A budding rider uses the Douglas County 4-H program’s horseless horse project to prepare for her first horse.
What is your name and age? Piper Christofferson, 8 (almost 9)
How long have you been involved with horses? Four years! I started riding just before I turned 5.
Do you have an instructor? Yes
What’s the hardest part about taking care of a horse? Keeping a horse healthy is the most important part of caring for your horse, but it can also be the most difficult because of the potential for large vet bills and making sure the horse has all the care and nutrition it needs.
What kind of riding do you do? When I first started, I rode English, but in the last two years I’ve mostly ridden Western and it is definitely my favorite.
Tell us about your horse/breed. I don’t have a horse yet, but I’m working very hard toward getting one in the next year. When I do get a horse, I’d be happy with any breed because I love them all, but I’d really like a Paint because I think they’re so beautiful and sweet.
What are your horse riding and training goals? For my first horse, I really want it to be something I can learn from and grow with. Eventually, I’d like to get into barrel racing and learning more about horse training.
Any accomplishments you are proud of? I am happy with the learning that I’ve accomplished over the last few years. Being around horses more often and having opportunities to learn from my instructor and attend different equine professional demonstrations has helped me understand and care for horses better and made me a better companion to horses overall.
What are some obstacles or challenges you have overcome? Covid made it hard to attend regular lessons, so I really missed riding during that time. I was rusty when I got back on and had to work to keep the horse on the rail and continue improving my riding.
Name one or two heroes in the horse world. My instructor Grace has been very important to me. She’s helped me improve my riding, but she’s also taught me so much about the care and relationships we have with horses. My Papa has been my biggest influence. He grew up with horses and has been so supportive about me getting one. We sit and read books, do research, and plan for when I finally get a horse. Right now, he’s helping design and build the stalls and corral so my horse has a beautiful place to live. Both my Papa and my instructor were barrel racers and have really sparked my interest in that.
What is your dream career? My dream career would be to study and become a large animal vet and then use that knowledge to open a horse rescue and riding area for people with disabilities who want to ride. I want to create a place that I can help horses who need a good home and also give opportunities to people with disabilities to enjoy the love of horses.
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See this article in the July/August 2022 online edition:
The Colorado Horse Source is an independently owned and operated print and online magazine for horse owners and enthusiasts of all breeds and disciplines in Colorado and surrounding area. Our contemporary editorial columns are predominantly written by experts in the region, covering the care, training, keeping and enjoyment of horses, with an eye to the specific concerns in our region.