This week's reader is Shannon. So welcome, Shannon, thanks so much for sending us a Saturday blog post. If anyone else would like to send one, please send it to: jami@jamidavenport.com.
I also want to extend a big welcome to Linda Benson. Linda has joined us as a regular contributor to Equestrian Ink. She'll be posting next week.
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Hello Equestrian Ink - I also want to extend a big welcome to Linda Benson. Linda has joined us as a regular contributor to Equestrian Ink. She'll be posting next week.
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I'm Shannon and I have 3 horses at home - Brandon, my 31 yr old, who I've owned since he was 8. I initially used him for hunt seat and hunters over fences but moved into dressage when I was around 18. I have NO desire and absolutely NO courage left for any sort of jumping or fences today.
My second and primary riding horse right now is Sera, my red headed, race track reject - she went to the track and was sent home because she was too slow. She never raced and isn't tattooed. I brought her home when she was 4 yrs old and she's 10 this year. We will show second level dressage this summer to get my silver medal scores and I love, love, love my mare. I was EXTREMELY fortunate to find her when I did because I know how long horse hunting can last. I'd lost my young 2 yr old Holsteiner colt in a bad accident and found Sera one month later. We named her Seraphim because she was truly heaven sent to us during a dark time.
My third horse and sort of my "booger" right now is Rosso, out of the same dam as my lovely Sera. We've owned him for 3 years now.. He raced 8 times, had a knee surgery to remove a bone chip and returned to the track. He won around $500, which is why someone like me has him now. He's 8 this year... he had one year off when we brought him home to acclimate from his life on the track while rehabbing from a suspensory injury, he was started and going well last year and then things sorta went South - we're working on it and he's my sore spot that I obsess about right now. (OCD anyone?)
He'll stay with me and he has come leaps and bounds from when we first brought him home but after this, I don't think I want any more younger horses to re-train for the life of a saddle horse.... it's hard on a cautious chicken like me. My trainer has all the faith in the world things will be fine and I can handle it. I'm not so sure and I really, really wish I shared her faith in my ability!
We live in Northern Colorado on a small 5 acre place along with my fabulous husband who is amazing and supports my horse addiction. We share our home with 6 cats (yes, I fully realize I am setting myself up to be the crazy cat lady) 3 great dogs, some chickens and a few Lamancha dairy goats for my milk and cheese obsession.... (oh. Did I mention OCD?) I milk my does twice a day and have a heck of a handshake..
The cheese I make from their milk goes quite well with wine and/or beer at the barn parties and horse shows so it all ties in one way or t'other...
I'm glad to read your blog and really enjoy your talents - thanks for sharing your creativity and wonderful writing skills!
(pictures are Brandon in an 2006 Christmas card picture with a few of the critters - and a picture of Sera and Rosso shortly after bringing Rosso home - they look VERY similar so you can see why I may have been tempted to bring him home. He was "free to a good home", tho I realize nothing is truly "free" and maybe that is why he's my "booger" now - I'm paying, paying and paying! grin. )
Shannon
"Barn's burnt down, now I can see the moon" - Masahide
6 comments:
Shannon, (OK, I still think of you as Shanster), thanks so much for the post and the photos. I loved seeing pictures of you and your horses after chatting with you for so long in the comments. I can totally relate to the fear issues around Rosso--the last young horse I trained had a bucking issue--and it pretty much cured me of wanting to train young horses. You live in a beautiful place. And I, too, have got lots of critters besides the horses, I could so become a crazy hermit cat lady (with horses, dogs and chickens). Thanks again for the post.
Thanks for posting, Shannon. It's always fun to hear from other readers who share their tales and pics of their horses. I laughed when I read this post, because yes, many of us are also a little bit animal obsessed, too ;-)not just with horses.
Thanks, Shannon, for your post - it's great to get to know more about you. Fear issues are common with working with horses - I should know - I've got some of my own.
Shannon--Don't you live near Fort Collins? We often camp by the Puedre River on our way to Michigan in the summer. Its the same part of Colorado, right?
Hello - thanks for your kind thoughts and words everyone!
YES the Poudre is just a hop, skip and jump from where we live. We like to go hiking with our dogs over in the canyon...
How fun that you come to our neck of the woods sometimes. You are totally invited over for a beer, some grilled food and goat cheese next time you are in town and I'm serious. (that goes for other commenters in my neck o' the woods... we like company and meeting new people!)
My e-mail is in my blog profile if you ever wanna take me up on it. grin.
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