tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post6000294117830498136..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: Stacking the OddsJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-69125691403907140262010-06-01T00:02:05.629-07:002010-06-01T00:02:05.629-07:00I can relate - as I've mentioned here before I...I can relate - as I've mentioned here before I've had my share of accidents and prefer to stack the odds in my favour. My Kwintus is virtually bomb-proof; we even came within a few metres of the train the other day and he didn't care at all. But he stumbles easily...<br /><br />Kwintus' ex-owner had a horrible experience last year with her new horse. She was riding in the outdoor arena at the end of the day when her horse spun in walk and unseated her. She broke her back. Lay there in the cold (northern England in late October) for hours until someone found her and called an ambulance. The angels were on her side, an operation on her back was successful and she's already back in the saddle again. But I doubt she'd ride alone, after hours, without a phone in her pocket.<br /><br />I think a little imagination around horses is a good thing. And I often wish drivers who zoom past us had more imagination...Francesca Prescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18201599087106798500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-52143233550834842242010-05-31T11:14:08.207-07:002010-05-31T11:14:08.207-07:00I have a spooky girl, too. I've only come off ...I have a spooky girl, too. I've only come off her twice, in soft dirt, with only a bruise to show for it. But I do stack my deck - she gets extra spooky during strong winds, so I don't ride then. I don't try to take her out on a trail. And I never ride alone. My gelding is not spooky at all. As a matter of fact, he's better under saddle than on the ground. He doesn't care about wind, and I don't take him on trails because he's a showhorse who has JUST gone back to work after two years' layup with a broken sesamoid. But I'd still never ride him alone.Gayle Carlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783449240138097315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-6155788151071409572010-05-31T10:39:48.387-07:002010-05-31T10:39:48.387-07:00I bought Gailey as a barely broke three year old. ...I bought Gailey as a barely broke three year old. I've chronicled a lot of my experiences with her on this blog. She is the last green horse I'll ever own. Because of her basic laid-back nature, I survived her green horse days. My next horse will be a well-broke, but younger, horse, maybe 5 or 6? I know those horses don't come cheap in this economy so I'm hoping Gailey stays sound enough to ride for a few more years.Jami Davenporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-15798877826524647652010-05-31T10:20:50.856-07:002010-05-31T10:20:50.856-07:00Definitely agree with stacking the odds in our fav...Definitely agree with stacking the odds in our favor, Jami. I tend to be overly cautious but it's saved me plenty of times, and not just around horses. <br /><br />One reason, among a few, I left a barn job was because even though we were required to wear helmets(we taught kids to ride) one person was left to tend and ride the horses during any given morning. <br /><br />The morning I got bucked off a big 16+h mare, well known to be cantankerous, but I was scheduled to ride her. I had groomed and tacked up Cleo with no problems. I'd done some groundwork with her prior to mounting. She was acting fine, for Cleo. As I was walking her the buck literally came out of nowhere, in an open, outside arena. Didn't feel it coming. Nothing had been amiss.<br /><br />I landed hard on my left hip, which still bothers me sometimes.I laid there for a while,thinking, "No one is here, sure hope I haven't broken anything. Guess I can try to crawl to the office and dial 911...." Finally, I did get up but boy did my hip hurt. And I did not get back up on that horse that day. Actually, I think I finished up the other work went home.<br /><br />That was to be the last time I rode alone there. I thought it was extremely dangerous not to have at least two staff people scheduled. I told the manager I wasn't going to ride unless someone else was on the property. The manager never did schedule two of us together. I think on Fridays all three of us were there.I'd work the horses on the ground but refused to ride if I was by myself that day. One of the other staff members, also around my age (late 40's) would ride alone and the twenty year old, fearless youngster rode alone all the time.<br /><br />We had 14 horses at that facility. Even the ones I knew well because I rode them regularly I decided it just wasn't safe practice to be riding unless someone else was at the barn. <br /><br />I think my manager, who was in her mid-twenties at the time, thought I was probably just a scaredy-cat old lady, but I'm sure some time in her life, she will feel the same. Time has a way of doing that to us. These days, I prefer safe to sorry and it works for me!<br />Leslie~Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00224646742863478548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-22915298192955287082010-05-31T06:44:01.929-07:002010-05-31T06:44:01.929-07:00I totally understand this. I don't like riding...I totally understand this. I don't like riding other people's horses the same way I don't like driving other people's cars!<br /><br />I'm not a confident rider to begin with, although I can fake it fairly well if need be. It's not even a matter of me having been horribly injured. I've come off a few times, sure, but those have resulted in nothing more than bumps and bruises.<br /><br />It's either an overly well-developed imagination, or an overly well-developed sense of self preservation. I choose to believe it's the latter :)<br /><br />ChrisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-30518342140393791682010-05-30T22:48:59.697-07:002010-05-30T22:48:59.697-07:00Not over the top at all. If this was my friend I w...Not over the top at all. If this was my friend I would probably recommend a good trainer to her for her to hire to scope out a new prospect.<br /><br />I think in these instances, esp. in green horse purchasing, it is very much worth it to pay a qualified trainer to ride for you, and give their professional opinion on the horse you want to purchase. Most importantly, it gives respect to the art form of professional riders. It takes a special talented person to be able to catchride on ANY horse and pass judgement on the ride; we honor the art of horsemanship by qualifying it with respectable payment. <br /><br />As with yourself, I certainly know my limitations, and just as I wouldnt ever want to overface a good horse, I certainly dont want to overface ME lol...Janice Grinyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14363741660626407979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-54948798545816573582010-05-30T19:46:36.608-07:002010-05-30T19:46:36.608-07:00I'd call you cautious and smart as well! Afte...I'd call you cautious and smart as well! After my current green horse... I'm so done with them. <br /><br />When I headed up to my barn today for a lesson with said green horse... another woman was in her lesson... on her older horse who just got over some lameness issues...she had her green horse tied to the trailer. <br /><br />We both talked about how we would rather have fun riding our broke horses and learning fun stuff vs. dealing the breaking in and some times drama of a greenie... I think we are both capable and will get thru it with the help of our trainer... but yeah. <br /><br />You reach an age where you just don't want to have to go thru so much ... shrug.Shansterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04397551985965117012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-28893022704510520212010-05-30T12:10:24.059-07:002010-05-30T12:10:24.059-07:00I'm probably not nearly as cautious as I sound...I'm probably not nearly as cautious as I sound with Gailey. I just don't see any point on taking chances riding other people's horses. There's no reason for me at this stage in my life, unless they're school horses I can learn something on.<br /><br />I guess my point was stack the deck with what you're comfortable with at whatever stage you're at in your horse career or experiences.Jami Davenporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-62856753108211619852010-05-30T11:39:10.747-07:002010-05-30T11:39:10.747-07:00Jami--I can certainly relate to this post, though ...Jami--I can certainly relate to this post, though I don't take all your precautions (maybe I should). I do tell someone when I go off on the trail alone and I carry a cell phone. I don't ride horses I don't know. And I try to stick to riding gentle horses. Though I am now riding six year old Smoky, he still qualifies, as he is truly very broke and gentle. I do most emphatically believe in the point of your post. Within the parameters of the rider you aspire to be, stack the odds in your favor. Back when I rode colts for others, I always gave myself permission to refuse to ride any horse I felt unequal to. It didn't make me popular at times, but I think it helped keep me in one piece. Today I don't ever consider getting on any horse I feel uncertain about. I know this won't prevent all problems, but I do think I'm "stacking the odds". And I'm always careful to listen to my gut. If it doesn't feel right, I don't do it. Even on my trustworthy broke horses. Thanks for a helpful post.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.com