:runninghorse2: So, first, I should mention that I am not completely blind. I am "legally blind" which means I can't drive anymore and everything is blurry. It's like some people are without their glasses. But I'm only that good in one eye--the other is just light and shadow mostly and my "good eye" is not quite the same as someone without glasses, because I have a medical condition that makes things weird. However, I've now been at this level of vision for about 12 years and am really used to it and my brain has adjusted. I manage to go hiking by myself (with my Guide Dog, but she is not working and off leash, but sometimes I call her back and hang on to her collar to get me through tricky lighting or footing. This, along with the disease that caused it (Reactive Arthritis with a side dish of Fibromyalgia) and various other nagging medical conditions, has led me to a big drop in confidence and big feelings of failure and feeling useless in my life. I've been on disability since 2007--I worked full time while disabled for many years, but finally, when I was forced to go into a wheelchair for a few months--while being at this level of vision and spending 2 hours each way to work with public transportation--I had to say "Enough!" Not being one to every say "quit", I got myself "healthy" again. Rode my bike every day--yes, you heard that right. Heart pounding, being passed on the bike trail by 80 year olds and 5 year olds! (hey, when you can barely see a blurry 4 feet in front of, you tend to ride slow). I walked a ton--until I got severe plantar fasciitis in BOTH feet. I took herbs, I ate healthy, I fired most of my AMA doctors and stopped the drug merry go round. My eyes finally stabilized after a decade of continuing flare ups and pain and different vision levels every month so I could never adjust. I got a lot of rest and finally got my spark back. I met a man and got married and moved to a big city (yuck). I was now 38 years old and ready to "be me" again, only better. I wanted a HORSE! This time I wanted my OWN horse, I was sick of riding everyone else's horses--nice as that was. I rode other people's problems, I broke my wrist in my mid 30's falling off a horse out of stupidity. After a couple of years, my husband decided he wanted to be a hobby vegetable grower on a larger scale (most of our postage stamp lot right now is vegetable garden) so he was on board with moving to the country! And BAM, he was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer a couple months later. Several years later, we are still in this house, he is 95% better. I am probably worse (I'm 48 now and perimenopause is kicking my butt!) and he sees me handling and riding horses for a week on a trip we were on and finally realized "my wife needs to get horses back in her life". So, busy and stressed as he always is, he told me to find some way to start being with and riding horses again and he would drive me. We decided once a week would be enough, since I'm so out of shape anyway. I searched for leases we could afford and that would be a good fit for me--how was I to know that the few horses people were leasing in my area were all high level performance and show horses? I found a couple that were good trail horses--but they wanted vast amounts of money for the lease--ridiculous amounts. I thought about buying my own horse and boarding it--if I could find cheap rough board. But then, since I've worked with horses, I know all the things that can happen--vet bills, special feed, special equipment, farrier fees, hauling fees, unexpected stuff. And not being in good control of my own animal's life was not a good fit for me--the born nurturer and caretaker. Former Veterinary Technician, degree in Wildlife Biology and Zoology. Former zookeeper, former big cat keeper and trainer (hands on with many of them). I raised and trained my own Guide Dog b/c I couldn't stand the idea of someone else raising my dog. I'm a bit of a control freak when they are "mine". I want the best of everything and I will spend every waking minute researching diets, tack fit, footcare, etc. Stress! So nothing happened for months. No horses, I lost hope. Then one day I placed an ad on Horseclicks about my need for horses. While checking my ad one day, I did another random search for lease horses and BAM! again, enter...Draumsyn! A 13.1 hh, 13yo Icelandic mare. For someone who wanted a Clydesdale or a Percheron, this was a bit of a letdown. But i did know about Icelandics, so I arranged to meet her and try her out. Then I read everything I could get my hands on and every video I could find with Icelandic horses in them. You would be surprised how little there was. Hmm....Icelandics were really unique and "mysterious"! Even better for my adventurer's soul who never wants to follow the crowd.
Then , I rode her. Ah-mazing! I'd never had the chance to ride a gaited horse before. Well, one TN Walker who was so stiff and sore it felt like he was walking over boulders--that didn't count. LOL Draumsyn has all 5 gaits (walk, trot, tolt, flying pace and canter). She went really well for me that first day and the owner, a young woman in her late twenties, was very impressed my riding skills and seat--as I told her I hadn't done any real riding for many years. I felt great! Then, I found out that since I could only come out once per week--she was cutting the already somewhat affordable lease price by HALF! Woo Hoo! I was in business! I got to have all the fun and not have to worry about any of the logistics and finances of having a horse--and I get along so great with D's owner. What a sweetheart--both of them.
Then, on my second ride, D was a little bit stubborn and a little bit nervous about corners in the arena. Then, on the 3rd ride, I found myself spending half my time fighting with her as she acted barn sour and tried to constantly go to the exit gate. Then, one more visit went super well--"yay,", I thought, "we've worked thru it and now we're a team"!
And then the next visit it all started going to hell in a handbasket. Enter FEAR!......to be continued!
These pics are from the first day "tryout".
Then , I rode her. Ah-mazing! I'd never had the chance to ride a gaited horse before. Well, one TN Walker who was so stiff and sore it felt like he was walking over boulders--that didn't count. LOL Draumsyn has all 5 gaits (walk, trot, tolt, flying pace and canter). She went really well for me that first day and the owner, a young woman in her late twenties, was very impressed my riding skills and seat--as I told her I hadn't done any real riding for many years. I felt great! Then, I found out that since I could only come out once per week--she was cutting the already somewhat affordable lease price by HALF! Woo Hoo! I was in business! I got to have all the fun and not have to worry about any of the logistics and finances of having a horse--and I get along so great with D's owner. What a sweetheart--both of them.
Then, on my second ride, D was a little bit stubborn and a little bit nervous about corners in the arena. Then, on the 3rd ride, I found myself spending half my time fighting with her as she acted barn sour and tried to constantly go to the exit gate. Then, one more visit went super well--"yay,", I thought, "we've worked thru it and now we're a team"!
And then the next visit it all started going to hell in a handbasket. Enter FEAR!......to be continued!
These pics are from the first day "tryout".