were a very motley crew of all types of horses and ponies there, all living on the rocky, hilly, tree and cactus filled land that makes up Central Texas. I don’t have any idea how many acres she had, but to a kid it was a lot. My friends and I would go out on foot with a halter in hand and literally track the horses. If we found them, we would halter one and clambor up and ride back to the “house” where we would tack them up properly. Tuke had an old ramshakle tin barn and I think I went in this barn a maximum of five times. We tacked our ponies up in the front yard of the old house, and if memory doesn’t decieve me, we were tying them up to a chain link fence to do it. I don’t recall any set lesson times, though there must have been. It seemed to be a just get on and ride and if Tuke was there she’d teach you type of situation.
I have so many stories of this place it would probably take at least five or six blog posts to go through the important ones. The point of this blog, though, is the fact that I started out loving to RIDE, not loving horses. I very quickly learned to appreciate, and then absolutely love the horse. But it started out with the sport – the thrill of riding on horseback. For maybe 10% – 15% of the kids I have taught over the years, this is the reason they have started riding – they’ve seen the sport on TV and thought it looked “cool.” I can remember one particular student who was teeny tiny, but tough as nails, asking me after about her fourth lesson when she would get to go to a “meet.” She wanted to compete, and to win, so badly it ended up creating endless problems and issues with her riding. It was a shame, too, because she was a REALLY GOOD rider. But at horse shows, she would try so hard that she would inevitably screw up every course. There were outside influences for her, as well, with a dad that expected her to win if he was going to pay for this sport. She no longer rides at all. A damn shame, like I said.
90% of the kids that start out loving the sport also quickly learn to love the horse. But some do not. Some only want the thrill of riding, and of competing, and of winning. They do not appreciate the hard work that goes into making yourself and the horse great. They have zero interest in horsemanship. If it isn’t easy, they aren’t interested. I silently seethe when dealing with these ones. As long as the parent is willing to pay, the kid continues to ride and show, sometimes owning a horse that gets ignored when not preparing for a show. They don’t wash their tails, clean the gunk out of their eyes, or pull their manes. They consider the horse “good enough” for showing and don’t take the time to make it shine. Or they expect someone else to do it.
To say I struggle with these kids is an understatement. It seems the 10% has been increasing over the years, with kids that are underachievers when it comes to hard work and horsemanship. How can you be your best self if you put less than your best self forward? How can these kids be allowed to be so, well, lazy? How can you and your horse acheive greatness if you don’t expect greatness in yourself?
My best self has faltered the past few years, with impatience and annoyance with the “entitled” generation. I’ve got several awesome students now who are willing to put in the work and learn the horsemanship. I’ll take it, I’ll take them and their enthusiasm and put them to work. I can’t let things be “good enough.” I want greatness. I expect greatness. Not perfection, but greatness. And greatness simply means to be your best self when it comes to taking care of, and riding, your horse.
Loves horses, loves to ride. Which are you? Be both!
Nice commentary. Glad you get to live your dream!
This brought back so many memories! Because of you Julie our Kimberly started riding and to this day she has the love of riding and horses. Yes there is so much more to it than getting on the back of a horse. It’s the love of the horse and the sport.