Sooo...What's your story?

Grey Horse Matters and Glenshee Equestrian put up a quiz for horse people.

So, what is your story? Feel free to answer in comments. Or if you have your own blog let me know and I'll link you!

This has been fun reading the great stories people are sharing! Read more responses:
Solitaire Mare @ a Good Horse
Nor’dzin @ Ceffylau
Reddunappy @ There is a Horse In My Bubblebath
Dunappaloosa @ Small Farm Living

1. How old were you when you first started riding?
2. First horse ridden:
3. First horse trotted on:
4. First horse cantered on:
5. First Horse fallen off of:
6. Most recent horse fallen off of
7. Most terrifying fall:
8. First horse jumped with:

9. First horse who ran away with you:
10. First horse that scared the crap out of you:
11. First horse shown :!)
12. First horse to win a class with:
13. Do you/have you taken lessons:

14. First horse you ever rode bareback:
15. First horse trail ridden with:
16. Current Barn name:

17. Do you ride English or western?:
18. First Horse to place at a show with:
19. Ever been to horse camp?:

20. Ever been to a riding clinic?

21. Ridden sidesaddle?
22. First horse leased: 23. Last Horse Leased:
24. Highest ribbon in a show:
25. Ever been to an 'A' rated show?:
26. Ever competed in pony games/relay races?:
27. Ever fallen off at a show
28. Do you ride Hunter/Jumpers?: 29. Have you ever barrel raced?
30. Ever done pole bending?:
31. Favorite gait:
32. Ever cantered bareback?:
33. Have you ever done dressage?:
34. Have you ever evented?:

35. Have you ever mucked a stall?:
36. Ever been bucked off?:
37. Ever been on a horse that reared
38. Horses or ponies.
39. Do you wear a helmet?:
40. What's the highest you've jumped:
41. Have you ever ridden at night?:
42. Do you watch horsey television shows?:
43. Have you ever been seriously hurt/injured from a fall?:
44. Most falls in one lesson:
45. Do you ride in an arena/ring?:
46. Have you ever been trampled by a horse?:
47. Have you ever been bitten?:
48. Ever had your foot stepped on by a horse?:
49: Favorite riding moment:
50. Most fun horse you've ridden:


My Answers!

1. How old were you when you first started riding?
I'm not actually sure. I think I was between 5 and 10 when I started taking lessons. I really wanted to ride as far back as I can remember. My best friend next door started taking lessons at a local children's hunter barn. We usually did everything together, but my parents couldn't afford lessons for me. One morning a hand written "gift certificate" appeared in our mail, good for a few riding lessons with my friend. More gift certificates appeared and eventually I was big enough to "help out" a little around the barn for more lessons. I never did get anyone to admit to being my "anonymous benefactor" but I have my suspicions!

2. First horse ridden:
"Jeff" the pony at a pony ride. I was under 5.
3. First horse trotted on:
"Treasure Chest" a neighbor's gray gelding. She rode western. I begged for a ride and she threw me in front of her. We trotted down the street and back.
4. First horse cantered on:
"Tuffy" a chestnut gelding around 20 years old at that time, at the children's hunter barn.
5. First Horse fallen off of:
I can't actually remember. It was pretty early on I'm sure. I've had unusually good luck in that I've fallen off a lot but tend to bounce and roll. I've never been seriously hurt.
6. Most recent horse fallen off of:
I think that would be my instructor's retired FEI horse. It was my fault entirely. I ended up rolling the wrong way and was underneath him. He stepped on my left thigh. I had an impressive black horseshoe-print and a limp for a month. I had a big vacation planned involving a lot of walking. Naturally I stubbornly stuck to my plans. I got back and my husband dragged me to the doctor's who told me that I'd hair-line cracked my thigh and should have come in a month ago. Oh well, too late then.

