Riding Horses

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Weedygarden

Weedygarden

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I was thinking of a situation where someone was doing training to be able to ride a horse on a movie set. It occurred to me that riding a horse is a skill that many have no idea about any more, whereas a couple hundred years ago, it was the main form of transportation, besides walking or riding in a carriage.

My grandparents had a couple horses on their ranch, and they were mostly used for amusement, for children and grandchildren to ride. We never had lessons, and in order to ride, it necessitated an adult capturing the horse, and getting it ready to ride. I never really learned to ride and to control a horse. I wish I had.

When I go to my hometown for their annual celebration, there are always many horses in the parade. I do have a h.s. classmate who has a ranch and he and his family have horses for working cattle.

How many of us have horses, have had horses, or even know how to ride one, or to even get a horse ready to ride?
 
We had horses when I was growing up. I learned to ride very young, as in I have pictures of me sitting on a horse when I was 3 LOL. I don't have any now, and I miss them terribly. Hopefully one day I will again. My husband doesn't ride so doesn't understand how much I miss owning horses. So yes I can ride, look after them, and put on all the tack for riding.
 
Back in late 80s and 90s I owned , bred , trained and showed Tennessee Walking horses.
Lots of Champion trophys, and blue ribbons , very few red ribbons all over the country.

Yep, that's me on my champion stud , grandson of the greatest walking horse champion of all time Carbon Copy.
My studs name was Midnight's Perfect Copy. Midnight Sun was Carbon Copys sire. Midnight Sun produced more world champions than any Walker ever.

My studs barn name was Elvis and he always showed in the ring decked in gold and black, to Elvis music.
Sired a bunch of champions also.

He knew when it was time to impress the crowds to " if your looking for trouble"
I loved that horse , raised him from birth.
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Yep me 30 years ago. Had to give them up in early 2000s , health went down.

Sorry, old pics.
 
I grew up around horses and could saddle up and ride a horse today without any issue. Probably the last time I‘ve ridden a horse was almost 2 decades ago while the family still had our Appalachian homestead. I’ve always loved horses. The old Alaskan homestead I purchased once had horses, but we like to travel so we’ve decided that our new homestead won’t include horses or other animals except our faithful dog who always travels with us.

I do miss being around horses greatly.
 
I haven't been on a horse since I was a kid. My Uncle said, "she's as tame as a baby". That was right before she headed across the field at a full gallop then started bucking and I hit the dirt hard. When I could see and breathe again my Uncle said maybe she just didn't like me. That was probably 60 years ago so NO I do not ride.
 
I used to ride as a girl, but it was mostly just ring jumping. I suspect if I were to ride again, it would be starting from scratch. Not only was that a long time ago, but I've had three kids since then and my center of gravity ain't where it used to be... 😂

My husband and I both absolutely love the big draft/work horses. Part of me would love to have a pair, but the logical part of me knows that's a bigger commitment (both in learning how to care for them, and then actually caring for them) than we're willing to make.

But it sure would be a good skill to have...
 
I am not a "horse person". Ridden them, saddled them, cleaned and brushed them. I can set up one for cart/carriage, but there just isn't a "connection".

My wife, however, loves horses, and volunteers 2 days a week at a therapy horse charity, cleaning stalls, petting noses and on good days she gets to ride.
 
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I rode often as a kid, spent more time working with mules though. The next time I did a lot of riding was at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Gitmo is a lot larger than most folks think, about 45sq miles or 7mi X 7mi. The Navy maintained a large barn & stables. A friend and I would rent horses every few days and go riding. We paid close attention to the signs that said “Mine Field”. I was there almost 2 months.

A decade later I got the chance to ride regularly at Half Moon Bay, CA. I could actually take a horse out and ride on the beach.

About 2005 I ended up with several horses and donkeys here on the farm. They were acquired as a prep in case shtf. I wanted pack animals and to be mobile without relying on fuel and mechanization.

After I got injured by a bull I down sized to one horse and one donkey. I don’t ride anymore but could in a pinch and both will carry a pack. As a matter of fact this is an area of my preps I’ve not kept up to date. I need to visit it again and make some changes.
 
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I grew up in the desert Southwest, and we learned to ride. Even rode an English saddle once. It has been a long time but I think I could still handle a horse. Probably not one who is high spirited, but I could get someplace, and not fall off.
 
I am NOT a horse person. But my ex wife absolutely was, and I had to learn a little. She had Appaloosas and POAs. I didn't ride much, and I'm pretty useless at it, but I had to learn how to deal with them from the ground. I can walk into a pen full of horses and halter one and bring it out without much trouble, if it's willing to cooperate...

The one thing I always remember, if there's a problem with a horse...Make it move it's feet. Either you or the horse is going to be forced to move, and the one who gets moved is the loser. When you watch horse trainers, most all of them use this concept. They might not call it moving their feet, or even realize that's what they're doing, but it's what happens...

I never did learn how to drive horses though, and I think that could be an excellent skill to have should fuel become scarce...
 
Horses are a lot like big clumsy dogs. If they trust you they will do anything for you, if not they will test you to see if they can dominate you.
I've had horses that loved me and trusted me enough to do anything I asked. I've ridden a couple that wanted to brush me off with fences and trees. Once I broke a branch off the tree they settled right down. I did have one horse that tried to throw me... Mom thought I was going to die but I just pulled his nose into his chest and let him settle down. (I was scared that if he dumped me he would kill me) Once he settled down I rode him to a spot away from fences, dismounted and stroked him. never had a bad experience with him again.

