Warm Fuzzies

["Donna O'Gara" <donna@shady-acres.com>]

I have been reading all the warm fuzzy stories, and remembering when I
was that little girl. 

I recently added a "my first horse" section to http://ridestories.com
and the first story was about my own horse that I received as a birthday
present when I was 13. 

Jeannie, may I use this story of yours too? And if you have a picture of
yourself with Tony I'd love to include it.

Does anyone else have a story to contribute? RideStories.com is getting
to be a good collection of stories. I'm really enjoying putting it
together, and reading all the stories.

Thanks!

Donna

>> Well, the summer between 6th & 7th grade while at Girl Scout Camp I
received a card from my father.  My father!  This was big.  Inside the
card
was a picture of a paint horse with a note that said "Is this your
horse?".
WOW! You can bet I couldn't wait to get home to find out.  Finally camp
ended.  There was no horse at home.  My heart was broken.
  A few more days passed and the realization that no horse was going to
appear settled in.  One Sunday a couple weeks later my mother, father
and I
drove to visit friends and pick berries.  I loved where we were going,
the
friends had horses. In fact there were a couple of horses tied at the
barn
all saddled and ready to go when we arrived.  Of course I had to touch,
sniff and say hello to the big guys. My father approached and said the
owner
wondered if I'd like to ride the paint.  You BET!  After a nice ride
around
the paddock and meadow I came back so the owner could go do whatever was
originally planned with him when my father asks "Do you like him? Do you
want him?"
  Was this a trick question?  Of course I want him!
As it turned out I had saved enough money to buy ol' Tony, a halter,
bridle
and saddle . . . my parents bought all the other equipment needed at the
time and soon Tony was trailered to our house where he lived happily
ever
after.
  It didn't matter that ol' Tony was 19years old and retired from rodeo
and
cowboy work.  He was the most beautiful paint horse I'd ever seen in my
life
and he was all mine.
  We'd be gone day after day riding the back roads and trails of Grass
Valley, we even did some shows that threw spirit back into that old
horses
life.  That old man taught me more than words could ever tell.  And
secrets!
Wow, he was the best ever a keeping them.
  I will never forget Tony, my first horse and first true love.
That was over 40years ago and there have been a lot of horses in my life
ever since. These days I give lessons to new riders on yet another paint
horse who loves and cares for her riders just like Tony did me all those
years ago.<<