7. Most terrifying fall:
I'm not sure. In my youth (not that I'm so very old now) I didn't feel fear and behaved accordingly. But I had some colorful spills. Probably among the best was getting my foot through a stirrup and being dragged toward the highway. I still have scars from that. Or perhaps when I went off over a cross country jump at a clinic. I don't actually remember that one though because I had partial memory loss due to the bonk on my head. But I'm sure my mother remembers watching!
8. First horse jumped with:
"Cameo" a retired TB jumper, also at the children's hunter barn. She was a cranky old gray mare with stiff knees but I really liked her a lot. I suppose that was foretelling. I have a soft spot for crabby horses.
9. First horse who ran away with you:
Hasn't happened yet. Still looking for that one. If you see them, send them my way!
10. First horse that scared the crap out of you:
My horse, Armani. Being my first horse as an "adult" and my first very young horse, I feel very responsible for his upbringing. I blogged about an incident here. And it is not nearly as colorful as my youthful exploits. My younger self would laugh and at my cautious self today.
11. First horse shown :
"Samantha" a petite, coarse TB who I free leased for a year. We showed 4H. She was a fantastic horse. Very crabby, very strong heats, but so unflappable and willing for a youth rider. Her owner asked if we wanted to buy her after the lease. Retrospectively I think we should have. But at the time I foolishly told my parents I wanted a bigger, flashier horse.
12. First horse to win a class with:
"Dreamweaver" the OTTB I owned later. She was bigger and flashier but I don't think she enjoyed being a teenager mount. She'd been a children's hunter. When I went to college she went back to being a children's hunter. I heard later that she did very, very well.
13. Do you/have you taken lessons:
Yes, my whole life thus far - except for about 5 years around college when I was out of the saddle altogether.

14. First horse you ever rode bareback:
Samantha
15. First horse trail ridden with:
I can't remember
16. Current Barn name:
I board at Kaleidoscope Farm. Not set up at home.

17. Do you ride English or western?:
English although I've tried western a few times.
18. First Horse to place at a show with:
Samantha
19. Ever been to horse camp?:
Yes, "Academy on Horseback" in the summers back in CT with my best friend. Boy was I out of my socio-economic class!
20. Ever been to a riding clinic?
Yes
21. Ridden sidesaddle?
Not for real, no.
22. First horse leased:
Samantha
23. Last Horse Leased:
I sort of un-officially leased my instructor's retired FEI horse for a bit.
24. Highest ribbon in a show:
Blue
25. Ever been to an 'A' rated show?:
No, that's a hunter thing right? Actually I am just getting in to showing now as a grown up.
26. Ever competed in pony games/relay races?:
Oh yes! I love games. I did them in 4H.
27. Ever fallen off at a show
I don't think I have.
28. Do you ride Hunter/Jumpers?:
Just as a kid.
29. Have you ever barrel raced?
No
30. Ever done pole bending?:
In 4H
31. Favorite gait:
Canter
32. Ever cantered bareback?:
Yes
33. Have you ever done dressage?:
Yes, that's mostly what I do now for the last few years.
34. Have you ever evented?:
No. I did 4H clinics but never competed.
35. Have you ever mucked a stall?:
Oh goodness, yes.
36. Ever been bucked off?:
Yes
37. Ever been on a horse that reared
Yes
38. Horses or ponies.
Ponies!
39. Do you wear a helmet?:
Always
40. What's the highest you've jumped:
Not sure. Around 4 feet or a bit under. Probably more like 3 - 3.5 feet? They might have grown in my memory. It would have been years ago.
41. Have you ever ridden at night?:
Yes, lots indoors or under lights. Not too much outside though.
42. Do you watch horsey television shows?:
Jockeys, Animal Cops, sometimes horse programs on RFD-TV (with some dread)
43. Have you ever been seriously hurt/injured from a fall?:
Not too badly no, see answers above.
44. Most falls in one lesson:
I'm not sure, but more than 3 I'd guess. It would have been over the jumps I just mentioned. The crashes probably involved a combination of lack of stirrups, hands over the head, and reckless speeding.
45. Do you ride in an arena/ring?:
About 4-5 days a week in the winter. The other days outside. I'm outside more in summer.
46. Have you ever been trampled by a horse?:
Yes, but unintentionally. See #6. I mean he didn't intend to. I'm pretty sure no one intends to be trampled...
47. Have you ever been bitten?:
Plenty. Armani had a biting problem when I got him. He's cured now, but I'm always careful.
48. Ever had your foot stepped on by a horse?:
All the stinking time!
49: Favorite riding moment:
I couldn't pick. One that comes to mind was with Dreamweaver. We were at a hunter-over-fences class in the pouring rain. They should have paused it. But anyway, she slipped badly between fences. I lost both stirrups and some rein. I steered her over the remained 2 fences like that. We got fourth place. I'm not sure how scoring works, but I guess we didn't look good. But a judge told me later I was the only clear round. I was pretty proud.
50. Most fun horse you've ridden:
Easily my "Armani". He is the most stubborn, opinionated, vociferous, and engaging horse I've ridden. He's rather talented but it is challenging to bring out his best. Like I said, I seem to like them crabby.