Learning to Ride a Horse is on my Bucket List

[cat nap]

Hi, so I have this "Bucket List"...and one of the things on it is to "learn to ride a Horse".
I think horses are beautiful and majestic.
But their size seems a little...no a lot..intimidating.

(I've only ever been on a horse, when I was 18 years old...and it was a school trail ride.
I can still picture that day, and also the time spent riding was super fun. )

Anyhow, a few members here, have offered to answer most of my questions.
Thank you in advance to hybriseris and Norachan
And anyone else who rides a horse, or wants to join in, feel free.

I hope to learn more about horses, from them, and also "how they started out riding"?
1) How old were they when they started?
2) How large/tall big are their horses? (I know there are horse terms for this, but maybe we could just talk in 'feet and inches')
3) Has a horse ever stepped on them?
4) Have they ever fallen off?

(of course more questions, to follow)

 

[Norachan]

Hi cat nap

So happy we have a horsey thread!


You're never too old to start riding. I went horse rising yesterday and there were two beginners going out on their first walk, a 16 year old girl and her grand father. It was really sweet to see them spending some time together doing something they both wanted to learn how to do.

You don't have to start off on a big horse, you could start with some lessons on an older, more experienced pony. There's no rule that says adults have to ride big horses. Horses can comfortably carry up to 20% of their body weight, so it really depends more on how much the rider weighs, than on the rider's height or age.

I started riding when I was about 10 years old. I wanted to ride before that, but my parents told me I had to wait until I was 10 (Presumably so I'd stop begging them to let me start horse riding for 5 minutes. )

Horses are measured in hands. (Yep, they really used to measure hand over hand from the horses front feet to their withers. that's their shoulder) One hand is four inches. You'll see a horses height described as something like 15 hh or 15.2hh, which means 15 hands and 2 inches. Anything under 14.2 is a pony, anything over 14.2 is a horse. (Although there are miniature horses, which are smaller than a lot of ponies.)

I ride native Japanese ponies. Dousanko, which are from Hokkaido and Kisouma, from Nagano. They're between 13 and 15 hands. They tend to be small, stocky ponies with thick necks and quite large heads. They are very strong for their size.

Yep, I've been stepped on. Horses don't like stepping on people though, they get off as soon as they notice. If ever you get stepped on by a horse don't try to pull your foot out from under their hoof, as you'll do more damage. Lean into the horses shoulder or rump and they'll pick their hoof up and move away from you.

Yes, I've fallen off. Too many times to count. Most of the time it's just kind of embarrassing and the worse you get is covered in mud. I have had a slightly more serious fall where I ended up a concussion. The horse fell too, so there was nothing I could do about that.

Some pictures.

Mitsunosuke. Japanese Kisouma, about 14hh

Sakie. Japanese Kisouma. about 13.2. Mistu's colour is bay and Sakie is a strawberry roan. A lot of Kisouma tend to be either strawberry or blue roans

Mitsunosuke at work. He's a trained Japanese archery pony, which means if you give him the command he will gallop flat out in straight line so the archer can use both hands to hold his bow and not worry about the horse going of course.

Karin, (I think, they have a lot of mares the same colour.) Karin is 15hh and she's a lovely blue roan colour.

 

[cat nap]

You're never too old to start riding. I went horse rising yesterday and there were two beginners going out on their first walk, a 16 year old girl and her grand father. It was really sweet to see them spending some time together doing something they both wanted to learn how to do.

You don't have to start off on a big horse, you could start with some lessons on an older, more experienced pony. There's no rule that says adults have to ride big horses. Horses can comfortably carry up to 20% of their body weight, so it really depends more on how much the rider weighs, than on the rider's height or age.

This is so encouraging to know.
Since these were going to be my next few questions...about a human's weight,...and a person's age.

I really don't want to hurt a horse, by being 'cough200lbscough'...and 5ft 5inches..(165cm).
I knew the person's height would not matter, but I figured the person's weight would be an issue.
So thank you so much, for putting in that 'comfortably carry rule of 20% of the horse's body weight.'

