Many of us who ride were lucky enough to have had good, old-fashioned horse people as mentors. It’s easy to focus on who is teaching us now, or who taught us at the more advanced levels, and forget about those treasured voices from our childhoods.

I wasn’t lucky enough to grow up riding ponies. My parents had lost a friend in a riding accident and they couldn’t bear to send me for lessons, though I was born begging for them.

As an adult, I completely understand their fears. As a kid, I thought their decision was THE END OF MY LIFE! They tried to channel my interests into other sports—my sister and I figure skated competitively for many years. 

When I tell you I was the worst figure skater in the world, it’s barely hyperbole. I recall once winning second place in a competition and running over to tell my mom the news. She hugged me and gently sent me back to read the results more carefully, concerned (I now realize) that there was no way I could have gotten the silver medal. That’s how bad I was!**

Of course my horse obsession wouldn’t be diverted, and I started secretly walking to a local barn where I did stalls in exchange for being allowed to hang around and brush the horses. Eventually, an owner took me to see another barn, a trip that would literally change the trajectory of my life. I met Geraldine Luff at her Merrymount Farm.

Geri is a true horsewoman, whose tiny size is belied by her loud and authoritative voice while teaching. You’d laugh when you saw from whom that voice was coming if you didn’t know her! Her barn was safe but not fancy and no training gimmicks were to be found.

She stood two Thoroughbred stallions and bred for the sporthorse world, starting them in the hunter breeding ring. I met her when I was 12, and she recognized a true aspiring barn rat, starving for any and all exposure to horses. I soon talked my parents into driving me to the barn so I could work. We never talked about it but I believe the fact that I was working off the lessons (so they were not directly responsible for me being on a horse) helped it all sit easier with them. They soon saw that my drive was undeniable. I was absolutely thrilled to be mucking stalls!

I was submerged in the world of my dreams and I helped with every aspect of maintaining the farm. No job was too menial. I didn’t own a saddle, had only those big, black, rubber riding boots (you know the ones) and a helmet. I rode bareback which was great for me! I had no fear and some natural talent and Geri was soon using me to help start youngsters.

We would teach them their words on the longe, install steering with long lines, then get on and immediately go out hacking. I was the perfect crash test dummy because I didn’t know enough to be nervous!

Over the next six years, I learned a lot about everything in that unfancy barn with the good horsemanship. The day before I went to college, Geri hugged me and said she knew I’d be great. I would never have had the confidence to go pre-vet without her staunch support.

Many years have passed and, though I rarely speak to Geri, I think fondly of her often. I’ve gone on to ride with success with others, but with the addition of Barry Manislow to my life (a sort-of-broke-but-really-quite-perfect 4-year-old), Geri is firmly back in my life. When I ride solo, I always hear my trainers’ voices making the corrections that I need.

These days, on Barry, the voice is all Geri’s. It was a little rusty, having gone more than 27 years unused, but is now clear as a bell. “Lizard! Bend your elbows. Lizard! Keep the contact when his head goes up. Lizard! Send him on!”

I am so grateful that those good, strong roots that Geri planted for me long ago are still there today. I am ever thankful to her for helping a shy kid who had nothing to offer financially—just genuine interest and passion. As an adult, I realize that people like her are at risk of becoming endangered in this industry and I try to live up to her example by guiding kids who are interested in veterinary medicine.

It’s the least I can do to pay it forward, and I think of Geri every time, which makes it that much more fun.

**I did get second place in that competition. 

Liz Arbittier, VMD, CVA, is an equine field service veterinarian at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. She also enjoys rescuing elderly shelter dogs and just added Byron, an elderly blind poodle, to her household. Byron joins Virgil, Cybil, Gladys, and Maude (and Liz) in Coatesville, Pa. She grew up riding hunters and breaking babies, rode IHSA in college, and got her start in show jumping before vet school when she took a job riding with and managing Kevin Babington’s team. She is currently riding with four-star event rider, Kate Hicks in Cochranville, Pa.

You can read all of Liz’s blogs about Ephraim here.