Neither of my parents thought I would grow out of horses, but Dad sure thought that I would grow out of wanting to remain childless. He’s finally reluctantly given that up, with my stepmother on my side (“DT neither wants nor needs children”), but he carried that candle for a long, long time.
5 Likes
I don’t have any pictures of my dad with my horses, but he did have a painting done of my and my last mare from a picture he took. He gave it me for a birthday one year.
9 Likes
My mom is my accomplice and who started it all.
Don’t get me wrong, I have the best dad anyone could ask for and we are peas in a pod. More often than not, I open my mouth and Dad is who comes out. I couldn’t be more proud to be his daughter and often joke that I am his oldest son since we are so much alike. He just does NOT get the horse thing.
5 Likes
No pictures. I have a few, but not easily digitized. My dad is, and still is (just too frail), absolutely amazing with horses. He never rode in my experience, but did earlier in college. As a handler of hot, edgy thoroughbreds he was unsurpassed. Horses just calm right down and listen to him. Even today, when he can’t safely work with horses, my four year old, full of himself, Shire just stops and listens.
As a father with a horse mad daughter…well. He got up early and fed the horses every day before his job. He arranged his job, and took a pay cut, to be able to come home and help with the horses in the evenings. On weekends when he wasn’t taking my brother to dance class, he was hooking up the trailer and taking me and my horse somewhere. He drove my horse to Canada and back for four years.
And…he buried my childhood pony, my mother’s horse, and finally my beloved Thoroughbred.
I have a great deal of baggage with my parents…but my father and the horses? The only baggage there is how grateful, how loved, and how much I miss those years.
10 Likes
This is a lovely tribute
1 Like
My dear late father was the quintessential “Pony Club Dad”, and also accompanied me to all of my horse shows from the time I was in elementary school up until I went away to college. He rode a little himself – I can’t find those pics right now in the archive!, but he was always there for me in every capacity: supporting, driving the trailer, helping me on the ground, taking endless photos and video. Now my DH has taken over these duties, God help him!
My father was a wonderful man, and all the animals loved him. They know. 
12 Likes
Here is my dad around 20 years ago --he was between horses and borrowed my friend’s Pony Club horse Smokey for a trial ride through the Bison range over in MT. The other picture is his favorite horse, Sunny, who was a real all-rounder and got high-jacked for Pony Club.
Sunny was a great horse --nothing phased him. Trails, packing, eventing, driving…my mom once cast him in a local children’s theater production of Cinderella and we “drove” him down the theater aisle with fairy lights on his harness. One night while I was waiting for his scene, my dad showed up and took him into the bar next door for a beer.
(My sister’s cat, not my dad, pictured riding Sunny)
9 Likes
I don’t have any photos, but my dad knew nothing about horses, which is why my parents waited till I was old enough to be responsible for caring for my own before getting me one…but he absolutely adores my mare. He bought acreage just for her, and when I went out yesterday, he was in the paddock feeding her carrots, and I know he does that on a regular basis.
He is her second (or sometimes top because…carrots lol) favourite person. And, after 14 years, whilst he doesn’t ride, he is extremely capable with handling on the ground. Feeds, grooms, picks out feet, float loads, can worm them, treat injuries, and even eye ointment! He can pinpoint lameness too, and recognise an abcess blowout. Now…if only I could get the BF to learn all that too lol
5 Likes
