Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by lesley bruce on September 19, 2008 at 5:58am

Oh! N D C
what a moving story, Arabs are so special and Star is one of the very special ones. They are so bonded with humans maybe perhaps because for eons they have lived in the desert tents together with their people.

Lovely that you have healed each other, Star was looking after you on that trail with the rattlesnake.

Thanks so much for telling me about you and her.

take Care
Cheers

(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•.¸Lesley¸.•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)

Permalink Reply by kerilli on September 19, 2008 at 5:41am

I have an ex-racehorse who I am now eventing, she's dark bay and absolutely stunning. Took her to an event in the spring and she decided she did not DO dressage that day, and warmed up for 50 minutes solid (luckily i'd allowed myself lots of time!) doing her best impersonation of a "giraffe on speed, nothing I tried would get her to soften and listen to me.
I was just on the point of getting off, getting down on my knees in front of her, and literally begging her to relax and play the game for "just 5 minutes, that's all, 5 little minutes..." when she did. We went into the arena and she managed to pretend to be a dressage horse for a whole 5 minutes, to my amazement.

Permalink Reply by lesley bruce on September 20, 2008 at 1:03am

Hi Kerilli,
"giraffe on speed" how eloquent ... giggle... conjures the scene perfectly.

Just 5 minutes, ... Yeh, after training for months, no years, you spend all day readying your horse, snatch a few hours of fitful sleep, then, in the middle of the night get out of your warm bed to drive miles probably in driving rain to spend just 5 minutes strutting your stuff.

Horse people are mad, but isn't it worth it when your horses dances.

Well done you.
Cheers
(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•.¸Lesley¸.•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)

Permalink Reply by Sharon on October 1, 2008 at 10:11pm

My youngest daughter was showing her new pony for the first time and was managing pretty well . . . almost!

In the Eq Over Fences classes - her very first class over fences EVER - she confidently galloped past the single vertical at the end of the arena which SHOULD have been her next fence. As soon as she was past the fence she knew something was wrong - - she was terribly lost!

No problem. She continued galloping along the far long side of the arena, got half way up, grabbed the reins in both hands and shrugged her shoulders, hands up, in the international "Where the heck am I?" sign language!! Her trainer called out to her - "You missed the end jump!" As subtle as only a nine year old can be, she yelled back, "Oh Great!", continued around the arena and finished her course with perfect style!

She didn't pin, but she did get a round of applause as she exited the arena!

Attachments:

• SS Hunter OF on course.jpg, 1.7 MB

Permalink Reply by lesley bruce on October 2, 2008 at 3:39pm

Hi Sharon,
Looks Like your daughter is a star in the making, a real entertainer, great story must have been fun to watch. ...
Oh to be nine again! ... lovely photo she has such a look of concentration on her face.

what's her and her pony's name?

Thanks
Cheers
(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•.¸Lesley¸.•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)

Permalink Reply by Sharon on October 4, 2008 at 4:52pm

This is Emmy and her pony Miss Bella!

Permalink Reply by lesley bruce on October 7, 2008 at 5:35am

Thanks Sharon
Cheers
(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•.¸Lesley¸.•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)

Permalink Reply by Taryn Sylvia on October 4, 2008 at 12:54pm

My horse Jacquet is my hero. He is a 16.1 Dutch warmblood who has taken me all the way up to the level 7s. His sweet, hilarious personality has taught me life lessons. He kept me going thru this past year when my parents and my house has been foreclosed on. I have gone thru many challenges and trials and Jacquet has kept me going thru it all. I do not know where I would be without this horse.

Permalink Reply by lesley bruce on October 7, 2008 at 5:52am

Hi Taryn,

Your photos are truly lovely, it's obvious your and Jacquet's souls are as one.

Like you and your parents I've had hard times, only those on the receiving end know how it feels. Bless the animals that help us.

Your photos took me back to when I was in my twenties with Jonas my first horse. I lived in Llandudno North Wales in the UK, and worked in a restaurant. Jonas lived near the beach and every possible moment I would skip out for a quick bareback ride on the sand and go for a swim, in my mini-skirt dress (they were in fashion then).

Bliss ...

