On my way out of the barn this afternoon I saw this and knew I had to immediately pull the car over and get the shot.
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A good time at the barn
This evening the barn held a session for volunteers to get together, socialize a bit, and then get some lessons on handling the horses. We got a demonstration on working with the horses in the round pen and 'joining up' with them, and then we got to try it. I got to try it with Ashley, one of the horses I work with regularly. Then another volunteer got to do the same with her, and we could see the difference in how she reacted because of the differences in the energy we put out - I'm a very calm and quiet person, and she reacted differently to that than she did to the young man's higher energy motions.
Then we got longe line demonstration, and talked about handling the horses on the ground. It was all very good stuff that I hadn't heard before, so I was paying close attention. Then we all got a chance to ride. I sat out the first round to let the teens go first, and most adults rode the second round as well. I got to ride a horse that was new to me because he belonged to one of the staff, and he was just visiting to help out with some big events they were having this week. I had a bit of trouble getting him trotting - his mom said he was lazy - but once we got him going I really enjoyed it, and felt like I was starting to get the hang of riding the trot. I wish I could have kept at it! But since the horses had already worked all day toting kids around at the ranch, we didn't ride too long before giving them a break, cooling them off, and sending them out to pasture to relax for the night. They have a full day of work to do tomorrow :)
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Then we got longe line demonstration, and talked about handling the horses on the ground. It was all very good stuff that I hadn't heard before, so I was paying close attention. Then we all got a chance to ride. I sat out the first round to let the teens go first, and most adults rode the second round as well. I got to ride a horse that was new to me because he belonged to one of the staff, and he was just visiting to help out with some big events they were having this week. I had a bit of trouble getting him trotting - his mom said he was lazy - but once we got him going I really enjoyed it, and felt like I was starting to get the hang of riding the trot. I wish I could have kept at it! But since the horses had already worked all day toting kids around at the ranch, we didn't ride too long before giving them a break, cooling them off, and sending them out to pasture to relax for the night. They have a full day of work to do tomorrow :)
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Rode a horse today!
Today Dave and I worked in the yard for an hour or so, cutting down blackberries, fighting with the lawnmower, and using the new electric string trimmer. So my back was getting tired by the time I left for the barn in the afternoon.
I got to the barn and no one had cleaned the stalls yet, so I got to work on that. My back was aching a bit, but I just remembered to lift with my legs. Cleaning stalls is good exercise! I got the stalls done just as my boss came out and she started sweeping up while I did the water buckets - more heavy lifting.
We got the stalls all ready and were waiting for the kids to show up for afternoon riding, and since there were only going to be two kids, and they already knew how to ride, she said we could ride with them and we'd just do some follow-the-leader in the outdoor arena. At first I was like, oh, I don't need to ride, but she encouraged me to give it a shot, so I said 'which horse?' She said I could use Ashley, because she is pretty big and stocky. Since I had been helping little tiny kids ride Ashley last weekend, I knew she was very mellow and well behaved, so I said ok. She said if Ashley senses you aren't a skilled rider, she just goes slower, instead of taking off with you.
Well, the kids didn't show up, so the four volunteers ended up just saddling up and heading out and riding around for about an hour. It was fun to just be free-riding around, doing figure eights and walking around the arena, watching the horses and cows out in the big pastures. I had to convince Ashley to trot, maybe she thought I wasn't up to it! I'd say that's good judgement on her part - I need a lot of work on riding a trot! But it was fun to try a little!
I took it pretty easy because the riding wasn't much easier on my back than the rest of the day had been! It was great fun, that's definitely a fringe benefit of helping out at the stables! When I'd had enough I let someone else ride Ashley and I took one of the other horses back to the barn and got her un-tacked and ready to go out for the night, then I helped bring in the horses who were going to spend the night indoors, and take food out to some of the ones that were staying outside. There's always lots of work to do, but it's fun too. All in all, a great day!
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I got to the barn and no one had cleaned the stalls yet, so I got to work on that. My back was aching a bit, but I just remembered to lift with my legs. Cleaning stalls is good exercise! I got the stalls done just as my boss came out and she started sweeping up while I did the water buckets - more heavy lifting.
