Lesson Horses!  

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? Mouse here was older than dirt and I despised him half way to hell. I would come home crying from horse camp everyday because he was a lazy arse who could only cough and fart. Now that he’s passed away and i’m older I look at him a lot different. He taught me a lot of patience and he also let me know that horses weren’t going to be easy. He also got me my first two blue ribbons [mind they were at a little camp show], took me on my first bareback ride [which was rather painful], and taught me a basis for everything.

 

Here we have Kola and up until him I was terrified of jumping. I’d had some bad expierences in the past and finally Sandy just had it with me and told me I was going to jump. So I did and Kola got me over that dear with his smooth jump. I ended up riding him for a whole FOUR years. I was in love with him all that time and I finally decided that it was time for me to move on. Just this past summer he taught my little sister how to ride in her first summer of horse camp. [Mind that's not me in the picture.]

 

Next we come to Magnolia. When she came to CM she was eighteen and I, of course, fell in love instantly. She was an appendix quarter horse with the most awkward jump ever. I just had the tendancy to pick the odd ones in the bunch. I rode her for well over a year and she was the first horse I ever got a blue ribbon on at a show, which lead to my first reserve champion and eventually an actual champion. Now days she’s around twenty-one and I ride her every once and while just for old times sake. She’s still got that spunk in her too.

 

 Java! She was probably one of the greatest horses to ever walk into my life. I rode her for almost two years. She was the shortest strided beast ever even though she has those lovely long legs. She helped me learn dressage [pretty unsuccessfully, i might add] and took me over my highest jump to this date which was 3′9″. I was hooked until Sandy decided to let another girl take her into jumpers. Now days she’s all over the place and can’t even pick up the right leads when you ask her [mind she used to get auto changes]. I still love her to death though. She’s also the horse who screwed over my neck. Whoo.

 

The comes my first green horse to ever really stick with. Zanzibar was my project for about half a year. I loved that dapple gray with the eye cancer who couldn’t jump a course without knocking down at least one jump. I showed him over the summer in the very green classes and we progressively got better until we could finally beat every green horse besides those “greenies” who really shouldn’t have been showing in the green classes anymore. I’ve stopped riding him for now, but who knows?

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My Horses!

We’ll start with Jed because he was technically never mine. I rode him once and I was already hooked. He had an owner who’d had him forever and never done anything with him and then finally sold him to Sandy. I was the first person on him in years and I knew we were meant for each other. I spent hours soaking his foot in epsom when he went lame and I begged my mom to buy him. We really were going to until the vet came and concluded that he had arthritis in both hocks. I was heartbroken and my mother was turned off. He left for a sale in Kentucky last summer and I haven’t seen or heard of him since. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish I would have persisted with my mom more and convinced her to buy him. I love him always.

 

Phoenix was my first real horse, erm, pony. I had her for three years and she was just given away a few days ago. I had plenty of ups and downs with her over my ownership. She was just broke last summer and since then I rode her maybe ten times at the most. I was bucked off her a good eight times, at least. I was scared to death of her. We were about to give her away in December, but she ended up getting herself hurt bad. Within that time I grew pretty close to her. I was still scared to ride her, but I was finally loving her. We couldn’t keep a pony I wouldn’t ride though so we gave her to an expierenced horsewoman who i’m sure she’ll do wonders with. I hope she has all the best luck at her new home.

 

 Then we have the unforgettable Batman. I knew him for years before we finally bought him as a Christmas present for my little sisters. While he was for them, they were never able to fully ride him in the year that we owned him. I was usually the one working with him and, of course, we formed a bond. He was the biggest little snot in the world, but I loved him. Last fall we sold him to a woman who had a little girl who was an expierenced rider. I love this little guy for life and wouldn’t mind owning him again.

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“Work” Horses!

So Ranebo is the one of the horses at the private barn I work at on the weekends. She’s pretty much the momma of the bunch and she’s oretty grumpy. She’s mainly been popping babies out for the past few years, but last summer I got it in my head that I would show her. I worked with her all summer and took her to the last show. We ended up clearing out the beginner equitation, winning every single class and division champions. It was quite the show.

 

Penrod was sold a few years ago which broke my heart because he was the horse I had been riding at the time. Just last summer he came back and I was thrilled! I’ve been riding him off and on since then and he’s still amazing. He’s one of the biggest bullies ever, but I love that about him. He’s so lazy on the flat, but when you start jumping him he gets all excited. He’s such a challenge to ride that he never gets boring.

 

At ‘Em is the biggest pain in the arse you could ever find, but he’s also an up-and-coming star. He’s coming on seven years and he’s already got quite the show record under his belt. I’ve never gotten the privelage of jumping him, but I have excercised him a few times and he’s quite the ride. You’ve always got to be alert because he’ll take advantage of you if you aren’t.

 

Then we’ve got Bodey. Measuring in at 17.2 HH tall, he’s a giant! He’s such a lover and is one of the gentelest horses I’ve ever ridden. Ranebo is his mother and his father is the colored oldenburg stallion imported from germany, Rainbow. Bodey just recently started jumping, but he’s already excelling at it. He’s leaving to go show in Florida soon and I’ll definitely be missing him.

 

Lilly is the baby of the bunch. That picture is from two summers ago, but I love it so I figured i’d use it. She’s coming on two years old this summer and she shed her baby hairs out to a liver chestnut! She’s a total spit fire who has caused me a lot of grief. Ranebo is her mom and Bodey is her half brother. I can’t wait to see what she’ll turn out like. I’m sure she’ll get big like her brother.

 

Nick is the newest addition to the farm. He’s an ex-racehorse who was pretty much given to my boss. He’s got plenty of issues and i’m not sure how much longer he’ll stay around. He was a big sweetheart when he got there, but now he’s just turning into a beast. Rearing up at feedtime and pinning his ears at most people. He’s nice to ride, but that still doesn’t make up for everything else.

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Current Horse.

This is Chloe. I’m currently riding her in my lessons and I’m going to start leasing her soon. Her actual owners are never really around so she doesn’t get a lot of attention. She’s some sort of draft cross, so she’s pretty hefty. She’s fun to ride and she’s really  friendly so I’m pretty fond of her. She’s got a powerful jump and she can be a challenge to ride sometimes. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.