Barefoot,Pigtails and Who Needs A Saddle?

I have to write a blog about a young lady that comes to ride here at Paradise.I have been teaching this girl since she was about eleven. She would arrive with her mother, two waist long braids and a pony,stay about a week,jump everything in sight and dissapear again until they could manage the long trek back up here and do it again.As soon as mom's car left the driveway,shoes and the hair brush went straight under the bed.This girl is my type. She eats,sleeps and breaths horses.

I had to practically force her to use a saddle.This child(now beautiful young lady), has jumped around my entire training level course and a lot of the prelim bareback. After every session,off would come the saddle and into the pond she would go,tranforming the white Connamara into a black slimy mess. Matter of fact the two of them would be black.But the gleam of the white smiling teeth could always be seen from the middle of the pond.

Now at age sixteen,the braids have turned into a more serious single ponytail.This young lady is taller than me and rides EXTREMELY WELL!This girl is a breath of fresh air that ,is exactly what we all need to be. Her work ethic is extreme. She manages to help finace her dream by riding and selling ponies.She can stay on anything.She bought herself a saddle has worked tirelessly and has the support of incredible parents that are one hundred per cent behind her.These people work hard to make this all happen.It is a great story.

Currently,she is experiencing the heartbreak of her horse being injured. WE have all been there. The anquish of being on the sidelines as a competitor,and not knowing if ,or when the injury will heal and go away.This is part of the game.

The silver lining is she has been given the ride on a horse that is just what she needs. An experienced mare that will catapult this girl into the next level.And the great thing is ,she knows how lucky she is.

Watching her yesterday was very exciting.She and her mother made my heart sing,just being around them.I considered their time here a Christmas present to me.I am so proud of these people.

So a good story this time. Stay tuned!