Any horse lovers here? Whether you own them or not doesn't matter

[Mountainman]

I have 3 Arabians. Two geldings and a mare. I ride western pleasure. I live in open range territory so most people here have quarter horses to work the cattle. But I like Arabians. They are very smart and affectionate and beautiful. They run with their tails up in the air. They are the only breed that can be traced back over 5000 years with out any other breed mixed in. They are used in endurance races because of their stamina. They were bred to live in the deserts of North Africa. Under their coats they have black skin and they have eye lashes to keep the sand out or their eyes.

Some of the best days of my life are the days I get to spend hours and hours with them. The whole world seems to go away during that time. NO re pugs, no negativity, just me and my horses. Whether just grooming them or riding them or training them. The time spent is like time in heaven.

They are so cool. Horses are a different kind of pet because you ride them. There is a special kind of communication between you and a horse that is different then communication with say cats or dogs.


And I really like horse people. Women horse people are some of the neatest women around. I think they could handle just about any thing life sends their way. I like to see my wife in her jeans, her western shirt, her boots and cowgirl hat.

Well enough of my day dreaming. I get off in about five hours and I'll be with them then.

[ironflange]

1. I rode a horse once. . .

[Superfly]

2. My dream has been to own an Appaloosa

since I was a kid. When I get rich and buy some land, I s'pose...

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

3. I got kicked in the chest by an arabian...

Bitch! Didn't want to wear a saddle

[Dunedain]

4. My daughter has a Blue Roan

He's beautiful, sometimes I ride him, but not as much as my sportster.:)


>edit blue not blur

[Carl21014]

5. I don't ride, but my daughters do!

I've been taking them to lessons every week for almost three years now. They are 8 and 11 and really love it.

[MuseRider]

6. Cutting horse person here!

Hey! OR, ummmm, HOWDY!

I am in Kansas and I raise and ride (sort of) cutting horses. I have a 53 acre farm and have 7 quarter horses. As a cattle horse person I can understand perfectly because I found God in the rear end of a herd of cows I was pushing one afternoon. Solitude and the feeling of being one with your horse, the herd and the universe is unbeatable, especially these days.

I love Arabians, they are nobel and beautiful. For me a good, common sense, foundation bred quarter horse was just the ticket although I have honest dreams of someday doing an Endurance trial and that would probably require an Arabian.

I have been trying to learn the sport of cattle cutting. It is wild and woolly, just the ticket for a cowgirl like me but I have limited funds so am trying to content myself right now with raising them and getting them trained and sold so I can someday afford to do it. As far as that goes, thanks to Bush* I have been unable to breed for the last two years and probably will not again this year. My baby last year died. Biding my time for now.

Nice to meet you. True horse people go way beyond the stereotypes, they are mostly a good bunch and hey, I even learned to tolerate country music (notice I said tolerate!).

[Mountainman]

9. I want to get a quarter horse and do team penning

Team penning is big here. No real damage to the cows and no real roping skills needed. We have an arena here where they practice team roping every Friday night. That's not for me. I sometimes think it is cruel to the calves. But we have weeks here that for days and days the cows at my neighbors' are bawling all night long due to branding and castrating.

A few weeks ago a cow just about broke my ribs when I was trying to keep my dogs from killing her new born calve. I still can't sleep on my back or left side and I'm mad as hell at the dogs.

I thought all you ladies did barrel raising!

[MuseRider]

15. I always thought

that team penning looked like fun. I have a mare who is a great roping horse but I treasure my thumbs too much to get into that ( I am a musician so I need them!) and I also do not like the way it seems that cows can get hurt. Yes, castrating and branding time can get noisy and it always makes me feel bad. That, and the fact that I would end up having to sell them, is the reason I do not have cattle. My mare and I got broad sided by a loose cow once, I would imagine your ribs feel a bit like hers did.

Barrel racing looks like fun but I like the challenge of thinking with my horse and reading a cow. It is so fun until they turn when you were not ready and leave you hanging in the air! Many times you can see daylight between me and the saddle, it is such fun.

[Snow]

7. Enjoy horses a lot - sold mine when we moved to LA,

Now occassionally go trail riding with friends. They usually give me Murray the Mule to ride. Murray's lovely, her horsey part is some Peruvian breed, and her trot feels very odd - like she's striding in a circle or something.

I used to ride dressage (which, for the unitiated, is like martial art forms or kata - except you're working with a large, hairy partner with pointy ears who may or may not be feeling cooperative. Sounds like some other sports I could think of) at the low level - highest test I rode was first level test 4. I enjoy dressage quite a bit - could be because I practice a martial art (taekowndo) already.

[camero]

8. Love them

They're like big dogs. The only difference is you don't stand behind some when they're pissed off. Almost learned the hard way with a thoroughbred. Still trying to figure out why he didn't kick me years later.

[Lefta Dissenter]

10. I ride for pleasure,

but my daughter rides more seriously. She does eventing, which includes dressage (like compulsory figure skating exercises on a horse), cross-country (for brave, wild people only) and stadium jumping. She's much braver than I am. Of course, she's young, so I guess that goes with the territory.

[Snow]

11. That's your daughter?

She's a pretty good rider. Nice horse, too - thoroughbred?

[Lefta Dissenter]

14. Yes, that's my daughter,

and the horse on the bottom is a TB, though he's been sold. The one on the top is, believe it or not, a Paint Breeding Stock. Wonderful horse - his personality and heart just can't be beat. He's her main competition horse. We got him when he was three, she has trained him, and he'll be here for life.

[Scout]

12. Horse Lovers are Stable People

I love horses and riding. Never owned my own. I had lessons once, when I was thirteen. They were a day camp at a farm/ranch ... we took care of and learned about the horses in the mornings, and then learned riding in the afternoons.

I am a sometimes volunteer stable hand here:
http://www.ismi.net/horseshaven/
a very worthy organization! Please help them if you can.

I ride whenever I get the chance, especially when I've travelled. I've ridden on the ocean beach at St. Simons Island, Georgia, and on the beach at San Diego (only about 300 yards north of the border fence that goes out into the ocean). This summer I was very fortunate to be able to ride in the Canadian Rockies, at Lake Louise.

[Desertrose]

13. ooooh horses...I miss my Ginger....

started riding when I was 7....haven't had horses for years though...man I miss 'em.
Ginger- my first, was a Quarter Horse mare...did a lot of showing back east- mostly Western Pleasure and rode the trails. Couldn't do barrels cause she'd get too crazy on me. Had another QH gelding- Zachary Taylor...he was sweet but not overloaded in the brains dept compared to Ginger- that horse considered any fence a personal challenge LOL

Love Arabians...they have some good ranches here...Oasis Arabians is down the road. My sis had a part Arab mare...she was something to see. Don't ya love the tails straight and snorting into the wind!

I miss just going out & hanging with the horses in the meadows.....sigh....
great photos! Wow...dressage...never had the patience.....kudos!


Peace & horses!!!!!
DR