Posted: April 18, 2017 | Author: Laura Decherico, Fourth Grade Science Teacher

I came across a great quote recently, “I call horses ‘divine mirrors’—they reflect back the emotions you put in. If you put in love and respect and kindness and curiosity, the horse will return that.” –Allan Hamilton

I could not agree more. My passion for horses began at the age of 3 when I rode a pony at a friend’s birthday party. While I don’t remember saying this, my parents love telling the story of how I got off the pony and proceeded to tell the gentleman I would be getting a pony just like his soon. Fast forward 6 years and my parents finally allowed me to start riding lessons. I was hooked from the start. After a year of lessons, I began showing English and jumping at local shows. When I was 16, my parents bought me my first horse, Chloe. It was with Chloe that I began showing the AQHA circuit.

After one year I had moved out of the novice classes and needed a new horse to compete at a higher level. It was with my next horse, Paige, that I had the opportunity to show in Western Pleasure and Horsemanship at the Quarter Horse Congress, one of the largest single breed horse shows in the world. 

During my senior year in college, I felt I needed a challenge so I decided to purchase a yearling to begin learning how to train a horse from the very beginning. That horse was JC, who I still have with me today. While I would go on to purchase other yearlings and train them, JC has always had a special place in my heart. When the opportunity came for us to move to Texas, we knew JC had to move too!

When we first moved to Texas, while trying to find the best place to keep JC, we met many generous and knowledgeable “horse people.” These wonderful folks not only became the greatest of friends, they also helped me to turn my “hobby” into so much more. The next chapter in my “horse life” was to expand my training and riding skills to new breeds of horses and new disciplines. Horseback riding and training lessons have allowed me to combine my love of teaching with my passion for horses. Perhaps the most meaningful aspect of my love of horses has been to rescue and adopt two horses and one donkey. If you think it’s tricky to find a home for a dog or cat, you can only imagine how difficult it is to find a home for a horse.

During the day, I get to watch my students discover the magic of science, and then in the afternoons, I get to watch as children and adults discover the joy that comes with being around horses.