This is the page

These are pictures of me from oldest to most recent. The tiniest pictures taken of me on Tabbie were taken with the very hot camera of the time, the Kodak Disc camera. Clearly, it had no zoom lens. My mom gave my sister and I the Disc cameras for Christmas one year and I thought it was just the coolest. And, quite frankly, it was. Just didn't take good pictures of stuff far away! Which is why I have a 400mm lens now! Regardless of my silly jacket and all the other stuff below that makes me giggle at myself, I'm really, really proud of my accomplishments because I did it all by myself. So many people today are so reliant upon another person to get them to the winner's circle. And, certainly, I appreciate the help of a seasoned pro as well. However, there is so much you can learn just from listening to your horse. So much you can learn just from riding on your own, being quiet and listening and thinking. It's the way the old masters did it. They learned by listening to their horses and they became the ones whose advice was sought after. I will never be considered a 'master' at this sport, but I do know one thing, I know how to listen to a horse. It's a message no amount of money and no pro can ever teach you: how to listen and feel. You can't teach it. The nifty thing is, as I mention below, all I had was a few summers of lessons (pictured below) and once we bought Tabbie, my teacher was her and magazines like Practical Horseman, Equus and Horse Play. When I got to college I made TWO IHSA teams. The first at Averett College. The second at Virginia Intermont. I'm pretty proud of that accomplishment. The point -- yes, you can do a lot on your own. Just listen to the horse and try to feel what he's telling you.

Born with it

I loved horses from a very early age. Here, I'm about 3 years old. This was before we went to Taiwan, in Arlington.

Riding Lessons 1974

I was nine here. We would have just gotten back from Spain. These were my first formal lessons.

Tontuta

Tontuta was really old. He was apparently in his late teens or early 20's. Lucky for him, my little butt was up there so he didn't have to work too hard. Back in his day, Tontuta was the horse Jackie O rode when she visited the Marine Corps Base in Quantico.

First Horse Show

This was my first horse show ever. Again, 1974. I'm on Starlight. And I think it is cool I'm the only one on the bit!

So cute

I think Starlight might be the only pony I ever got to ride/show. Except the time I showed Allie's medium pony, Merlin. That was comical -- me, 5'6" on a medium.

Umm...wait your turn

As things go with school horses, you must share. This kid and I were sharing Starlight and my parents wanted to get a picture of me with my ribbon, but Kelly would have none of that. I think she was dressed up as a Grand Prix rider. Hmmmm.

Where we first kept Tabbie

Tabbie was my first horse. I remember the exact date we got her; June 4, 1977. This farm in Nokesville near Cedar Run is where we first kept her. She was the only horse on the property and hung out with a bunch of cows in her spare time. That's her in the very center of the picture.

My back yard

Later, we built our own barn (my daddy built it) and kept Tabbie right there in the woods behind our house. My dad built a pole barn for her and that barn still stands perfectly solid to this day nearly 30 years later.

Debbie and Me

In my area, we all rode bareback. I rode bareback for years before I ever put a saddle on Tabbie. It's what gave me the best 'stick' to the tack you can get. Debbie was my friend who I met in Taiwan when we were four. She's on the back there. We'd visit each other in the summers. We're probably 13 here.

First Horse Show

This was my first horse show with Tabbie. I kept notes on the show program on how we did. I still have it. We did great. The thing I get the biggest kick about is my position in these pictures. I'd only had two years of instruction and after that, I relied on Practical Horseman and George Morris' 'Jumping Clinic' column for knowledge. George would have been proud. She's on the bit here and there is a straight line from my elbow to her mouth. I had no one to watch me so I had to learn everything by feel.

Equitation on the Flat

Such tiny little pictures but I love them anyway. My girlfriend Cathy took them for me. If it weren't for her, I'd have no pictures of my shows.

Great Form

Here's my little $500 horse jumping high and square. I get a kick out of how square she is in every picture. I'm starting to think I was a better rider back then than I am now!

So cute!

I'm so proud of myself. I had no clue what I was doing but we clearly put in respectable trips. And I did it ALL BY MYSELF!

Nifty Old School Shows

These pictures were taken on the Parade Field on the Marine Corps Base. They had awesome shows back then when Major Meek was alive.

Western Turned English

I taught my little mare all by myself and I'm really proud of that accomplishment.

Lake of the Woods

Wayne Eubanks was the judge this day! This was taken in like 1981. Amazing to think that he judged me back then when I was 15 and is still doing it today. Another great picture of Tabbie. I didn't even realize how cool she was back then.

We rocked

College

Here I am on Begusted at Virginia Intermont College. We focused on Equitation and Jumpers there. Here, I'm being timed and competing against my classmates. Begusted wasn't fancy but we did very well during our partnership.

At Pato Muentes'

Here, I'm at a lesson at Pato's riding an Argentinian mare of his. Not the greatest picture of me -- I never like my back, but I still like my solid position.

One of Sabrina's

This was the day I met Justin. April of 2005. Sabrina let me ride this little bay horse before he was shipped to CT. After him, I met Justin and fell in love!

Flying Change

This was neat -- Justin had just done a flying change.

He so pretty

Lookit how cute he is!

Justin Digs Me

I love how this picture shows off his beautiful head and neck. These pics by Alyssa.

Such a sweetie!

Justin is constantly messing with me. No, I don't have a treat in my hand, but he likes to be touching me when we're close. I love that about him.