I figured that the instructors, would tell me this anyway, but at least now, I might be able to accomplish this 'bucket list' item a lot sooner, than having to lose the extra human weight, beforehand.(need to lose it anyway, but it's slow-going)

(And the age thing, only worries me, because the older I'm getting, the longer I figure it would take to heal any broken bones..if a horse decides to throw me. When you're in your 20s or 30s...it seems that everything heals fast. But in my cough52cough age bracket, the body takes forever, just to recoup from a simple workout.) (actually it's getting easier the more exercises I do,...which will lead me to my next set of questions..about 'human fitness and being able to ride'.)

I started riding when I was about 10 years old. I wanted to ride before that, but my parents told me I had to wait until I was 10 (Presumably so I'd stop begging them to let me start horse riding for 5 minutes. )

That's so cool.
I kind of figure that you were a 'fearless kid'...and a bit of a 'daredevil' too, then.

Horses are measured in hands. (Yep, they really used to measure hand over hand from the horses front feet to their withers. that's their shoulder) One hand is four inches. You'll see a horses height described as something like 15 hh or 15.2hh, which means 15 hands and 2 inches. Anything under 14.2 is a pony, anything over 14.2 is a horse. (Although there are miniature horses, which are smaller than a lot of ponies.)

This is great info. about horses being measured in hands.

So now, I went online to find a conversion chart:
Horse Height Conversion Chart

Yep, I've been stepped on. Horses don't like stepping on people though, they get off as soon as they notice. If ever you get stepped on by a horse don't try to pull your foot out from under their hoof, as you'll do more damage. Lean into the horses shoulder or rump and they'll pick their hoof up and move away from you.

Oh, okay. Good to know.
I thought horses would step on you, if they were angry, or wanted you to move away from them.
(and since I'd be new to horses, I'd have no idea how to read...when a horse is angry, agitated, or is feeling badly.)

Yes, I've fallen off. Too many times to count. Most of the time it's just kind of embarrassing and the worse you get is covered in mud. I have had a slightly more serious fall where I ended up a concussion. The horse fell too, so there was nothing I could do about that.

Oh, oh.
So then it's true that all horse riders will fall at some point.?
I hope the 'concussion' did not last long, and was not too painful. (I've never had a concussion, so would not know.)

I guess it also depends on 'how long you have been riding'...(I mean the years, not the hours)...and the 'surface of the trail, flat or hilly?'...or even the 'horse falling, like you mentioned'...(hopefully that is a rare thing).
(falling off a bike, seems somehow okay,...falling off a horse,...not so much.)
Though it must depend on what, and how, you hit when landing, as well,...(since hitting pavement might do just as much damage...while riding a bike).

Some pictures.

Mitsunosuke. Japanese Kisouma, about 14hh

Sakie. Japanese Kisouma. about 13.2. Mistu's colour is bay and Sakie is a strawberry roan. A lot of Kisouma tend to be either strawberry or blue roans

Mitsunosuke at work. He's a trained Japanese archery pony, which means if you give him the command he will gallop flat out in straight line so the archer can use both hands to hold his bow and not worry about the horse going of course.

Karin, (I think, they have a lot of mares the same colour.) Karin is 15hh and she's a lovely blue roan colour.

Seeing these photos is amazing...and thrilling at the same time.
They are truly Beautiful.
Thank you so much Norachan

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Your instructors will do their utmost best to ensure that you stay safe and have an enjoyable experience that you'll want to repeat.

I was maybe four or five, held on/in the saddle in front of my dad
I started with a short pony and then graduated to a taller pony, then a horse.

And yes, I've been stepped on and have fallen off but those instances were after I'd been riding for quite a while

 

[cat nap]

Hi
Your instructors will do their utmost best to ensure that you stay safe and have an enjoyable experience that you'll want to repeat.

