Jesse Barnett
Age: 17
School: Runnels High School

Every day is another ride. Every day is a different ride. I catch my horse, walk him to the stables, and let him enjoy a quick snack of oats before preparing him for our date. I saddle him with the same blanket and saddle from earlier rides. I know what saddle fits him best, and I am too superstitious to change his wardrobe. After I saddle him and place the reins around his elongated face, I fix his messy hair. Now, we are ready to begin our adventure. Horse riders always mount on the left side, so I do so. After mounting, I check to make sure everything is safe and secure. I take control and off we go. As we walk through the wooden gate attached to the fence that surrounds the property, we look straight ahead. With the house and barn to our backs, we see an endless pasture ready for conquering.

Each day, while roaming in the pasture, I play the role of someone new. That’s what I love about riding. I can be whoever I wish to be at any given moment. If I have the urge for thrill, then I may pretend to be a reckless cowboy from the Wild West. If I want a more relaxing ride, then I may choose to make-believe I am a proper British woman of royalty on an afternoon stroll riding English style in my western saddle.

Once I was an outlaw being chased by the local sheriff. Not only did I start trouble in the town’s saloon, but I robbed the local bank and rode off with the money. And boy did I ride! I kicked my horse to go faster and faster to avoid the sheriff’s bullets. Luckily, I escaped from the sheriff but not my worried mother who was yelling for us to slow down.