Post by Shadoweaver on Jun 3, 2005 2:56:44 GMT -5
I've been poking around old messages on this board--I know that I leave near at least ONE of you now. Interestin'. I am...oh...35 miles or south of Sacramento in Stockton. Hehe. And now that the weather is nice, I've been returning to the ranch several times a week...but THIS week has been more interesting than usual.
For those of you who don't know: I volunteer at Save Horses, an equine rescue not very far from me. My own horse that I adopted a year ago from them, Beau, stays there...but I haven't been able to ride him because he's over due for a trim, and I don't want to risk his feet getting any ickier than they already are. This means I've been hopping onto every other horse they'll let me ride...
I've ridden....7 different horses this week, of which all but 2 were new to me. O.o It's been...educational, let me tell you.
First horse I rode this week was Zanner, a 7 year old fleabitten grey, bloody shoulder Arabian/QH gelding. Oi. Walk was not in his vocabulary. This is quite a change from my Beau, who takes being a Tennessee WALKER very seriously.
His trot was smooth enough for my inept self to sit, however, so I didn't complain too much. I'm not a great fan of Arabian and part-Arabains, generally, as they tend to be too high strung for my tastes...and Zanner is no exception. He was on his best behavior, though, so I have to say that I enjoyed the ride. I can't get the image of him trying to climb OVER a hitching post out of my head though. He was adopted this week by another of or volunteers-YAY! Crazy though he sometimes is, I'm glad for him.
I did ride my Beau for a few moments...bareback, just 'cause. Though all that did was convince me that he really DOES need another 50 to 100 lbs on him. Ow. Stupid long winter!
The third horse I rode was Black Hawk. Hawk is a dark bay, 7 year old curly mustang stallion. Yeeees, stallion. Stubborn little bugger, but not at all 'mean' like some studs are said to be. After Zanner's "no no no let's trot!" attitude of earler, I had issues with Black Hawk's "let's stand here and refuse to move!" game. Begin Amber's Lesson In Being Firm, Part One. Despite the power struggle, it was an interesting, if short, ride. Curlies are AWESOME, by the way...
Wednesday, the first horse I rode was Ginger...a chestnut Appendix QH mare. Begin Amber's Lesson in Being Firm, Part Two. Mental note to self--don't ride ex-race horses in hackamores. "She seems to want to go," Susan said. "Amber, you've had more experience riding faster than me...I don't feel secure at a trot at all...want to ride her a bit?" Yeah, okay, fine, except that trot wasn't in Ginger's vocabulary, and I have almost NO experience at a canter. To sum up the ride in short: EEEE! I wasn't afraid, really...just...um...startled. Yes. I'm glad she neck reins though...ooooh, yes. My poor Beau--he was tied up to the hitching post eating when we charged right by him. Luckily, the world could fall down around his ears while he was eating and he wouldn't care. I LOVE my horse. Anyway...yeah. Short ride. I handed her off to one of the owners of Save Horses, who is far more used to handling horses with running in mind than I am. *rubs her arms* Again...ex racers and hackamores...no. Not good.
Next horse I rode was a 7 year old, chocolate brown mustang gelding, Thunder. His owner was out of town for a week and gave me the go ahead to ride him. Right. Well he never got the memo, as his reaction to me coming out there was to pin his ears and walk away, carrots or no carrots. I had to have Susan catch him for me. *sighs* Begin Amber's Lesson In Being Firm, Part Three. Thunder was a Zanner-esque horse, in that he much preferred the trot to the walk. I didn't take him out of the round pen, especially not after Ginger! It took 15 minuites of me learning that I had to be REALLY firm with him before he'd walk around the pen in a full circle without trying to break into a trot. I did it though...he was listening! I'm pretty darn proud of myself. His reward was the end of the ride...mine was switching horses.
He tried to bite me when I was brushing him though. Grrr. I like this horse though, he's beautiful...tall (16+ hands) and very muscular. And nice, when he's not grumpy because HIS person isn't there.
Last but not least, I got to ride El...the only horse besdies my own I have really ridden much. El Paso is a 25 year old, grullo Peruvian Paso. He is 14 hands of sheer STUBBORNNESS! But oh, gods, is he fun when he's not throwing temper tantrums. He also likes to go fast, but his gait is so smooth! I love it. Trotting is SO over rated...give me a gaited horse any day. He was on his best behavior, too. He knows by now that I do not find his mini-rears amusing.
Next week I get to go back to riding my OWN horse though, which is even better. All this riding other people's horses just makes me appreciate mine all the more. Sweet...sane...level headed...cooperative...not to mention beautiful. I can throw a saddle on him and just go without any fuss. Yes, I may have to be firm with him to get him out of a walk, but that's much nicer than the alternative...as I certainly know now. At 13 he's old enough to be reasonable and yet young enough to still bounce back from one of our beloved, 4 hour trail rides. I love Beau...to peices...squee! Need...more...trail rides...
