Poker Ride 2015

Every Thanksgiving Weekend on the Saturday our community has a poker Ride.  Its called the Doan Andrus Memorial Trail Ride.  Its named after my neighbors husband who passed away from MS a few years ago.  I haven't made it every year but I try to cause I always have fun.  Since I am in that horsemanship Challenge I brought Jessie.  It was a good 2 hours from start to finish.  Weather was just beautiful was a warm 27*C when I left there, crazy warm weather for this time of year.

(starting the ride)

(Over the hill)

(Jess is sore on the gravel so we tried to find a way around the road

 and we got up high)

I got there just after 10 and not too many people are there so I got Jess all ready and then a few more people came and so got my start of the poker hand and helped other people get ready.  A few years ago I sold a horse to Janice and they keep telling me about him whenever I see him and this time they brought him.  He was fat!  But still the same ol good Henry, wanting to go faster all the time, but not being too bad.  Been a long time since I seen him, I think we figured 6 years, hes 13 now, wow time flies.

(Golf stop)

(got to the river)

(Through the trees)

(good thing its mowed through the path)

We started going down the trail and it was sure busy at the first stop, everyone got there at once.  It was OK since we visited with everyone down there.  And they had a golf ball challenge, person who hit closest to the mineral tub took it home.  Holli has never golfed before but boy she hit a good one and was less than 3 steps away, she won the tub which was funny since she has no cows.   But her brother does so I suspect hes getting it.

(and more river)

(Standing on a hill looking back)

(And looking ahead)

(Henry and Johns blacks at a poker stop)

(There were those scary shacks on this hill)

(Made it out of the river)

(Johns team)

(Ember on Jess)

(trying out the water in the tire)

After that I rode with Janice as well and then she slowed up a bit so I ended up riding the second part by myself which actually worked out well since I could go whatever speed I wanted and stop to take some pictures and enjoy the scenery.  Sometimes when riding with others I am so busy visiting I forget to look around.

When we come back up top I saw Janice over to the side trotting circles and stuff and then John put his wagon in a trot, that was cool, so we loped over there, I thought maybe shed want to race but no so we just went to the next stop.  I got off and some cute little girls who need a pony asked if they could sit on my horse, so sure they did and one rode her around, Jess was a little unsure what to do it was cute.  Then her sister got on and she led her around and that was much better cause I didn't have to :)  Jess was so good.  Then we got on and were a little behind so I loped up to the wagon and the kids thought that was fun.   We had lunch and really good cookies.  They called out the winners and I wasn't one of them, again.  But it was worth it anyways.

(Back at the trailer, with Henry ahead)

(Jess got a little sweaty cause it was so warm and shes getting winter hair)

(the route)

Rambling about Jessie (and other horses)

So last night when I should have been sleeping, my mind was wandering...again.  I got thinking about how I was a little nervous to ride Razz the other day.  Pretty silly when even though she was kinda worried and being kinda a nut, she still responded to my cues instantly.  But this and how nice Jessie is and how I wished I had her as my first horse got me thinking.

It all started when I worked at the ranch, before that I had always wanted a horse but knew I could not afford one so I never even really thought about it.  But at the ranch was space and feed and for a while even another employees horses at my place.  Sooo one spring day I headed to the Brooks horse sale and was sure I wanted a horse.  I didn't have a big budget but figured I was OK   Neil headed in with me and I found a 10 year old mare that I really thought was a good one.  Of course she sold for more than I had :(  But Neil pointed out this 8 year old gelding that had been pasture rode.  I was kinda iffy about him, but bid on him anyways cause I was so determined I needed a horse. Stupid thinking now, I know.  So I got him and took him home and first off he was hard to catch, ugh not a good start.  Then he hated being brushed.  But he saddled fine with all my incompetence he did not care so that was one good thing.  And he bucked.  And he bucked.  So many times I actually learned to land on my feet, lol.  He would give no indication either, I thought I was crazy but no just going along at any speed and he just would buck.  Well that was no good for me, but I did try the rest of the summer and then kept him all winter and took him back in the spring and resold him.  But there was not enough left over for any good horses so I went home with an empty trailer.  Was sad, made me just wonder if I shoulda kept him anyways.

