Kinda cool

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
I'll be the first to admit I'm a simpleton. The cheesiest/simplest things make an impression on me.

I am on target to get back on my horse in May. But, considering he will not have been ridden in over 6 months by that time, and I will be limited to very easy riding, it was strongly suggested I get a "tune up" on him before I get on. So, while I was stuck in that chair all winter, I did some research and made some phone calls, and a couple weeks ago, I bit the bullet and took my horse to a shooting horse trainer - we'll do a tune-up and an enhancement all at the same time.

This guy is a national champion. He's been to the worlds. He makes his living training all around ranch horses and shooting horses. And he makes a good living. He has at least 1 hired hand. When we were there, he had 27 horses...some were his being trained to be sold, 1 was the horse he went to worlds on, many were there being trained for other people. Anyway, I say all this because this is his job. Its how he puts food on his table. If I rode 20 horses every singe day, even I would probably be sick of it at 5pm (tho I know his day doesn't end at 5).

The first thing that impressed me with this guy was how he spent time to really understand the horse and its rider when we first met with him. He didn't stand to make a dime at that point, but he spent 3 hours with me and the horse before he decided that a) my horse will make a shooting horse and b) he could be made a super-quiet shooting horse to start off with (I've never been a "quiet" rider - if you can imagine - but I need a quiet horse when I am allowed to get back on in May).

But since then, he has texted me at least once a week since he's had my horse. Usually includes a photo and a short blurb of what their "workout" is going to be for that day.

Even tho he's a top trainer and turns out some drop-jaw amazing horses, he really knows my key to getting back on is a calm, quiet, easy horse. Its not about speed. Its about calm. The speed will come back later. This past week, he's had an 8 year old riding my horse with him and he just sent me a photo of this young man, with his little sister on behind him, crossing a creek on my horse. The message was "he's doing great - super quiet and taking it all like a champ".

This just hits me where it hurts. This man makes his name by training top horses. He makes his living by riding horses all day every day. Yet he still obviously loves them, and he has the time to train a horse that will never be in the nationals or the worlds. It will never make a name for him, I'm just a pee-on participating in a sport for fun - not awards and rewards. AND he has time to stop and send me quick updates on their progress.

Maybe I'm just mushy, but it suggests to me that there are still really good people left in this world. And I think its just really, really cool.
 

Jena

New Member
h'es like robert redford in the horse whisperer lol. remember that movie?? wow that was my robert redford phase a man with his horse sooo sexy!!! used to be a man with his kids, i'm getting older now. the hell with the kids lol.

see honestly though that's awesome. i've been finding at ranch i'm riding at there are things that i'm not liking. when i was much younger and had my own horse it was diff. i squeezed she responded,, into trot canter etc.

now i gotta kick the living daylights out of this horse i've been riding novia. she's an abused animal, and it kills me that they haven't trained her not to lean on the leg this way. so she figures i get kicked if i'm still and if i'm moving what's the point. she's a typical mare very nasty at times yet very sweet at times. i love this horse.

yet past two times i had lessons i couldnt' get her to move, i want to use my own approach yet trainer is pushing me to kick day lights outo f her. her and i got into power struggle last week she almost kicked me off. i've ridden a few of their horses all tragic stories love each of them. yet it shouldnt' be you gotta kick a horse with that much effort to make it move or keep it in gait.

sorry i rambled lol. i hope you get back on, its the greatest feeling in the world to just ride.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Sounds like a wonderful guy Shari!

And Jena, why on earth would they insist on kicking an abused horse? Wouldn't it make more sense to re-train or pasture her?
 

Jena

New Member
wow very cool. haozi i do not know... lesson horses that's how it goes their worked hard and it takes alot more to make them go than a privately owned horse
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Really cool, Sheri. It always feels good when you meet someone who is just genuinely a good, kind person - restores our faith in humanity.
 

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
Bingo, Heather. Exactly the right wording.
Haozi, lesson horses are often not the most energetic things around and often even horses that are well trained to leg cues take a lot of prodding to keep going simply because they dont have consistency from their riders, they'll have 8 different riders a day for 5 days. And it's kinda the nature of the beast...you would have a hard timeteaching a new rider to ride on a horse that instantly responded to every shift in the saddle.
I don't like the spur til they bleed mentality, and think they should be taught the move forward cue, but every lesson horse Wee and Cgfg havebeen on needed that extra prodding. As they got more familiar with the horses and built their own confidence, they required less kicking to make things happen.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Thanks for explaining that. The only horse I've ever been on was a trail horse with an attitude, but all of those were trained to turn when you lay the reins on their neck and follow the horse in front of them.
 

Shari

IsItFridayYet?
Welcome. :)
The trail horse was probable similar to Jens lesson horse. They probably didn't have a lot of spunk and probably would have taken an act if congress to get it to leave that line of horses. But they are generally darn good for the jobs they do.
 

Jena

New Member
yea she's right. i've researched a bit on how to work with this particular horse. sh'es super sweet once she calms down, yet she's thick and stubborn and beautiful mare. it's just i have no leg power these days, most days i go the knees are swollena nd it's aggrivating getting her to even move into a trot for me.

so we walk the ring lol. i think next week i'll bring her some mints. that should make her happy. she did great with woman before me, she's an advanced horse can canter, jump etc. yet the woman really kicks her bad. i hate watching i'm such a wuss. yet once she plugs her she takes off.
 
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