Are there any horse people here?

[redwood66]

We have 3 Quarter horses right now and love them to death. I was raised with horses and literally rode before I walked in a gunny sack behind my mom on her horse. My dad was a horse trainer and we lived on a ranch owned by my grandpa. It was a business and we had about 200 horses at any given time, 8 studs, 50 or so mares who had 50 babies every year so 50 yearlings, 2 year olds, until they were sold. It was a lot of work from before dawn til dark. Now my horses are just for enjoyment for DH and I.

Anyone else?

 

[justginger]

I love horses, but have never owned them - just lessons on and off over the years. I had a hard time finding someone who could give me western lessons here, as almost all riding is English. As much as I would love to have one in the future, they are extremely expensive (into horses, out of pocket, they say here ) and getting someone to care for our multiple cats and dogs while we travel is extremely difficult already. Plus I'd have no idea how to DO anything - I'd need a horse-knowledgable mentor or something.

Do you have any photos? I'd love to see them .

 

[redwood66]

They are definitely expensive! And we have to plan way ahead of time for any vacation that is for sure. I will dig up some pictures. Some people here lease a horse while they are testing the waters to see if it is for them. They usually keep it at the ranch they lease from. I definitely ride western because english is not for me. We do a lot of trail riding in the mountains around here and enjoy it immensely.

The top pic is Hooker my DH's gelding, 2nd is my gelding Buster and 3rd pic is our mare Midget with Zip her baby at 1.5 hours old. Zip was sold when he was 4 years old so now we only have the 3. Bottom pic is Zip's daddy owned by a local ranch - he is a beauty!

 

[justginger]

Yes, I leased a fat quarter horse named Bella for a while - she was a lovely thing, just as slow as I needed. It's a huge commitment to own one though, especially when you live and work in a city of 2 million. I either have to move far enough out of the city to have one on my own property, which would mean an hour commute to work each way, or pay to have one agisted forever (and then logistically all riding would be done in semi-residential areas, which isn't nearly as much fun as going out in nature).

I'm sure there are other horse people around here - I remember one of the Australian girls asked about them a while ago and there were a few fanatics.

 

[redwood66]

Even though our horses are expensive we love them and cannot imagine not having them. Wow 2 million people - my whole county has less than 150K. Having horses for you would be terribly expensive then and who wants to commute two hours a day. Many people do it but I could not spend that much time driving every day. I work on the street I live on and it is 3 miles to get there.

 

[justginger]

They look lovely! I have a soft spot for quarter horses, they always seem to have beautiful temperments. Zip looks like he would have been quite a stunner when he grew up.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Yes, I used to bet on horses at the track...

 

[PhillyMcGee]

Me!
I have an Arabian Warmblood mare (Egyptian Arab x Hanoverian) named Alphaira (Philly)
She's 10 years old, 15.2hh and we showjump. Well, we do in theory however at the moment I don't have a car that can tow a float so we aren't able to compete until I buy a new car.
Definitely expensive, especially when you agist like I do, but worth every cent to me!

 

[CrazyBirdLady]

I've asked this question before and it didn't seem like many people on Pricescope own horses. I'm excited to see if any new people have horses. I own three and need to work out how to post pictures. My main horse is a liver chestnut Arabian warmblood mare with lots of bling and then I have 2 old retirees sitting in the paddock.

 

[redwood66]

HA DF! I wish my grandfather had bet more and claimed less - it would have been cheaper. We had both race horses and working cow horses. He loved to claim mares at the track. One of our studs was slated to be in the All American and injured himself just before. Another was a winner trained by D. Wayne Lucas before he moved to thoroughbreds.

Phillymcgee show jumping sounds fun but I would be way too scared to do that. Now cutting horses that is a fun ride I recommend to anyone who can hang on.

Crazybirdlady oh please post some pics, I would love to see them! Our mare is retired but the two boys we ride. By your name I take it you have birds? I have two parrots, a Congo African Grey and a Goffin cockatoo. For those of you in AU I hear the Goffins are like pigeons over here in the US.

Two of you have used the word agist and I had to look it up! Like learning something new every day. Our horses are only for trail and pleasure riding. I am so glad we are blessed to live on property and do not have to board ours. They are definitely hard work and expensive but what hobby isn't? We have a riding arena next to the barn and we put a gate in the back of the property so we can ride on the old railroad bed behind. Mostly we haul to one of the nearby state parks that have trails, or head up to the forest service land and use the fire roads.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I love horses, they are beautiful animals. I once contemplated buying a race horse through the claiming system myself, but after adding up all the costs, I decided it would be too much for my budget to handle. I can't think of more fun than to own a racehorse.

