In The Beginning ... there was Genesis
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As a child of eight, I looked out into the horseless back yard of our home in Smithtown, Long Island with a long face. Another birthday, and still no horse. Mom and Dad gave generously, but I could not be sated. Only a horse would do. Months later, Christmas came to New York. The scene was much the same, except for the snow. Ho hum. No horse. Merry Christmas. "Somehow," I told myself grimly, "there will be horses. I've got to have horses." Eighteen months later, in Mrs. Ambosino's fourth grade class, I sat with drawings of stables I'd invented. I was busy arranging my pretend horses into their pretend stables. "What's that you're doing?" demanded a voice behind me. It was Debora Pinkowitz. Pain in the ass, I thought. "These are my horses," I replied in a tone that said she was an idiot, "I have to take care of all these horses." |
"You don't have any horses," said Debora flatly, "if you did, you'd know what a girth is ... so what's a girth?"
Without thinking, I retorted hotly, "Well, I ride Western, so I'm sure we call it something else."
What made me think that Deb rode English? I have no idea. The words just suddenly came.
"Well I have two horses," Deb continued, " They're called Lady and Liftoff and I can prove it. After school you can come over, and my mother will drive us to the barn, then you'll see."
"Okay," I agreed, "you can prove it after school."
Deb became my step-sister when my Dad married her Mom.
Today Deb trains Thoroughbreds for show-jumping in Ocala, Florida under the name, Debora Lynn. Deb's mom, Hanna, for whom my daughter is named, became my first real mentor. Hanna took my parents through the process of getting me trained, and she pushed them to get me that first horse. She also faithfully hauled me to my first shows where I did well with Genesis, my Appendix Registered Quarter Horse.
I named him Genesis because he was the first. I knew he would not be the last.
Without thinking, I retorted hotly, "Well, I ride Western, so I'm sure we call it something else."
What made me think that Deb rode English? I have no idea. The words just suddenly came.
"Well I have two horses," Deb continued, " They're called Lady and Liftoff and I can prove it. After school you can come over, and my mother will drive us to the barn, then you'll see."
"Okay," I agreed, "you can prove it after school."
Deb became my step-sister when my Dad married her Mom.
Today Deb trains Thoroughbreds for show-jumping in Ocala, Florida under the name, Debora Lynn. Deb's mom, Hanna, for whom my daughter is named, became my first real mentor. Hanna took my parents through the process of getting me trained, and she pushed them to get me that first horse. She also faithfully hauled me to my first shows where I did well with Genesis, my Appendix Registered Quarter Horse.
I named him Genesis because he was the first. I knew he would not be the last.
 Hanna gets a rope to load Genesis. |
