I’ve been a horse lover all my life, but a horse owner for only 23 years. As a little girl, I read Black Beauty, The Black Stallion series and all of Marguerite Henry’s books. Roy Rogers was my hero, and I yearned to ride into the sunset with him, just like Dale Evans.
An elusive dream because as we all know, horses are much too expensive to keep. Right? No -- completely wrong! But dreams like this sometimes don’t come true until cowgirls are all grown up. Many horse owners in Fairfax Station and Clifton acquired their first horses as adults. Their stories about getting that first horse are roundabout and never the same, as readers will learn.
How did I become a rider at an age when most people yearn for a rocking chair? One day when our youngest child Julia was four, a tiny, fuzzy, black pony wandered into our front yard. Tally Ho, who belonged to our next door neighbor, contentedly munched our grass until Regina Meade retrieved the little rascal.
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Shortly after Tally Ho’s escape, Regina, who was then a teenager, began to give Julia “lessons.” Every Saturday, she saddled up the pony and led Tally and Julia through the woods on a walk.
When Julia was six, she asked, “Mom, may I have a horse of my own?”
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I answered as most parents in Fairfax Station probably would, “When you’re ten, if you are still riding, we’ll get you your own horse.”
When Julia was nine and a half, she reminded me, “Mom, I’m almost ten. I don’t see any sign that we’re building a barn or looking for a horse.”
Oh, my! A promise is a promise, however, and in April we had both a new barn and a new horse. Watching Julia’s fun with her horse was more than I could stand, and by the end of June, my first horse joined us. She was a terrific pal and teacher for many years. Did I have an ulterior motive when I arranged those long ago lessons with Tally Ho? You can decide for yourself.
Theresa Meade, my neighbor and Regina’s mother, tells a more poetic story about acquiring her first horse. Her husband Pat had been assigned to a post overseas, where their two oldest children were born. The family stayed in Spain for several years. During that time, my neighbor began riding a friend’s gorgeous Andalusian.
When the Meade family returned to the United States, they built a house in Fairfax Station. After they were comfortably settled, Pat gratefully declared, “You were so wonderful to go with me to Spain and have the children there. I’d like to show my appreciation by giving you a mink coat.”
My friend smiled graciously and murmured, “Thank you, dear, but I’d much rather have a horse.” Before too long, two horses and a pony had settled into their new home.
At this point, Ann Williams’ account may sound familiar. A resident of Clifton for many years, Ann is also a horse lover. Because she was both a mother and a busy first grade teacher in the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Ann knew she didn’t have enough time for a horse of her own.
To quell her horse cravings, she began to help with the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program. She soon became Assistant to the Director, a very demanding position. She also started taking lessons with Rita Dunne, the NVTRP Director and a highly respected horsewoman.
About the time that Ann Williams’ daughter left home to attend college, a friend telephoned her with exciting news. A Quarter Horse at a nearby stable was available for leasing. Ann drove to the house, rode Buddy, and was horseless no longer.
Getting to know others is a primary benefit of owning a horse. Runaway Tally Ho’s excursion to our front yard, for example, initiated a lifelong friendship between our families. The association with other adults over the years has been truly rewarding, but let’s first talk about kids.
A horse at home opens the door to friendship with other youngsters. Children in our secluded neighborhood spent many hours at our barn playing with Julia and the horses. Teenagers were delighted to babysit because they could ride the trails with our daughter. When we took vacations, other teens horse-sat and soon became friends.
After I retired from FCPS, a home-schooled teenager who lived nearby was kind enough to ride with me for most of a memorable year. Despite the difference in our ages, Erin, who is now a young mother, will always be a friend -- simply because we share a love for horses and the camaraderie that develops when equestrians spend time together.
