Where It's At

Chelsea Cainion & Nancy Uptain

by Nancy Uptain

It's hard to believe another year has passed and here we are 2002, time sure does fly by! I hope you all had wonderful holidays full of good times shared with the ones you love most. Along with the end of the year comes the time to sit back and reflect on just what we've accomplished that year and if our goals that we set for ourselves were met. Hopefully by the end of the year we've felt that we have done something that has made a difference in our lives and the lives of others. Along with the New Year comes the opportunity to make new goals for ourselves. As I was pondering all of the many ideas for this year as they popped into my head, I was brought back into reality by a ringing phone with a little voice on the other end asking me when I could take this little girl on a "horsey ride". This sweet little girl reminder me of myself as a child, just waiting for someone somewhere with a horse, to take me on a "horsey ride", in fact the highlight of my year as a child, was when my family went to Durango, Colo. On vacation, because that was the one sure time every year that I was able to ride a horse at the stables for the whole day! As an adult, with children of my own, my daughter, Natalie would ask me constantly when she could go ride a "horsey". Thanks to the kindness of people, such as the Brady family, and our friend, Laron Dewitt, at the Dewitt stables, we were occasionally able to enjoy a horseback ride. After many years of persuasion, we were able to purchase horses of our own; in fact, we probably went a little crazy and fall into that "horse poor" category that we all know about!

With all of this in mind, I came up with my goal for the year, to return the favors so many others have done for me in my life, I choose to take a couple of kids who live in the city and do not have the opportunity to get a feel for the "horsey" way of life. How many of us go for a trail ride and never think of the joy it brings to a child to be ponied along side of us on another horse, or simply share our seat with them. When taking my little buddy, Chelsea out, it is so rewarding to see her cute little face beaming with pride as she accomplishes such small feats as getting "her" horse to turn a small circle. If you really want to see them full of excitement, take "your" child to a local gymkhana or neighborhood barrel race and experience the joy and sense of accomplishment they feel as they take home even a 6th place ribbon! Chelsea's first gymkhana she won 4th place on lead line and I do believe all of Mesa learned of her honor, in fact I was told she took it wherever she went for a little while.

Those little bits of time that we take to share a bit of ourselves and the equestrian lifestyle we are so fortunate to enjoy, can really make a difference in a child's life and really takes so little of our time and resources. I have found this time spent with my new buddy to be a great deal of fun and would like to encourage all of you to find a new "buddy" of your own, if even you only have an hour or two a month to spend with them, it will be time well spent! If any of you take my challenge, and would like to share your child's story with us, please FAX me at 480-969-9605, I would love to hear about your experiences with this!