I was maybe four or five, held on/in the saddle in front of my dad
I started with a short pony and then graduated to a taller pony, then a horse.

And yes, I've been stepped on and have fallen off but those instances were after I'd been riding for quite a while

Thanks Furballsmom .
Yeah, I'm hoping that the instructors would give the most gentle, calm, and slowest horse,...to a new rider.

Wow, did you ever start young.
I guess you had no fears of heights, or falling, or anything at that age. That's just wild.

I forgot to ask,...when you do fall off a horse...do you kind of know ahead of time?
What I mean is,...is there a point where you're up there,...and figure,..."yup, I better jump off, or slide off"...or "is it more like, all of sudden, 'whoops', I'm on the ground?"
(I guess I shouldn't even think of falling,...but it is kind of a fear of mine.)

 

[Furballsmom]

This isn't really helpful, but it (coming off a horse) can be both types of situations although I think more frequently it's the surprise type.

Definitely let the instructor know of your specific concern regarding that. Personally, I think you're going to be a good horse person

 

[gilmargl]

I didn't start riding till I was perhaps 40 years old. My children had been riding for a few years and, when on holiday in Austria, they wanted to ride on the mountain tracks. I was rather bored driving to stables early in the morning and waiting for them to return tired and happy. So I decided to learn.

While visiting family in England, we visited a riding school and I was asked directly "Why don't you have a go, instead of sitting here waiting?" My daughters could ride quite well but had not done much jumping so were put in a group of beginners. I was lent a riding cap and put on a rather fat mare "She never galops" and, accompanied by 2 young women, also on horseback, we went for a walk under the trees.

The children were practising jumps in one field and I was enjoying a leisurely trot through the woods and doing quite well. On the return journey, there was suddenly a loud scream in the distance. My lazy mare was far more aware of what was going on than I was, and immediately started galopping home in pursuit of the other riding school ponies who'd panicked for some reason and were on their way back to the stables as fast as possible! My daughters, who had more control over their horses than others in the group, couldn't believe it. They stood and watched their mother galopping home - with no idea how to apply the brakes. I was told I was "a natural rider".

Back in Germany, I took riding lessons (dressage) first on the lunge on a large placid horse. Larger horses are more comfortable for a beginner as they take long strides and you don't bounce up and down nearly as much as on a small pony which takes much smaller, quicker steps. When my children had their own horse and for some reason couldn't exercise him, I used to ride out on my own. I have never fallen off though when he did his bucking bronco performance in the indoor arena one winter, he threw me out of the saddle, I lost the stirrups, but I managed to keep on, hanging round his neck. My daughter nearly had a heart attack watching him trying to get rid of me! Once while trying to get on him without a saddle I managed to slip and fell underneath him - no idea how that happened (and why without a saddle?) but he didn't step on me.

If you have a good sense of balance riding is easy - but I have seen children with no sense of balance at all and they fall off regularly and, as a parent, I would try to persuade such children to take up a different hobby.

Horse riding is a wonderful experience but I'm not sure if it's really animal-friendly. I love watching wild horses and am against horses being used in any competitive sport. Needless to say, we don't own horses any more. I may miss riding sometimes, but I don't miss mucking out and certainly not having to visit the stables in winter when the water is frozen and the horses need exercise indoors.

Good luck!

 

[hybriseris]

Norachan I have no experience with native Japanese ponies, how amazing and cool! Do you do mounted archery yourself?

I started riding when I was 4, I'm now 30. I didn't own until I was 20, but I had lots of friends who let me ride and worked for riding time.

I have Carrion, a 14 year old Thoroughbred mare who's been with me for 10 years. She is 16.2 (roughly 5' 5" at the shoulder). She raced 9 times, but knowing her now I'm sure she thought running in a circle was boring. She's now my jumper, and we compete between 1.10(meters) to 1.40 classes. You have to earn her respect, but once you do she'll move heaven and earth for you. She's taught me a lot about life and myself and I'm eternally grateful for her.

