Ehem. *clears throat*
My name is Kat. I'm fourteen, fifteen in November (betcha didn't know that. Rawr. =P) I should warn you all now, I'm highly odd -- to say the least.
Meet... the love of my life.
Stoney Lonesome:
Huh... Me thinks I have to upload some better photos later. Though, I lost a good portion of my collection when my computer fried the freaking harddrive a few weeks back. But I still have a scarily huge collection.
So everyone, grab your popcorn and prepare for the drama horse story. >.>
I "leased" Stoney. It was barely official. I worked my butt off for his owner and paid her sixty bucks a month. My job was to muck out stalls, help her out with pretty much anything around the barn, and to do a large portion of taking care of Stoney whenever I was at the barn. That was the deal. I started "leasing" him in February of 07. As soon as she bought him. (I'd worked with her for about six months prior to that).
He was eight years old, scrawny QH horse thing. 14.1, looked more like a pony than a horse. And I mean scrawny. He looked kinda like a mustang, actually. The mutthorse. His training left a LOT to be desired. I worked with his owner and with my trainer, and in February of 08 his training had come so far. He'd learned to move on command, you didn't have to whack him with a crop everytime you wanted him to move (he was totally desensitized to it when we first got him. Like he paid NO attention to it. His old owner used to hit him when she was mad, so he stopped listening.) He was starting to do real jumping, and he wasn't falling all over his shoulder, and he was learning how to bend.
Then he got an abcess and got lame. We had the vet out, took care of his abcess, but he was still lame after it should've healed. So we talked to the vet again, she looked at him and said that he pulled his suspensory. So, there it was. He was going to be lame for a good six months before we could start really riding him again, she said. Okay, whatever. I didn't really care. I loved him too much to care if I could ride him.
Plus, at the time his owner got permission to work with a seven year old OTTB, who I got to ride (woot, woot). Picture time, right? =P
Buddy:
So, it was good, I got to ride him, I got to take care of Stoney, and things were good.
Then... well, his owner decided I was the spawn of Satan or something. She got mad at me, she told me I didn't listen. She never told me WHY. I asked, my mom asked, my dad asked, my friend (who also rode with her) asked. And more people than that. She never answered anyone.
I tried to "listen" better. Even though I didn't know what I wasn't listening to. She just kept treating me like I was an incompetent fool. Finally, in May of this year, I'd had enough. I'd been sick, so I hadn't gotten out to the barn. She yelled at me because I didn't spend all day calling her to tell her I couldn't make it after I left a message. I tried to stay calm. Then she yelled at me again when I couldn't make it out a few days later because I was going somewhere with my friends that I'd told her about a MONTH in advance.
After that she tried to guilt trip me. Then, a few days later, she called my mom and asked (all nicely, mind you) if I was going out the next day. I told my mom I'd had enough, and to tell her to go (I'll spare you all) herself. (you do the math about what I said, eh?)
And that... was that. She tried to make everyone hate me after that, but I still have my place at that barn. I'm working with a new horse, and one I've been working with since last summer. It's good, really... Except for Stoney. The love of my life. He was so much more than a horse to me. He was my best friend.
He had a sense of humor. He could make me laugh when I was going to cry. One time, me and a friend were sitting in his stall eating lunch. And he started making funny faces. I got out my camera phone to take pictures, and he kept making faces till I put my phone away. It was so funny.
Another time I was curled up in the corner of his stall, crying, and he came over and pretty much licked me in the face. He was my darling, my baby, and my one true love. He stares everytime he sees me at the barn, and I feel so bad for him. He looks at me with eyes that say "why did you leave?" And there is nothing I can do to explain it to him... but my love for him will never die. If only he had been my nothing...
Anyway, enough with the sad story, pictures of the horses I've work(ed) with?
Stoney:
Our first schooling show (and my first ever), April 07. One fifth place in equitation.
One of his amusing moments. It looks like he's trying to pull my shirt off. >.>
Eh, July or August 07. Teaching him how to bend.
Us being silly. O.o
Free jumping 3'
True love? <3
One of my favorite pictures ever. December 24th, 2007.
Buddy-boy (the seven year old OTTB I rode for about four months -- mostly in lessons with my trainer):
He's such a sweet boy.
Princess April (24 year old QH owned by a friend of mine who I've ridden since last summer):
Both from last summer.
And....
Mufasa (the horse that I'm riding now -- 14 year old QH mare):
~Kat
P.S. If you read all of that, you deserve a medal of honor. O.o
)
