OklahomaHorses Magazine Sept 2022

14 OklahomaHorses • September / October 2022 Brenda Morgan, 64 Poteau, Oklahoma Horse activity: trail riding How did you first get involved with horses? I loved books as a little girl, and my favorite was probably Misty of Chincote- ague . The first horse I got when I was five was named Stormy. She was a precious little sorrel with flaxen mane and tail. She was the perfect horse for a little kid to learn to ride on. What do you love about horses? I can remember being a teenager and struggling through those years, and I would go out to the pasture and just crawl onto my horse and cry into her mane. I don’t remember the angst that drove me there, but I knew my horse was a faithful friend. My daddy was a horseman, and he taught me to love them. Why should people get involved with horses no matter their age? There are places in God’s wonderful creation that you’ll never see any other way than from the back of a horse. There’s something about horse people, they’re salt of the earth. Most of them are honest, kind, and make great friends. The great thing about trail riding is every season, it’s a totally new trail. It never gets old, and I never get tired of it. I’m so thankful that even in my early sixties, I’m healthy enough to ride. That’s the thing about riding, it helps your physical and mental health and your overall outlook on life. Brenda Morgan and Ruby enjoy trail riding. Photo courtesy of Brenda Morgan. Denise Dougherty, 54 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Horse activity: shows ranch riding in APHA, PtHA, AQHA, and NSBA How did you first get involved with horses? When I was six months old, my dad set me on a horse with my mom screaming “No!” in the background. One of my older sisters and I lived and breathed horseback riding from the time we were little. And when I was 13, we lost my mom. I was already very involved with horses — showing in 4-H and local shows — but I went even deeper into it. I moved from my hometown in Oregon to Oklahoma in 1998. I didn’t own a horse for about eight years before I got back into it. The short story is that I ended up trying ranch riding and found a lot of success, and I have just loved it. What do you love about horses? I love the fact that horses are the biggest stress reliever you can ever imagine. They’re like your best bud. You can go out, and just being with them is really relaxing and calming. There’s nothing like being on the back of a horse. There’s a sense of freedom to it and it’s hard to explain, but there’s no other feeling like it. Why should more people get involved with horses no matter their age? I have two granddaughters, seven and nine; horses teach them responsibility very early. It’s different than dogs and cats because a horse is a lot of responsibility, and you have to love it to be out there with them. It teaches a young person that there are so many possibilities in life. If a child needs a best friend, your horse can always fill that void. As I get older, horses keep me active and younger. It keeps me in shape physically, I know it does, but it keeps me in shape mentally too. Denise Dougherty is an avid competitor in ranch riding. Photo courtesy of Denise Dougherty.