In terms of being stepped on and horse body language... you'll find your experience with cats helpful! The tension you see in a cats body is the same in a horse's, and the best thing to look at? Their ears! Forward? Interested and happy. Facing backwards and pinned to their neck? Oh they're mad! Swishing tails is also the same between horses and cats. Quick, twitchy movements are an agitated horse. Horses I find, are very rarely intentionally malicious - they just don't see your foot! If you spend time around them it'll become second nature where to put your feet.

In 26 years I've fallen off QUITE a bit, but only one of them was serious and was a direct result of me being a teenager and jumping a jump I absolutely wasn't ready for. With horses there is always a risk even at the walk, because they're notoriously flighty. But most of the time falls are more a little embarrassing and require Advil the day after rather than catastrophic! For reference I'm in a more high intensity discipline and haven't fallen off for three years. (KNOCK ON WOOD!) So while yes, every rider falls, you can go a long time without! And like I said...usually just embarrassing LOL.

I also would say that instructors are like therapists: the first one may not be for you. I've had trainers whose style I simply didn't enjoy, and then others who've flamed my passion for riding with their great instruction! So finding a lesson barn that makes you feel happy to pull in and learn is crucial.

I attached some pics! The jumping one was earlier today, working on jumping WIDE but low, versus high.

It touches my heart that you still remember that trail ride. Horses are magical animals, and I hope you get to feel that feeling again! They become much less intimidating in size and aura once you spend a little time around them.

 

[cat nap]

I didn't start riding till I was perhaps 40 years old. My children had been riding for a few years and, when on holiday in Austria, they wanted to ride on the mountain tracks. I was rather bored driving to stables early in the morning and waiting for them to return tired and happy. So I decided to learn.

While visiting family in England, we visited a riding school and I was asked directly "Why don't you have a go, instead of sitting here waiting?" My daughters could ride quite well but had not done much jumping so were put in a group of beginners. I was lent a riding cap and put on a rather fat mare "She never galops" and, accompanied by 2 young women, also on horseback, we went for a walk under the trees.

The children were practising jumps in one field and I was enjoying a leisurely trot through the woods and doing quite well. On the return journey, there was suddenly a loud scream in the distance. My lazy mare was far more aware of what was going on than I was, and immediately started galopping home in pursuit of the other riding school ponies who'd panicked for some reason and were on their way back to the stables as fast as possible! My daughters, who had more control over their horses than others in the group, couldn't believe it. They stood and watched their mother galopping home - with no idea how to apply the brakes. I was told I was "a natural rider".

Wow. Thank you for writing this story gilmargl .

That story was both thrilling and scary...at the same time.
I'm so glad that you were 'a natural rider'...and managed to calmly stay on that 'suddenly not so lazy mare'...who decided to gallop...all the way back home to her stables.

You wrote it so well, that I can visualize the whole scene.
I'm so happy that the ending was good.

Back in Germany, I took riding lessons (dressage) first on the lunge on a large placid horse. Larger horses are more comfortable for a beginner as they take long strides and you don't bounce up and down nearly as much as on a small pony which takes much smaller, quicker steps. When my children had their own horse and for some reason couldn't exercise him, I used to ride out on my own. I have never fallen off though when he did his bucking bronco performance in the indoor arena one winter, he threw me out of the saddle, I lost the stirrups, but I managed to keep on, hanging round his neck. My daughter nearly had a heart attack watching him trying to get rid of me! Once while trying to get on him without a saddle I managed to slip and fell underneath him - no idea how that happened (and why without a saddle?) but he didn't step on me.

Did you take riding lessons for very long?

You kind of answered another question...that I had...about what people do with their horses in the winter months.
I did figure that certain places would have indoor arenas, but not all,..so this is also good to know.

If you have a good sense of balance riding is easy - but I have seen children with no sense of balance at all and they fall off regularly and, as a parent, I would try to persuade such children to take up a different hobby.

