Well here we go!

While there's so many aspects for me to start writing about since I'm already behind, I should probably start with something more introductory. I will try to not drag it out.

I began being a horse-dork at childhood. My mother tells me now I was thiiiiiis close to getting one, but I gave up just in time. It would have been pricey, being in CT. I had horse figures, books, posters, stuffed animals, movies, shirts... and no horse. Topped every wish list for years. My mother's best friend had 4 boys (for my brother) and 2 horses (for me). They were in a dry lot and would gladly hang out with me while I ripped up grass from the lawn and handed it to them through the fence. Everyone there said "oh some day we'll have to let you ride one" and that day never occurred. I didn't push it- I was an angel and never crossed the fence (or touched it- it was electric), afraid I'd ruin my chance.

I read Black Beauty about 100 times, got all the horse stuff catalogues (which arrive at my parents' house to this day), and secretly plotted to save up enough money to buy from them. I figured if I bought all the stuff to show I was responsible, then they'd get me the horse. My dollar-a-week never cut it, though and I also didn't know how to order or get my mom to order without revealing my plans.

So I knew the mechanics of riding, horse anatomy, parts of tack, general rules of how to act around horses etc. All the book info. One thing I really knew was that they didn't like their heads yanked and their feet hurt- thank you Black Beauty.

None of my friends were into horses. A group of girls we rivaled had one of them into horses like me (and didn't have any, either) and I remember having a showdown of who knew more about horses with her. I won with the "frog" as she didn't know what it was. Go 4th grade! Eventually other interests came along that I COULD pursue, and I gave up. When a fancy facility appeared on my road at age 14, I was not ballsy enough to bust in, but would rubberneck to see them when I walked my fat dog, hoping he'd need to stop along there to piddle.

In college on Long Island, I saw I could take lessons as a class, but couldn't foot the extra fee (500) plus driving and attire or convince parents it was part of higher education. Turned green with envy when I saw the other Bio majors who were in it wearing their breeches at school.

As a graduate student in the Upper Midwest, opportunities abounded. My boss had two horses, breeding Swedish Warmbloods, and my coworker worked on equine reproduction. My in-laws have a former hobby-farm (but need their barn for the business) and their neighbor's horses trim the pasture for them in summer. She said if I took lessons, I could ride them. That old hankering crept up.

So after only a brief batting of the eyes and a pretty please my boss let me register for "Introductory Horse Riding" in addition to all the science. Two hours every Monday for a whole semester for 90 dollars. Done deal! Nevermind the 45 minute drive to get there! I don't think I was less than a half hour early ever.

Well, snap, now I was hooked and here is where my horse noob-ery begins. I took a summer session at the barn for another 5 weeks, then leased a horse at a barn closer to me, then had a free lease on another horse, and was then given my own.

So, being 25 years old and having ridden now for 2 years, I'm at a sort of an impasse. I'm too green for the people my age, and most adult horse noobs are like 40+. And being in the sciences, I've been very well-trained to recognize BS when I see it. Being rather cynical, I enjoy doing so!

As you will find out, I've been discovering that the "horse industry" is full of random, illogical, and just plain silly ideas.