We got the stalls all ready and were waiting for the kids to show up for afternoon riding, and since there were only going to be two kids, and they already knew how to ride, she said we could ride with them and we'd just do some follow-the-leader in the outdoor arena. At first I was like, oh, I don't need to ride, but she encouraged me to give it a shot, so I said 'which horse?' She said I could use Ashley, because she is pretty big and stocky. Since I had been helping little tiny kids ride Ashley last weekend, I knew she was very mellow and well behaved, so I said ok. She said if Ashley senses you aren't a skilled rider, she just goes slower, instead of taking off with you.
Well, the kids didn't show up, so the four volunteers ended up just saddling up and heading out and riding around for about an hour. It was fun to just be free-riding around, doing figure eights and walking around the arena, watching the horses and cows out in the big pastures. I had to convince Ashley to trot, maybe she thought I wasn't up to it! I'd say that's good judgement on her part - I need a lot of work on riding a trot! But it was fun to try a little!
I took it pretty easy because the riding wasn't much easier on my back than the rest of the day had been! It was great fun, that's definitely a fringe benefit of helping out at the stables! When I'd had enough I let someone else ride Ashley and I took one of the other horses back to the barn and got her un-tacked and ready to go out for the night, then I helped bring in the horses who were going to spend the night indoors, and take food out to some of the ones that were staying outside. There's always lots of work to do, but it's fun too. All in all, a great day!
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Working out at the barn
I was planning to run a c25k routine this evening after I got home from volunteering at the barn, but instead I got some unexpected exercise. First I got there and got to clean stalls and refill water buckets, which I consider excellent strength training! Then I was helping a little 5 year old girl ride a shetland pony, Buttons, and instead of working in the arena, they decided to have class outside in the outdoor arena. Unfortunately we didn't realize until we were out there that it was pretty muddy in places, easily up to my ankles here and there, just a few inches in other spots, and you never knew from one step to the next if you'd be sinking in or not! I was glad I wore my heavy hiking boots!
So we started out walking around the arena, and here's something funny - we stopped because I saw something come shooting out of the grass in front of us and onto the dirt, and it was a 2 ft long garter snake, and it was chasing a bright green tree frog! The snake lunged and caught the frog by the foot, and the little girl was so surprised she dropped the pony's lead and ran to watch, and that snake swallowed that frog whole, and then slithered back off into the grass! I've never seen anything like it!
So we were walking around the arena and it was some hard walking for me, sticky mud and heavy boots! We got the girl mounted up and I was leading her, and then I unhooked the lead and my job was just to walk alongside her and make sure Buttons didn't take her for an unexpected ride. Well, she was a confident little girl, and about half the time she wanted to trot! So I'm jogging alongside trying to keep up, then we'd walk, then we'd trot, round and round for about 45 minutes! Towards the end I was thinking I had done about all I had in me, and I think the teacher saw it too and said 'lets just walk Buttons now so she can cool off before we put her away' and I was like 'thank you!' - we all had a laugh :)
So I think that was my intervals for the day. Running in that mud was SO hard! I thought about wearing my Heart Rate Monitor before I left but I thought, oh, I never really get my heartrate up just walking around the arena, so I wouldn't count it as cardio anyway - apparently I should have worn it, I'd like to know how hard I was working - my perceived effort says I was working pretty danged hard!
Afterwards we put Buttons in her stall and brought her some carrots and apples and I showed the little girl how to hold her hand out and feed her her treats, but she was scared and just tossed them on the floor for Buttons to eat. I fed Buttons a few treats out of my hand, and she was very gentle. What a sweet little pony! As always it was great fun helping a kid ride, and this time I enjoyed getting my exercise for the day too!
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So we started out walking around the arena, and here's something funny - we stopped because I saw something come shooting out of the grass in front of us and onto the dirt, and it was a 2 ft long garter snake, and it was chasing a bright green tree frog! The snake lunged and caught the frog by the foot, and the little girl was so surprised she dropped the pony's lead and ran to watch, and that snake swallowed that frog whole, and then slithered back off into the grass! I've never seen anything like it!