I like going to the racetrack. We have Arlington not too far from me, which is beautiful and I do try to go. If you're not a big gambler, its a cheap day out. I love it. I also live in horse country, which many wouldn't believe as I am in Illinois. The stable and owner that was involved in the Brock disappearance is just a mile away, and is in an area where people own horses on their own land.(zoned).

What a wonderful upbringing you had. Just keep enjoying the horses.

Annette

 

[justginger]

HA DF! I wish my grandfather had bet more and claimed less - it would have been cheaper. We had both race horses and working cow horses. He loved to claim mares at the track. One of our studs was slated to be in the All American and injured himself just before. Another was a winner trained by D. Wayne Lucas before he moved to thoroughbreds.

Phillymcgee show jumping sounds fun but I would be way too scared to do that. Now cutting horses that is a fun ride I recommend to anyone who can hang on.

Crazybirdlady oh please post some pics, I would love to see them! Our mare is retired but the two boys we ride. By your name I take it you have birds? I have two parrots, a Congo African Grey and a Goffin cockatoo. For those of you in AU I hear the Goffins are like pigeons over here in the US.

Two of you have used the word agist and I had to look it up! Like learning something new every day. Our horses are only for trail and pleasure riding. I am so glad we are blessed to live on property and do not have to board ours. They are definitely hard work and expensive but what hobby isn't? We have a riding arena next to the barn and we put a gate in the back of the property so we can ride on the old railroad bed behind. Mostly we haul to one of the nearby state parks that have trails, or head up to the forest service land and use the fire roads.

I had to look up what a Goffin cockatoo was - I have seen them as pets here, but the smaller one, the sulfur crested cockatoo, seems more common. It was definitely a cultural, and fauna, difference that I noticed when I moved - way more bird owners, and big 'exotic' birds. Plus seeing them everywhere, I'll still pull over to watch them in the parks, big flocks of black and white cockatoos, plus '28s' and my favorite, rainbow lorikeets. They're hideously loud and actually a pest (an introduced specie that laid ruin to some of the native birds), but just SO beautiful!

 

[redwood66]

JG I have looked at pics in AU of flocks of cockatoos and what a sight! Rainbow lorikeets are beautifully colorful birds and I can imagine it would be amazing to see whole flocks. When I was in high school my parents had a hair brained idea to move to AU with our horses because working cow horses were starting to get quite a bit of interest there. In their research they found that the quarantine was so long and expensive it would have taken years to regain that lost $.

 

[MarionC]

I am owned by horses as well!

Two Arabians - one is 40 [!] and one is about 24, one Selle Francais/Arab cross, a 3-legged mule that came with the property, and 2 mini-horses.
Love your photos - your horses are beautiful and look so well taken care of.

 

[MarionC]

I am owned by horses as well!

Two Arabians - one is 40 [!] and one is about 24, one Selle Francais/Arab cross, a 3-legged mule that came with the property, and 2 mini-horses.
Love your photos - your horses are beautiful and look so well taken care of.

 

[redwood66]

Love your pics Jimmianne! Wow 40 years old? And a 3 legged mule? I gotta see a pic of that. We had a mini horse that my DH thought he needed to rescue and boy was he a creep. Glad we do not have him anymore. Little man syndrome big time.

 

[AprilBaby]

I'm scared silly of horses. They are bigger than me and have giant teeth.

 

[JewelFreak]

Your horses are beautiful, Jimmianne & Redwood. Healthy & well cared for. They make me feel wistful. I've wanted horses and burros since I was a little kid. Never was in a position to have them -- either financially or because I lived in cities & 'burbs. Sigh, next life. I rode both English & Western & loved either one; just being with the horse was the joy.

40 years old, Jimmianne -- is that near a record? Wonderful! How is your 3-legged mule doing? Okay, I assume, with your care. I follow a blog by a woman in New Mexico who has a horse (long story why there aren't more) and 3 donkeys. I've decided I need to move next door to somebody with both, so I can be their new best friend. How can you resist these adorable guys?

From 7MSNranch.com




Maybe I'll move near one of you two and be your new best friend!

