Oy vei, people make me LAUGH. So, I finally greased up an OLD Western saddle I had that's like child size and threw it on Kijiji for $75. It sold in 5 minutes flat, to a couple who'd just bought their daughter a horse. She mentioned they didn't have much, and I said I could probably sell them a saddle blanket and bridle, just give me a call.
She calls me a week later, and let's me know they have NOTHING. They bought a 7 year old barrel racing Paint at auction for $700. Um, what? How old is your child? 9! Has she had lessons? No, only ridden carnival ponies. :-| How big is this horse? I don't know, 950 pounds? Oh dear lord.... Has anybody ridden it yet? Nope!
So I offer to come out and ride this animal for them and make sure it doesn't kill their child, and at the same time bring them a cinch, saddle blanket, bridle, bit, halter and leadrope as well as various equipment to try out and figure out what this horse is going to go best in.
Me and Shay-la arrive at the auction yard..........and immediately break into HYSTERICS. This is the "950 pound barrel racing Paint" we found nickering intently to us....
Meet Lena, the blatantly Welsh cross MAYBE 13hh PONY!
Boy oh boy, was I ever glad I thought to bring my tiny 4.5" snaffle on a whim! The bridle barely fits (have to keep her halter on underneath!), and the MONSTER saddle I brought because I wasn't getting on this thing with a kid's saddle would have touched her tail I swear!
So funny story, but unfortunately I'm pretty sure this little thing will end up back at auction. She's sweet enough, no kick or bite, I doubt any buck or rear, but OBNOXIOUS and pushy as hell. I must have whacked her with my elbow a dozen times for trying to rub on me and she just didn't learn. She trys to trample anyone handling her (sold them a rope halter and that sure fixed her attitude half decent), and when I tied her up to untack her, she threw a huge temper tantrum. These people don't even know what a bridle is or how to do a saddle up. *sighs* Why does everyone think owning a horse is SO easy?
Anyway, enjoy some pics of the big crazy Paint that had me bringing my helmet and feeling a little nervous as I pulled up!
N'aw, you're a big scary barrel racer, aren't you?!
13hh pony + kid's saddle = unhappy Miko bum
Thank god I could put her in a snaffle, I was having nightmares of some big horse that couldn't be stopped without a curb and a kid with NO clue how to handle reins. She straight reins half decent, no neckreining.
Cute little trot, it was icy as heck though.
Her new little owner on her
Showing her how to use the reins
They're such a good fit, it's a crying shame the whole family is horse dumb
So cute together.
They're ALL intimidated by her, which is a shame, I shoved her around pretty good and if she had an owner with even a LICK of horse sense, I think they'd be ok. As is, we're betting on her landing back at auction by spring. :-(
She calls me a week later, and let's me know they have NOTHING. They bought a 7 year old barrel racing Paint at auction for $700. Um, what? How old is your child? 9! Has she had lessons? No, only ridden carnival ponies. :-| How big is this horse? I don't know, 950 pounds? Oh dear lord.... Has anybody ridden it yet? Nope!
So I offer to come out and ride this animal for them and make sure it doesn't kill their child, and at the same time bring them a cinch, saddle blanket, bridle, bit, halter and leadrope as well as various equipment to try out and figure out what this horse is going to go best in.
Me and Shay-la arrive at the auction yard..........and immediately break into HYSTERICS. This is the "950 pound barrel racing Paint" we found nickering intently to us....
Meet Lena, the blatantly Welsh cross MAYBE 13hh PONY!
Boy oh boy, was I ever glad I thought to bring my tiny 4.5" snaffle on a whim! The bridle barely fits (have to keep her halter on underneath!), and the MONSTER saddle I brought because I wasn't getting on this thing with a kid's saddle would have touched her tail I swear!
So funny story, but unfortunately I'm pretty sure this little thing will end up back at auction. She's sweet enough, no kick or bite, I doubt any buck or rear, but OBNOXIOUS and pushy as hell. I must have whacked her with my elbow a dozen times for trying to rub on me and she just didn't learn. She trys to trample anyone handling her (sold them a rope halter and that sure fixed her attitude half decent), and when I tied her up to untack her, she threw a huge temper tantrum. These people don't even know what a bridle is or how to do a saddle up. *sighs* Why does everyone think owning a horse is SO easy?
Anyway, enjoy some pics of the big crazy Paint that had me bringing my helmet and feeling a little nervous as I pulled up!
N'aw, you're a big scary barrel racer, aren't you?!
13hh pony + kid's saddle = unhappy Miko bum
Thank god I could put her in a snaffle, I was having nightmares of some big horse that couldn't be stopped without a curb and a kid with NO clue how to handle reins. She straight reins half decent, no neckreining.
Cute little trot, it was icy as heck though.
Her new little owner on her
Showing her how to use the reins
They're such a good fit, it's a crying shame the whole family is horse dumb
So cute together.
They're ALL intimidated by her, which is a shame, I shoved her around pretty good and if she had an owner with even a LICK of horse sense, I think they'd be ok. As is, we're betting on her landing back at auction by spring. :-(