Any equestrians in the Rebellion?

[MollytheMO]

Do you have horses? Like them? Enjoy watching from afar? I know you have to be out there.....

 

I've been around horses since I was 10 (thanks to a brother who decided he wanted to be Amish, which, of course, means one has to have a horse to get around) and they used to be my all-encompassing passion. Even now other interests come and go, but I always return to the incomparable horse. Unfortunately the vast majority of my knowledge has been self-taught, due to not having many people who could show me what the heck I was supposed to do.

 

Colletta was my Arabian/Morgan mare for 11 years, until she passed away almost 2 years ago. She taught me a lot about patience, and trust, and developing the intuition necessary to train and ride, and managing money (because horses are NOT cheap any way one slices it), and hard work....there are so many areas of life where I have been impacted that would not have been developed without the presence of horses in my life.

 

Since she died I've worked as a wrangler on a dude ranch in Colorado, and currently I have friends who let me come and play with their horses whenever I want. Since I used to be intimidated by the thought of riding 'strange' horses I've come leaps and bounds confidence-wise in that area. I would love to learn how to ride English, and maybe even try some show jumping someday, along with reining, dressage...so many disciplines, so little time/opportunity. XD

 

What are your stories? Are you a legit cowboy/cowgirl? Have you ever wanted to ride but never had the opportunity?

[Yraen]

I'm a cowboy who's never rode a horse before. I wasn't really interested in it when I was younger and had the opportunity, and now I can't find anywhere to go to learn how.

P.S? How many people read this to find out what equestrian means?

[StillWaters]

How many people read this expecting to find out how many bronies exist on these forums?

[Frost of the Gloaming]

I don't ride them but my friend has a couple of retired race horses, there is one that will follow me around like a dog while I'm out in the field, probably because I hide apples/treats in my pockets.

[madbethcash]

I ride horses! Have been since August, English/dressage style (thought I still wear fringed leather chaps). When you do it right it's really such a good full-body workout. And horses are great. It was something I wanted to do when I was younger but couldn't get to the barn/afford it - so when I became an adult I committed.  

[MollytheMO]

Aw c'mon, every good nerd should know what equestrian means Multi-syllable words for the win! Yraen, what do you mean by a cowboy who has never ridden? Do you own cows...work other people's cattle....?

 

madbethcash, I hear ya about the workout. One of the best ways to work the abs (for me anyway) is loping circles. I don't feel it at all at first, but by the end of 10-25 minutes they start to feel jelly-like.

 

Speaking of affording horses....ya wanna know how to make a small fortune with horses? You start out with a large fortune

[Yraen]

Aw c'mon, every good nerd should know what equestrian means Multi-syllable words for the win! Yraen, what do you mean by a cowboy who has never ridden? Do you own cows...work other people's cattle....?

 

There were cows where I used to live and I'd help round them up on occasion. I got pretty good at it before we moved. What I really meant though is that I have many of the traits of the classic cowboy. I believe in honesty, responsibility, and individuality. I can also make a mean pot of chili.

[dijos]

I used to ride, trail mostly. Tried my hand at cutting a little, and I enjoy that, but if I had to do it again, I' concentrate on either reining or *cough* dresssage. I can't rope worth a crap, and I'm waaaay better on the ground than I am as a rider. My wife was a am. barrel racer. 

I too am pretty well self taught. The cowboys I knew had been riding so long that they didn't remember how they learned, except for the kick 'em to go, pull back to stop method. 

[Lupus In Fabula]

I miss riding. I used to ride in college because my good friend was an accomplished equestrian who trained horses for competitions and she would frequently have me help her out. It's funny, I was, and still am, apprehensive about horses because they are huge and could kill me if they so desired (although nothing's preventing dogs from randomly killing me, and I still love to play with dogs and never even think about their pointy teeth and strong jaws ) but I would love to one day acquire my own horse. Either a Friesian or a Percheron would be my dream horse (and maybe I'd train it for jousting, but that might be too ambitious an endeavor for somebody who has never independently trained a horse).

