A Horse by Any Other Name...

Owning a horse was one of the yearned for unattainables of my youth. A pipe dream, a fervent want, something to long for with no hope of possessing.

I have clear memories of playing racehorse at age 5 with my friend Kimmy. We vigorously pumped our legs for hours on swings named for our imaginary steeds, Thunderbolt and Lightning. Arcing high above the ground, we urged our wondrous mounts on to even greater speeds.

Through family or friends I could usually find a horse to hop on as a kid. In my later teens trail riding stables offered an opportunity to sit in the saddle. Young adulthood found me working so long and hard that horses barely entered my mind and marriage and babies nearly erased the thought completely.

Unsurprisingly, my two girls were genetically predisposed toward anything horse and have ridden since ages 4 & 5. Years of lessons and summers spent as barn rats kept them focused and healthy. Over time Zina and Sofia accrued an extensive portfolio of wonderful riding experiences, but having a horse of our own still seemed impossible.

Cancer kicks things up a notch. The brush with mortality helps throw caution to the winds and gives fingernail purchase to the visions that hover just out of reach. In my late 30s after a bout with the breast variety, I grabbed the edge of my childhood hope and tugged it toward my daughters and me. I began lessons at the barn where my girls had been riding for years. My self-confidence had taken a pounding during chemotherapy and my Evil Knievil days were over. Mental pep talks got me to each half hour session and I struggled with nerves while riding.

Horse number one was purchased on a wing and a prayer. Doing the worst thing possible, I bought the first animal I looked at. He was cute, he was spotted, what more could we ask for? A bit of a wild thing, he calmed with consistent work and training and remained with us for seven years.

It wasn't so long before Zina and Sofia felt they were outgrowing Cue. Young girls with Kamikaze riding attitudes, they were moving beyond his limited talents. He and I had the strongest bond and made a good team, so Cue became my horse for our last few years of ownership.

Eventually, amidst drama and heartbreak, Cue was traded for Curtis; a Thoroughbred my eldest had pined for since his birth. He became Zina's personal mount and Cue began his new career as a lesson horse at the barn where he had been stabled for years. My ridiculous schedule forced me to take time off from riding and Sofia contented herself with pick up rides on horses belonging to friends. And so it went for about a year.

Money always being a consideration, Zina kept an eye out for more affordable options for Curtis. Eventually she stumbled across something that we had never considered - a small barn on a larger horse property that could be leased by the stall. We looked into it and discovered that the three of us could each board a horse for little more than Zina was paying for one! Lots more work, way more time, but, oh, the possibilities!

Sofia began her hunt for a young racehorse project while I prowled the Internet for a well-trained Quarter Horse. In short order we both found likely candidates and in a flash were a three horse family! Nose firmly set to grindstone, we happily settled into our laborious schedule of mucking, feeding and riding our hairy compadres.

We soon found an even better deal on a twelve acre horse property for lease just a few miles further down the road. It seemed surreal to be thinking of having our own place! After some careful consideration, a "barn buddy" and I decided to move
our six horses to new digs on the Taunton River in March of '07.

River's Edge is purely a hobby and the work greatly outweighs the dollars, but pleasure tips the scale decidedly toward the good. Muttered expletives and a sharp slap aimed at the snooze button may greet my shrilling alarm at o' dark thirty, but the farm works its magic once I'm there. A muted snuffle or soft nicker dispels tiredness and gloom. In this plot of warm animal and hard work, I have found a surefire cure for whatever ails me.