Been gone awhile...

It was a miserably hot summer and made more so by an unwilling horse (Chili) and inexperience in getting her to respect me.

After trying to get her to come around, we decided it might be that she was sucking wind, causing her pain. So, on a nice day, I went out with the intention of JUST WALKING her so she wouldn't be in pain. Because she was acting stupid, I put her on a lunge line with the intention of just walking her to keep her from sucking more wind. SHE, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with it and trotted, then cantered and while trying to bring her under control, she spun with the rope in my hand and threw her feet in the air 6" from my face. It happened so fast, I was in shock. She grazed my fingers but they were in front of my face. I sold her back to the previous owner the same day. It broke my heart.

So, here I am. Horseless. But. I'm going tomorrow to check out a prospect and have a few others to consider as well.

I've been really busy with my Equine web design business too! Anyone need an INCREDIBLE website for their farm/ranch/stud?

I need to get back to work. Someone remind me to change my profile info. It still saddens me to even look at it....

Its sad but by the sounds of it you did the right thing.

Look around, don't be in a rush and be cautious, and you'll find something good. Just don't hesitate to do HEAPS with the horse you try out. I know I get a bit shy when I go to try them out, but really you're going to be paying for this horse, so really make sure. Do ground work, riding, grooming, lunging if you want, walk it around. Push all its buttons and see what happens.

Good luck tomorrow!

Chele,

I dont' remember if you had a trainer working with you or not, though I remember your many travails with Chili. This time, if you can get a good trainer to come out to your place and work with you and new horse for a few weeks, this might be well worth the money. I mean no insult, but if you do not have the horse handling skills correct, the new horse will eventually take on some of the same bad habits, because you will not know that it is YOUR handling of it that allows this to happen. Again, please forgive me if I am way off the mark here.

I'm sorry Chele, it's got to be hard but I think you did what was best for her and for you. ((((((Hugs)))))) and good luck finding a new horse :)

First. Tiny - No, I didn't have a trainer and unfortunately, there are none up where I live - except for sending your horse off to and they range in price from $300-$600/mo with a 1 month minimum. I cannot afford that, regardless of how well the money is placed. However.

So many people told me the same things about how to get Chili to respect me and all of what they said didn't make sense to me. I am not the person to beat a horse and most of the advice I was given was "Well, I'd have laid into her..." but it's not in me to do that. WORK, yes. BEAT, NO.

There were many issues with Chili and I will readily admit that I probably made those issues worse because of my lack of experience. So, I went looking for a horse that wasn't high strung, was older, calmer and had good ground manners.

This horse I went to see yesterday was not perfect but she did very well, in my opinion. The lady I got her from said she was rusty and out of shape (physically) but was sweet and calm. Yesterday was a cool, windy day. Perfect for horse "shopping"! I tested her out bareback first (my preferred mode of riding) and man, is she BIG. It felt weird, riding her. I couldn't find my center and shifted a bit, plus she was a little antsy. I used the bridle and bit the lady had used on her (plain bridle with an O-ring snaffle with slobber stops).

Took her out and attempted to lunge her but she wouldn't move out and kept wanting to follow me instead. The lady tried the same thing and had hte same results - until shebrought out a whip. The moment the horse saw the whip, she moved out and W/T/C'd - from what I could tell (no expert), she did these paces on her own without prompting, which I thought/think is inappropriate. But I could be wrong and the lady could have been telling her to do so. The horse has supposedly been broke for English and Western, and while the lady has been riding her English, I ride Western and brought my saddle. We put it on the horse and I rode her around their "front yard" (more like an acre-2 of open pasture unfenced). She was a little jumpy, barn sour and had virtually no stop in the snaffle. I felt like my hands were hard on her mouth. However, she neck reined slightly and this surprised the lady!

Because she was so antsy, I wasn't sure if it would be a good fit. I wasn't afraid or even nervous with her head tossing or sidesteps, but I was leery of getting her if she was going to dump me on the ground. So, I asked if I could come back again another day , with a different bit/bridle and see how she did.

3 miles down the road, I changed my mind. I rationalized that changing just the bit wasn't going to make any difference if she wanted to be around those other horses. We were already there, with the trailer - let's see how she does at home.

It wasn't fun getting her to load but again, once she saw the whip, she went right in. I wonder if the previous owners (before this lady) used the whip alot? IDK.

I rode her today, bareback, with a hackamroe and she was a completely different horse. She stood easily to mount (I had to use the stump!) She DOES neck rein, listens VERY well to leg cues and altho is a bit spooky, is alert, ears forward and easily corrected. My daughter even led her around with her halter.

I'll "intro" her in a different post!!

Tiny - I am ALWAYS open to suggestions, helpful comments and words of advice. If you ever feel I'm doing something you think is wrong - please, let me know. I will take the advice, etc, look up alternatives and consider what is best for me and my horse - my horse and me. Fair enough?

Ok. Headed over to change my photo and to intro my new horse.