So we were walking around the arena and it was some hard walking for me, sticky mud and heavy boots! We got the girl mounted up and I was leading her, and then I unhooked the lead and my job was just to walk alongside her and make sure Buttons didn't take her for an unexpected ride. Well, she was a confident little girl, and about half the time she wanted to trot! So I'm jogging alongside trying to keep up, then we'd walk, then we'd trot, round and round for about 45 minutes! Towards the end I was thinking I had done about all I had in me, and I think the teacher saw it too and said 'lets just walk Buttons now so she can cool off before we put her away' and I was like 'thank you!' - we all had a laugh :)
So I think that was my intervals for the day. Running in that mud was SO hard! I thought about wearing my Heart Rate Monitor before I left but I thought, oh, I never really get my heartrate up just walking around the arena, so I wouldn't count it as cardio anyway - apparently I should have worn it, I'd like to know how hard I was working - my perceived effort says I was working pretty danged hard!
Afterwards we put Buttons in her stall and brought her some carrots and apples and I showed the little girl how to hold her hand out and feed her her treats, but she was scared and just tossed them on the floor for Buttons to eat. I fed Buttons a few treats out of my hand, and she was very gentle. What a sweet little pony! As always it was great fun helping a kid ride, and this time I enjoyed getting my exercise for the day too!
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Teaching kids to ride a pony
I got to go mentor at the stables again today. My student was a 6 year old girl who had come once before, and she got to ride the little welsh pony gelding, Lightning. He's a bit of a pill, though I'm told that's typical pony - he's always trying to see what he can get away with! I had a go-around with him last week when I went to halter him and he managed to make it difficult and shake his halter off three times before I could get it fastened - so I was ready for him!
First we went and got him out of the paddock, and he met us at the gate. I haltered him up with no problem and then I let the girl walk him back, while I walked on the other side with my hand on his halter so he wouldn't take off on her. We tied him in his stall and then the girl started grooming him. She was so excited to ride him again, it was really cute, but she also wasn't putting up with any nonsense from him - if he nudged her she told him to back off! She did great! We got him all cleaned up, and then I held each foot for her while she picked them out, and I helped her when needed. Then we got him saddled up and got his bridle on and walked him over to the arena.
Inside the arena they had set up cones and some logs to walk over. We started out with the kids leading the horses around with the mentors holding onto the halters (there were 4 horses in the arena), and then the kids got to handle the horses alone, but with mentors right nearby. After a couple laps they mounted up, and got to practice some balance exercises while we led the horses, then they went on to directing the horse themselves, then we were able to take off the lead ropes if they were confident and let them ride, while we walked alongside. She was scared to trot because he takes off with a little hop, but her mom kept encouraging her, and on the final lap we talked her into trotting for about 20 feet with me holding his halter - and of course she loved it and wanted to do it again so we did one more lap so she could trot again before dismounting!
Afterwards we brought all the horses back to the barn, then the kids helped take hay to the horses that were staying in the paddocks all night. They all seemed to have a great time helping out with the chores. It is so rewarding to help little kids get to play with horses - I wish I could have done this when I was a kid, but it's great to help other kids have that experience now, and I think I'm learning as much as they are, and building my own confidence at the same time :)
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First we went and got him out of the paddock, and he met us at the gate. I haltered him up with no problem and then I let the girl walk him back, while I walked on the other side with my hand on his halter so he wouldn't take off on her. We tied him in his stall and then the girl started grooming him. She was so excited to ride him again, it was really cute, but she also wasn't putting up with any nonsense from him - if he nudged her she told him to back off! She did great! We got him all cleaned up, and then I held each foot for her while she picked them out, and I helped her when needed. Then we got him saddled up and got his bridle on and walked him over to the arena.
