Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Wife-The Young Years

Do you ever wonder where people come from? What they were like as a child? How they were brought up? What made them the person they are today? Yea, me too! So here is a little glimpse into my life growing up.......

I was practically born on a horse. I always had a horse. I never knew what it was like to yearn for a pony as a child. I was a lucky kid.



Dad would let me ride with him.



And my older brothers would take me along as well.


Then I got old enough to ride without being propped up! Oh, and my choice of clothes has remained pretty much the same. Baseball cap, jersey and blue jeans!


This was Thunder, my shetland. He was mean, imagine that. Plus with my two older brothers jackin' with him, he just got worse. But I still loved him so.


I never remember a time growing up that I didn't have a horse in my life. Not until I left home and went to college, was I horseless. It took me fourteen years to get a horse back in my life. I never realized how much work they are. I was spoiled to have my dad available for everything. I should have paid more attention growing up. But hind's sight's 20/20 right? Now I just call my dad constantly when I have an issue. Poor man!

I was blessed to grow up a country kid. I was told to go outside and play. I jumped off hay stacks and swam in water troughs. I saddled up a horse and rode around the place just because I could. I climbed trees and swung on my makeshift tree swing. I roller skated on the old cement slab to John Anderson's song "Just a Swingin'." Life was good!

30 comments:

Train Wreck said...

Oh look how cute you were!! What a great ride down memory lane. Oh you do not want me to post pictures of me as a kid!! I was NOT cute, Had the brothers though, no ponies. Not till I was in Jr High. I had a huge cowlick skinny legs and tons of freckles...blech Hey wait I STILL look like that!!??

missy said...

i love this post!!!!
what wonderful memories!!!!!
i had the not so nice shetland too as a child!!!!!
why were they so naughty?????
or was it just us naughty kids that made them that way??????

Libby's Library said...

I grew up on 15 acres. Our "neighbors" across the creek had a boy my age. He and I spent years on the back of his Shetland Pony - named Tony. The poor thing...we dressed him up like a doll. One day we decided to turn my play house into a barn for him...he went right through the floor! After my dad fixed the floor, Tony was only allowed to stick his head in through the dutch door.

You'd think that I would be a horse person after all that, but somehow it just didn't happen.

Cedar View Paint Horses said...

Ahh yes, the things we did as kids.

Just had this conversation with my coworker, a mom of a 3 yr old. Times sure have changed, and there will be no jumping from haystacks or swimming in stock tanks in his future. Bubble wrapped baby, for sure.

I miss the old(er) days.

Unknown said...

heheehheh cute ponies and kids. It's true kids and horses belong together.

Shirley said...

Thanks for sharing! You lived the life I could only dream about. We were a very poor family, and the only riding I could do was to wheedle a dollar from my mom so I could spend the day at "Herb Harrop's Riding Acadamy"- an old cowboy who had about 50 head of horses, tack held together with baling twine, a dozen saddles to go around, and always about twenty kids crazy about horses who would gladly pay a buck a day to go on group trail rides. I was 25 before I owned my first horse, and I've never been without one for long since then.

Sherry Sikstrom said...

What a cutie you were ( and are)
Life growing up as a farm kid, nothing like it ! I never left the farm as such ,just moved west to a bigger one ,and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Anonymous said...

You were fortunate. I was just reminiscing about my Dad on my blog. I only met him about 10 years ago and he died last Thanksgiving. The funny thing when we finally met was the love we shared for horses even though I never got to actually fulfill my horse dreams until I was in my 20s. Your childhood photos are adorable!

Pony Girl said...

I love those old pictures! You are so stinkin' cute on those horses and ponies! I wish I had better pics of me riding as a child. My sister and I took most of them and we were not great photographers as seven and eight year olds! :) The only difference is my Shetland was actually a pretty good pony!
Like you, I grew up outside. It's the best way and I hope my kiddos (when I have them, LOL) get to grow up like that!

Homestay Mama said...

