Originally Posted By chickendumpling I love horses. Always have. Other little girls had barbies I had horses. (pretend ones, not real ponies.) I had four of them. One became the mama horse, one the baby, and the Clydesdale my grandpa got me from Busch Gardens became the grandpa horse. Then there was The Black Stallion. He was never the dad really, The Black Stallion. He was like The Great Prince of The Forest in Bambi. Such pride, such honor, such strength and wisdom. I must sound like a total whack job to you guys right now. LOL! Oh well, on with my ramblings... I still have The Four Horses. On the bookshelf in my bedroom. Way up top. Except for the Black Stallion. *sniff* I lost him in the last move. Little sense of loss there still. I know, I know, I'm weird. So, I guess I really only have The Three Horses but I refuse to accept defeat so I still think of them as a set. Besides, maybe I'll replace The Black Stallion some day. I remember when I was a kid and I saw a couple of reruns of the Mickey Mouse Club where they had this ranch and there was a boy name Ambitious. What was that show anyway? Anyway I really liked it and it just reinforced my love of horses and all things cowboy. I had the chance to ride a bit when I was a kid. Western and English. I couldn't get enough of it. Unfortunately, I didn't get hardly any of it. While in the middle of a jump once, some guy drove by the stable and honked his horn. My horse went FLYING. My mom started screaming. (I don't like screaming.) But I knew I was fine. I was able to calm the horse quickly but I knew it was my one chance to really just let loose and ride like the wind, so we just kept goin'. It was completely freeing and totally invigorating. One of those things you will remember all your life. I love the power, the strength, the grace, the beauty, and the speed of a good horse. *sighs* So are there any horse lovers out there? DH doesn't like horses really. They kinda scare him. Don't tell him I told you that. But on our honeymoon I talked him into riding a horse on the beach with me. He loved it. We've been trail riding a couple of times since then but that is just not for me really. I take what I can get but give me a place I can run free and I'm happy.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling Oh, forgot to finish that earlier thought and say that I didn't get to ride as much as I wanted to when I was a kid because after that little riding incident where my mom got scared for me she didn't let me ride anymore. I was heartbroken.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling Spin and Marty! The show was The Adventures of Spin and Marty! Ha! I remembered! <-- very pleased with herself. LOL
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger I spent a lot of hours on horses in my younger days. We had one horse that was a retired parade horse, named Lady. My cousin and I would ride her together and we'd sing. Then we'd notice that the ride got a little bumpy and realize that Lady had picked up the tempo and was prancing to the beat. We'd have to kick her out of the prancing gait because my parents were afraid she'd hurt herself doing it. We'd ride all over my parent's farm in Tehachapi, which was mostly flat land. Every once in a while, my mom would borrow a couple of more horses and then a bunch of us would ride up into the mountains around the farm. At one point, just to get some more riding in, my mom and I enrolled in riding lessons at a local place. On a windy day, my mom and I started, well, sort of racing. A big piece of paper or something blew by us and cause my horse to shy to the left. Then he immediately shied back to the right. Unfortunately I was still on the left. I saw the ground coming straight at my face and I instinctively put my arm up to protect myself. (Ain't instincts wonderful?) I stood up, spitting dirt and thinking "crummy horse" and then realized something hurt. I looked down at my left hand and noticed that my fingers seemed farther away than on my right hand. Tried to lift up my left hand and it wouldn't move. Result: left arm broken in 5 places. That put a damper on horseback riding for a few of months. Then we just kind of stopped going to the farm as much, eventually I got married, etc. And just didn't get much of a chance to ride anymore. (Add to that, my wife is terrified of horses so she won't go near them.) I got a chance to ride with my sister about 15 years ago, into the hills around my parent's Calabasas home, but that's been it.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy If we were in ancient Greek times you would worship Poseidon the sea god chicky, cause he created the horse. Your DH's skeered o' horsies, LOL! But you said he loved the riding trail ride, so methinks he can't be *that* skeered anymore. ;-) I like horses...I just get skeered muhself of feedin' 'em and now knowin' if they'll realize when to stop eating so they won't eat into my hand (but SuzieQ assured me that can't happen, so I feel better about that now, lol).
Originally Posted By chickendumpling <<Your DH's skeered o' horsies, LOL!>> Oh geez. I hope he doesn't see that! LOL. "Scared" probably wasn't the right word exactly. Well, certainly not now that he's been razzed about it. LOL. It's just that he's a city boy, that's all. A surfer boy. He just had never really been around them before so wasn't sure how to *be* around them. Being a Kentucky boy you may not be able to relate to that but do know what I mean? Like a lot of country boys I know don't like to go in the ocean because they are sure they'll be attacked by a shark. Same thing with this city boy and horses. Until I got him to ride one he was sure he'd be thrown and stomped and would break all his bones. << But you said he loved the riding trail ride, so methinks he can't be *that* skeered anymore. ;-)>> He's a good man who'll do anything for his good woman. ;-)
Originally Posted By chickendumpling Okay, well *almost* anything. He is still the "boss" after all. LOL
Originally Posted By chickendumpling CrouchingTigger - sorry to hear about your arm. Ouch! I bet it was nice to be able to just ride all over your folks' farm though. I'd a liked that I think.
