riding when you don't own a horse

[perma-grin]

Hey don't judge a barn by it's balls!!!! LOL! It could just mean that they have playful younger geldings!! My first thoroughbred William and his pasture mates Induli SW, HersheySW and Martini DW were ferocious ball hunters and killers!!!LOL! It kinda got expensive and beach balls nevr had a chance! Martini killed the neighbor's rooster once ,...it was pretty awful !!! Geldings and younger studs just seem to play more, mares not so much! I don't have a problem with Parelli or Anderson. I just think that the majority of people that flock to their clinics are basically afraid of their horses to begin with. Unfortunately for them the horse knows it, and takes advantage of it. I've never had a problem establishing who the head of the herd was A horse innately knows that it can lead or follow and if you aren't capable of making that choice they will! Chrome and I had a "Jesus come to meeting " moment last spring while working on canter transitions. he decide that it would be more fun if he threw a running buck. After a quick discussion over who was actually in charge, he decided that I was correct, and we should just stick to the transitions and leave the rodeo stunts back at the ranch!! LOL!

 

[perma-grin]

By the way this is my boy Chrome. He was an uncivilized snot nose brat when he came to live with me! It's amazing what a gelding knife and lots of sweaty saddle pads can do to change a horses attitude about life! LOL! i think that he has turned out rather well and is quite nice looking for a stock horse.

 

[perma-grin]

For boots I wear dressage boots when i'm in my full seat breeches, and either paddock boots or cowboy boots if I'm in jeans. Wear what you comfortable in as long as the boot has a heel so as not to slip through the iron. Bobbie shows english because one : she likes it, even for gymkana events and two because it was her first year showing and it was the least expensive way for her to go. She used my old dressage jacket ( from back when I was a tad more svelte)shirt, velvet cap,and I found her a pair of decent used boots (mine were to small for her)at a tack sale. Her mom found her a new pair of buff breeches. She used one my bridles and I found her a great deal on a used saddle that my old instructor was selling. English was way cheaper than the western show clothes and saddleseat outfits are ridiculously expensive!!! This was at a fun show costume class I went to with her. She and peach were doing costume class "Barbie princess Pony"! LOL! Chrome and I were just hangin' out taking care of numbers and such.

And PS I have a drop nose band very old school, chromes face isn't really that long! LOL!

 

[B.E.G.]

Bump! Serafina, are you going to start now or wait until after ski season?

I found a stable right outside my city here that does lessons. I might do that until I move, and then I'm going to probably start lessons over the summer through Stanford's Equestrian team/Red Barn (if I can since most of their classes/clinics begin in the fall).

Curious to know what you decided to do!

 

[Serafina]

Perma, that is one good looking paint! I see what you mean about the nose - he does look...aristocratic!

BEG - I have been 100% consumed with my extra-marital ski love affair and the new Rossi powder skis. As soon as I can pull my head out of my butt, I am calling the stables...

 

[B.E.G.]

Hey, am I correct in remembering that you are a professor? If so, does your school have an equestrian team/club? Would that be an option? I thought of it earlier today when I started googling Stanford's equestrian team - taking lessons through Stanford's barn might be the best option for me next year. Was wondering if that might work for you at your school! (And if I'm remembering your occupation correctly!)

 

[Serafina]

I am a professor, but I teach at a pretty small school...if they have an equestrian team, I've never heard of it. Also, it is 35-40 minutes from my house, so I am going to try to go some place closer. It is a good thought, though!

 

[snow]

omg, reading this brings back some memory!

BEG, I took lessons in Webb Ranch (Portola Valley) in the bay area for almost 2 years, I highly recommend them! I can't believe we share the same interests!

By the way, do you play any instrument? My orchestra is always looking for musicians (in Cupertino!)

 

[B.E.G.]

Snow - thanks for the recommendation! Honestly, I'm trying to pin down what I REALLY want to do. I really want to ride, and I want to give mountain biking a try, and I'm definitely going to start rock climbing. But I figure I should narrow those down a bit - I guess I could do all, but it's a lot of new things to learn!

I play the piano, but certainly not well enough anymore to be playing with anyone - sorry!

 

[snow]

LOL, yeah, i know what you mean. I'm currenty training in taekwondo (been doing for 7 years!!), play in an orchestra for 3 years, and started to snowboard!
Riding is expensive, and it's not as fun if you don't own a horse or lease one. You can only ride during lesson, and you can't really take them out for a trail ride, ut leasing one is quite expensive.

 

[B.E.G.]

LOL, yeah, i know what you mean. I'm currenty training in taekwondo (been doing for 7 years!!), play in an orchestra for 3 years, and started to snowboard!
Riding is expensive, and it's not as fun if you don't own a horse or lease one. You can only ride during lesson, and you can't really take them out for a trail ride, ut leasing one is quite expensive.

And that's exactly why I'm hesitating on the horseback riding. With skiing, I can ski all day. With biking, same. Rock climbing - same. Also golf. But riding is really expensive for the amount of time you can do it, and as a student, and later a teacher... too expensive for me!

 

[snow]

I hear you!!! I'm planning to go to planet granite for rock climbing lesson once the now season is over (not officially until May 30th at Squaw!!!)
Good luck with your school endeavor!!

*don't you wish tahoe is a bit closer to the bay area?!*

 

[perma-grin]

Hmm i look at that expense thing a little differently than Snow and B.E.G.. I can ride all year long and do, but I can only ski about half the year. Also on a side know my skis are always consistent the slope and snow conditions can and do change but my skiis are constant. With my horses my tack is consistent but my horses mood and temperament can change from day today, heck with Chrome and some of the mares ridden it's moment to moment! LOL! because of this I feel my balance in movement is always being challenged and enhanced I've found that it really helps me on the hill because I am constantly seeking my center on a moving horse especially when I train bareback with lead changes, that it really helps me with my CM on skis. I got my new favorite quote from Megan Harvey in a clinic at Aspen Highlands last week " I never had to move so much to stay in the same place, she of course was talking about skiing and moving forward and laterally through the turn but it definitely applies to riding as well. Funds were always tight in school and when I moved to Sun Valley money was even tighter! I worked part-time as a groom and cooler for a private barn in exchange for riding. I also mucked stalls cleaned sheaths and just about anything else that was asked of me! LOL! because I couldn't afford to keep a horse there! This was a win-win situation because I didn't have to own tack or a horse. It also worked out great with my winter on snow schedule because the horse's went to Florida with their owner for the winter! Check your local paper and tack shop boards to see what oppoutunites are out there for you if you are thinking about getting back into riding.