But not to be deterred I was gonna go to the sale next month, this was April I think.  And I was getting married in July that year so I was not in a real big hurry, I knew I could ride one of Neil's old horses, but it is not the same as having my own.  Then about a week later, Neil's dad said we had to go to the horse sale so he could buy me a horse as a wedding present cause every rancher needs a horse!  Was I excited!!!  Although a little worried it would not be one I wanted,, but I wasn't overly picky at this point either.  So we head down there and he was there before me and had picked out the only horse there he thought was suitable.  And he was cute :)  but only a 2 year old.  I knew that was not what I should be getting and he knew too but said he thought he would be OK cause he was so quiet and I was also worried if he went for too much I was not getting a horse again.  But he sold and we got him.  So again off to home we went and he was so much better.  Super easy to catch, loves being brushed and still awesome to saddle and bridle.  I had a corral that wasn't being used to I rode in there.  We walked trotted and loped and then after about 15 minutes I had no idea what to do.  I had never rode a young horse before I did not know what to expect or what to even do or even how long to ride.  I also had not rode much besides on trails so that did not help either.  But we did that everyday for a few weeks and since the cows were right out my gate, I really wanted to ride him out there.  But I was nervous I knew he never did that before so I called over some friends and they said they were coming over anyways so I was gonna go with them.  Well I underestimated how excited he would be to see other horses!  Oooh guess I shoulda rode him before they got there so he was a little tired.  But I thought he would be OK and he was good but just wanted to go, well before we got out to the cows, he went left and I went right and fell off.  No fault of his, or mine, it just happened.  Well turns out my arm was broke so that was the end of that.  And then I moved and got married and he come with me and after my arm healed up I rode him lots around cows and out on trails and took him to clinics and just really enjoyed him.

Then after a couple years I realized I wanted to do more with my horses and I think he was 5 and I started taking lessons.  Sure made me realize how much more there was to riding a horse than just getting on, lol.  I made a lot of mistakes with him but he was a pretty darn nice horse despite all my mistakes.  I was really lucky to have him and I think Neil's dad was right and picked me a good one.  But I sold him a couple years later to some friends that love him (and have since they first saw him) He was really rough and my knee hurt all the time on him and I thought that was just the way it was gonna be so I ignored it most of the time.  But then I got Bailey and my knee never hurt riding her so I knew I would not want to ride him and his roughness and all the mistakes I made with him bothered me every time I rode so he got a good home.  I see them every once in a while and ask about him and they still love him although I would kinda like to go see him again one day.  Wonder if he would remember me?

Then I got Bailey, actually got her as a weanling the year we got married (its how I remember how long we been married, as old as she is)  and I got her started by an amazing horse trainer.  If I knew how good he was I woulda left her with him longer.  But anyways she had 30 days or so on her and wow that is not very much!  She was not near as quiet as Henry and she liked to buck too.  But not crazy and not to get me off (which only happened once when I dropped the reins for some unknown reason) but mostly cause she was spoiled and full of energy I think.  I took lessons with her after I brought her home from the trainer and that was a good thing cause she challenged me everyday and sure taught me a lot.  Even now she is gonna be 9 and she still has some of that attitude left.  But she is so awesome she will try her heart out for me and everyone loves her cause she genuinely loves people.

After her I had a couple other young horses and a few older horses and then I got Razz.  I love Razz.  I love everything about her, she is super fast, she is super athletic, she is super sensitive but despite all that she is sensible.  never once tried to buck or do anything really bad.  We have had the occasional fight over stuff and she does not make life easy for me, but she is so awesome when we are going together right.  Part of the reason I am a little nervous getting on her after not riding a while is I know she will want to go fast and I am not ready for fast right away when I first get on a horse after a time off.  And I know she always gets a little more worked up in an arena than she does outside too so that is harder to deal with as well.  I actually told Jessie the other day to be faster and more unpredictable so I can be used to riding Razz better, lol.  But she is really not unpredictable, its easy to tell she is just waiting for me to let her go faster.  Always waiting for that.  I shoulda put her on the track, she probly woulda loved it.  And she is way faster than my other horses without even trying.  Never knew what fast was till I got her.  But now that she is broke I know she will not go fast unless I ask her to.  Which is a relief.

And then back to the beginning.  My newest horse Jessie.  She is a sweetheart.  Kinda reminds me of Henry actually. But better trained and not so speedy.  She is such a nice horse and I don't think I realized it when I got her.  I knew she was nice and well trained for cutting.  But even just for everything I have asked of her she has just done.  Must have been a big change for her to go from her old home of almost her whole life to my place with its bare land and lots of grass and making her ride outside so much.  And she just goes with the flow.  If I woulda gotten her sooner I think I woulda learned so much more, not just about cutting but really about riding.  There woulda never been a concern of if I should take her as there was with my young horses (although not with Henry cause I never knew better) And no worries of falling off cause she just is a protector as well. And no worries of taking her somewhere and her being goofy cause she has been so many places.  And even just riding out alone from the yard, not a worry even if the other horses are calling. But in the same thread I am not sure I woulda known she was so good or woulda had the need to go out for lessons cause there would never be a problem.  And I think in the long run I am a better rider and a better handler on foot because of all the different horses that I had.  Although still a ways to go I do know that.  But for all people just starting out with horses, I hope they all get a nice horse like Jessie :)

Equestrian Challenge Day 9

Day 09- Any injuries that occurred from riding

Somehow I am doing day nine on the 18th of the month, oops, oh well :)

Injuries from falling....well I can only remember 2.  I try not to fall off.  Sometimes I am not very graceful and it has been a while since I came off and I would like to keep it that way, specially since last time it was my own fault.  (usually is)

I was riding Gypsy, a kid safe horse in the arena at Jardi's and we were just loping around, and I could feel her saddle slipping a little to the inside so I just put a little extra weight in the outside stirrup and woosh the saddle slid all the way to the outside and I hit the wall and then the floor.  Ouch!  Boy was that stupid!  A friend was there and she took me to the ER (really slow on a Sunday night, lol) and he said nothing seemed serious and I had to go back the next day for x-ray on my shoulder.  I tried to get them to do my wrist cause it hurt worse but he said it was OK   I am still not sure it was, but later on it was still bothering me and I went to 3 different doctors and finally got told it was probly a torn quadrator muscle.  It took forever to heal, almost would rather a bone broke them soft tissue damage. (apparently I don't have any pics of Gypsy on this comp :( )

The first time was on my gelding Henry.  He was 2 and very green but good, I was also green but somehow we got along, he was forgiving and I didn't know any better.  He was a wedding gift from my father in law, we went to a sale and he said this was the only horse there he liked, so he bought him.  Figured if at 2 he could walk around the sale barn relaxed he would be OK at home.  Well it was about 2 weeks before my wedding and I had been riding pretty much everyday for the last month or so and he was really well behaved, so friend of mine came up and we were gonna ride through the cows.  i wanted to, they were right outside my fence but didn't want to do it alone.  But I hadn't anticipated how excited he would be to see other horses.  And he took off trotting around the yard and couldn't stand still and I didn't know enough to stop him and he went left and I went right and just fell off, I knew I was going and put my hands out to stop myself.  I got up and he was right beside me (probly wondering what I was doing on the ground)  I was gonna get back on and Doug said he thinks I should go to the doctor cause it looked broke.  I didn't think it was, hurt a little but I had just put my whole body weight on it of course it was gonna hurt.  But I am glad he did and Linda drove me to town and of course it was broke so I had a cast for my wedding!  The had to order in special the white color, cause they had no one who wanted white after they could get colors!  I was in every week for a new cast so I had many colors :)  It worked well, I had to do very little when I moved the few days afterwards though, I liked that.  And that was 8 years ago and it has never bothered me since.  I should scan in a wedding pic one day so you can see the cast in it, crazy!

(this was a few years later, he made a wonderful horse, I took him everywhere 

and everywhere I went they all loved him )

Horses and Jobs

  So I been thinking lately about the jobs we make our horses do.  I have heard many times if a horse is well suited for its job it will love them and if it doesn't like its job it won't enjoy itself.  Well I got thinking about the other horses I have owned and this didn't seem to matter so much. 
   With my first horse Henry, he was happy indoors, outdoors, chasing cows, following trails, following wagons, running barrels, teaching kids, anything I asked of him he was happy to do it.  But he was a cheerful horse and loved people and maybe that was his job was to make people happy.
   Then I got Bailey and she was ridden inside and outside and she was really good either place after a while (it took a while for her to believe everything I asked her was a good idea)  But I notice the less I ride her she doesn't really enjoy being inside and really leans towards the gate whenever we are inside.
   Then I will skip Gypsy and Princess and Dinero cause I never really had them long enough to really know.  They all seemed happy to do whatever I wanted but I never pushed them to do something.
   And Razz, she is really good inside and outside, she is willing to do what I ask of her as long as its not going super slow at any gait.  I know she likes working cows, but she also likes trail riding and ranch work, so no real specific job there either.
   Then I got Kali and ever since I got her she leaned towards the door, never really thought much of it just worked her through it and she got better, but was always kinda lazy inside.  Then last summer I took her outside and she was so different!  Not afraid of cows even when the kick up their heels at us and walked all around her when she was tied to the trailer.  No hesitation when I asked her to lope and almost like she didn't want to slow down.  I shoulda clued in, but until Doug said something about it and I mentioned all I knew he said she needs to do something else.  I don't know what that something else is yet, but she is quiet enough for a trail horse and will be a good kids horse in the future.
   Then Jessie.  She is the absolute opposite of Kali. She is so calm and relaxed and nice to be around.  When I rode her outside for the week, she was good at a walk, but she didn't want to do anything else.  Kinda like she was not sure why we were out there for.  But when I take her to the arena she is pretty happy and really happy to trot or lope for as long as I ask.  But always looking to the gate (not trying to go to it just looking) and then when the cows come in the arena, she just watches them and I can feel her heart beat.  She just can hardly wait till its her turn to work. 
    It is so much fun to work with a horse that enjoys her job, and not just enjoys it, but really can't wait to do it.  It sure makes it more enjoyable for me more than I thought. I thought my other horses liked their jobs until I got Jessie.  Some of it I am sure is her breeding, but it makes me think that the training and showing she has had must have a big part of that too.

Wrong Horse?

I was thinking the other day, when at the barn where I board there are many people who don't come out at all in the winter and like 5 -10 times in he summer. I am not sure why you would want a horse when you never see them. It seem kinda like a waste of money to have them when you don't ride them or anything. The only good thing about that is they still get the care they need from the barn owner. I got thinkin and came to the conclusion if you don't want to ride, you have the wrong horse. This sounds simple, but I had the wrong horse for many years and just realized it when I had two and only wanted to ride the one.

The wrong horse was Henry. He was a good horse, never try anything to hurt you and you could do anything on him, so I couldn't figure out why I didn't want to ride him.

(Henry tied up in yard)

Then I got Bailey and she is not an easy horse to ride. She is broke and I trust her now (mostly) but she is very reactive and very quick. She makes me think and ride, no lolly gagging, if anyone says that anymore.

(Riding at Branding last year)

I have one I don't ride, but she is at home and I see her at least once a week, don't leave her care completely up to someone else. I guess its just not as important to everyone else to ride and see there horses all the time.

On the other hand I used to never imagine having a horse if I never rode it, but I can understand having them to just grazing and to see when you look out the window.