Thank you so much
Cheers
(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•.¸Lesley¸.•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)

Permalink Reply by Prelude on October 4, 2008 at 5:55pm

I'm not quite sure if we're allowed more than one story, but I'll post them anyway :/


My mare, Prelude, is a a 16.2hh Trakehner, aged two. Since she's young, she tends to spook at things quite often..
So, the day after one of the jumping shows, when the jumps from the day before were still up, I decided it's a good time to school her over them, to get over her fear of the filler. Bombi, one of the dogs at our yard was sleeping on the side of the arena, completely ignoring us, but every time Prelude would pass him, she would sort of circle him. I decided i should walk her up to him, let her sniff him and see he means no harm (he's used to the horses). My friend was there taking photos, and after i looked at them i couldn't stop smiling. Prelude looked so amazingly cute being so wary of the dog, so small compared to her, whilst he was just like "yeah okay, whatever" . It was just adorable. I still smile at the thought of it..
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q206/Kizzia/001-1.jpg

Also, one day, my friend asked me if it's ok to have a sort of "photo shoot" of my mare before I ride for her art project, since she was doing movement, so of course, I said I don't mind. Prelude was in the paddock, so we had to get her, and on the way back, there's a sort of ditch, where the horses (and people) have to jump down to get onto the path to the stables. Prelude usually has no problem with this, and I had been advised to do it more often to help with her muscles and so on, so I though, why not? I had my camera with me, and my friend was leading the mare up and down the little "ramp" and Prelude was practically jumping it like a proper jump, going into an outline and everything. When we finished and everything, we were about to go back to the yard to tack up, so my friend had to lead her down the ramp one last time. But Prelude being Prelude, just stood there. She wouldn't budge!! It was hilarious to watch though, and I managed to get a pic of it. No matter what my friend tried, Prelude just wouldn't follow, so in the end I had to go lead her down (she follows me everywhere, its so cute <3 )

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q206/Kizzia/IMG_4513.jpg

Permalink Reply by lesley bruce on October 7, 2008 at 6:04am

Hi Prelude,

What a gorgeous colour your Prelude is, wonderful dapple greys like that are rare nowadays.

The photo with Bombi it is astounding, Bombi must have loads of self confidence to just lie there whilst hooves thunder by, so laid back.

Just love how Prelude has planted herself on the ramp. bet she was thinking "well enough is enough, is this woman Mad, cant she make up her mind ??" ... "I want my Mom"

Thanks for the stories and please send as many as you like.

Cheers
(¯`*•.¸(¯`*•.¸Lesley¸.•*´¯)¸.•*´¯)

Permalink Reply by DeeDee on October 4, 2008 at 9:26pm

I lost my horse to West Nile in 2001. I was in a deep depression after loosing him. I had other horses, but they were just not him. I became a barrel horse collector, trying to just get that feeling back. I was looking thru a horse auction website and saw a horse listed as a barrel horse, I googled her name and she had an impressive winning record. I could not believe she was going thru this low end sale. I went and got her for a steal... or so I thought. After I found out more info on her, I found out she was, Was being the key word a nice barrel horse, but she went thru several owners who used her like a machine for a paycheck. I don't know if she became sore or if just the continued hauling and running 4-5 times a week, but she blew a gasket and became dangerous in the alleyway. I threw away the notion of her being a barrel horse and just did trail rides etc. She had not had much experience on the trails so it was wild, she was spooky and had a very bad temper. But she was an angel on the ground and had so many good points, I just started over looking the bad, we steadily built a good relationship, she knew how far she could push me, and likewise I knew how far I could push her. Little by little the temper tantrums grew less, I decided to try to see if she would do barrels, Then I started taking her on the trails and before she could go up to the barn, we went in the arena and walked the barrels, I would then get off in the arena and praise her. For the last 7 yrs, she has been a winner, While I don't push her as fast as she could go, she still places alot and doesn't have the dread of going in the arena anymore. She has flashbacks and will sometimes turn around, but I just pull her back and she goes in. I think of her when I hear the Rascal Flatts song "Here" If she and I had never gone thru the trials and tribulations we had, we would have never found each other, and I wouldn't change that.

"Here"

There's a place I've been looking for
That took me in and out of buildings
Behind windows, walls and doors
And I thought I found it
Couple times, even settled down
And I'd hang around just long enough
To find my way back out
I know now the place that I was trying to
Reach
Was you, right here in front of me

[CHORUS]
And I wouldn't change a thing
I'd walk right back through the rain
Back to every broken heart
On the day that it was breakin'
And I'd relive all the years
And be thankful for the tears
I've cried with every stumbled step
That led to you and got me here, right here

It's amazing what I let my heart go through
To get me where it got me
In this moment here with you
And it passed me by
God knows how many times
I was so caught up in holding
What I never thought I'd find
I know now, there's a million roads
I had to take
To get me in your arms that way

[Repeat Chorus]

In a love I never thought I'd get to get to
-here
And if that's the road
God made me take to be with you

[Repeat Chorus]

And I'd relive all the years
And be thankful for all the tears
I've cried with every stumbled step
That led to you and got me here, right here

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