Celebrate Father’s Day – Sharolyn
This weekend is Father’s Day and it is raining here on the Wet Coast. Father’s Day 2011 is very special to me as I reflect on the path that lead me to Empowered By Horses.
It was many moons ago that a little 4 year old girl begged her Daddy for a pony. That pony was a beaut! He was a brown and white Paint Shetland pony. As soon as pony made the journey home in the back of Dad’s half ton truck from the auction, pony was bestowed with the name Barney. Living in rural Saskatchewan meant Barney the Pony often got the run of the land and could choose to hang out with the cattle in the pasture or the kids, cats and dogs around the house. In this photo, Barney is in the back of the half ton truck with the “wooden” sides to keep pony in on his first journey to the farm.
I never did take a riding lesson yet I remember most of my childhood on horseback. My brothers never got into the horse thing so I spent long hours out in the pasture on my own, and there was more than one day a horse came home riderless, much to my Mother’s dismay. 😉 Dad was always there to help out coming home with new tack such as work horse bridles with blinkers when he thought I needed a hand in steering. In fact coming home with 6 month olds from the auction was another pastime of my Father as I got older. Here is our herd at the largest:
It is all these fond horsey memories in nature that nurtured my love of horses, and for that I am truly grateful. Although I have no memory of asking for my pony at the age of four, what I do remember is the countless hours of joy and horse love that I shared over the years and it ALL started on that warm prairie night on the way home from the auction with a twinkle in my eye and a Pony named Barney.
Sharolyn,
I too remember the day my dad bought our first horse. He came home from an estate auction and called my mother over to the side and told her what he had done. She let out a squeal and told my 2 brothers, my sister ad I it was a surprise and to wait in the living room. Mom came back a few minutes later and asked for my girlfriend’s phone number. She said she needed to talk to Janice’s dad. I was 15 at the time but didn’t catch on even when I heard the word “oats” in the conversation. My little sister, Debbie who was 5 at the time said; “I’ll bet Daddy’s bought us a pony”. We laughed at her but the joke was on us as a few minutes later Mr. Evans drove his truck into the yard and out stepped “Tiny” our first horse. He was pushing 30, had a sway back, and chased us in the field but we loved him and he was the beginning of my life long love of horses. I did take lessons and eventually showed my horses. We never had fancy well trained horses, but Dad was always there to help us upgrade our stock and support Debbie and I at the local horse shows.