Wow, did your post bring back memories! I, too, grew up on a farm. Dad bought a shetland pony one summer and we soon found out it was an ornery sort, too--like yours! One day when my sister climbed on his back, he took off toward the little patch of vine maples at the edge of the pasture--intent on scraping her off his back by running under the low hanging branches. My Dad went running and hollering after him as fast as he could. Luckily the shetland stopped short and my sister wasn't hurt, but Dad warned us never to ride that shetland again, and sold him within the week!

You were such a cute little girl, Kit. Thanks for sharing these pics and memories with us!

threecollie said...

That is so cool! Thanks for sharing your childhood with us!

Jen's Farmily said...

We had a pony when I was little. My dad used to haul hogs and one day there was a pony that they were going to take to slaughter at the auction. Mom was pregnant at the time and started crying at the thought of this poor pony going to get killed. So they bought him for $50.00. He was the most easy-going pony ever. Whenever he'd want us off his back, he'd walk under a tree we had in the pasture. hee hee.

After he died (when I was around 7 or 8), I started wanting a horse. Every Christmas I would run out to the barn hoping Santa had brought me a horse and hidden it out there.

It never happened. But I WILL have horses when we get our own place.

I just gotta figure out who I'm going to call with questions!! :)

CTG Ponies said...

Sounds like a good life. You were a cute kid!

C'est la Vie said...

These piks are so like my piks growing up!! My father is a Rancher and I have never not had Horses in my life. Glad to find your Blog.. Still at it today. My son a team roper and I cut and run Barrels!! I have two blogs ! Stop by and visit... Your photos are excellent!!

Bekah said...

your childhood sounds a lot like mine! I had a pony too (Frisket), she was SO mean, but i loved her to death!

I love the pictures! Great post!

Paula said...

Aren't you a cute stinker! Looks like you had your Daddy wrapped around your little finger pretty tight! Love it!

Paintsmh said...

OH that is so cool! Mom has pictures of me sitting on our Shetland Richard. He was also a meanie. Then there are the pictures of me with my first show calf. And subsequent babies. Not tall enough to see over them...Oh wait I still cant see over some of them. Whoops

gtyyup said...

Wonderful post...no better way to grow up than that!! Thanks for posting the memories~~

Anonymous said...

My sis and I use to ride our wagons down the big hill in the pasture.That is until Mildred hit a broken fence post that the grass covered up.

Growing up a farm girl is the BEST!!

Kellys said...

So were your brothers taking you to church on the pony in the picture that looks like you were dressed for Easter? Bonnet and dress?? They were not dressed accordingly so obviously they were just gonna drop you off.... :) ..p

Kellys said...

I needed a laugh so had to come back to look at the buck-toothed calf....you gotta get close enough to check it out!! It is just toooooo funny!!! p

Unknown said...

Love this post! I grew up on a farm and treasure every memory of my playing days! I am the sister of 'Country Mouse' and oh the trouble and fun we had on those acres!

Your photos are precious!

Marlos ACE said...

Such great pics, what a cutie, you are! So gald you shared this. Have a great weekend!

Jocelyn said...

HOw super cute are you?????

You know what they say about ponies.. Closer to the ground means Closer to HE**.

Every kids needs one though :)

Loved this post !

Robynn's Ravings said...

Now THAT's a "Wonderful Life!" I'd be jealous or envious but I can't be after my post today! lol

Far Side of Fifty said...

What great memories! You were so cute!:)

Irene said...

Hi
Lovely pics, I live in rural Australia sadly I can't ride (not that I ever could)know more ways off a horse than I know how to get on one.
I have to ask though what are Gizzards and Calf fries?
Irene

Anonymous said...

What a cute little girl! You are aware that you had the kind of childhood all of us city girls longed for? Sure we could go to the mall or walk across the street to visit friends and had dogs or cats for companions. But, we ALL wanted to have a horse and open spaces. Oh shoot...just realized I still have that dream...

The W.O.W. factor! said...

Oh Wifey! What a cutie pie!
Oh to be a kid again...let Mom and Dad (and big brothers too) take care of everything making life so fun!
Kids NEVER pay attention to their folks! It's just a given!

Gecko said...

For those very reasons you mentioned, is why I think every child should be lucky enough to grow up in the country!