Horses are smart and they will nearly always tell you whats going on in their head. I was riding a horse that had been in a lot of parades - beautiful animal - His ears shot up and he made a little sideways step. I looked ahead and saw the monster. It was a group of kids on the trail about 50 yards away and they had balloons! I gave him a pat on the neck and found a little deadend spot to pull into. He could no longer see the monsters and I just kept him busy by talking to him. When the kids went by we backed out and continued on the way. That horses name was Bear.
 
When I was much younger I packed and wrangled in elk hunting camps for ten seasons. I've ridden more miles on icy trails in the mountains, in the pitch black, in grizz country with a pack string loaded with elk and deer meat than most of my "equestrian" neighbors have ridden in ideal conditions. Also did 5 and 10 day progressive wilderness pack trips for 4 summers. We would only stay in the same camp for 2 days once during a 10 day trip. They were a LOT of work. On the last trip before the outfitter retired we did a by invitation only 14 day trip, inviting only the former guests who had the best attitudes and helped out the most. I felt like I could have kept traveling like that forever. The various guides and outfitters that I met during those years were some of the greatest characters of my life. I still keep in touch with some of them. And some of the guests too. I think trips like that are probably a thing of the past.
 
I had a few horses in the late 90's. One was an old mare Thoroughbred that came with the ranch my "friend" bought. She hadn't been ridden in years. I worked her for a full year, and fattened her up 150 pounds, before being able to ride her. My "friend " saw how well she performed and told me to pay him $2k, which I refused, so he took her to a slaughterhouse. I never spoke to him again.
 
havasu said:
I had a few horses in the late 90's. One was an old mare Thoroughbred that came with the ranch my "friend" bought. She hadn't been ridden in years. I worked her for a full year, and fattened her up 150 pounds, before being able to ride her. My "friend " saw how well she performed and told me to pay him $2k, which I refused, so he took her to a slaughterhouse. I never spoke to him again.
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I'd have sent him a bill for your time and training.
 
havasu said:
I had a few horses in the late 90's. One was an old mare Thoroughbred that came with the ranch my "friend" bought. She hadn't been ridden in years. I worked her for a full year, and fattened her up 150 pounds, before being able to ride her. My "friend " saw how well she performed and told me to pay him $2k, which I refused, so he took her to a slaughterhouse. I never spoke to him again.
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Greedy "friend." Horrible person, imho.
 
I'm trying to find a home for the horse I have now... but I'm afraid someone would haul him up to Beaverton where he'd be sold for meat.

He was no problem when I ran the cattle operation but now that my grtnephew runs it the horse is suddenly a "problem". He wants my horse gone. I gave that boy credit for being smarter than a horse but I'm starting to have my doubts. He leaves a gate open then blames the horse for moving to another pasture... duh! What does he think horse would do? Stay where he's told like a good dog? That boy seems to lack the ability to think like any kind of critter thinks... and anticipate what they are going to do in any given situation.
 
We had horses,ponys & a donkey. Learning to ride is the easy part, it is maintaining the fence,barn, food supply, meds & hooves that is the problem. Anyone can learn to sit a horse, keeping & caring for a large animal that can kill you is the fun part. Not even talking about the leather goods & the tools to up keep the bridle, saddle & harness.
 
Newbie here, so excuse this question, but shouldn't there be a separate category for horses (or is there just not enough interest?)

Having said that, we retired over to Arizona last year and brought our 2 horses with us. My wife has been riding since she was a little girl, then took a long break, then got back into it. I have ridden very rarely and not very well :) so I am taking it up in my retirement. I know starting up at 67 is going to get some comments, but hey ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right? We were fortunate (and persistent ) enough to get a place where we can just ride right off our property onto state leased cattle land and just go forever. A dream come true. Wife is happy.
 
haboob said:
Newbie here, so excuse this question, but shouldn't there be a separate category for horses (or is there just not enough interest?)

Having said that, we retired over to Arizona last year and brought our 2 horses with us. My wife has been riding since she was a little girl, then took a long break, then got back into it. I have ridden very rarely and not very well :) so I am taking it up in my retirement. I know starting up at 67 is going to get some comments, but hey ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right? We were fortunate (and persistent ) enough to get a place where we can just ride right off our property onto state leased cattle land and just go forever. A dream come true. Wife is happy.
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I believe this is the only thread currently about horses, but I could be wrong. See how little interaction there was about it? I believe that horses could be really important in a serious situation in our country, but they take money, time, feed, maintenance, care. I know people who have horses and ride them to work cattle.
 
We had horses on the farm when I was growing up. you could say we were horse poor.
I still like horse, but thought college was more important than horse, so we did not get any.
 
I'm not so sure it's of no interest, but if you don't have work for a horse, it's simply a liability that requires attention. People don't want the responsibility. They can park a motorcycle in the garage for 3 months and forget about it until next time they want to ride. Can't do that with a horse.
Hubby and I both grew up a horseback but haven't had them for years. We would like them again at some point, but won't get one unless we have time and room. I would like to learn how to hitch one to a buggy &/or pull (draft).
 
I haven't had horses since I moved across country last fall. Before that, I had my retired endurance racing horses. Now, I have all the goodies: horse trailer, farrier tools, saddles and a doctors buggy but no more horses. I can't make myself let it all go just yet. It was hard enough when the horses took their well deserved rest after a long easy retirement in Canada..

I was the first and only lady jockey at the Cairo race track for six mile Arab speed racing back in 2005/6. I also competed in long distance endurance racing in Egypt and owned and rode the only horse that entered and survived all the races intact, over six years. I never raced against any horse more than once, it was that disgusting. Its all just old memories now. Interesting times.

(ps) I am a sucker for the crazy nasty horses that don't fit in the predictable well trained category which is not very compatible with getting older.
 
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