First "PONY" ride! {Christmas Eve, 2010}

A couple months ago, Mom and I were at the zoo and she wanted to take Reagan for her first pony ride SO bad.  For my Mom growing up, horses were her life.  She rode every single day all through high school, no matter the weather, even bareback through the desert back in Arizona.  I know a tiny part of my Mom really wants her to love riding, to enjoy that part of her life again.  She always wished I had the opportunity growing up.   

I told her I had something better than "some pony at the zoo" in mind for Reagan's first ride.

Her first ride will be with my Step-Mom Tracy and her horse Dewey.  

Mom IMMEDIATELY agreed how awesome that would be, and MUCH more memorable.

: )

Tracy had offered once before, which floored me- given that it's Dewey the Champ.  Tracy is the most laid back person I think I've ever met, and the fact that MY CHILD would get to ride the
 TOP ARAB in the COUNTRY
.
long pause...

: o

was something in my opinion to be excited about.

I had to turn her down that day, since Junior wasn't there (or my camera.)
Well. We went by to say hi on Christmas Eve a couple months later, and the stars were all aligned perfectly. 
I have never asked her if she could ride, NEVER wanting to impose, but Dewey and Tracy were up for it and asked us if Reagan wanted to....!!!
Reagan was in a good mood and thankfully interested in ponies instead of rocks that day. 

Junior, check. 

Camera, check. 

Sunshine, always a plus ; ) 

I cannot express how excited we all were.

Reagan was a perfect angel, smiling and petting Dewey the whole time. Tracy was pretty impressed she rode for so long, we thought 1 minute maybe, but she was up there long enough for a few laps around the ring. I was just beaming with pride, and SO excited and privileged that she got to do this with Tracy and Dewey. All Dad could say was "Oh crap... now she won't want to ride anything but he best. Her first pony will be expensive!"  ; )

Yeah, I know of a few places for Reagan to have a summer job one day. She could always start cleaning stalls for an eternity to earn a horse! Trust me, I want her to have a taste of different things growing up to know what her interests are, but we want her to earn things she wants.   My first "want" like most kids was a car, so I started working in the kennel after school when I was 14. My Mom told me she would match what I saved to put towards a car and would handle my own payments and insurance. I saved $1500 myself and bought my Firebird a few months before my birthday. I would never change the lesson I learned, the responsibility and pride knowing that I made it happen.

I hope Reagan will try out different sports, music lessons, HORSE RIDING, and maybe even gymnastics. She will at least have the opportunity to try, and oh how I would love it if she were a little gymnast like I was. Soccer was also one of my fav's, and Junior as well. I can just image my parents smiling- watching her in little competitions... a flash back to when I was little.

It's so exciting to think of the little person she will become. : )

 

She has already been on her 2nd ride since then.  We went by on New Years Eve, and Reagan watched Tracy ride while she played with rocks, of course.  Every time Tracy came around the ring, she would ask Reagan if she wanted to ride, and she would scrunch up her face and say "no, no tay-too" (no thank you.) 
I just laughed. 
I thought it was hysterical that she would be turning down THIS OFFER.  Hello!?
Tracy would just lap around again, ask with the same response, and so we told her we shouldn't hurt Dewey's feelings, "poor Dewey!"  She eventually rode,  it just took a little coaxing- I guess she forgot how much fun she had before.  : )   Oh it was fun all over again.

Good day.