I'm not sure how good my sense of balance is, since I seem to 'lose balance' at times, when I am practicing a "bird dog exercise".
It is supposed to strengthen core muscles.
Hopefully, I'll improve before starting the riding.

Horse riding is a wonderful experience but I'm not sure if it's really animal-friendly. I love watching wild horses and am against horses being used in any competitive sport. Needless to say, we don't own horses any more. I may miss riding sometimes, but I don't miss mucking out and certainly not having to visit the stables in winter when the water is frozen and the horses need exercise indoors.

Good luck!

Thanks. For me, it's just a matter of trying it, and crossing it off my 'bucket list'...but I do understand what you are saying about 'animal friendly', too. I have mixed feelings about that, but more to do with people treating their horses well, and Respecting any animal, and not pushing it to do something it does not want.
I really appreciate your insight, and experiences.

 

[cat nap]

I started riding when I was 4, I'm now 30. I didn't own until I was 20, but I had lots of friends who let me ride and worked for riding time.

I have Carrion, a 14 year old Thoroughbred mare who's been with me for 10 years. She is 16.2 (roughly 5' 5" at the shoulder). She raced 9 times, but knowing her now I'm sure she thought running in a circle was boring. She's now my jumper, and we compete between 1.10(meters) to 1.40 classes. You have to earn her respect, but once you do she'll move heaven and earth for you. She's taught me a lot about life and myself and I'm eternally grateful for her.

I am so amazed at so many people, here, who began riding so young.
(at that age, I think I was still riding a tricycle, and then bike with training wheels, and finally kids bike)

Your horse is so tall, yet so elegant, and looks so powerful, with those muscles.
She's as tall as I am, at the shoulder.
She must feel like you are riding 'Pure Energy' and 'Power' underneath you.

In terms of being stepped on and horse body language... you'll find your experience with cats helpful! The tension you see in a cats body is the same in a horse's, and the best thing to look at? Their ears! Forward? Interested and happy. Facing backwards and pinned to their neck? Oh they're mad! Swishing tails is also the same between horses and cats. Quick, twitchy movements are an agitated horse. Horses I find, are very rarely intentionally malicious - they just don't see your foot! If you spend time around them it'll become second nature where to put your feet.

Are you allowed to wear...'steel toed boots'...or is that a negative?

In 26 years I've fallen off QUITE a bit, but only one of them was serious and was a direct result of me being a teenager and jumping a jump I absolutely wasn't ready for. With horses there is always a risk even at the walk, because they're notoriously flighty. But most of the time falls are more a little embarrassing and require Advil the day after rather than catastrophic! For reference I'm in a more high intensity discipline and haven't fallen off for three years. (KNOCK ON WOOD!) So while yes, every rider falls, you can go a long time without! And like I said...usually just embarrassing LOL.

Good to know.
And Advil I could do.

I think it would also be helpful, if they allowed new riders...to wear like elbow pads, knee pads, shoulder pads,...basically most of the 'hockey gear'...or 'football gear'...that would cushion any falls.
I've never seen that, so maybe I should...discretely ask the instructors...if this would ever catch on?

I also would say that instructors are like therapists: the first one may not be for you. I've had trainers whose style I simply didn't enjoy, and then others who've flamed my passion for riding with their great instruction! So finding a lesson barn that makes you feel happy to pull in and learn is crucial.

This makes a lot of sense, and is totally valuable advice. thanks.

I attached some pics! The jumping one was earlier today, working on jumping WIDE but low, versus high.

It touches my heart that you still remember that trail ride. Horses are magical animals, and I hope you get to feel that feeling again! They become much less intimidating in size and aura once you spend a little time around them.

Your photos are Awesome.. hybriseris
She looks so Powerful.
Like she was built for speed and fluid motion.

The 2nd photo, like power and calmness, all at once.

I really like the 3rd photo, too, because it looks like both of you are laughing, and like all four hooves are in the air.
Like 'Rider and Horse are totally in sync', and having a blast.

