Horses and their riders

Last updated 6/30/11


Wixie, a flea-bitten gray quarter horse mare. Our first horse. She is in her early 20's. Still spry, sometimes stubborn, can be very sweet. Snuffles when happy. She is the first horse we all learned on, so she has a special place in my heart.

Our youngest - Sabrina (who was 9 in this photo)


Quincy, a chestnut Morgan cross (our best guess) gelding. Reliable, bomb-proof. Wish we could find more horses like him. 20-something like Wixie. For an old horse loves to go fast. Our son loved to do speed events on him. Now our 11 year old rides him.

Our son - Wesley (who was 11 in this photo)


Raffiki, a seven year old palomino paint whom our oldest "won" by writing a letter to the 4-H horse council. Our oldest trained him herself. She was bucked off and injured few weeks into it, but has gotten back on since and has done phenomenally well on him.

Our oldest - Sierra, horse crazy as they come, she got us all into horses (13 yrs old in this photo)


Taia (pronounced "Tie"), a 15 year old quarter horse mare with racehorse bloodlines. We initially bought her for our youngest, and was shown for one year. Now my husband's horse. Beautiful, sweet, with the energy of a young horse.


Lovey, 16 year old Arabian mare. Her owner died in a car accident and a mutual friend referred her to us to give her a new home. Petite and pretty. Descended from Russian bloodlines. Has been a wonderful "project" horse for Wesley. Jumps high and goes fast.

13 year old Wesley is riding her in this photo

Tears to Cheers

A horse reduced me to tears this week.

Over the past few weeks, our family has been trying out a friend's horse for our youngest to use in 4-H. Boo (the horse) is beautiful, with a sweet personality, but she is a hellion when it comes to being bridled.

Now I am not the kind of person to easily give up. And I was telling myself, I can do this, I can do this, even to the point of getting the bridle over one ear. We made do, my daughter got on for her riding lesson, and I was okay.

Until we had to take off the bridle. The horse wouldn't let me, just pulling her head back enough out of my reach. And that's when I lost it.

We've been through two horses in as many months, trying to get one for our youngest, and I was exhausted from the roller coaster ride, from having high hopes only to not have the horse work out. I cried as I told the silly horse that I wasn't going to hurt her, and couldn't she let me take off the bridle?

I told my husband I don't want a horse for our youngest just for the sake of having a horse. Unless it's a well-behaved horse.

Fortunately, after much discussion by phone with a seller and an evening of riding, we found a great horse for our youngest this past Friday. Her name is Taia (pronounced "tie"). I have high hopes.

Taia is a good reminder of how wonderful horses can be.