This year at the barn has been packed with lessons, horse shows, life lessons, and more! The last Friday of November 2018 we were fortunate to host our Fourth Annual Rider’s Banquet at Camp Cherokee. One of our riders agreed to write and share a story of one of her experiences with horses. I hope that by sharing this story, everyone that reads it will realize the importance of “overcoming obstacles!” The following was written and shared by Kaley Curtis:
Three years ago, I began riding at Crooked Creek Farm. Almost a year after, still in the beginning stages of riding, I had my first lesson on Zippy. As I asked for my first trot, she slipped into a canter and I felt extremely out of control. Savannah helped me to stop and for the remainder of the lesson all I was allowed to do was walk by myself; if I needed to go faster than a walk someone went with me. In that moment I decided, I was not a huge fan of Zippy. Thankfully after that day, I went back to being assigned horse’s that I usually rode. As my lessons continued I started to advance and I was able to control my horses a little better.
A few months after my first lesson on Zippy I was going into the paddock area and I saw Zippy tied up. I was in a private lesson, so I knew she was my ride. I am not going to lie, I was really nervous. I tacked her up, just like I would any other horse and walked her to the arena. I tightened my girth, stretched her legs, adjusted my stirrups, and was almost ready to get on—My heart was palpitating. As I mounted, Savannah held Zippy and then put the lunge line on. The lunge line allows the instructor to control the horse as it circles around them and, in this case, it helped me be a little less nervous.
Savannah asked me to drop my stirrups and if I was comfortable, to drop my reins as well. I did as she said and we began to walk. As we walked, Savannah asked me to do toe touches, ear reaches, stretches with my hands, and all sorts of other crazy things. I became more comfortable and began to calm down. Savannah asked me if I was ready for a trot. I was feeling pretty comfortable so I said yes and Savannah asked Zippy to trot. I was extremely surprised with how great she was considering my first lesson on Zippy was not ideal. Then just as we did with the walk, I got comfortable with hands, without hands, and doing all sorts of movements on the horse. Savannah asked me if I would be okay if we went just a little faster. I will admit that I was pretty scared, but I said yes and I am glad I did. Savannah told Zippy to canter and it was Awesome! The feeling of Zippy’s slow gentle canter was great and my feeling of accomplishment was magnificent.
I finished my ride, untacked and groomed zippy. Then I got into my car and excitedly told my mom about the whole lesson. I remember I couldn’t wait to tell my cousin and some friends about that lesson and to this day it is still and will always be my favorite lesson.
After that, I started to ride Zippy a lot. I got very comfortable on her and every lesson I got excited when I saw her tied up. I began riding her in the in house horse shows and Zippy and I began to develop a bond (basically meaning she didn’t hate me as much as she had before and I really started to like her). Every time I rode her, I fell deeper and deeper in love, and she easily became my favorite horse at the barn. I began jumping and cantering on her and even participated in my first jumping and cantering classes on her.
As I became a better rider, we became a better team. Over the summer, almost every lesson I had at the barn was on Zippy and I never got tired of her. I am the rider I am today because of Zippy. She taught me to refine my hand and leg aids to control horses and that I couldn’t just throw myself forward over jumps on her. This summer we worked on regulating our speed at the canter during long canters in the arena (meaning six or seven laps at the canter which is half a mile). Zippy and I went from having a completely uncontrolled gallop in these exercises to having a nice easy, slow canter over poles. In my most recent lesson on zippy we went on a trail and Zippy and I cantered on the island (it was very controlled and enjoyable).
I appreciate getting to ride and grow with this amazing horse at Crooked Creek and I couldn’t have become the rider I am today without Crooked Creek. Thank You.
