The Fondest of Memories

Following a difficult time in my early teens, I needed a place to put my anxiety and built up emotions. I chose horses, and the chose me back. Aside from a few riding lessons when I was younger and a few friends owning horses, I really didn't have all that much of a connection to horses. In fact, I actually despised taking lessons when I was younger. If you were to ask my mom, she would contest that the very fact that I was told I couldn't wear flip flops and shorts to ride was enough to make me never want to go back. Truly, I wasn't the least bit enthralled in it. 

Fast forward to 15, almost 16-year-old Lily, I needed something to grab on to. To pull me out of a tough time. I had started calling around to different lesson barns, at least 15 I would say. No one got back to me. All I wanted to do was ride a horse. And no one would get back to me. They either weren't teaching lessons anymore or didn't have the time to take on new students. I distinctly remember sitting at the kitchen counter in my childhood home just calling away. Checking off names one by one. I was hell bent on it. During this time, I did everything I could to learn about horses. One time, I was looking up videos on how to saddle a horse. Which I find very endearing looking back on it. I found a video of this guy saddling his horse. Below that video I found a barrel racer doing a tack review. I watched the video, then went to her profile. I selected another video and that is where my love for barrel racing arose. I didn't even know barrel racing was a thing... no idea. That one video opened my eyes to a passion I didn't know I had. It was so cool.

Shortly after, I found a local lesson barn that had a barrel racing team. I pretty much steam rolled myself info that. I went from doing a lesson every week, to two lessons a week, then started leasing a horse, and eventually joined the barrel racing team. Those are truly some of my fondest memories. It's really cool to look back on the times that I just listened to my gut and moved. I think that's one of the most important lessons I have learned through horses. Your gut is never wrong, you just have to learn how to listen to it. 

I barrel raced through NBHA for a few years. I think I won a TOTAL of $67?? I can't remember exactly, but it wasn't nearly enough to pay for my entries and stall for the weekend. But I didn't care about that. I was just happy to be there. That's really all I wanted. Those were the good days! But today is as well. 

I ran a little roan mare named Justice. That mare and I were the best of friends. Truly. I just loved her more than anything. She truly pulled me out of a hard time. And for that, I am forever thankful. I also trained and competed on a little bay mare named Freedom. (Patriotic theme.) She was cool! Just a tiny thing, but she gave it her all. Then, in December of 2020, I purchased my current mare, Fury. So, I guess you could say I am a mare person. :) She's also a bay... 

Fast forward to now... I have worked for some wonderful trainers, learned a ton, and failed a ton. I have moved to different boarding facilities and had to try to find vets, farriers, and other professionals. I have made some lifelong friends and survived what I thought I wouldn't... and I'm just getting started. 

Thanks for joining me on this journey and I hope to add value to your life. <3