Irene Waters’ “Times Past” prompt challenge topic for this month is: Horses and Childhood Dreams.
https://irenewaters19.com/2018/08/01/horses-and-childhood-dreams-times-past-challenge
I am a baby boomer; growing up in the USA suburbs. Houses lined up one after the other in my neighborhood; no farms or horses. I never dreamed of having a horse. None of my friends had horses.
The only animals I was familiar with were dogs and cats. Family pets. Horses existed on television shows like Mr. Ed, Bonanza and Lassie. Mr. Ed was my personal favorite! I went on pony rides at county fairs, although they made me uncomfortable. I was sad to see ponies trudging endlessly in a circle. They looked trapped.
My first memory of anything horse-like was a red wooden rocking horse. A gift for my 2nd birthday. I apparently rode it with great abandon, springs squeaking in a steady rhythm. The springs were my favorite part – more bouncing up and down. I was a very active kid so it doesn’t surprise me. I will admit that some of this memory is from an old 8mm (silent) home movie – close to 3 minutes of me energetically riding my first “horse.” Somehow I do remember the squeaking. Perhaps from my younger siblings years later.
I went horseback riding once – at Girl Scout camp. It was a big deal because it cost extra. The horse took off galloping and I didn’t know what to do. Painful.
So…I am one of those exceptions to the theory that all girls dreamed of horses.
I actually dreamed of flying! For years it was how I fell asleep at night as a young child – starting up the dream as I closed my eyes. Run, jump and up I went. But that’s another story.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 
Loved that photo of you on your rocking horse. Do you find that you can recall all the events in your diary without its help? I know I am prompted by photographs and at other times I have detail that they don’t show. The video would give you the sound as well as the action. You also reminded me of Mister Ed. I think we all loved that talking horse.
Yes, you are the first that didn’t have the horsey dream. Flying just may have to be my next prompt.
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Thank you! Yes, I often can recall events without the diaries – they can fill in dates and some details. The photos are a bigger trigger for memories. The rocking horse video does not have sound (it’s the old 8mm film), but I remember the sound – probably from when I was older and my younger siblings used it. The photo is from a slide. Between diaries, letters, photos and videos it’s like putting together a puzzle when I write about a memory. It was a fun prompt!!
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Thanks – yes it is like a puzzle. All of my old photos are from slides which I have scanned into the computer. We were probably lucky that prints were uncommon in those days because slides keep their quality better.
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Yes we are lucky! – slides are definitely better at preserving old images. Negatives too. The old polaroids did not survive nearly as well.
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No my polaroids have all faded and gone brown. Makes me feel really old.
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