tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post855778671404938391..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: Bad, Bad Horse OwnerJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-6956101056870129102014-07-18T12:32:13.847-07:002014-07-18T12:32:13.847-07:00Thanks, Lori. Words of wisdom, there.Thanks, Lori. Words of wisdom, there.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-43863164142763680982014-07-18T12:11:15.209-07:002014-07-18T12:11:15.209-07:00Girl, I am so there. I've never made a living ...Girl, I am so there. I've never made a living riding horses, but have spent many, many hours in the saddle over the years. <br />I've finally come to terms with the fact that I hate competition. I grew up showing open shows & 4-H, "Boots & Saddle" club, multiple disciplines. Barrels, Poles, Team Roping in hs/college. Tons, literally millions of miles, on the trail.<br />These days I have come to realize that "in the woods" on the trail is my happy place!<br />I've also realized, like others have mentioned, that I can get my horse fix from the daily chores of horse ownership. I'm a recent "new mom" first time with a foal on the ground at my own place. She'll be 3 weeks old Sunday. <br />I'm enjoying just enjoying them, however that may be. :) Lori Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08775633665224891845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-72463688303057084382014-07-18T08:45:44.413-07:002014-07-18T08:45:44.413-07:00Kate--Well you won't believe this--I didn'...Kate--Well you won't believe this--I didn't myself--but Sunny then proceeded to colic yesterday evening. I don't know if it was related to him being lame or not. I treated him with banamine and called the vet, and he seems to have come out of it--seems fine and not noticeably lame this morning. But yeah, not a good horse day yesterday...Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-23446088365935690972014-07-17T18:09:09.582-07:002014-07-17T18:09:09.582-07:00Hope Sunny feels better soon . . .Hope Sunny feels better soon . . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-25863711007806419592014-07-17T14:55:50.043-07:002014-07-17T14:55:50.043-07:00Jan--Very true about the weather. I don't feel...Jan--Very true about the weather. I don't feel much pressure to ride in any particular season because we ride year round--except during winter storm cycles.<br /><br />1st horse--That sounds frustrating, but I do know what you mean.<br /><br />Kate--Thanks--I always gain a lot from your insights.<br /><br />TBDancer--Yes, I can totally relate...<br /><br />And, you know what--I think I jinxed myself. After saying that my horses were just fine, I took Sunny up to the roping arena to ride him today. And yes, he started out feeling good, sound, full of life. We did some trotting and loping in the big, freshly groomed arena, and he was 100%. And then, trotting--just TROTTING--down the long side, he stumbled, and I could immediately feel him give on the left front. And then he was lame, dead lame. I tied him up, after picking his feet, and let him rest, thinking he'd just tweaked himself. But two hours later there was no swelling and no injury and he was still dead lame. And was equally lame after I unloaded him at home. He's not so lame he can;'t move freely around his corral, but he is lame at the walk--which is pretty darn lame. Dang...Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-41197507051741702452014-07-17T06:34:30.236-07:002014-07-17T06:34:30.236-07:00Me! Me! Me! I haven't ridden on MONTHS except ...Me! Me! Me! I haven't ridden on MONTHS except for the regular lesson I take (where I brush the big pieces off the horse, zizz the bridle path and neaten the mane a smidge, take him out of the paddock and load him up to haul 15 miles to ride). NOT the good student, but my instructor is kind enough to confine most of our work during the lesson to the walk and trot (out of deference to ME, sad sack of unfit mess that I am). I take the lesson because the instructor requires three riders to drive up to teach, and I am usually the third ride. I get semi-motivated when I read about riders and work the office at my dressage chapter's shows (we have four a year, two schooling, two one-star) but my motivation lasts until I get home and then the morning comes and instead of getting out to the barn and doing something -- even if it's wrong ;o) -- I sit at the computer, read my emails, work on my latest attempt at the Sub-Adequate American Short Story, and enjoy my coffee. I'm sure "Huey" would appreciate doing something besides turnout and eating. He's sound and happy and relatively fit. But it's all on me. My bad.TBDancerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03889066602819359591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-84978408577145657582014-07-16T17:13:46.069-07:002014-07-16T17:13:46.069-07:00Sometimes I ride a lot, and sometimes I don't....Sometimes I ride a lot, and sometimes I don't. Right now I'm feeling body sore, and old, and tired, so I'm riding less, but still enjoying the company of my equines on a daily basis. My horses are in all-day turnout, so they've got plenty of opportunity to move around, so I don't feel too guilty about it. <br /><br />When I feel more motivated, I'll ride more. I'm no longer in the slightest interested in competitions of any sort, so it's just me and the equines, doing what we decide to do, and I like it that way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-73629797978847716602014-07-16T15:22:59.242-07:002014-07-16T15:22:59.242-07:00It is hard to admit this but I too have not felt l...It is hard to admit this but I too have not felt like riding lately. Mostly it is because I am tired of fighting with my mare to make her go down the trail far enough away from the barn that she starts listening to me and I can't progress to trotting during my lessons. I am great at getting in my own way mentally!<br /><br /> It's sad because there have been some really beautiful, low humidity, low temp. days here in Missouri lately. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-47264143974772468832014-07-16T12:46:18.688-07:002014-07-16T12:46:18.688-07:00Not a bad horse owner at all. Just a different kin...Not a bad horse owner at all. Just a different kind of horse owner than you are used to being. As you have already talked about in your blogs, there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to horses. What fit you in earlier horse years doesn't fit now. <br /><br />Maybe one day a new horse will come into your life, or a new horse buddy, and that will make you want to do more. Then again you might want to not ride at all and just love them and care for them. I know many people, especially those that are not spring chickens anymore, that don't have any desire to ride but wouldn't give up their horses for anything. <br /><br />After 30+ years of making a living in the horse industry I have no desire to spend all day, every day on a horse. I do still like to ride, but just moseying down a trail is all that I aspire to these days. And just the daily horse chores is enough of a horse fix for me a lot of the time.<br /><br />I suspect your temperate climate is a factor in your riding decisions. You know that with some exceptions you can pretty much ride year-round. Those of us facing long, cold winters feel a different sense of urgency because we have a short window of good weather to enjoy. My friend that lives in Tucson feels the pressure to ride in their cooler months before summer heat makes it too miserable. So we have a certain amount of weather pressure to motivate us to ride. We don't want to regret wasting our limited good riding weather.<br /><br /><br />Jannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-5180711751509458042014-07-16T12:11:18.579-07:002014-07-16T12:11:18.579-07:00Thanks for the input, Laura. I really appreciate i...Thanks for the input, Laura. I really appreciate it! I feel the same way even though I've been trying to talk myself out of it. I've been spending a lot of time hanging out with her, just sitting next to her stall. Lots of brushing has a calming effect, too. She's pretty resilient, so I'm hoping she'll be okay. Keep your fingers crossed for us! =)Mindynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-57048588917108222272014-07-16T11:40:24.213-07:002014-07-16T11:40:24.213-07:00Mindy--I would feel just as you do, after what Lil...Mindy--I would feel just as you do, after what Lily went through. If you want my two cents worth, don't put any pressure on yourself. Ride when it feels right and you really want to--and if it feels better just to hang with Lily some days and not ride, then give yourself permission to do that, too. Lily definitely went through a traumatic experience and it makes sense to give her time.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-20519035678377417602014-07-16T09:25:03.296-07:002014-07-16T09:25:03.296-07:00Wow . . . where to start? I've been feeling t...Wow . . . where to start? I've been feeling the same way lately, though not to do anything else really interesting. If I go to the barn after work not only am I tired, but it's right at feeding time. The horses have been out on grass all day and are in what we call a "grass coma", not really wanting to move at all. The mosquitoes are bad in early evening as well. I have to admit I'm a bit nervous about riding after what Lily went through on the 4th of July. A neighbor across the corn field spent two days setting off M-80 fireworks and our horses were scared to death - pacing, running in and out of their stalls, etc. Lily is still having issues - grabbing a bite of hay or grain then running back outside to stare across the cornfield. She's literally falling asleep on her feet (afraid to lie down?) The other day, she fell to her knees after falling asleep standing up. I tried riding but I can't get her anywhere near the cornfields. If you're at all familiar with the Midwest, we are literally surrounded by them. She spooks at every little noise. I'm not brave enough anymore to just "ride it out of her". So in addition to feeling guilty, I feel bad for her because she loves to be ridden - she was a working horse for many years, doing barrels and herding cattle. I'm hoping we can trailer out to forest preserves sometime this summer - maybe that will help. If the weather is decent this weekend, I'm going to try riding again, this time in other areas and maybe working slowly toward the cornfields. I feel like a big chicken, but she can spin so fast when she spooks at stuff, and I don't bounce like I used to! We'll see what happens . . . Mindynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-28845813214584468952014-07-16T09:12:35.087-07:002014-07-16T09:12:35.087-07:00Like you, Alison, I really love my horses--I hope ...Like you, Alison, I really love my horses--I hope I have horses to take care of all of my life. And I do still ride a little--once a week these days for a very short trail ride or to help gather the roping cattle is about it. I would REALLY miss having horses, though, if they weren't here with me. But I am spending most of my time with the garden and dogs these days, so in many ways I am like your friends.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-70572627555374064592014-07-16T08:48:30.523-07:002014-07-16T08:48:30.523-07:00You and I are kind of in the same mind these days....You and I are kind of in the same mind these days. I still love my horses and give them the same level of care, but I haven't ridden in over a year. I keep telling myself that when it gets cool this fall, i will. But part of me knows come fall I will be too occupied with antiques and teaching. My friends who just moved to VA were avid competitors in eventing. Now they are gardening and training two dogs and only once in a while do they get wistful about not having horses at all. So don't feet weird--we are out there with you.Alisonhttp://www.alisonhartbooks.comnoreply@blogger.com