Inside the arena they had set up cones and some logs to walk over. We started out with the kids leading the horses around with the mentors holding onto the halters (there were 4 horses in the arena), and then the kids got to handle the horses alone, but with mentors right nearby. After a couple laps they mounted up, and got to practice some balance exercises while we led the horses, then they went on to directing the horse themselves, then we were able to take off the lead ropes if they were confident and let them ride, while we walked alongside. She was scared to trot because he takes off with a little hop, but her mom kept encouraging her, and on the final lap we talked her into trotting for about 20 feet with me holding his halter - and of course she loved it and wanted to do it again so we did one more lap so she could trot again before dismounting!
Afterwards we brought all the horses back to the barn, then the kids helped take hay to the horses that were staying in the paddocks all night. They all seemed to have a great time helping out with the chores. It is so rewarding to help little kids get to play with horses - I wish I could have done this when I was a kid, but it's great to help other kids have that experience now, and I think I'm learning as much as they are, and building my own confidence at the same time :)
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Cleaning stalls at the stables
Today I got to the ranch and they hadn't taken the horses out yet, so I got to help do that. The volunteer coordinator told me which horses to take and made sure everything was done safely. She gives me little tips about how to handle the horses, and different horse personalities. She let me walk out one of the friskier horses, but she walked along with us in case he gave me any trouble (she said he likes to see if he can get away with stuff with new people). I got to walk out one of the adorable ponies too :) Then she went into the office to work on the computer, and I stayed out in the barn and started cleaning stalls.
It had started out as a sunny day, but as I worked I heard the wind picking up, and the sky changed to a sort of dark, slate blue. The little birds who live in the barn rafters were getting restless and fluttering around. The sun disappeared, and the rain started coming down, pattering on the metal roof of the barn. I looked down the aisle and saw the wind was blowing stuff around pretty good, so I went down and closed the big door. As I continued cleaning, listening to the rain and wind, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace, doing something people have done for thousands of years - cleaning the stables, while the wind howled and the rain poured down outside.
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It had started out as a sunny day, but as I worked I heard the wind picking up, and the sky changed to a sort of dark, slate blue. The little birds who live in the barn rafters were getting restless and fluttering around. The sun disappeared, and the rain started coming down, pattering on the metal roof of the barn. I looked down the aisle and saw the wind was blowing stuff around pretty good, so I went down and closed the big door. As I continued cleaning, listening to the rain and wind, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace, doing something people have done for thousands of years - cleaning the stables, while the wind howled and the rain poured down outside.
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Another fun day at the stables
The stables I volunteer at has a weekend program where kids sign up to come in as part of a group, and then we show them how to groom a horse, walk to the arena, and lead them around on it, teach them to steer, and then the ones that are more confident can start riding around on their own (with someone walking beside them the whole way). So I did that for both morning and afternoon sessions today. It was so much fun! The kids are having such a great time, it's fun to be involved in something like that. If only I'd had that kind of opportunity as a kid! But now as an adult I still have time to learn. I got to help groom and pick out hooves and lead the horse around. Learned to tack and un-tack, and learned to put a blanket back on the horse I was working with. So much fun! I felt a lot more confident after working with him all day (he was a very sweet and patient horse).
And I got a lot of walking around and around and around the arena - so that's a little extra activity for my day as well. That was a pretty good way to spend the first part of my Saturday.
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And I got a lot of walking around and around and around the arena - so that's a little extra activity for my day as well. That was a pretty good way to spend the first part of my Saturday.
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First Day Volunteering
I went to the horse ranch to volunteer today. Since it's spring break, they had an unexpected group of kids show up and clean the stalls, so I got a pile of paperwork to enter in the office. That was fine by me, and I plowed through it in about two hours. I was getting ready to leave when a couple girls showed up and they asked them to catch and groom one of the horses they have there for evaluations, and asked if I'd like to help. So I said sure, and went with them. The horse was a bit restless, and I mostly stayed out of the way. So the volunteer coordinator came by to check on us and said 'hey, want me to grab a pony for you to groom', and I thought, gosh, I don't want to be any trouble - but she said the ponies needed to be groomed too! So she went and got this adorable little pony and showed me where to get her brushes and I got to spend some quality time grooming her. She was more my size anyway :) I'm not ashamed to let the teenage girls handle the big horse while I brush out a pony!
