I thought I would start a new thread for people over 40
who love horses.
This thread is open to owners leasers an people who
love horses
I will start I am 48 years old and I never yet owned a horse
mainly because of finances.
I have been around horses most of my life. I have ridden
all kinds of horses first ponies then horses
I have ridden Arab, Quarter Horses, Morgans, Appendix Quarter horses.
Thoroughbreds, Appaloosas, American Saddlebreds and Paints and lots of mixed breeds too and all sizes 14hh-17hh
I have ridden both English and western
here is are pictures of me riding my friends Pinto 14hh
and my friends Half Arab
My husband knows how much I would love my own horse so in the spring we are looking in to leasing a horse
Today I should have stayed in bed. Last night when I went to shut the birds up should have been an indication as the ducks were out of their pen.
I was on my own, Em was away at a wedding and Milly has broken her leg and is as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
This last two weeks haven't done a lot with the horses as they have been coughing due to a virus so was just going to turn them all out.
First thing I let the birds out. We have several large pens as we breed different varieties. Turkeys, chicken and ducks.
Fed all 17 horses, they all come in at night. Changed indoor rugs for outdoor on those that wear them.
Put hay out in the paddocks. Turn the horses out. So far so good. Lovely day, forecast was heavy showers but sun was out and quite warm.
I gather a load of cable ties to go mend the fence which has been cut with the strimmer last summer and now the grass is dead darn ducks are doing a mass escape.
Ducks are still in the right pen. I start tying the wire where it is broken. I had my kneeling pads on but the ground is wet and soon it is seeping through the pads. Go get a polythene feed sack.
The rooster who lives in that pen is following me curiously, he pecks at the ties and tries one after another.
I am about halfway along the stretch. All of a sudden the rooster dives under me - he is friendly as a rule but not usually that close! I then realise that the new Maran rooster has come through the adjoining fence and is on the attack. I get scratches and spurred s I grab the intruder. As I try to get up, holding intruder in both hands the other bird takes revenge. More blood.
Put intruder back, get cable ties to fix the wire. By the time I have finished the ducks are going out through a hole further along the part fixed fence.
Round ducks up. Finish fence.
Darn me if another rooster a little Araucana is in the duck pen.
Now, with fowl little equals fast. Up and down the fence we go, he is faster than me and I refuse to dive at him.
Go get the Labrador. Point out the bird and in less than two seconds she has him caught. Chuck him over the fence and fix that one.
By this time best part of the morning has gone.
Mechanic arrives to do the brakes on my truck.
Start mucking out.
Friend phones to say he will pick up the last six lambs for slaughter. Go out to bring them in only to find the six have got in with the rest of the flock. No problems, bring them all in and the sort.
Two dogs, my old Border Collie and GSD.
All goes well sheep coming in nice and steady. Then the young horses decide it is fun to scatter them all. Regather and finally get them all into the loose area of the barn where the young horses are loose at night,
Get some hurdles and make a pen in the aisle. Get all sheep into pen and close it tighter.
Manage to get the six lambs out into the barn. Release the other to go back out.
Now, anyone who has dealt with sheep will know that they are forever peeing and pooping and sheep poop is sticky and slick.
I remove the pen which was in the middle of the aisle and erect it by the little door where Dave can back the trailer up to it. All is fine until one decides to double back. I grab and it (being nearly as big as its mother) tows me down the aisle. I almost had it when my feet hit the wet and slippery where the others had been. I went flat on my back and the other five gallop over me.
Call the GSD, she soon drives them into the pen.
Load sheep, make a hot drink for all and grab a sandwich. well past breakfast and lunch.
I still have to finish the mucking out but decide to take the dogs for a walk. (12 of them)
Return to finish the barns.
Finally got the lot done. Grab another drink and start bringing the horses in.
Go feed the dogs.
Back down to shut the now in their own enclosures, birds up and feed.
Put some pasta on to cook. GSD missing. I had probably shut her in the barn or one of the pens. Can't find her. Call and whistle, no return.
Here some banging and scrabbling, one of the youngsters is cast. Get a couple of ropes and haul him back over. He has about 30' x 40' to roll yet he is always getting cast! he lies still whilst I hook ropes round his legs and relaxed when I pull only moving when he is coming over. He gets up and wanders off.
Don't know where GSD was but she appears.
As I walk back so I hear the fire alarm going off. Pasta has boiled dry and is burning to the bottom of the pan. Even the Lab refuses to lick it out when it was cooled off.
So, resort to scrambles eggs.
too bad you had such a bad night Fox Hunter
I did too My husband went to help his mom last night
because she was up pacing all night he came home at 5 am
Foxhunter, I have had those days. I know how you feel. I spent the day gardening as well and got my knees all dirty and wet then i helped husband reset some posts but now.... NOW!!!
Shishkabobs are on the grill and FOOTLOOSE IS ON THE TV!!!!!
