All of us remember the first time as a child we were able to ride by ourselves. I was six almost seven and I will never forget the day, when I was finally able to ride solo. Baldy was an sorrel overo Missouri Fox Trotter mare that in Grandma’s eyes was better than sliced bread. For my first solo ride Baldy was my mount because if you asked Grandma Baldy was as steady as a rock and would take care of me. (You all know where this is going don’t you.)

My Mom, two of my Aunts, and I headed out on the backside of the farm to a place the horses have been a million of times. Unfortunately, a pheasant got up along a fence line and Baldy thought it was a bomb going off right underneath her. Baldy raced down the hill like a thoroughbred, gave a little buck, I went up and over her neck to the left hand side, and got grass stains down the front of my shirt. My Mom was right there to pick me up off the ground, made sure I wasn’t hurt, wiped away my tears, and had the audacity to tell me to get back on.

I will admit I was crying when I got back on the horse, and I was still crying when we go back to the farm. These were not tears of pain, but these were tears of anger because I had to get back on the horse that I just got bucked off of. When we arrived at home my Dad and Grandpa come over when they saw the front of my shirt, my tears, but both said when you get bucked off you get back on. Which to be honest didn’t make me feel any better.

I did get back on and that was the last time I ever rode Baldy. Still to this day Grandma will tell you Baldy was the best horse since sliced bread. Even though, all four of her granddaughters have a different opinion of Baldy, since she bucked all four of us off at one time or another. We came to realize Baldy was Grandma’s horse, and we were more than happy to keep it that way.

Tags: first time riding a horse, Missouri Fox Trotter, riding alone

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