That was great fun, I can't wait to go back. She said next time I can do some stalls. How silly is it to be excited about getting to scoop poo? Before I left I wandered by the arena and they had a class going on with some little girls racing around barrels (at a walk) and the winner would get to clean a stall! And then I heard one of the girls proudly tell the other one 'I get to clean three stalls already!' :)
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That was great fun, I can't wait to go back. She said next time I can do some stalls. How silly is it to be excited about getting to scoop poo? Before I left I wandered by the arena and they had a class going on with some little girls racing around barrels (at a walk) and the winner would get to clean a stall! And then I heard one of the girls proudly tell the other one 'I get to clean three stalls already!' :)
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Volunteering at a horse ranch
Yesterday I went to visit a local riding stables that specializes in riding programs for disadvantaged kids. They need volunteers, and I need to be around horses - so I think we can help each other out. They have a very nice facilities, and need help with both cleaning up and office stuff - I can shuffle papers as well as anyone :) The people seem very nice. Luckily the rules we have to learn all made a lot of sense and were similar to the rules we already use in 4H to keep the kids safe around animals, so I should have no problem remembering them. She said though most of the adult volunteers have their own horses, she would welcome someone like me who really wants to learn about horses. I think my experience working with kids in 4H is helpful too.
I'm very excited, I get to go back tomorrow and work with one of the other volunteers to start learning the ropes to clean out the stalls. I think this is going to be a great way to get my horse 'fix' while doing something good for the community with my free time.
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I'm very excited, I get to go back tomorrow and work with one of the other volunteers to start learning the ropes to clean out the stalls. I think this is going to be a great way to get my horse 'fix' while doing something good for the community with my free time.
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Planning for horses
I'm a long way from being able to afford a horse - maybe never at this rate! But I can still dream about it and plan how I might be able to make it work.
My main concern is our soggy pasture. There's lots of good grazing for summer and fall, but it's going to have to be protected through winter and much of the spring. So I'm thinking, how can I have a horse and keep them happy in a little square paddock all winter and spring? They'll be bored stiff, and setting up a sacrifice area big enough for them to actually stretch their legs would eat up a lot of the pasture - and I want to protect as much as possible for summer. Plus I've heard about people spending tens of thousands of dollars trying to make a sacrifice area where the horses don't have to stand in mud all day.
Then I read about Paddock Paradise - it's a way of keeping horses where their paddock is actually a track that goes around the main field, protecting the grazing area, but giving the horses room to run a bit.
Here's a lovely video of a lady calling her horses back to the shelter and making them go the long way around
CNY Paddock Paradise
And another one here in Western WA
Holly's Paddock Paradise
The idea is to give your horse food in a couple areas (and putting the food in feeders that force them to eat slowly and work at it to help curb boredom), water in another, a scratching/rolling area, and have them spend their day going from one place to the other to get what they need, and get some exercise at the same time. Walking over different terrains is good for them too. I'm going to keep reading up on this idea (lord knows I have nothing but time to think about it), but I like it.
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My main concern is our soggy pasture. There's lots of good grazing for summer and fall, but it's going to have to be protected through winter and much of the spring. So I'm thinking, how can I have a horse and keep them happy in a little square paddock all winter and spring? They'll be bored stiff, and setting up a sacrifice area big enough for them to actually stretch their legs would eat up a lot of the pasture - and I want to protect as much as possible for summer. Plus I've heard about people spending tens of thousands of dollars trying to make a sacrifice area where the horses don't have to stand in mud all day.
Then I read about Paddock Paradise - it's a way of keeping horses where their paddock is actually a track that goes around the main field, protecting the grazing area, but giving the horses room to run a bit.
Here's a lovely video of a lady calling her horses back to the shelter and making them go the long way around
CNY Paddock Paradise
And another one here in Western WA
Holly's Paddock Paradise
The idea is to give your horse food in a couple areas (and putting the food in feeders that force them to eat slowly and work at it to help curb boredom), water in another, a scratching/rolling area, and have them spend their day going from one place to the other to get what they need, and get some exercise at the same time. Walking over different terrains is good for them too. I'm going to keep reading up on this idea (lord knows I have nothing but time to think about it), but I like it.