Omigosh... Dinner was yummilishish! I was a regular Betty Homemaker today! Not only did I vaccuum the crap out of the living room (although you can't tell anymore) but I did laundry, dishes, grocery shopped, repotted my roses, weeded my gardens, soaked my horses foot twice, helped husband fix fence but I also made the best steak and chicken with zuccini and squash, basted in a garlic and pepper butter. Oh yum. I made beens w/ almonds and then some pasta salad... and garlic bread... oh yeah baby!
Then I watched footloose! Did I mention footloose is on? I must tell the story of footloose...
You see, I have 3 brothers and when we lived in Germany big brother was given the role of king poop. Yes, not only did they give him the maids quarters (the base housing we lived in used to be the Colonols quarters which at that time had actually become real houses - we were in a stairwell) anyway, back in the day they had maids. So in the hall w/ it's own key and bathroom was the big brothers room, but that's beside the fact... here is where we are...
Big brother got to go watch the movies before anyone else and if he felt they were appropriate... little sister got to watch. He nixed footloose! He said it was not appropriate! I lived in a foreign country where I had to watch ONE television channel and I had ONE radio station and he nixed footloose! SO... When my and my friend earned enough money for our girl scout cookie sales... we headed off to London. 2 fourteen year olds w/ no supervision! whoohoo! (the brownie troop that we went with was supposed to chaperone but they didn't care about us!)
SO... In London they were selling Footloose! YEAHBABY! I bought it for like 5 lbs I think... and that was back when the dollar was all-mighty. So anyway, I get home and I'm ready to stickk it to big brother because I'm gonna watch it and it turns out.... I bought a Beta tape... and we had VHS... SO... I didn't get to see Footloose until sometime after I graduated high school so now every time it is on I go nuts! That's my sad abused story....
Foxhunter, Im sorry you had such a day, but I wish someone had filmed it....sounds too comical to happen to one person!
Farmpony, I LOVE Footloose! And Im so jealous that you have decent enough weather to garden. I have primroses id love to get in the ground but it just keeps snowing each morning.
Well, the horse search is not really going as I had hoped. Decided the boy I saw yesterday isnt the best fit. And the guy I had my hopes up for and was seeing tomorrow ended up with an abcess on his foot, so cant go see him for a few days. i know thats common, just bummed, and wondering if the process goes like this for everyone?
Good day though, my trailer is now parked in my driveway, my truck has no problem pulling it. Its beautiful and Im pretty pleased.
Foxhunter, Im sorry you had such a day, but I wish someone had filmed it....sounds too comical to happen to one person!
Farmpony, I LOVE Footloose! And Im so jealous that you have decent enough weather to garden. I have primroses id love to get in the ground but it just keeps snowing each morning.
Well, the horse search is not really going as I had hoped. Decided the boy I saw yesterday isnt the best fit. And the guy I had my hopes up for and was seeing tomorrow ended up with an abcess on his foot, so cant go see him for a few days. i know thats common, just bummed, and wondering if the process goes like this for everyone?
Good day though, my trailer is now parked in my driveway, my truck has no problem pulling it. Its beautiful and Im pretty pleased.
Grace, it took me a few months to find Journey. I looked at lots of ads and two other horses I was interested in were sold before I got back with my decision. My barn manager helps people find horses, checking them out for rideability, soundness, and behavior. Once I turned it over to him to look for me, it still took a couple more months. He actually brought her to his own barn to test her out for a week and had me come over a few times to try her. She was just a grade mare, not worth a lot of money, but she was the perfect fit for me--bombproof, gentle, WTC, trail horse, sound, easy keeper, no vices. It took some time, but the wait was worth it.
Saying all this to say, I think there is a reason that the ones prior to *your* horse don't work out. Patience, and the right one will be out there for you. That's not to say that you and your new horse will be in perfect harmony from day one, but you will grow together. That's the way it's been for Journey and me.
I had a wonderful ride yesterday afternoon! Been like 3 weeks, with weather, sickness, new puppy, going out of town to care for my Dad, etc. The afternoon with Journey was sweet, and she was an absolute doll. Did a little hand grazing with her in one of the paddocks afterwards, and she kept coming back over to me after every few bites of grass and hugging me with her muzzle, as she is in the habit of doing. "Thanks for the ride, Mom. I missed you." I love that horse.
Thanks Mel and Eagle...so far ive test ridden three, had one sell before I got there, and now this one is rescheduled. Im a little bummed because these are the five horses for sale currently that seemed to meet my qualifications in a horse. i know others will come up, but I was kind of hoping it would be soon so that by the end of this show season we'd be ready to show together. I still will be leasing Grace though, so Im not horseless.
I sound like a sniveling little kid...what I meant to say is I believe in fate, and the right horse will come along
I love this thread! Wish all of you were close enough to ride with ...... 49 years young and have aquired a couple horses after raising kids, divorce, working my a** off trying to pay off bills and now have an old mare I had to sell when I was just divorced (found her just before she was off to slaughter a couple years ago) She is lame but loveable and we are thrilled to be back together even if we can't do much riding. Then I bought a little bay QH filly for 25$ at a sale that seems to train herself ~ she is great! and then I have a 6 year old palomino mare that is going to be my riding buddy. Just bought her late last fall and have only rode her a few times. She did good, she's very sweet, just needs some miles, (as do I! ) We live in South Dakota and the weather is not quite ride friendly yet so I am anxiously waiting the snow and ice to melt. Love my girls and hope to be riding for many years to come~!!! Horses were my first true love before boys, kids and cars! Love my farmer for making it possible to have horses in my life again
Grace, just wait until you find the right one. You will know when you see and ride it.
