Archive for July, 2010
Growing up on a ranch, my idea of a relaxing afternoon differed greatly from my peers’. While they would spend their afternoons glued to the TV, I would be out in the fields riding the horses. For those who have never ridden, it’s impossible to describe the sense of freedom and pure pastoral pleasure of horseback riding.
Although I now live in the middle of a buzzing metropolis, I still find time a couple of times each week it travel out of the city and do some riding at a nearby ranch. I don’t own my own horse anymore but I do have a set of horse tack, which comes in quite handy. Since I have all my own gear and know the owner of the ranch well, she lets me ride the horses that need exercise free of charge.
Back when I first started riding horses over 20 years ago, I would spend months researching horse tack and seeking out the best deals. I would call all of the local retailers I could find, put up ads at the stable and ask friends to keep an eye peeled. Looking back on it now, I can’t believe how much time and effort this seemingly mundane task required.
Now when I need affordable horse saddles I simply go online, and within a few minutes I’ve found the exact model I was searching for at a discount price. The one drawback, of course, is that you don’t have an opportunity to examine the saddle closely before making your purchase. But when you’ve been riding as long as I have, that point is moot.
Ever since my son has been old enough to distinguish between different animals, he has been infatuated with horses. So for his fifth birthday this year my husband and I decided to have a cowboy themed party. Since he is an only child, we tend to go a bit over the top, and this party was no different.
We had everything you would imagine for a cowboy-themed party—from decorations with hats, spurs and lassos, to a cowboy cake and party favors. The finishing touch, however, was the fact that we rented a pony for all of the children to ride. We even had the company bring along some authentic cowboy saddles and tack.