Barrel Racing with The Perfect Horses

by Ariel Anderson
(US)

barrel racing

I grew up around horses in Alabama, but I never really connected with any of the horses I was around. One day my parents told me we were moving to Georgia and I was very upset, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.

We only lived in our new home for about a month, when we met a wonderful woman named Kelly Leatherman. Mrs. Kelly and her husband Jamie owned about 40 acres, had 5 or 6 pastures, and at the time, owned about 10 horses. All of her horses were Quarter Horses except for one Arabian.

Mrs. Kelly started me off on a gorgeous mare named Rocket. She was really fast, so I couldn't run on her yet. She was the best barrel horse for barrel racing on the property.

I wanted a horse I could run on though, so Mrs. Kelly told me I could ride Dolly, a 10 year old mare, or Rosey, a 21 year old mare. I chose Dolly first, but that didn't last long because she was so stubborn. So then I rode old Rosey & there was an instant connection!

The Sweetest Horse: Rosey

I was able to run on her in no time because she wasn't very fast, because she was so old. She was an Arabian & she was the sweetest horse I have ever known! Her gaites were so smooth. I have yet to ride a horse that's gaites are that smooth. Rosey new barrels, poles, jumpes, & several other things.

I went on trail rides with her first & then I started barrel racing her. Barrel racing has got to be the most exiting thing I've done so far! And old Rosey was the perfect horse for the job! Rosey was my dream horse!

After the best four years of my life, I found out the worst news I had ever heard. We had to move back to Alabama for family reasons & that meant leaving Rosey behind. I was devistated!

Time to go

It was hard enough to say goodbye to Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Jamie, & their new little girl Josey, who are all like family to me, but saying goodbye to Rosey was more than I could bare. I thought back to when we would chase each other in the pasture & how much fun we had barrel racing & trail riding, & I thought about how there would be no more of that once I left the ranch this time.

I think Rosey new what was happening because she acted sad. I could see it in her eyes. I couldn't bare it any longer. I started to sob & Rosey seemed to get more sad, so I tried not to cry as much because I just couldn't stand to see her so sad.

Finally it was time to go & me & Rosey said our final goodbyes. I only saw Rosey one more time a year later, because about a year after that, she colliced & I never saw her again.

About four years later, I met Mrs. Sheila, Mr. David, & their 3 kids. They owned a small piece of land in Alabama & had 6 horses at the time. They didn't have near enough land for so many horses, so they moved to a city that was closer to us & that was 34 acers.

Right before they moved, a miracle happened. Mrs. Sheila got a call from a friend of hers that rescues horses & they had just rescued a Strawberry Roan mare & her yearling. Mrs. Sheila went & picked the mare up from her friends ranch & brought her back to their ranch.

We went to go see the new horse & while I was brushing her & talking about how much I loved her & how beautiful she was, Mrs. Sheila asked me, "Do you like her?" I said, "I LOVE her!" She said, "Good! Because she's yours!"

Connection

I started to cry as soon as the words left her mouth, because, just like with Rosey, I felt an instant connection with the horse I have now named Sonyador after a famous race horse.

I know its a miracle because she has the same sweet, soft, tender, caring, & loving eyes & temperment as my dear old Rosey did. I'm about to cry now just telling you about it! It was the best moment of my life & I will cherish it forever!

Sonya has now gained almost all of her weight back & she is going to be trained for all of the same things Rosey did & I'm going to breed her, so that maybe, just maybe, someone else can get her foal{s} & that person will get lucky enough to experience having a horse as great as Rosey & Sonya.

Copyright 2008, Ariel Anderson, United States