*wanders off, having bored EVERYONE to death*
For those of you who don't know: I volunteer at Save Horses, an equine rescue not very far from me. My own horse that I adopted a year ago from them, Beau, stays there...but I haven't been able to ride him because he's over due for a trim, and I don't want to risk his feet getting any ickier than they already are. This means I've been hopping onto every other horse they'll let me ride...
I've ridden....7 different horses this week, of which all but 2 were new to me. O.o It's been...educational, let me tell you.
First horse I rode this week was Zanner, a 7 year old fleabitten grey, bloody shoulder Arabian/QH gelding. Oi. Walk was not in his vocabulary. This is quite a change from my Beau, who takes being a Tennessee WALKER very seriously.
His trot was smooth enough for my inept self to sit, however, so I didn't complain too much. I'm not a great fan of Arabian and part-Arabains, generally, as they tend to be too high strung for my tastes...and Zanner is no exception. He was on his best behavior, though, so I have to say that I enjoyed the ride. I can't get the image of him trying to climb OVER a hitching post out of my head though. He was adopted this week by another of or volunteers-YAY! Crazy though he sometimes is, I'm glad for him.I did ride my Beau for a few moments...bareback, just 'cause. Though all that did was convince me that he really DOES need another 50 to 100 lbs on him. Ow. Stupid long winter!
The third horse I rode was Black Hawk. Hawk is a dark bay, 7 year old curly mustang stallion. Yeeees, stallion. Stubborn little bugger, but not at all 'mean' like some studs are said to be. After Zanner's "no no no let's trot!" attitude of earler, I had issues with Black Hawk's "let's stand here and refuse to move!" game. Begin Amber's Lesson In Being Firm, Part One. Despite the power struggle, it was an interesting, if short, ride. Curlies are AWESOME, by the way...
Wednesday, the first horse I rode was Ginger...a chestnut Appendix QH mare. Begin Amber's Lesson in Being Firm, Part Two. Mental note to self--don't ride ex-race horses in hackamores. "She seems to want to go," Susan said. "Amber, you've had more experience riding faster than me...I don't feel secure at a trot at all...want to ride her a bit?" Yeah, okay, fine, except that trot wasn't in Ginger's vocabulary, and I have almost NO experience at a canter. To sum up the ride in short: EEEE! I wasn't afraid, really...just...um...startled. Yes. I'm glad she neck reins though...ooooh, yes. My poor Beau--he was tied up to the hitching post eating when we charged right by him. Luckily, the world could fall down around his ears while he was eating and he wouldn't care. I LOVE my horse. Anyway...yeah. Short ride. I handed her off to one of the owners of Save Horses, who is far more used to handling horses with running in mind than I am. *rubs her arms* Again...ex racers and hackamores...no. Not good.
Next horse I rode was a 7 year old, chocolate brown mustang gelding, Thunder. His owner was out of town for a week and gave me the go ahead to ride him. Right. Well he never got the memo, as his reaction to me coming out there was to pin his ears and walk away, carrots or no carrots. I had to have Susan catch him for me. *sighs* Begin Amber's Lesson In Being Firm, Part Three. Thunder was a Zanner-esque horse, in that he much preferred the trot to the walk. I didn't take him out of the round pen, especially not after Ginger! It took 15 minuites of me learning that I had to be REALLY firm with him before he'd walk around the pen in a full circle without trying to break into a trot. I did it though...he was listening! I'm pretty darn proud of myself. His reward was the end of the ride...mine was switching horses.
He tried to bite me when I was brushing him though. Grrr. I like this horse though, he's beautiful...tall (16+ hands) and very muscular. And nice, when he's not grumpy because HIS person isn't there.Last but not least, I got to ride El...the only horse besdies my own I have really ridden much. El Paso is a 25 year old, grullo Peruvian Paso. He is 14 hands of sheer STUBBORNNESS! But oh, gods, is he fun when he's not throwing temper tantrums. He also likes to go fast, but his gait is so smooth! I love it. Trotting is SO over rated...give me a gaited horse any day. He was on his best behavior, too. He knows by now that I do not find his mini-rears amusing.
Next week I get to go back to riding my OWN horse though, which is even better. All this riding other people's horses just makes me appreciate mine all the more. Sweet...sane...level headed...cooperative...not to mention beautiful.
I can throw a saddle on him and just go without any fuss. Yes, I may have to be firm with him to get him out of a walk, but that's much nicer than the alternative...as I certainly know now. At 13 he's old enough to be reasonable and yet young enough to still bounce back from one of our beloved, 4 hour trail rides. I love Beau...to peices...squee! Need...more...trail rides...*wanders off, having bored EVERYONE to death*
She ended up breaking her arm. 
