The history of the West was written by the horse.
My dream is to ride through the Wild West one day, just like in the movies. It must feel like the purest form of freedom.
If I think about the feeling I have always had, as long as I can remember, when riding my horses I would describe it like this scene out of my favorite movie:
“I live on top of the world in the Never Summer Mountains of Wyoming, 8,000 feet closer to the sky.... We let our horses out for the first time every spring[...] I can see in them an expression of my own restless spirit. Charged with an appetite for adventure, they take to the land without hesitation. They are pure power. When I see them running wild and free, I often think of the first horses and how they were the true pioneers of America." Katherine "Katie" McLoughlin, Flicka 2006
Horses are my definition of freedom, passion and home. I’ve never thought home was a place with an address, but rather the feeling of being safe and truly able to be honest with yourself. No matter where I go I can find a home on the back of a horse.
Ever since the first time I watched Flicka I knew I wanted to become a cowgirl...
My journey with horses started with my first day of school. My mom had promised she would allow me to go to the barn when I started school. She was a little bit scared about my idea to become a “horse girl” in the beginning. I could never understand her fear since I felt communication with horses was much easier and “safer” than with people. Going to the barn once a week quickly turned into every day and at 10 years old I rescued a pony from a slaughter yard. A farmer let me keep him at his place until I found a new family for the little gelding. A horse was always on the top of my wishlist for Santa Claus. A horse truck with a big red bow never came until... I was 12 years old and already riding and helping at a big show jumping stable when I somehow managed to convince my parents to trust me with my own horse. My parents, as non-horse people, thought buying a four year old was a good idea since a youngster would last longer. That's how Amor came into my life - my best friend.
Ever since that day every weekend was spent at a competition. I attended all sorts of championships for youngsters and young riders in dressage, jumping and eventing. The cross-country jumping was always my favorite. I taught Amor everything he knows and we learned side by side. Training a sport horse at such a young age mostly by myself was both challenging and bonding at the same time. I learned as much from Amor as he learned from me. I wouldn’t be who I am if it wasn’t for him. He was with me during the most formative teenage years and everything that you have to learn and experience while growing up. He truly shaped me and I wish everybody would have a friend like Amor.
I worked to pay for my lessons by helping my trainer and by riding and breaking in young horses. I was 15 when I broke in the first horse all by myself. Because of the young geldings and mares I understood how real trust and understanding feels like. No one could ever be taught that at school. I probably learned all my social skills through my animals. If someone asks me nowadays how I manage to be confident I always tell them it’s because of the horses. You shouldn’t ride with fear and you damn sure shouldn’t live your life in fear.
Now Amor has been by my side for 10 years and I know he is the best thing that could have happened to me. My mom eventually started riding because of his kindness and is now infected with the “horse fever”, as well as my little niece Elsa. She attended her first horse show with Amor last month. Seeing Elsa and Amor shine is the most precious thing and makes me the proudest aunt. The connection to the horses and the equestrian sport will help Elsa to trust herself with all her dreams while growing up.Training horses is the most rewarding thing and I couldn’t live without them. They are part of me and my home.
After I graduated from high school I moved to the Bay Area in California to be an Au Pair. Since I couldn’t live without my sport I quickly found a barn, where I could help out and train some horses. That’s how I made my first contacts in the American horse world. After moving back to Germany and attending a modeling contest that we partially filmed in Los Angeles, I was going back and forth between America and Germany.
One rainy afternoon when I just had come back from a modeling job I was in my parent’s kitchen back in Germany. I was about to record a new song, but was somehow still scrolling through Instagram when suddenly a barrel racing reel popped up on my for you page. I didn’t really know what it was since Western riding wasn’t popular in Germany.. I instantly knew I wanted to become a barrel racer. I missed the adrenaline from riding military and eventing and I had a feeling that this rush would be comparable with barrel racing. I didn’t know where and how to start, but I knew I wanted to go back to America because after all those years I still remembered “Flicka” and how I wanted to just ride over endless open land and become a real cowgirl.
I asked my friends from the horse world in California if they knew any stable that was looking for help and eventually got an address for a stable in North Florida, not far from Ocala. Even though it was a breeding and jumping facility I had a feeling I would find a western barn somehow since I knew Florida is big into Western riding. So I gave it a shot and flew overseas again.
Fast forward, I met a woman that used to barrel race competitively. She still had some running quarter studs, mares and thoroughbreds. She told me I could start them again and train them for the barrels since some of them were Dash Ta Fame’s, one of the fastest running AQHA bloodlines.. I joined the NBHA and attended my first barrel races this summer and quickly became a huge fan of Charymayn James. I studied her YouTube videos and practiced hard on my drills while still training Hunter horses. I love to combine English and Western so I can train my horses to be very versatile. It’s awesome for riders and horses to
switch it up!
With horses, life never gets boring and you never stop learning. I was never afraid and always loved what was “untamed” inside of us.
“The horses felt like a wild force in this world, that could lead us back to our primitive intuition, a strength that awakens when you need a push to survive. I feel like my true self when I am with them because I believe in trust and intuition- in wildness and purity.” (Katie Flicka)
We need to find the courage to love what is untamed inside us and not idealize and categorize everything about life. Horses can teach us that. I wish everyone could experience the love I have for those animals, that are the closest thing to heaven on this earth. Now you know I love horses and I always belonged to them and I hope you can relate. This is a reminder to connect with what’s inside you and feel a glimpse of gratitude whenever you are on the back of a horse. I am very thankful to be here and to be able to write this article for the Miss Cowboy community. Thank you Ella & Lacey for your trust. You both really created something magical!
By @laura7eroy
Spotify: Laura LeRoy