Horses as a Hobby

[reneelillibridgeCNH320]

anybody else here have horses as a hobby? well actually i wouldn't consider horses as a hobby either. i'd consider them what my life revolves around.

[LoriDavenport]

i do, i have three a 2yr old ky mountain saddlebred, i have a 6yr old gelding who we believe is arabian mixed with a rocky mountain. and we have a paint colored miniature stud pony hes around 8 or 9 yrs.. i see these three as a full time job for me lol. weve got the gelding hopefully gonna show him in horse shows and my philly as soon as shes old enough to be ridden were hopefully gonna show her. or just make her a trail horse one.

[General Grant]

Hey y'all!

I know this is an older post, but it seemed interesting, so I am writing!

I have two horses. A paint Quarter Horse named Frankie (except when he's being rude, then I call him Franklin!) and a miniature named Boomer.

LoriDavenport, I notice that you said you have a miniature, so maybe you will know this: Is it just me, or are miniatures the type of horse that what they lack in size they make up in attitude? I don't know about your horse, but mine has such an attitude! Sometimes I wonder why he isn't the top horse.

My horses live with three others, a morgan/saddlebred, an appaloosa, and a POA. Let me tell you... Boomer (my mini) certainly is not on the bottom of the pecking order!

Anyway, I just ride pleasure western, no showing. But, I am trying to teach Boomer carting. Any Ideas, y'all?

Talk to you soon!

General Grant

[morgan]

I haven't horses but, a couple of months ago, I tried for the 1st time to ride one.

It was only for a few minutes (it was a sort of...promotion) but it was very good and funny.

Don't know the race, he was a white horse

[LoriDavenport]

Hey y'all!

I know this is an older post, but it seemed interesting, so I am writing!

I have two horses. A paint Quarter Horse named Frankie (except when he's being rude, then I call him Franklin!) and a miniature named Boomer.

LoriDavenport, I notice that you said you have a miniature, so maybe you will know this: Is it just me, or are miniatures the type of horse that what they lack in size they make up in attitude? I don't know about your horse, but mine has such an attitude! Sometimes I wonder why he isn't the top horse.

My horses live with three others, a morgan/saddlebred, an appaloosa, and a POA. Let me tell you... Boomer (my mini) certainly is not on the bottom of the pecking order!

Anyway, I just ride pleasure western, no showing. But, I am trying to teach Boomer carting. Any Ideas, y'all?

Talk to you soon!

General Grant

Soory yall i been MIA fer a while but im back!! AND YES HE HAS AN ATTUITUDE!!! some minitures are sweet some aint. I know what ya mean Thunderbolt my mini is definently the lead stud and we just recently bought a new horse too, a teneesse walker, blakc and white stud 2 yrs old.

[General Grant]

Oh, it is nice to see that my mini isn't the only one. I thought maybe it was my fault. A lot of his training has been from our family. My farrier always jokes about Boomer because he has such a stubborn attitude if you do Anything he doesn't like. She (our farrier) I think like that, though. He is the type that just demand respect. In that way, I think he'd be a great beginner horse because he'll teach respect to you in his own, high attitude way.

Talk to y'all soon!

General Grant

[LoriDavenport]

mhmm you get on ThunderBolt's back and set there, he wont move an inch!! and here you are telling him to go and he wont! so when you cuss at him, he'll take off and throw you off!! then whinny at you and try to run over you!! happened to me, nu uh I aint getting on THAT horse no more!!

[General Grant]

Hey LoriDavenport!

I hear ya loud and clear! Same with me (minus the cussing part). Boomer, either on his back or on the ground, won't move an inch if you don't ask him politely. But, if he is feeling esspecially feisty, he won't move at all, not matter what. There could be a wolf ready to attack him and if he feels like he is being pushed, he won't budge. But, when I need him to stand still he is very willing to go, and there's not stopping him then! For such a little guy, he sure causes a lot of chaos!

General Grant

[LoriDavenport]

Hey LoriDavenport!

I hear ya loud and clear! Same with me (minus the cussing part). Boomer, either on his back or on the ground, won't move an inch if you don't ask him politely. But, if he is feeling esspecially feisty, he won't move at all, not matter what. There could be a wolf ready to attack him and if he feels like he is being pushed, he won't budge. But, when I need him to stand still he is very willing to go, and there's not stopping him then! For such a little guy, he sure causes a lot of chaos!

General Grant

AMEN TO THAT!!! LOL our tennesse walking stud got out last night and we were sooo mad we were threatenin to sell him, BUT we aint..aint go tthe heart too!

