I was super lucky, yes :) We lived out in the country and my mom and stepdad had had horses for ages, so it was kind of a natural progression. He was a POA (which totally sounds made up, but it's an actual breed) named Duke. Unfortunately the year I got him I was so sick I couldn't sit up without barfing, so I didn't get to ride him till about four days later :) It's still my dream someday to have a horse again...