 

[Norachan]

I figure it would take to heal any broken bones..if a horse decides to throw me.

It's very unlikely that a horse will try and throw you. If you have lessons at a good riding school they'll make sure you have a steady, patient horse who is used to beginners. The horses that try to throw people are usually the ones that are very young, nervous and inexperienced, or the ones that have been treated badly in some way.

I thought horses would step on you, if they were angry, or wanted you to move away from them.
(and since I'd be new to horses, I'd have no idea how to read...when a horse is angry, agitated, or is feeling badly.

Like hybriseris said, if you can read a cat you can read a horse. It's all in the ears and the tail. Horses pick up on human emotions very quickly, I think they might be able to hear us breathing and take a lot of cues on how we feel from that. I've often found that when a horse is starting to get too excited, pulling to take off when it's not appropriate or getting jittery about some "monster" hiding in a hedge (usually a plastic bag or something) a long slow exhalation helps to calm them.

So then it's true that all horse riders will fall at some point.?

Yes, everyone loses their balance or slips off at some point. It's usually not a big deal if you are walking or trotting. One of my fist instructors used to make us ride our ponies bare back and practice "emergency dismounts" as we walked and then trotted past a pile of old mattresses. Worrying about falling can often be worse than the fall itself, so knowing that you don't have as far to fall as you thought and that there's a good chance you'll land on your feet helps.

'horse falling, like you mentioned'...(hopefully that is a rare thing)

I've only had that happen twice in 30+ years of riding. Both times I was going downhill in wet, slippery conditions. The first time the horse slipped to his side and I was able to jump off easily. The second time I was at the back of a group of riders. We would walk down a long steep slope that had a stream at the bottom, then canter up the other side. The horse knew he was going to be allowed to canter, started pulling to take off before we got to the bottom and slipped and face planted in the mud. I remember coming over his shoulder but that's about all. Luckily I was with other people who could catch the horse and call for a Land Rover to come and take me to the ER.

I have no experience with native Japanese ponies, how amazing and cool! Do you do mounted archery yourself?

No, I'd love to try though. The stables I ride at run one day courses where you learn how to fire an arrow, tack up the horse in the proper archery tack, go for a hack, practice firing from a standing horse and then from a moving horse.

My husband and I have always talked about doing that when we have a bit of spare cash but it's expensive. And we have a lot of cats....

 

[denice]

I had started going to facility close to Columbus a number of years ago, I haven't been since before the pandemic started. Even though I grew up on a farm we didn't have horses. I just took a few lessons then started paying to go trail riding. This is a large facility and have advanced classes and people who compete in dressage and jumping also go there but I kept it very easy and simple.

For the lessons and I got him often when I just went to ride, I got a very gentle and patient horse. He was big but was so easy. He was a gelding; I don't know if that makes a difference with horses as far as always being calm or not.

I don't know if it is standard or not but where I went, they didn't just bring the horse out all ready to go then take him back after I was done riding. I got the horse ready and took care of him after I was finished riding.

 

[silent meowlook]

I rode horses when I was child. It was at a very large public riding stable, and it was group lessons. I did this from about 7 years old till I was 14 years. This would have been back in the 1970’s or early 1980’s. Horses were not treated like they are now, or should be treated. The horses were lesson horses and spent most of their time tacked up waiting for another child to ride them. The riding school would have the horses tacked up and waiting for the kid to jump on. There was no instruction on how to care for a horse, only how to ride. The riding style taught was hard and no consideration was given to the horse. The horse was considered an adversary to be overpowered and forced to your will. I did love horses. At 14 I started working and realized I would never be able to have a horse. I thought about them often but did nothing about it since it seemed such an impossible thing to do.

