ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: how did you start?( LONG )

Re: how did you start?( LONG )

Rebecca Hackworth (bechack@cnsii.com)
Wed, 5 Feb 1997 21:23:06 -0800

How did this all start. I got my first horse when I was 13. Bought her
myself with babysitting money. Back then she was the grand sum of $125.
Boy was that a lot. She was little thing, kind of ugly. But I liked her
overall appearance, and she lived in town, so I could ride her home. One
of the girls from school was the one selling her. She had actually rescued
her. Her original picture of her she had every rib showing, and everything
else.

But now she was mine. Now, talk about a shoestring budget, try the
allowance of a 13 year old. I managed the feed, but when the shoer said she
would need shoes ( only because we rode so much she was wearing off her
hooves ) I came home and cried. This was getting too expensive. Now I had
to cough up $10 every 8 weeks! Well, dads have a way of saving the day. He
helped out over that first glorious summer, and then put me to work in his
Drug store in Sept. Guess where every dime I earned went? You guessed it.

So you have guessed it, we never had a trailer. Never took lessons. We
just rode. I read anything I could find on horses/training/you name it.
Well, I finished training that mare. Water...we went swimming ON the horses
in a resivoir. Trailers...1st time it took us 5 hours to load her ( a
rented one ), when I sold her 6 years later, she would walk into anything.

1st time shoer was out/ 2 hours for a trim. 6 years later shod with her 2
week old baby standing there. Picked up feet for you.

Needless to say we rode everywhere.

Back then there was a 4-H trail ride in the high desert of So Cal. over the
Thanksgiving weekend. It was at a ladies house named "Hattie" I think.

Well, it was some sort of a judged thing. I never won anything. But I
remember having the time of my life. We went 3 years I think.

One other time a friend and I rented a trailer together and went trail
riding in Idywild ( top of the Palm Springs Tram )This was way better than
the high desert there were trees!

well, then came this sailor. We got married 25 years ago this year. The
horses went, but 11 year ago we move to the country part of San Diego
County, where we could still commute and have horses.

Well, I was still having kids ( 5 and the youngest is 6 ) So I finally got
serious about my riding 5 years ago, when for my xxxbirthday, my husband
bought me my grey Arabian Mare. My dream horse. Well, it didn't take too
long to find out why she was such a bargain. 45 minutes to bridle her.
etc...etc...

Went to take her to the Stallion/ got the front 1/2 of the horse in the
trailer in about 3 hours! We waited until her next cycle! By then I could
get the whole horse into the trailer!

Then about 2 1/2 years ago, I found a 2 line ad in the California Horse
Trader (a by-weekly mag out here) advertising the "Pendelton Challenge"
endurance ride. They had a 30 mile LD, so that sounded like a good place to
start. Well, it was, we did, and we are here to stay. Anyone here in the
SW of So CAL knows my group has expanded from those humble beginnings of
just me in the camper shell to a small army and at any ride around here, up
to 3 of my daughters ride, and 3 other friends and their families now often
come and ride. Not too bad. It's called ADVERITSING BY WORD OF MOUTH.

Does anyone else around here remember those high desert 4-H rides? I would
like to talk to someone else from that era ( OK...it was the late '60's and
early '70's)

Happy Trails,

Becky Hackworth

Alpine CA

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