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Pony :)
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I went over to visit my friend's mini-horse again. She needed me to do a petsitting visit two days in a row, so I got there early so I could spend some time with her horses. She told me where to find the brushes, and I went back and gave the little girl a good brush all over. She seemed to like it just fine, especially her withers - that made her make a funny face and wiggle her lips :)
The next day I got there later, did my petsitting chores, and went back and talked to the pony and gave her a bit of a scratch, but it was getting dark so I had to go. She usually just watches me walk away, but this time she followed me to the gate, then stood there giving me sad eyes. So I went and got a brush and she stood perfectly still in the paddock while I brushed her all over - she really liked it! But then it was really dark and starting to rain so I told her good night and went to put the brushes away while she wandered back to her stall. What a nice little horse! I'm so glad my friend said I was welcome to come by anytime and get a mini-horse fix!
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I went over to visit my friend's mini-horse again. She needed me to do a petsitting visit two days in a row, so I got there early so I could spend some time with her horses. She told me where to find the brushes, and I went back and gave the little girl a good brush all over. She seemed to like it just fine, especially her withers - that made her make a funny face and wiggle her lips :)
The next day I got there later, did my petsitting chores, and went back and talked to the pony and gave her a bit of a scratch, but it was getting dark so I had to go. She usually just watches me walk away, but this time she followed me to the gate, then stood there giving me sad eyes. So I went and got a brush and she stood perfectly still in the paddock while I brushed her all over - she really liked it! But then it was really dark and starting to rain so I told her good night and went to put the brushes away while she wandered back to her stall. What a nice little horse! I'm so glad my friend said I was welcome to come by anytime and get a mini-horse fix!
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Thoughts about horses
Warning - exceedingly long, meandering post ahead! Since this is my journal, sometimes I like to write down my thoughts so someday I can look back on them, and see just what the heck I was thinking.
Since I was a little girl, I have loved horses. Don't most little girls? I read books about them, drew pictures of them, collected Breyer horses, and in general obsessed about them, to the point where in 5th grade my teachers told me I couldn't write anymore stories about horses! My parents even had the supremely bad idea that they would get me a pony when I was little, and took me to test ride a friend's little shetland pony, which I fell off of, prompting my overprotective mom to forbid any pursuit of my horse interest again as too dangerous.
I still have mixed feelings about this. Like, if I had somehow gotten access to horses and learned to ride at that age, it would have been wonderful, and a skill I would have enjoyed my whole life, instead of merely longing to be involved in horses from the sidelines. But my parents were not the sort of attentive folks who could have taken me to riding lessons, nor could they have afforded it. I don't know what they were thinking when we went to check out the pony - we lived on a small lot in the suburbs. Maybe they figured it could stay on my grandparents larger lot. At the time we were unincorporated, and there was a horse living right down the street from us, so it's not too crazy an idea, but for them to have taken care of a horse? They couldn't take care of themselves, their children or their dogs, a horse would have been a disaster. But I'm sure their hearts were in the right place. Actually, I'm sure Dad's heart was in the right place, because I would just about bet it was all his idea, and Mom went along right up to the point where I fell off. For a long time I couldn't help but blame myself for missing my only chance to have a horse by being too clumsy to stay on!
I never got closer to a horse than petting one over the fence, until i took a trail ride with the outdoor club in college. Then nothing again for a long time. I have friends with horses, but they never actually ride them, they are just pets. A couple years ago I finally took the leap to get involved, and took lessons for about 6 months until my teacher quit and moved to another barn. It was fun because I really liked my teacher, there were some nice calm lesson horses, and the stables was literally around the corner, with a big covered arena to work in. She let me stay as long as I wanted and only charged me for the half hour, and sometimes I'd be there for two hours, just hanging out and talking and riding around the arena. I finally had my fix to my horsey longings, and I looked forward to my lessons every week. I even went in on the weekend to help her out and muck out the stalls. Yes, I am so horse obsessed that I enjoyed mucking out the stalls!