--- Laurie

 

[GliderPoss]

Yeah I grew up with horses. We had 4 horses - Whiskey who was this amazing ageless (40+) skewbald pony who I think every kid in the district had learnt to ride on, Arinya who was my mum's horse - used to fart over jumps Jet - my sister's black thoroughbred beauty who was super fast and Afeena my lovely Arabian. She was my everything and luckily we grew up on a farm so plenty of places to ride. Unfortunately in my early 20's I went away to uni and my mum couldn't cope with them on her own so she gave them away to other young girls learning to ride. I was rather sad but understood why and it's nice for someone else to have to chance to ride too. I hope to one day get another horse of my own again but it's difficult without land or living somewhere semi-rural. Stabling costs arer ridiculous!

 

[MarionC]

Love your pics Jimmianne! Wow 40 years old? And a 3 legged mule? I gotta see a pic of that. We had a mini horse that my DH thought he needed to rescue and boy was he a creep. Glad we do not have him anymore. Little man syndrome big time.

I don't know why my photos double posted. ah well. sorry.
The mule has 3 good legs and a small atrophied leg that she can't stand on. It literally took 12 years to get her to stand for the farrier, in the beginning we had to put her to sleep every time.

Sorry you got a mini-creep
I imprint trained mine the day they were born. I got to hold them in my arms like babies : ) They are very lovey-dovey.
My 40-year old boss mare on the other hand...what a harpy

 

[MarionC]

Yeah I grew up with horses. We had 4 horses - Whiskey who was this amazing ageless (40+) skewbald pony who I think every kid in the district had learnt to ride on, Arinya who was my mum's horse - used to fart over jumps Jet - my sister's black thoroughbred beauty who was super fast and Afeena my lovely Arabian. She was my everything and luckily we grew up on a farm so plenty of places to ride. Unfortunately in my early 20's I went away to uni and my mum couldn't cope with them on her own so she gave them away to other young girls learning to ride. I was rather sad but understood why and it's nice for someone else to have to chance to ride too. I hope to one day get another horse of my own again but it's difficult without land or living somewhere semi-rural. Stabling costs arer ridiculous!

I hope you do get one - or - some again!

 

[justginger]

I'm scared silly of horses. They are bigger than me and have giant teeth.

I can understand this. My mother is petrified of horses. One of my favorite family trips was when we stayed at a ranch in Wyoming. We were matched up with a horse to have the entire time, and would go on whole day trail rides, camp out, etc. My mom gave it a good go - she got on 'her' horse (Buttons) once, for about 30 seconds before shrieking to get down. She spent a lot of time reading that holiday.

 

[CrazyBirdLady]

Trying to post my first picture so I hope this works

 

[CrazyBirdLady]

Well a miracle happened and I posted a picture of Paris

PhillyMcGee I know what you mean about agisiting being expensive. I agisted in Perth for a little while and it's very pricey. The cost of horse feed is crazy and the grass doesn't grow. It's cheaper owning a horse in the Eastern states. Hope you get a towing car soon.

Redwood66 Lovely pictures and I have a soft spot for Hooker as I love a big blaze. Yes your right I do have a parrot (sun conure) and he runs the house. I should have called myself crazy horse lady instead as I'm more involved with horses. I work as a bridle maker and show my horse as well. It's nice to see another horse and bird and diamond person here. Whats your African grey like? Your right about the cockys being like pidgeons here they are everywhere along with Corellas. It sounds like you have some lovely places to ride your horses.

 

[MarionC]

Trying to post my first picture so I hope this works

Seriously gorgeous. Dutch Warmblood? I'm not familiar with the brand HMS.

 

[AGBF]

Where is Lorelei? She is a horse person, too.

Deb

 

[JewelFreak]

Also Desk Jockey!

 

[redwood66]

CBL she is beautiful! I love liver chestnuts. My grey is such an awesome guy with a more than 100 word vocabulary. He uses his words and sayings in context too.

 

[AprilBaby]

I'm scared silly of horses. They are bigger than me and have giant teeth.

I can understand this. My mother is petrified of horses. One of my favorite family trips was when we stayed at a ranch in Wyoming. We were matched up with a horse to have the entire time, and would go on whole day trail rides, camp out, etc. My mom gave it a good go - she got on 'her' horse (Buttons) once, for about 30 seconds before shrieking to get down. She spent a lot of time reading that holiday.

I rode once. Neither the horse or I liked each other.

 

[redwood66]

Those of you with horses (or any beloved pet) will understand how devastated I am. Last week I had to put down my gelding Buster and the old mare within an hour of each other due to unrelated reasons. My life has totally changed. Within 3 days of losing those two we sold my DH's gelding Hooker and our horse trailer. I can never go through this again. I have had horses all my life and this is so hard for me.

Thanks for listening. I am trying to get through this and each day I cry a bit less.