Because of Bomber

When I was six years old, I was horse crazy just like a lot of kids my age.  I asked my parents if I could have a horse, and they must have said something about me getting a job, because…

I proceeded to pull out the Yellow Pages, and call every horse stable listed.  Why?  I needed a job.  Most laughed… some thought it was cute.  “How old are you?  Six?” But then, I dialed the number for Almaden Farms.  Mr. Bud Thoman answered the phone.  He listened to what I had to say. Then, he told me that he was going on vacation for a few weeks, but if I called back in three weeks, he would give me a job.

Guess what?  I called back in three weeks, and true to his word, he gave a little girl her first “job”.  Now, my job consisted of being allowed to come out to his farm once a week and hang out.  That was fine by me. So, every week, my mom drove me out to the stable. 

It wasn’t long before I met and fell in love with a pony named Bomber.  I would sit on the fence next to his stall and dream of him being mine. 

One day, his owner told me that he was for sale.  I couldn’t wait to ask my parents!  A lot of conversations later, my grandparents agreed to buy Bomber for me if my parents could pay the $60 monthly boarding fee.  In 1977, $60 a month was a lot for my family.

Being the amazing parents they are, they figured out a way.  Filled with so much excitement, we all headed to the stables the next week to tell Bomber’s owner that we would buy him, only to see his stall empty.  She had sold him without telling us. 

That was the last time I went out to Almaden Farms.  My heart was broken.

But my spirit was not.  One day, I would have my own horse.

The next time I asked for a horse, mom and dad said I needed a job to be able afford it.  No problem.  At thirteen, I got my first job cleaning kennels at a local veterinary hospital, and by fourteen, I had saved up $1,000 to buy my first horse. A crazy, somewhat dangerous, Anglo-Arabian named Karabic (that’s a story for another day).

Lesson learned.  If you want something bad enough, there is always a way to make it happen as long as you are determined and put in the work.  I carry this lesson with me every day. 

Never give up.

Tiffanie

#farmgirltough #itsanattitudenotalocation