Many years ago I had a girl keep her pony with me. She was offered a lot of money for it and, as she had really outgrown it height wise they took the money.
We searched for months looking for a 14.2 pony to suit her. At first she wanted whatever we had been to see but then she realised and was looking at a broader picture.
We walked into one place and she said to me "If it is the pony over there, I don't even want to ride it!" It was and she didn't. Nothing like the advert.
Some months later she came with me when I was looking for some youngsters to bring on. She tried a couple of ponies at this dealer friend of mine but they weren't quite right.
I was riding a mare in the arena when Lisa came rushing in saying she had found the pony she wanted.
Turned out in a field were several horses and ponies all suffering from strangles.(They use to get it being transported from Ireland to England in the holds of the ships) This pony was poor and the abscess had burst but she was right. He looked the part if you could see beyond the ribs and snot.
I bought him there and then - for a knock down price and the pair went on to win most things they entered.
So it took us best part of 9 months to find the right one for her. Yours is out there, just give it time!
Grace, your right horse will come along.
And on a happy note, the more horses you study carefully, talk about and finally ride, the more experience you gain.
I have bought and sold many horses now, and I think I learned something every time!
It is wonderful that you are taking so much time to find the right horse. Tells me you will also be an amazing horse owner. Good Luck. Susan
Grace, your horse is out there. I promise. I looked at three before I found Izzy. The first one bucked me off and almost broke my arm. The second one bolted while I was on her back. The third one, I actually had on a trial basis, at his boarding facility. The 4th time I rode him, he bucked me off and I ended up with a broken rib.
I was ready to give up...and then I found Izzy. The funny thing is that a friend had told me to contact this guy a while ago but I didn't because I thought his horses were too expensive. When I ended up in the ER on New Year's Eve, I decided maybe I needed to pay a little more money for a horse that didn't want to kill me. So I contacted him and the rest is history. ( and she wasn't that expensive afterall)
Speaking of my girl....she made me laugh so hard today. The tack room at the place I board is just a long, narrow shed that has a garage type door.
I had Izzy in her rope halter and lead rope today and wanted to get something out of the tack room. She is not the type of horse that I have to worry about running away so when I go in the shed, I usually just drop the lead rope on the ground outside of the door, run into the shed, grab what I need, and Izzy always waits patiently for me.
Today, I left her outside the door and walked into the shed and went toward the back. I heard a noise and turned around and there stood Izzy....in the shed! She had followed me in! Silly girl. Guess this means trailering won't be an issue. LOL. I love this horse!
Grace,
I have a saying, "God works while we sleep." Eagle Child and Corgi and the others are right - "Your" horse is out there. Don't settle. You'll know it when it's right. I had 2 horses that I 'settled' for and could have been killed in the process. Hubby said to sell them or he would shoot them (and I believe he meant it), so over 10 years we rehomed 2 and went looking again. That search brought me to my wonderful awesome TWH mare who is worth every penny. She cost me twice as much as both of those other two "cheap" horses together, but only half as much if you count all the years of training I paid for on the other two. I've had 100 times as many miles and 1000 times as much fun in a couple of years with her as I did in the almost 10 years with the others. There is just no way to say how important it is to know what you need and to wait for it. And tell all the folks you know that you're looking; sometimes it's who you know instead of the ads that brings the successful horse to you. In my case, I asked all the people who were selling the horses that didn't work for me whether they knew of someone who had "my" kind of horse....one of them said her dad was talking about selling his trail mare but couldn't decide, needed a special forever home, etc. She's now at my 'forever home.'
We're all keeping our fingers crossed for you, so keep us posted!
Thanks to you all so much for the support and encouragement! I rode Grace this morning and it cleared my head. We're showing this Saturday and I need to get my focus on that this week, so this morning's ride got me back to Grace (who I adore, she's just ultimately not the horse I want to own.)
I'm going to see that boy that rescheduled, this Wednesday. I'm really hopeful about this guy, he has the dressage training I've been looking for and is gorgeous. Fingers crossed! He ended up having an abscess on his foot last night, so hopefully by Wed he will be ok.
In the meantime hubby and I worked on our new trailer today, cleaning it and getting it ready to haul for the first time to the show. Hubby is so supportive in this whole process, I feel so blessed to have him. He even drove me across the state (and took the day off to do it) on Friday to see a horse I had doubts about, and didn't even grumble as we left and I told him it wasn't the right horse. He's even open to flying to California to see a horse my dressage trainer knows of! I'm just not sure I want to go that route...there's got to be the perfect horse for me in my own state!
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