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger >>CrouchingTigger - sorry to hear about your arm. Ouch!<< Well, it happened a *long* time ago, but thanks for the sympathy anyway I liked the mountain rides best.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy <Until I got him to ride one he was sure he'd be thrown and stomped and would break all his bones.> Those are only the ones who hate ketchup. ;-)
Originally Posted By beamerdog >> after that little riding incident where my mom got scared for me she didn't let me ride anymore<< I love horses, too. We lived in suburbia, but there was a boarding stable for "high performance" horses down the block called "Was a Farm". I used to hang around just to get a glimpse of the horses. I played with toy horses, too! My parents wouldn't let me near a horse for fear of my injuring myself. (I'm diabetic and they were always afraid that I wouldn't heal.) When my DH and I were in our thirties we started taking lessons (dressage and jumping). I hid that from my parents until my dad was in his 80's and found a picture of me on a horse in front of a jump! He was shocked and furious with me, lol. I can't ride anymore and really miss it. It's in my blood. My mother and grandmother were both horsewomen (sort of strange for Jewish women of that time), but their father and grandfather trained and bred horses for the Russian cavalry. My two kids have no inclination to ride. Go figure. I guess they must have been switched at birth with some other babies in the hospital nursery.
Originally Posted By LadyKluck >>So are there any horse lovers out there?<< AAAAAAHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA *snort* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHA *cough* Oh sorry. I have had horses my whole life (well ok not my WHOLE life, but you get the idea). We currently own 2 horses, an American Quarter Horse mare and an American Paint Horse gelding (for those that don't know a gelding is a little boy horsie that's been "fixed"). I'm not trying to "brag" its just that as soon as I say I have horses the next question is usually "What kind". The gelding is my horse from before DH and I were married. I love my horses. I love all horses. I have pretty much had them my whole life - or at least been around them in some form or another on a regular basis (not counting the pony rides at the fair and zoo) since I was 5 or so when we lived in Texas. My mom is actually one of the ranch managers for our Humane Society Rescue Ranch. That's where the animal shelter keeps its abused horses and other livestock. Basically when I'm not around my own horses, I'm around the ones at the rescue ranch making sure they all know someone out there does love them, even though their previous owners didn't show it. Being pregnant has put a slight damper on my horsie activities just because of the concern of me getting kicked. I was also forbidden from riding several months ago just for safety purposes. So I'm allowed to hang around my horses and the ones that I'm familiar with at the Rescue Ranch but not the new ones just because we don't know how they'll react to attention considering they haven't had any for a lllloooonnnngggg time. DH and I have plans when we get our own place to help out the Rescue Ranch and other people by taking in some of these unwanted babies - unfortunately because we are renting the property we are on now and have to share the property with the landlord's horses, we don't have the ability to do that right now. Hope I haven't rambled too much, but animals, and especially horses are my "thing".
Originally Posted By LadyKluck >>>>My mother and grandmother were both horsewomen (sort of strange for Jewish women of that time), but their father and grandfather trained and bred horses for the Russian cavalry<<<<<<< VERY COOL!!! I bet they have some really great stories about those days!! *sigh*
Originally Posted By Disneymom443 I was raised around horese and love them!!! When I was 12 my mom bought me my fist and only horse.(sadley I only had one)Her name was LynnLee. She was a Morgan and a Bay, with no white at all. Her main and tail where so long it was just beauitful. I rode english and did cross country and stadium jumping. I loved every moment with her. My mom sold her when she felt I wasn't spending every minute with her. I had gone into high school and was in cross country, soccer and track. It still made me mad when my mom sold her because she didn't even let me know. I was with my horse and people started coming to see her and that is when I found out. I was mad. I will never forget her even though it has been over 20 years. I still have her picture.
Originally Posted By beamerdog >>VERY COOL!!! I bet they have some really great stories about those days!!<< OMG, do I ever. Someone should start a "bizarre family story" thread, lol. The women on both sides of my family were very adventurous, to say the least. Returning thread back to topic, sorry.
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess I played with horses as a kid, too. Breyer Horses, right? I had the Black Stallion one, as well, and about 10 others. I sold them in a garage sale as a teenager! When I was 13 and we moved to the boonies (high desert), my mom let me sign up for Western riding lessons. I had wanted lessons my entire life. I was never comfortable around horses, although I loved them. But they scared me. And I'm sure they sensed it, too. Once, while on a trail ride, my horse got spooked (MOMENTS into it) and took off with me. FAST. Like, I could barely hold on, and my feet were out of the stirrups. We ran at race-horse speed for freaking MILES. We jumped over huge creosote (sp?) bushes and almost got hit by cars. We ended up in the middle of nowhere, and since I was new to the area, I was LOST. About an hour later my class finally found us. I *walked* the horse back to the ranch and never rode again. So much for falling off (and I didn't even fall off!) and getting right back on, eh?! I still like them, but not enough to own one. My daughter is *fanatical* about horses, though, so I imagine riding lessons are in the not-so-distant future.