[madbethcash]

JOUSTING yesx1000. Eventual horse riding goal is to joust someday. Probably just at a quintain would be fine. And I don't think I'd have the patience to train the horse I'd ride from scratch thought I'd certainly want to be comfortable on it!

 

When I rode a few times when I was younger, I was secretly scared of the horses. Nobody taught me the right way to groom or tack so horses were these mysterious creatures - the barn I'm at now is far more holistic in their teaching so I'm more comfortable with them, though they're still VERY large, majestic creatures to be treated with some caution.

[wanderbound]

I used to ride in summer camp when I was a kid, but nowadays I only get the chance when traveling... I went through a horse phase as a kid (thank you Misty of Chincoteague) and I remember vividly cutting out horse ads in the classifieds and leaving them next to the coffee maker/dad's shaver/the dash of the car every morning for my parents to "coincidentally" find.  I've only recently started learning about horse racing, mostly because a friend of mine dragged me into a text based stable simulator called Equination.net ...  You make a stable (mine is Avengers themed), race and breed horses... it's kind of neat!  You might enjoy it if you like the sport.

[PinkNinja]

My great grandpa had cows. I used to ride and help some, mostly to find the new moms. I had horses twice when I was younger. When the second one died, my grandpa gave me an ATV in the hopes that is was less likely to break my heart.  I'd love to have a horse now, but I live at work and livestock are not allowed in the park. Other than the horse trail and horse camp. We have over 40 miles of horse trail that start literally across the road from my house.  I haven't ridden in about 8 years, when I worked for a park that had guided trail rides.

 

My boyfriend lives in rural NW Arkansas and has pasture land. I've tried to convince him he needs a horse(so I can ride), but he's not keen on things he has to feed. (other than his daughter!) Her 1 fish is pushing it.

[alice.x]

Me! (as you can probably tell from my avvie )

Been riding for about 20 years, started when I was 3, loaned my own ponies from 9 to 18, went to uni and couldn't ride, started working at a pub and found a local with horses that needed riding I currently have one of my 'own' (he's not actually mine in the technical sense but I've just backed him almost by myself, and am bringing him on for the summer) and another I ride a couple of times a week (in my pic). Plus they have a herd of new forest ponies and I love showing, so may be pinching a few of them for the summer to take to shows :')

It's almost foal season, and we've got at least two mares expecting, so I can't wait for baby ponies (and a baby donkey!!)

[jfreaksho]

P.S? How many people read this to find out what equestrian means?

No, I came just to find out how to call in the cavalry when the time comes.

[Vian]

I've loved horses my whole life. I took lessons in jr high and highschool for like 4+ years, but once I became an adult and moved out and life happened I stopped. I rode english, did a little jumping and dressage. I miss it so much sometimes. Once I get some debt paid off I'd love to look into getting a horse and boarding it somewhere.

[Yraen]

No, I came just to find out how to call in the cavalry when the time comes.

Lol. Great reason.

[IslandGirl_Becks]

I grew up with a pony (Shetland X "small brown horse") that I boarded at a theraputic riding center. Spent many summers there teaching lessons... an autistic boy said his first words on Copper  

 

Spent a few years riding/exercising other people's horses, then in middle school/early high school I had a reiner named Buzzy for a summer. He's the best horse I've ever had. I could trust him to take my cousins for rides bareback  with a halter - he'd slow if he felt them lose their balance. He could stop on a dime, spin, and drive out of it so fast it'd leave you breathless. Also had great cow sense.  My sister and I would take turns playing cow for each other, and the poor barn dog was boxed on one side of the arena if  we caught him there. A few times we pulled pranks on friends, telling them "I'm going to start moving, just put the reins on whichever side of his neck I'm on." We'd start dodging back and forth along the fence while our friends hung on for dear life as Buzzy pivoted back and forth to keep his shoulders ahead of us