[General Grant]

All five of our horses got out one day and ran through our neighbor's hay field, and down the road to visit the neighbor horses. Seems that someone broke the fence. I would not be surprised to find out that it was Boomer! I wasn't too mad at them because they are older and looked so good running like they were! If horses could grin, I would swear that is what both of mine were doing right before they took off! They even did that famous look back at the owner then take off! I just had to put on a big show for them. I led them home and was lecturing them the entire time.

I hope your horses didn't do too much damage when they got out!

Catch ya' later!

General Grant

[LoriDavenport]

too much damage?? try tearing up the front AND back yard!!! like always!!! I always give mine a lecture!!! it never works...im like you..if horses could grin they would definently give theirselves away real quick always up to meaness. Specially mine.. Looked outside after I got off here one night and I be danged to me Thunderbolt was on the other side of the fence tormenting the mare!!

[DixieRose_00]

My horse died about two and a half weeks ago and right now I can't afford to get a new horse. I'm hoping around April or May to have enough money to get myself a new horse. Right now I'm just trying to save up some money to buy one.

[LoriDavenport]

ahhhh im sorry to hear that, when a horse passes on its like you've lost a human...you get so close to them and it does hurt, im terrible sorry to hear that bout your horse my prayers are with you.

[Laura Duke]

DixieRose_00

I'm SO, SO sorry to hear that your horse passed away so recently. Were you really close to your horse?

I have a horse of my own, and I can't imagine how life would be without him. I hope that you will find comfort and strength to carry on without your horse. I hope that when you feel ready, you will be able to find another horse that will hopefully help to fill the gap of your recently departed horse.

If you ever need to talk, and share some happy moments with your horse, I would love to hear some stories.

Laura Duke

[daisydukeXenosstrait]

my dad just bought me 2 horses ther so cute because there babys i cant ride them yet but i love peting the so much ones brown with white spots on him and the other is solid black.

[DukesFan_08]

I ride horses! I love them. I ride hunter/jumper and I'm in 4-H and the Virginia horse show association... I'm leasing a bay Breeding Stock Paint mare. She's really bratty sometimes but she's also a great hunter horse, and I trust her a lot. She's taught me a lot about riding, and I show her in the 2'6 and 3' divisions at local and state shows. I'm also training another Breeding Stock Paint mare, a chestnut, for my mom... she's still learning stuff like taking jumps in straight lines, lead changes, and things like that. She's got a lot of potential though, and I love her a lot. It's cool that there are a lot of other equestrians on Hnet!

[Laura Duke]

Hi Everyone! I have some questions/comments for everyone, so I'll just go down the line!

DixieRose_00: How is the horse situation going on? I know that your horse passed away last December. How are you doing, is the pain of it starting to go away? How old was your horse? Did you get another one?

My Mom's horse passed away 2 weeks ago yesterday (Saturday). You really don't know how hard it is until you experience this yourself (or through someone that you know well). My Mom is really having a tough time with this. How did you get past the loss of your horse? Did you do a ceremony or something? Any help would be appreciated!

daisydukeXenosstrait: Congratulations on getting some horses of your own! How are they coming along? Have you been working with them? What have you accomplished? Even though it's only been a month or so, I bet that they are growing so fast!

Lori: How are your horses doing? Hopefully they are happy, healthy, and you are having a wonderful time with them!

DukesFan_08: Hats off to you! I think that's great that you are in 4-H and you do competitions with your horses. I hope that you have done well with showing this year! Showing is something I've always wanted to do, but have just never done it yet! But, it's just fun having them around.

Talk to all of you soon!

Laura Duke:D

[LoriDavenport]

How do you get past the lost of a horse? In my opinion, you don't. Losing a horse is like losing a human, because a horse is like a human in a lot of ways. A horse is your best friend, your shoulder to cry on, they will listen to you and they do understand you. In time it will get easier I s'pose. Doing a ceremony is great, bury the horse in its favorite spot, of a favorite spot where you and that horse liked to ride. It is easier because if you couldn't say goodbye before, you can now. My uncle has lost a horse, but i did something much worse...I sold mine. You don't how bad I regret selling two of my horses...it's worser than having one pass. Was it Magoo?

As for my horses Laura, I have Trigger the gelding and the mini still with me. Both are doing fine, though me and Trigger had an accident LOL He threw me after getting spooked and I fractured my arm, I didn't hurt or anything til the next day I was laughing about it and all. I stayed on him for 10 secs. though hehe they call me the rodeo cowgirl now.