I learned some important things about horses. They're big - bigger than you think until you're up close to them, or on top of them. Riding is a lot higher up than it seems - and yes, I did fall off to test that distance. Horses can be unpredictable and spook and test your balance and ability to stay on them. They can also have fun horsey personalities that test your balance and ability to stay on them :) But they are also wonderful, and warm and there's something really amazing about sitting on one, even just sitting still and having that connection with this huge animal.I enjoyed getting to lessons early and brushing the horses out, and if the horse I rode was already brushed out or working in the arena, I'd go brush out some other horse. It's just fun to be with a horse.
The real downside is that everyone I know who is involved in horses has stories to tell about horrible accidents they've had with them. After my riding teacher moved I hadn't heard from her in awhile so I got in touch and found out a horse at the new barn had tripped over his own feet while she was riding around the arena and fell on her, crushing her leg and leaving her laid up for months. Another friend's horse got spooked by someone using a leaf blower, and he spun around and kicked her in the stomach, resulting in emergency surgery. Another friend had been kicked in the jaw and had permanent scars from having her jaw wired shut while it healed. It seemed everyone I talked to about horses had a story like that, but they were all very upbeat about it. It happens, they would say. It's not the horses fault. I did something to cause it, I should have known better, I should have seen that coming. Getting seriously injured or being hospitalized or bedridden for a few weeks or months could be financially devastating. I decided riding horses was fun, but not worth the risk to our family and all we've worked so hard for. I sold my riding boots and helmet, and wrote off horses forever.
Well, sort of.
I still have that longing for a horse of my own. It's the future I saw when we bought our three acres of beautiful pasture. I've had llamas, goats, and sheep, but I still have that itch for a horse. Of course, there's another thing I didn't see when we bought our acreage, and that is that it is very wet. Part of the main pasture is unusable all winter because the swale runs through and floods it. The rest of it gets muddy easily. Even the sheep made muddy paths in the pasture during the rains last spring. A big horse would destroy it. I've seen my friend's horses beat the path to the barn into such a swamp of mud that they sink in it up to their knees. I can't have that. Without thousands of dollars in investment in making a proper winter yard for them, I don't think I could keep horses here.
Not a big horse anyway...
This is my friend's miniature horse.
She is a neat size. Standing next to her I can comfortably lay my hand on her back. She is a rescue. Who could have abandoned such a beautiful girl?
My friend warned me she can have a pony attitude, but I think she's just cute as can be. I went over to visit her a couple times and give her scratches. I think this might be the perfect size horse for me. Unlikely to seriously hurt anyone. Small enough she wouldn't turn our pastures to mud pits. Less horse to feed. Could be happy with the small shelter we built for the llamas. Just as much personality as the big horses.
What can you do with a miniature horse? How about this?
It's all just dreams right now, maybe someday I'll finally have a horse of my own. I just wasn't sure how until I met a miniature horse. Now that sounds like a good idea for the future. Something to work towards. Until then at least I can go visit my friend's horse and enjoy her company.
_
Since I was a little girl, I have loved horses. Don't most little girls? I read books about them, drew pictures of them, collected Breyer horses, and in general obsessed about them, to the point where in 5th grade my teachers told me I couldn't write anymore stories about horses! My parents even had the supremely bad idea that they would get me a pony when I was little, and took me to test ride a friend's little shetland pony, which I fell off of, prompting my overprotective mom to forbid any pursuit of my horse interest again as too dangerous.
I still have mixed feelings about this. Like, if I had somehow gotten access to horses and learned to ride at that age, it would have been wonderful, and a skill I would have enjoyed my whole life, instead of merely longing to be involved in horses from the sidelines. But my parents were not the sort of attentive folks who could have taken me to riding lessons, nor could they have afforded it. I don't know what they were thinking when we went to check out the pony - we lived on a small lot in the suburbs. Maybe they figured it could stay on my grandparents larger lot. At the time we were unincorporated, and there was a horse living right down the street from us, so it's not too crazy an idea, but for them to have taken care of a horse? They couldn't take care of themselves, their children or their dogs, a horse would have been a disaster. But I'm sure their hearts were in the right place. Actually, I'm sure Dad's heart was in the right place, because I would just about bet it was all his idea, and Mom went along right up to the point where I fell off. For a long time I couldn't help but blame myself for missing my only chance to have a horse by being too clumsy to stay on!
I never got closer to a horse than petting one over the fence, until i took a trail ride with the outdoor club in college. Then nothing again for a long time. I have friends with horses, but they never actually ride them, they are just pets. A couple years ago I finally took the leap to get involved, and took lessons for about 6 months until my teacher quit and moved to another barn. It was fun because I really liked my teacher, there were some nice calm lesson horses, and the stables was literally around the corner, with a big covered arena to work in. She let me stay as long as I wanted and only charged me for the half hour, and sometimes I'd be there for two hours, just hanging out and talking and riding around the arena. I finally had my fix to my horsey longings, and I looked forward to my lessons every week. I even went in on the weekend to help her out and muck out the stalls. Yes, I am so horse obsessed that I enjoyed mucking out the stalls!
I learned some important things about horses. They're big - bigger than you think until you're up close to them, or on top of them. Riding is a lot higher up than it seems - and yes, I did fall off to test that distance. Horses can be unpredictable and spook and test your balance and ability to stay on them. They can also have fun horsey personalities that test your balance and ability to stay on them :) But they are also wonderful, and warm and there's something really amazing about sitting on one, even just sitting still and having that connection with this huge animal.I enjoyed getting to lessons early and brushing the horses out, and if the horse I rode was already brushed out or working in the arena, I'd go brush out some other horse. It's just fun to be with a horse.
The real downside is that everyone I know who is involved in horses has stories to tell about horrible accidents they've had with them. After my riding teacher moved I hadn't heard from her in awhile so I got in touch and found out a horse at the new barn had tripped over his own feet while she was riding around the arena and fell on her, crushing her leg and leaving her laid up for months. Another friend's horse got spooked by someone using a leaf blower, and he spun around and kicked her in the stomach, resulting in emergency surgery. Another friend had been kicked in the jaw and had permanent scars from having her jaw wired shut while it healed. It seemed everyone I talked to about horses had a story like that, but they were all very upbeat about it. It happens, they would say. It's not the horses fault. I did something to cause it, I should have known better, I should have seen that coming. Getting seriously injured or being hospitalized or bedridden for a few weeks or months could be financially devastating. I decided riding horses was fun, but not worth the risk to our family and all we've worked so hard for. I sold my riding boots and helmet, and wrote off horses forever.
Well, sort of.
I still have that longing for a horse of my own. It's the future I saw when we bought our three acres of beautiful pasture. I've had llamas, goats, and sheep, but I still have that itch for a horse. Of course, there's another thing I didn't see when we bought our acreage, and that is that it is very wet. Part of the main pasture is unusable all winter because the swale runs through and floods it. The rest of it gets muddy easily. Even the sheep made muddy paths in the pasture during the rains last spring. A big horse would destroy it. I've seen my friend's horses beat the path to the barn into such a swamp of mud that they sink in it up to their knees. I can't have that. Without thousands of dollars in investment in making a proper winter yard for them, I don't think I could keep horses here.
Not a big horse anyway...
This is my friend's miniature horse.
She is a neat size. Standing next to her I can comfortably lay my hand on her back. She is a rescue. Who could have abandoned such a beautiful girl?
My friend warned me she can have a pony attitude, but I think she's just cute as can be. I went over to visit her a couple times and give her scratches. I think this might be the perfect size horse for me. Unlikely to seriously hurt anyone. Small enough she wouldn't turn our pastures to mud pits. Less horse to feed. Could be happy with the small shelter we built for the llamas. Just as much personality as the big horses.
What can you do with a miniature horse? How about this?
It's all just dreams right now, maybe someday I'll finally have a horse of my own. I just wasn't sure how until I met a miniature horse. Now that sounds like a good idea for the future. Something to work towards. Until then at least I can go visit my friend's horse and enjoy her company.
_