Full Circle Moment

Have you ever had one of those fulfilling moments where you realize that, in a way, you are going back to your roots, and it feels really... right? I grew up with horses on a small piece of land west of Loveland, CO. When I tell people this, they sometimes think of the wealthy kind of horse owner—you know, the stables with fancy horses and braided manes. No, we were not those kinds of horse people. But we were very fortunate, and our parents worked really hard so my sister and I could fulfill that dream of being horse girls.

Our beginnings were humble: a few "starter" horses and a lean-to. But the memories we made were worth a million dollars. We formed a posse in our rural subdivision. It was me, my sister, and a few neighbors who saddled up and rode the deer trails behind our property. We called ourselves "The Soda Pop Gals" because while we rode and explored, we drank soda pops left over from a 4th of July party.

I learned about healthy risk-taking. I would jump off the barn roof onto the bare back of my horse and then gallop him to the end of the run. Was this healthy? I don't know, but I made it out unscathed, and I made a core memory that I get to share with my sister. I got to spend all of my childhood, adolescence, and teenage years influenced by horses, and the impact has been indelible.

I went off to college, and my horse got sick. I drifted away from it all. I've always had a nagging sense that I had to get back to horses. I didn't know how, but I knew my soul ached for their presence. Now I have kids of my own. Like my parents, it won't be easy, but they will get to grow up with horses. It is the ultimate gift I can give them. I can only hope they find community and the thrill of risk in the endeavor the way my sister and I did.