The Horse Bug

There is something magical that happens between little girls and horses at a very young age. I'm sure that some boys are also afflicted, but the boys I'm most familiar with my brothers, who are scared and distrustful of horses. Girls are my area of expertise.

Now, I didn't grow up around horses. My parents let me ride when they could, which wasn't often, but the first time they put me on a pony I was hooked. I don't really remember it, but I know the story; a man with a pony and a camera was wandering the neighborhood. The pony was so cute, parents couldn't resist. The man would dress the lucky child like a little cow poke and prop 'em up in the saddle. As you can see in the photo, I felt right at home.

The older and more capable I became the more I learned and found ways to be involved with horses and now I'm pretty much up to my eyeballs.


My daughters, on the other hand, are being raised with horses. Tickles in particular is a patient and gentle with them and a good teacher and confidence builder and horses like that, I know, are what can give kids the horse bug for life.

Well, that's ok with me, I feel that horses, even more than other pets, can help teach kids valuable lessons in responsibility and the value in a hard day's work caring for an animal so much larger that depends on them totally. Plus, if they stay involved, horses can keep kids out of trouble in later years.

So that said, yes, I do encourage my girls to become involved with Tuff and especially Tickles. Though she can have her snotty moments with my husband and I, she seems to understand and is extra gentle with children. Here are some pictures of her doing what she does best-babysitting.

I know that they may get addicted, as I was. But there are worse, although probably cheaper addictions. I just pity their husbands.

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