Horseplay!

I used to be horsey - I was a groom for a while out in the Balearics - but a fall onto a rock pretty much screwed my back for riding more than occasionally.

Still, I like to hear about other people being horsey.

What's an English-type rider? Jodhpurs and tweed rather than stetsons and denim?

JimmyB27 said:

What's an English-type rider? Jodhpurs and tweed rather than stetsons and denim?

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Kinda - IIRC it's the style of riding (using an English saddle/tack rather than a Western one).

Thanks for starting this thread!

When I was a kid, I hounded my parents constantly to buy me a horse. I just knew I was meant to have one! But, alas, neither of them was (1) born with the horse-y gene, nor (2) affluent enough to dive into the money pit that is horse ownership. Fast forward to my 20s, when I finally started taking riding lessons, but soon realized I had more time than money. Lessons resumed in my 30s, but soon fizzled when I realized I had more money than time. The planets finally aligned in my 40s, when I was able to begin lessons in earnest. After a short while, I bought my first horse, who I loved more than anything. He has since been retired to a therapeutic riding facility, where he is happy as a clam, babysitting kids with disabilities. When I was ready to buy another horse, I found a young draft-cross mare. Samba (Sammie to her friends) is coming 6, and is sassy and adorable. And unfortunately, for sale. My husband and I are soon to be relocating across the country, and I just can't take her.

When I first got Sammie, I started a blog. I haven't kept it up, now that she's for sale. A little too painful, I suppose. Here it is, though, for anyone interested enough to at least see her pictures. Green on Green

I have had the great good fortune to have had working relationships with a number of horses. Owning as many as sixteen at a time, one can appreciate how each horse has a distinct attitude and capability - especially when you are asking them to do the same tasks under the same conditions. (Performing in a show.)

I too came to riding relatively late in life - my late twenties. I don't currently own any horses - but I do get to perform every now and again.

'You figure it's a good life, to have had one good dog, one good horse, and one good woman in it.'

I give thanks for all of them.

My memory isn't what it once was, but wasn't there another thread around here to do with horses and horsey people?

I've only ever ridden a pony, at a beach when I was five. I did used to have to take my little sister to a horse riding school every Sunday. I did not enjoy that.

There is a thread on 'horse sense' and 'horse facts' - Full of questions and answers about horse issues. How much do they eat, how far can they travel, etc. etc.

I took this thread to be an invitation for 'horse folk' to chat about their interests and experience.

Can we also talk recipes?

I was thinking, just now, that it was strange I never wanted to ride horses when I took my sister, considering how much I wanted to when I was a little kid. And how much I wanted to be a cowboy.

WriteKnight said:

...I took this thread to be an invitation for 'horse folk' to chat about their interests and experience.

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That's what I thought also, and the topic is perfectly suited for this room.

Just don't ask Jed to share any of his horse meat recipes!

Nah, I didn't mean the thread wasn't good, or that it wasn't right for here. But I really did think there was another one with horse peeps talking about horsey stuff. However, I may be thinking of another forum. Or, which is more likely, I'm going crazy.

This thread encouraged me to finally get off my rear and upload an avatar. That's me and my new event horse at our last event of the season. He is so much fun!

I have cats

I originally thought this thread would concern a different type of horseplay, like when folks goof around and roughhouse with one other without any actual horses involved.

It still might turn into that yet, you never know.

I took riding lessons as a kid, and then volunteered at a therapeutic riding facility, which turned into summer jobs at the same facility. Then I moved, and moved again, and I lost touch with horses for almost twenty years.

My sister in law got me some riding lessons for Christmas two years ago. Best present I ever got. Most expensive present I ever got, in terms of what it's cost me, but still - great gift.

Riding as an adult is so different from riding as a kid. When I was young, everything was physical - playing to my strengths, I guess. Now, it's more technical, more theoretical, and, to my mind, much more intense. As a kid, I rode hunter/jumper, and that's what I started with as an adult, but I found a horse that could teach me a lot if I could just stay on her (bit of a shying/bucking/silliness habit) so I switched to western for a better grip. And it's been fascinating.

PS. Four of my five novels so far have been set in the horse world, so I'm seriously thinking of trying to write off at least 1/2 of my lesson and leasing costs as a business expense. People can do that for taking clients out for dinner, so shouldn't I be able to do it for something that I enjoy, but that is also good for my work? Has anybody tried this? (I'm in Canada, so Revenue Canada input would be most valuable).

Wayne K said:

I have cats

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I have those and horses. Two and two. And may the big two never meet the little two.

My sister was the really horsey one; so were a bunch of friends I've had through the years. Just next door is my Western-horsey neighbor, and I get to chat with the horses over the fence any time I want (and help catch the jumpers at 3am in the snow ).

I think I've only had 3 formal riding lessons Otherwise, it was always just their horse and the woods, usually.

So I've never had to buy $150 breeches, thank God!

I do really like horses. I don't like them the way truly horsie people do -- they are kind of big and still kind of scare me as far as really controlling things the horse doesn't want to do.

I've been riding hunter/jumpers competitively since I was ten, even after I completely wrecked my arm during an A-level show (multiple compound fractures, plus a concussion). Good times.

Now (at thirty) I'm catch riding because my job means I'm slammed for time. So, I've been schooling a lot of nasty-tempered ponies over fences of late.

My horsey-set and I call ourselves 're-riders' since we're so much more cautious than we used to be. I'm going on a real hunt in the spring, so let's see how poorly it goes.

I don't know what they feed horses these days, but it seems like you can't get as much glue out of them as you use to.

jvc said:

Nah, I didn't mean the thread wasn't good, or that it wasn't right for here. But I really did think there was another one with horse peeps talking about horsey stuff. However, I may be thinking of another forum. Or, which is more likely, I'm going crazy.

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You are crazy.

But there is an equine discussion group that never took off. But if anyone wants to join, feel free.

As for me, I'm planning on buying two horses soon (well, one's free, but 'free' ends the second I sign the papers and get handed the lead rope attached to the halter attached to the horse) (plus I'll prolly pay a buck to make it more legalish)

I have a horse story but it is quite long and drawn out but here it is:

They put me on the big horse called Lightning; it started galloping when I didn't want it to; I almost let go; someone came and rescued me; panic overtook me. Later I played soccer for a nameless team who was later named Lightning; panic overtook me again.

I am a sparkly unicorn.

**runs**

My mum and sister used to have horses. 2 horses and a pony, actually. Sis started out on the pony at a young age, then moved on to the big horse. Mum kept the medium-sized horse to herself. They both used to do local competitions, only dressage, but never really won anything.

And the grand total of my experience with those horses was getting on the pony when I was young, freaking out, falling off, and then not going near them again until I had to feed them when mum was in hospital (I was about 14 then).

Then we moved to the suburbs and no more horsies.

I don't trust any animals, as a general rule, so I doubt I'll ever ride a horse for as long as I should live.

Why do they hang horses anyway?