15-Day Challenge: Day 5

Day 5: A Picture that Sums Up Your Childhood

This is really a series of pictures, but nothing sums up my childhood better! Like so many little girls, I LOVED horses. I had a ton of horse toys - from My Little Ponies to a wooden stable filled with different breeds of little plastic horses (which I of course memorized and quizzed my family members on). When I was old enough, my parents let me start riding lessons, and I looked forward to every afternoon I got to spend at the stables. I still love the dusty smell of sawdust mixed with horse sweat - it will always bring me back to my childhood.

Here I am practicing my riding skills on my stuffed horse, Hank, when I was about a year and a half old.



And here's my very first time to ride a horse all by myself. His name was Galko, and I fell in love! I was about 5, I think.



Here I am when I was 7, riding Snowflake in a practice "run" on the barrels at the stable where I took lessons in Georgetown, TX. Looks like more of a slow jog, but I'm sure I was having a blast!



Here I am with my horse, Chief - my birthday present when I turned 9. He was my buddy - so smart and sweet, with the wisest eyes. He did have a bit of a stubborn streak and would lie down or puff up his stomach to prevent me from putting a saddle on him whenever he preferred to be ridden bareback! Check out my pink leggings with red Justin boots...so fashionable!