Originally Posted By Big Thunder my experiences with horses... When I was a small kid, in the suburbs of the San Gabriel Valley [east of Los Angeles] I received one of the best gifts of my childhood, given by my aunt's fiance. It was a black and white stallion. His name was "Blaze" he was the swiftest, fasted, and smartest horse in the world. I was the envy of all the kids around. I'd spend hours every day on Blaze, and would let my cousin and a few friends ride him too. He seemed so large and majestic in my memory. I'm not sure what ever happened to him, he must have went lame from all the kids riding him. I spoze my dad put him out of his misery, and sent him off to wherever resin rocking horses go when they are old and lame... yes that's right, blaze was plastic on the outside, but alive and vibrant in my imagination. He was actually quite unique, not just a rocking horse, but moved like a real horse on some sort of apparatus. It was a rare high quality item that they'd gotten a great deal on somewhere [so I am told] My parents were separated during most of my childhood, my dad had a few Appaloosa horses when I was a preteen, but I never spent anytime around them & never rode them, but I wished I could. they are different looking, they have more of a wild and natural look than common quarter horses. When I was 13, me and 2 other friends went on a summer adventure for a few days up in Azusa canyon a few miles from where we lived. We packed up our bikes and rode [rather walked most of the way] up the San Gabriel mountains and made camp along a creek, The next day the local rangers came and kicked us out, saying we weren't allowed to camp in that area and definitely was not supposed to have a camp fire, and also, with no adult supervision, they suggested it was best to just ride back home. We rode down the mountain and decided to stop at the stables at the bottom, we met 2 guys who were around our age, they worked & lived there for the summer, they said we could camp on property if we kept out of sight from the owner. They gave us a free rental ride on some horses, and at night we'd sneak them out again and go riding on the trails by moon light, it was cool those old horses knew those trails like the back of their hand so light was not even necessary. That was a cool summer, my first time riding a real horse. It wasn't all that exciting of a ride actually, they didn't giddy up and run or anything, just walk the trail and would walk faster when they knew they were heading back to the stable. The following year my dad left CA because he partnered into a farm his life long friend. It was in Idaho. It was suggested I move there too as it would do me some good to get out of the city and try farm life. We took 2 Appaloosas with us on the drive and he bought 2 more locally after we moved there. Only 2 were saddle trained, I was hoping to be able to learn to break the others [but never happened] There were other horses on property before we moved there that belonged to our friends, their daughter who was my age showed me how to ride him, oddly enough, her horse's name was Blaze [how cool is that?] I rode blaze a few times with her riding a different horse along side me, it was fun, but I wasn't as good a rider as she was, I didn't go as fast as her and didn't jump fences like she could. Well.. one day when she wasn't around, I decided to ride Blaze, I remembered how to put a bridle on him but I wasn't exactly sure how to put a saddle on, so I put a horse blanket thing for riding bare back on him and took him up the road to a apple orchard I figured I'd give him an apple. Well, I dont know what I did or if he just wasn't into my idea, we arrived at the orchard, I climbed up on him from his side by a fence, he immediately took off like a bat outta hell and there was no stopping him no matter how loud I yelled "WHOA" I'd pull on the rein but he'd just get crazier. He eventually threw me and he ran off. I got up, dusted myself off, and ran back down the hill to get in a truck to go find him. When I got there my dad was brushing blaze who apparently ran strait home. I knew I was in big trouble for taking him without permission, but I think he was more concerned about safety, my lack of experience, and trying that alone. My last experience on a horse was when I was 20 years old. It was at the same stable in Azusa Canyon that I first rode a horse at. It was night again, just after 2;00 AM in fact, the Canyon Inn bar had just closed for the night, me and ny friend [AKA partner in mistief] decided to take a free ride inside the coral where 2 horses were, she *said* she was experienced and familiar with horses, but I later learned she had very similar background as I did with horses [which was very little] She got up on one and it just stood there, I got on one and decided to play rodeo cowboy and kicked my heels into him, next thing I knew I was lying face down in the dirt moaning and growning and trying to get out of the way of a stomping horse. I decided to retire from riding that night. I haven't been on a horse in 25 years.
Originally Posted By JazzCat I *love* horses! First cats, then horses, then dogs. I'm not a very experienced rider, but I have ridden several times. If I could get one, I would.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling <<gawd I write long posts dont I ? [sorry]>> Oh Big Thunder, you don't ever have to apologize for your posts. I just love reading your posts. I keep my eye out for them actually. I like them precisely because they are long! LOL. And not long just because you're crazy and rambling like me (lol) but because you are always so genuine and sincere and you always give so much of your self. So, please don't apologize.
