Kiley is my granddaughter, who at 10ish was the proud owner of Thistle - a 2-year old double registered paint/quarter horse. Kiley grew up with Thistle – working her with trainers and showing her through high school and until she went on to another horse and life.
Jerry and I loved going to Kiley’s horse shows, reminiscing over Steph and Wads and then watching her daughter and Thistle come together as a team.
The horse addiction is infectious, to say the very least. I was horse crazy all of my life. My daughter Steph, at age 4 or 5, would often come home from the barn at the Air Force Academy with hoof clippings and dehydrated carrot chips bulging out of her winter jacket.
I do believe that there is a natural affinity between girls and horses. It is sort of a magical partnership that sometimes covers a whole lifetime of discovery.