Throwback Thursday (the serious throwback version)

 I recently had my mother raid her house for all the old photos of me riding, and the few she found are priceless. (They get cuter as you go down ...)

Grant, my main man. Appendix Quarter Horse, off the track. Showed prelim with his owner, and taught me not to jump ahead, jump huge jumps from a standstill, stop a bolting horse by galloping straight into 7ft tall corn, stick a multitude of bucks, and dodge bites when removing winter blankets. I 100% owe to this guy my sticky seat and love of galloping. He was a total handful, and I loved him to death. I'm 12 here. (Check out those rockin' glasses and iridescent blue breeches. Whaaat!?)

Rainy (I think). A cobby draft/paint cross. Too heavy to be the safest jumper in the world, and ended up being a straight dressage horse with his owner, I think. I'm 11 here.

 

Rusty, lesson horse extraordinaire! Pretty sure he was a large quarter horse. Excellent jumper, took me novice XC. Hardest horse in the world to bridle, and taught me how to bridle just about anything. I'm about 8 here.

Reine. I don't remember too much about this guy, except that he was way too big for me to get my legs around, yet somehow had no problems being piloted by the tiny gnat that was me at age 7. Also? Catholic school uniform polo as horse show attire ... winning!

And finally, Ernie. The horse everyone learned to ride on. I'm about 6 in this photo and it was my first year of riding. I loved this pony (and yes, he does look remarkably similar to Guinness. Yes, I have a type when it comes to horses!). Ernie lived to the ripe old age of almost 40. He had to finally be put down just a few years ago, but was giving lessons to little kids until the very end. He just loved his job!