When I was in my 40’s my boyfriend bought me 3 lessons at a local ranch. I leased a horse for a month and fell off of him the first day. I cracked my tailbone and was to sore to ride most of that month. There was a beautiful but thin and sad grey mare there. One day the girl that owned her asked me if I wanted her because she didn’t have time for her. My boyfriend, and I quote, “FORBID ME TO GET THAT HORSE” so, of course I said yes and she was mine. Her name was Penelope and she was an Andalusian TBH cross mare who was white with a silver mane and tail and silver legs She had big beautiful brown eyes. She was the horse that dreams are made of. And we hated each other at first. I was so out of my element with horses and was afraid of her size. She thought I was stupid. She was right.

We had many battles and I was so frustrated and she was fed up with me. She got away from me so many times and I spent most of our time chasing her down with her running much faster away. One month into having her she tried to jump out of an arena that I was in and hit the gate and wound up completely flipping and landing on her neck. She had to have IV fluids and a long rehab. Nursing animals back to health is what I do for a living so finally there was something I could do right.

During this rehab I was able to track down her original owner and found out she was a very green (inexperienced) 18 year old mare that had spent the first 5 years of her life in a 10x10 stall. Then she was passed along to different owners, I was the 7th owner. She had some deep emotional trauma and so did I. That was something I could relate to.

Due to my ignorance I fed her to much, to many carrots and sweets. She wound up getting laminitis. I had special shoes done that had to be glued on with pads. That kept her comfortable and sound. They were expensive but I didn’t care. She also would have colic episodes that would require veterinary care. I went through 15 veterinarians before finding out what was wrong. She had a protein losing enteropathy and colitis which is a complicated mess in horses. She would kick the pipe corral and the inside of her barn constantly. I finally found a place that had pasture boarding and she was happy there.

I tried many different trainers but none seemed to be able to connect with her. I studied everything I could get my hands on. We even were in a pilot episode of Chris Irwin (horse whisperer) according to him anyway. He couldn’t figure her out either so the episode never aired.

I started working for one of the dressage trainers at the ranch so I could learn more about horses. I didn’t have enough money to get the amount of training that I could by working. I did that for about 5 years. During this time I bought Penelope a custom $5000.00 dressage saddle and we tried a dressage schooling show. She hated it and decided to do some of her special moves, galloping sideways out of the dressage court. The judge didn’t see the humor in it and disqualified us. That was when I didn’t care to show anymore.

I started riding her bareback with only a halter and a lead rope and we went on trails. She was the best trail horse ever. Some of the trails were pretty hardcore and being bareback it would be hard to stay on, but she was always careful with me. Not to say that we didn’t have some 90 mile an hour rides back to her pasture when she was done sometimes, but I never fell off of her.



I got her teeth done by a vet when she was 24 years old. I had them done every year but this was a different vet. The vet removed to much of her teethe and she could never eat hay again. I would soak hay pellets, 2lbs at a time and feed her every 2 hours. I was able to keep her weight good that way. She developed the protein losing enteropathy, or it was diagnosed then, so I had to give her steroid injections daily

In the eight years I had her I saw her every day. When she was ill I would sleep in the pasture with her. At 26 years old she tore her deep digital flexor tendon which is a bad thing in horses. Then she tore the other one and it was discovered she had a disease called DLSD which is a connective tissue disease. She had allot of trouble getting up. She was in pain but still looked forward to eating. I had to make the awful decision to end her life.

I was still working for the dressage trainer and I guess I have a big sucker sign on my forehead because I somehow wound up with a spoiled brat of a gelding that has bucked me off pretty hard. He is now recovering from a luxated SI joint, so he is not able to be ridden. He probably did it when he bucked me off of him. He also has juvenal arthritis so being ridden isn’t going to be in his future. He has received the medical care he needs and he lives in a place where he has horse friends and is happy. I don’t see him every day since he is an hour away and I am working allot. The lady that owns the property takes care of him like he is her own.

So……now you all know why people don’t ever ask me about horses.

 

[hybriseris]

So……now you all know why people don’t ever ask me about horses.