[DukesFan_08]

In reply to Laura Duke:

I never have gotten over the loss of my sweet gelding... even though it'll be three years this October since I lost him. I still love him and miss him every day... I don't think it's something that you really get over

And thanks! Showing is a lot of fun. I hope that you can try it sometime, it's great fun and you can learn a lot

[Laura Duke]

Lori: Thanks so much for replying! You have such a way with words. Yes, we did bury our horse (it was Cherokee-she's a black mare) on our property.

Oh, Lori, I'm so sorry to hear that you decided to sell your horses. That must be so hard to go through now. Oh, my, I'm sorry to hear that you fell, but thank heavens you didn't get hurt worse than that! Can I ask what you decided to keep the horse that bucked you off and sold the other horses instead of selling Trigger?

Here's the thing though, I know that it is exremely hard to get over this, I'm sure. But, my Mom has no excitement to go out to the barn anymore. She just cries, and even having her other horse, Magoo around doesn't seem to comfort her. Do you have a suggestion as to how I might help her get through this? Do we sell some of Cherokee's things-like her saddle? Do we just pack them away until my Mom is ready to deal with this? If anyone has ANY ideas, I would so much appreciate them.

DukesFan_08: I didn't know that you lost a horse, either. May I ask how old the horse was? I'm so sorry that you had to go through that, that must have been one of the hardest things that you ever had to go through. I have a paint pony, and he's the first horse I've ever had-I've had him for 12 years, and I just couldn't imagine life without him! May I ask you if there was something that helped you get through the loss of your precious horse? I'm really trying to be there for my Mom, so any ideas would greatly help!

I hope that I can show sometime, too!

Thanks Everyone!

Laura Duke:D

[LoriDavenport]

Lori: Thanks so much for replying! You have such a way with words. Yes, we did bury our horse (it was Cherokee-she's a black mare) on our property.

Oh, Lori, I'm so sorry to hear that you decided to sell your horses. That must be so hard to go through now. Oh, my, I'm sorry to hear that you fell, but thank heavens you didn't get hurt worse than that! Can I ask what you decided to keep the horse that bucked you off and sold the other horses instead of selling Trigger?

Here's the thing though, I know that it is exremely hard to get over this, I'm sure. But, my Mom has no excitement to go out to the barn anymore. She just cries, and even having her other horse, Magoo around doesn't seem to comfort her. Do you have a suggestion as to how I might help her get through this? Do we sell some of Cherokee's things-like her saddle? Do we just pack them away until my Mom is ready to deal with this? If anyone has ANY ideas, I would so much appreciate them.

DukesFan_08: I didn't know that you lost a horse, either. May I ask how old the horse was? I'm so sorry that you had to go through that, that must have been one of the hardest things that you ever had to go through. I have a paint pony, and he's the first horse I've ever had-I've had him for 12 years, and I just couldn't imagine life without him! May I ask you if there was something that helped you get through the loss of your precious horse? I'm really trying to be there for my Mom, so any ideas would greatly help!

I hope that I can show sometime, too!

Thanks Everyone!

Laura Duke:D

Reason why? Economical issues you could say is why I had to sell the other two, cost of feed and hay and such being as high as it is, we couldn't afford for just yet, why didn't I sell Trigger? There's plenty of reasons why. He's faithful, he understands me when no one else does, he listens to me, I love him...I love all my horses, that's why I regretted selling them. A horse and rider are a team, when I sensed him panicking I panicked and he sensed me...both of us was scared...he tried to protect me from the dogs that was chasing him, in his eyes at least, by throwing me off he was trying to keep the dogs away from me. Because as soon as anyone stepped near me to check on me he tried to bite and nip at them because he wanted me to be safe. You can't really ask for a better relationship than that with any kind of animal.

I wouldn't sell any of the horse's things. I'd keep them in memory of her. Give your mother a reason to go out to the barn, there's another horse who needs her love just as much as anything. If its her horse, it doesn't need the love from another human, it needs the love of it's master, it's partner. If you neglect a horse, then it has no reason to live but stand around eating being a paddock pal as they would call them, when there's absolutely nothing wrong with that horse. It needs exercise and to be ridden and without it's partner there, then it really hasn't a reason to live.

[DukesFan_08]

DukesFan_08: I didn't know that you lost a horse, either. May I ask how old the horse was? I'm so sorry that you had to go through that, that must have been one of the hardest things that you ever had to go through. I have a paint pony, and he's the first horse I've ever had-I've had him for 12 years, and I just couldn't imagine life without him! May I ask you if there was something that helped you get through the loss of your precious horse? I'm really trying to be there for my Mom, so any ideas would greatly help!

I hope that I can show sometime, too!

Thanks Everyone!

