North Carolina is Horse Country. From the Outer Banks with native ponies to the mountains of Asheville, farms and stables abound. Growing up in Carolina, you will have experienced at least once in your lifetime a horse ride. As a child, I visited my grandparent’s weekly. And my granddad had a horse. Dan, the horse, was my Granddad’s pride and joy. Being a farmer, Granddad depended on Dan for many things.

Dan could be hitched up to a plow and Granddad followed him in the fields. On Saturdays, Dan got his weekly bath. I loved helping my Granddad with this. Dan stood still as we put the soapy water on him and scrub him, even behind his ears. After we dried him off, I got the honors of shining his hooves. Dan never kicked or bucked. I believed he loved the pampering. On Sundays, Dan was hooked up to the Buggy. Even though my Granddad own a Model T, it was the buggy he used to ride to church. Granddad’s buggy was classy. It even had an awning in the back that went up and down and a place in the footer for a warm brick to keep your toes warm in the winter rides. While we were in church service, Dan was tied to a hitching post in front of the church, along with all the other horses. I guess they chatted while we were inside. A fond memory of Dan is when my Granddad would let me ride him bareback on the back acre. I believe Dan knew I was depending on him to stay on top. And he would canter through the pecan trees and bring me back to the  steps of the house , never once galloping or breaking into a fast stride. And this is when I fell in love with horses.

I passed this love down to my daughter. She fell in love with English riding. English riding originated in Europe and was brought to America. There are many variations in English riding, but all feature a flat saddle without  the deep seat, high cantle or saddle horn seen on a Western saddle. English disciplines are all designed to allow the horse the freedom to move in any given task. . Words that describe English riding are smooth, beautiful, flawless, controlled, proper, good posture, quiet independent hands, steady legs and a secure seat. Basically any equitation class is judged with the emphasis on your riding ability and the quietness and effectiveness of the horse.

My daughter fell in love with horses around eight years old. And it was and still is a deep love. Her first horse was a pony and aptly was named “Dan”. She began her lessons at a stable nearby. She wanted to live and sleep at the stable. Her first event was in Halter. This event is where you show your horse or pony in a halter or bridle to the judge in hand, meaning that they are led, not ridden. You walk and trot with your horse to show the judge your horse’s conformation, obedience and way of moving. Halter classes are usually grouped by breed, sex, or age. Rules, breed standards, clipping patterns, grooming styles, use of grooming products and popularity of the halter discipline varies widely. However, all classes require that horses be meticulously groomed before entering the ring, be trained to stand correctly in the style dictated by their breed or discipline, and to walk and trot on command in a designated pattern or line. It is a fantastic way to get started with becoming one with your horse.

As the seasons progressed, my daughter became an avid and accomplished horseman. She entered huntseat, show jumping and dressage. Each of the styles of riding have their certain points and movements. And each are judged with experienced eyes of trainers and riders who have made  equestrianism  their life love.

Show-jumping was the sport that my daughter eventually enjoyed the most. In this sport, you have to jump with your horse over a course of fences. Your aim is to have a “clear round” This means that you must jump each fence without your horse refusing, running away or knocking any part of the jump down. If a tie occurs, then horse and rider do the course again timed. The fastest – clear round wins.

There are many equine events  held in North Carolina. We even have a college that offers degrees and studies in equine.

For the occasional rider or someone who hasn’t  ridden a horse, there is always the horse who is steady “Eddie” and is willing to ride you on a dirt beaten path through a Carolina field. If you visit the Outer Banks, you can actually see the native horses in Corolla. These animals are simply beautiful and to see them in their natural habitat is a trip worth taking. And if you are in the foothills of North Carolina, you can find many stables and farms that cater from pony rides to experience three day events .

Western North Carolina has many stables that offer trailblazing the hills and streams in the mountains. You even have a guide to go ahead of you and give a tour of what and where you are.

Above all, when you ride , remember as in any sport to wear protective equipment. Never wear shoes that tie and always wear your helmet or riding hat. And of course, if you are raised in North Carolina, you ride and if you don’t you definitely have  a family member that rides. And with that comes the braiding of tails, blankets and hay trips . And you never leave without your personalized shirt and helmet and your horse’s monogram blanket, That’s just what you do when you are from Carolina.