How special that mare ended up with you! She got to have a life with someone who understood her, and accepted her for who she was. As my vet says "horses are born, and then they start looking for ways to hurt themselves" so I sympathize with everything you've been through! The vet that over-floated her teeth, were they floating by hand or with power tools?


cat nap Steel toe boots aren't recommended just in case on the very slim chance the horse crushes the steel part, you don't want your toes caught. I was thinking about it today, and I have to say....99% of the time when I get stepped on it actually doesn't hurt? Don't get me wrong, I've definitely had some where I'm like GET OFF MEEE! But most of the time they never rest their full weight because they realize they've stepped on something. Ultimately, just from reading your posts it's obvious you'd be mindful and respectful of their space, and that's the key to *not* getting stepped on, so you're already well on your way. I bet you'd be just fine.

To your point about elbow/knee/etc pads, there's a lot about riding that requires you to have full range of motion, and your joints to be pointing in specific directions, that might be interfered with by pads HOWEVER...it might make you feel more confident to wear a safety vest designed for equestrians! I wear one when I jump, and they're becoming increasingly popular. They protect your core and shoulders, and absorb some of the impact if you were to hit the ground. Many of them are rather expensive to invest in unless you intend to take up riding consistently but there are some great ones to wear while you're testing the waters that might make you feel safer. Helmet technology has also come on leaps and bounds and they're incredible in terms of safety features.

And yes...that picture where she's leaping is one of my favorites because I am smiling and laughing right in the middle of her deciding she wanted to go faster. She is an absolute pill.

 

[denice]

So……now you all know why people don’t ever ask me about horses.

Sounds like you had experiences like my father did. At around 10 I went through the stage that most girls do, and I wanted a horse. We lived on a farm and couldn't figure out why I couldn't have a horse. My father was born in 1913 and actually farmed with horses when he was a kid, he preferred mules for farming. I worked on him to get a horse for two years and he was having none of it. He said that there was no such thing as a fence that a horse couldn't get out of it. He also said I wouldn't take care of it, and he didn't want to.

That gelding that I rode the most stepped on me a couple of times. I don't remember it really hurting and a gentle nudge was all it took for him to move.

 

[game misconduct]

i went horse riding once in my life and i got played and taken advantage of by an old smart gelding. that old horse knew i didnt really know what i was doing so it just went its own way found a patch of weeds and began eating while i sat there trying to get it movingfinally i just yanked a bunch of weeds and just walked it back to the stables luring it with the handful of weeds no more horses for me

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh my goodness

 

[silent meowlook]

How special that mare ended up with you! She got to have a life with someone who understood her, and accepted her for who she was. As my vet says "horses are born, and then they start looking for ways to hurt themselves" so I sympathize with everything you've been through! The vet that over-floated her teeth, were they floating by hand or with power tools?

Power Tools. I never should have let her touch my horse. I wish I would have followed my gut instinct.

 

[KittyFriday]

I'm loving this thread. I grew up on a ranch but we never had horses - my dad can't stand them. For the record, working cattle on foot is about as much fun as it sounds

I've done trail rides here and there and one of my friends growing up had horses. I would love to take lessons in the future and perhaps have a horse of my own one day.

 

[gilmargl]

Did you take riding lessons for very long?

I would have preferred to learn in England, but we lived in Germany where dressage was the standard form of riding. I may have had 5 private lessons followed by group instruction. It was all indoors so not quite what I was hoping for.

I'm not sure how good my sense of balance is, since I seem to 'lose balance' at times, when I am practicing a "bird dog exercise".
It is supposed to strengthen core muscles.

I think that Pilates balance exercises to strengthen the core are somewhat different from the sense of balance needed to ride and stay on a horse. It is important to connect with the horse's movements and move in a supple way rather than like a stiff board! Go with the flow. If you sit like a stone on his back, he'll be reluctant to move forward at all. At worst, he'll decide to throw you off!
By the way, I remember that my father was watching my first riding lesson in England. He had set up the visit to the riding school. Much to my daughters' amusement, he thought my gallop home was planned!