Laura Duke:D

Awww thanks. He was 10. I only got to know him for a few months... my parents had just bought him for me a couple months before we had to put him down after he crashed the fence and badly broke his leg. There was something that helped me get through it, and that was the little rescue pony that I also owned, and before then had never done much riding with because he was really nervous and scared. The day after my sweet boy passed, I decided that I was going to ride Dude, the rescue pony. So I tacked him up and put him in the round-pen and trotted him around, and he behaved really well for me. I was really happy with how he behaved, so I rode him more often. I did a lot with him for about a year, until I started leasing the mare that I've been riding for the last few years. Dude went on to show in the Baby Green Pleasure division (I know it's not much... but if you knew the pony, you would know how big an accomplishment that is for my little guy.) and even went to an away show or two. I truly believe that my sweet gelding was up there watching over my Dude, and helping him out. So mainly Dude was the one that got me through it... that and this one song, that reminds me of my boy every time I hear it. It's "I Remember You" by Mountain Heart, and every year on the day that he died, I take my mare or my little Dude up to the ring and ride to that song. It's just a little way I remember him.

LOL... that's what I did, but I kinda doubt that that's any help to you... all I can say is to be there for your mom... give her a shoulder to cry on... or listen if she wants to talk about him, or don't push her if she doesn't want to talk about him... I think that just being supportive will mean a whole lot to her.

[Laura Duke]

Hi Everyone!

Sorry, this was supposed to be a thread about horses as hobbies and I've kind of slanted this into something else. But, thank you everyone for all the help you've been. I hope you don't mind if I continue this topic a little more, but if someone has something exciting to share about their horse, please feel free to insert it.

Lori: I'm so sorry you had to sell your horses because of the economic situation. But, as hard as that is, please DO NOT blame yourself. I've, thankfully, never had to sell a horse, and I can't imagine how painful it must be. And, I would probably want to blame myself to, but you can't do that. Even if you did try to keep them through the winter, suppose you couldn't feed them? Knowing you, I'm sure that you sold them to someone you thought would take really good care of them. Did you sell them to someone you know? I'm so happy for you, though, that you were able to keep some of your horses, hopefully that fills some of the gaps in your heart for the horses that you had to sell. My heart really goes out to you!

Okay, so you think that we should let her keep all of Cherokee's tack? Even the saddle? I can definately understand things like her brushes and stuff, but it would be nice to sell a perfectly good saddle and make some money on it. Okay, that kind of sounded mean, but I'm not trying to sound that way at all. Hopefully you guys know that!

DukesFan_08: Only 10 years old?!? That horse was so young! And, I'm sorry it had to go like that-by a broken leg. I just can't imagine....I really am sorry for you having to go through that. What a shame.

You know....it seems like everyone heals a little better when they have another horse around them to take care of, which makes sense. And, no, I don't think that it sounds goofy that you kind of dedicate the day he passed away each year. I think that is so sweet of you. You obviously have a huge heart for horses. I think that is so neat. Maybe you could add to that (not to sound bossy or anything)? Instead of dedicating a day to him just for mourning, if you know his birthday, you could get some special little treats and think of him on his birthday, kind of laugh about all the funny things he did when he was around. Or, maybe that isn't a good idea for you, I'm not sure....just a thought.

Okay, well, again, I can't thank the both of you enough for everything you have suggested and told me. It's kind of weird how all this stuff happened to us, and yet we kind of our comforting one another, I think that's kind of neat.

Well, have a great rest of the day!

Laura Duke:D

[LoriDavenport]

Yea I sold my horses to my next door neighbor basically LOL! But, it still hurts to see that horse in under someone else's care and not your's ya know? Hey, if ya wanna sell the saddle and make money then my all means go right ahead, let someone else get some good use out of it. The money would come in handy for other things around your home or barn.

[Laura Duke]

Lori: I'm at least a little happier that you were able to sell them to your neighbor, someone that you know. But, being they are your neighbors, it's probably kind of hard to see them at someone else's house everyday. Do you go and visit them, or do you try to stay away? Again, this is NOT your fault. I know you, and because you had to sell, you sold them to someone who woud care and love these animals. Plus, you are right there if they have questions.

Also, this one is for everyone! For all you horse nuts out there, I have another question. I have a 30-some year old pony of the America's-he's a paint. Lately, he has a hearty appetite, which is great. But, while the rest of our horses are fat, he is way too skinny. I feed him two different feeds: our co-op makes feed with corn, oats, and equi-shine. Then I also feed a senior pelleted feed. He has been having diarrhea, and we brought in a mixture of all the horses manure to be tested, and the vets said that they couldn't find any parasites. But, winter is starting to set in and I really need to get some weight on him really quickly. Does anyone have some suggestions on a product that works for them?

Thanks everyone!

Laura Duke:wink: