We have been having lovely Fall weather, and when it gets a little cooler, the horses in the neighborhood come out. People enjoy riding when it isn't 100 degrees. Brings back memories of my family and horses.
Here's my Dad, in Chicago, probably around 1930. Men with horses would visit the neighborhoods and for a small fee, let the kids ride the ponies or horses. I remember doing this myself once or twice.
I have always loved horses, and if real ones weren't available, any rocking horse or fence would do.
There was a place called Kiddieland, right outside of Chicago, and I think my parents would take me there every Sunday. I would shun the other rides and ride dozens of times on the ponies.
Like I said, even a fence would do.
When Heather was about 2 years old, she took a ride with her Dad on old "Babe". Babe was a sweet old horse who gave us many years of riding pleasure. Right behind our house was a horse trail, and before the houses were built out back, there was an old avocado and lemon orchard that was lots of fun to ride through.
Adam was about 18 months old here, and seems to have gotten horse fever too.
Eventually, we got Heather a pony, but she never felt comfortable without Dad by her side. Later on, when she was at Cal Poly, she actually took a P.E. class that taught her how to care for, saddle, and ride a horse. They would have to catch the horse in a field, then saddle it, and walk, trot or gallop. She met a girl in that class named Jennifer Moore, and that friendship lead to her meeting her future husband, Jason.
My favorite horse, or I should say, Welsh Pony, was Chipper, a spirited little pinto. Heather, and her friend Kristie found out how spirited he was when they decided to give him a little hay and then get on his back without a saddle. He threw them both, and Kristie ended up with a broken arm.
Adam never really took to horseback riding, but his preschool had a picture day where all the kids had their picture taken on a pony. Brought back memories of the horses and ponies in Chicago.
