With twice as many barn chores, and an increased teaching load to pay for our hobby, I found less time to ride. Melissa, always willing to share the joys of equitation, had lots of kids ride Fancy. Several Boy Scouts earned horse-back riding merit badges on her. She was very well liked.
She tolerated, but gave me little respect. Perhaps it was my 200 pounds and/or inexperience at my age. We figured this was so after one frustrating ride. I couldn't get her to move! So Melissa got off OReilley and rode Fancy. Lo and behold, she performed perfectly to the slightest of cues. She showed off a very smooth trot! She performed like the former 4-H dressage horse that she was! Maybe Fancy just didn't like men.
With so little time on the saddle, my experience level stayed neophyte. My horse was well ridden but not by me. I barely got more than half a dozen short rides a year.
There was one ride that Melissa said I did perfectly. Unfortunately, that was 10 minutes of my life that I had absolutely no recollection of. We were riding back the long gravel road from the neighbors, when Melissa asked if she could trot OReilley. As she took off, Fancy took off after them. I remembered trying to grab the saddle horn and slipping. Next thing I knew, I was taking off the saddle by the stall! I asked Melissa where the time went.
Supposedly, I fell off and landed on my back with a thud. I got up, mad as a hornet, chased Fancy, grabbed her reins, remounted, walked her to the spot where I fell and rubbed her nose at the ground. Then, I swung her around with authority and rode her home. I paused by a steep drop just beyond the gate and seemed to want to ride Fancy down the slope. I then chose to dismount and walk her down the slope. Very soon, I returned to present time and found myself untacking my horse.
My best ride, and I did it while in a state of shock-induced temporary amnesia! I guess I have it in me ... somewhere.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Plain truth, without rose colored glasses
The search for my horse ran in tandem with finding a way to pay for our hobby. Driving to and from the pasture to feed everyday meant at least an hour and a half of time plus gas. Whenever the car broke, we had to inconvenience friends to drive us to the pasture. A second vehicle would have been useful, but the cost of having OReilley cut into any new car purchase. An additional horse would cut into the budget even further.
We just weren't making enough money. Although, we weren't really putting out that much cash. The pasture was $150 a month for 3.2 acres. OReilley had more than enough grass for himself. We only had to buy a bale or two of alfalfa and grain for supplement. We purchased a hoof rasp and clippers to try to save on farriers and kept OReilley unshod. We've had to call in the vet for shots and other concerns and blew our budget each time. But overall, we felt that if we could save for the purchase and transport of the new horse, that we'd be able to maintain them well. We'd also be able to enjoy riding at the same time!
We needed to find extra work. After due consideration, we decided to find Melissa work in the horse business. Perhaps she could find work as a barn helper at some well run place. She looked at and applied at several places, but found we would be making less. One stable was really promising, if only we could have had OReilley at the stable for free.
Week after week, we searched the classified for a suitable horse-related job. In the mean time, Melissa go accepted into a volunteer position at Thumper's Therapeutic Center. This would be a good place to get the training and hours towards the goal of certification with NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Assc) . The schedule created constraints and conflicts with her regular job as an apartment manager. So, I had to cover for her while she did her volunteer work. At the same time, I was getting more technology classes to teach. More work for me to help pay for the horses and more experience for my sweetheart. What a deal!
While at Thumpers, she made friends and learned a lot from their manager and trainer. I learned how they operated on donations, the complete sponsorship of the landowner and free labor from lots of volunteers. If the aged landowner died, there would never be enough income to pay for any kind of lease. The fees that the parents paid for their handicapped kids were woefully insufficient to make this non-profit a going concern. I figured the only way to make a business out of a Hippotheraphy Center was to have physical therapist on staff and bill insurance for much higher fees. In addition, more parents and kids who had insurance coverage could become clients.
While at Thumper's, we met Fancy, a newly acquired 19 year old Appaloosa mare. She was to be the newest and youngest of the theraphy horses. Unfortunately, she wasn't settling well and was too spooked. Her owner was moving and could not take her back. So we made the best offer we could make. It was waaayy below the original asking price. Fortunately, after checking out our pasture and knowing she would be going to a good home, the owner agreed to sell.
We arranged for transport and on the day she arrived at the pasture, OReilley bucked, squeeled and danced in delight. He had a mare! This confirmed our choice!
First thing we found out was the spare saddle didn't fit Fancy. So we had to squeeze a bit more money out of the budget for tack that fit her. Thanks for Portland Outdoors' try before you buy consignments, we were able to test several saddles before purchasing one. We also needed to supplement with more hay because there was a drought that summer. She was also quite dominant and chased OReilley from his hay. But I had my horse and we tried to make to most of it.
There was now twice as much poop to shovel.
We just weren't making enough money. Although, we weren't really putting out that much cash. The pasture was $150 a month for 3.2 acres. OReilley had more than enough grass for himself. We only had to buy a bale or two of alfalfa and grain for supplement. We purchased a hoof rasp and clippers to try to save on farriers and kept OReilley unshod. We've had to call in the vet for shots and other concerns and blew our budget each time. But overall, we felt that if we could save for the purchase and transport of the new horse, that we'd be able to maintain them well. We'd also be able to enjoy riding at the same time!
We needed to find extra work. After due consideration, we decided to find Melissa work in the horse business. Perhaps she could find work as a barn helper at some well run place. She looked at and applied at several places, but found we would be making less. One stable was really promising, if only we could have had OReilley at the stable for free.
Week after week, we searched the classified for a suitable horse-related job. In the mean time, Melissa go accepted into a volunteer position at Thumper's Therapeutic Center. This would be a good place to get the training and hours towards the goal of certification with NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Assc) . The schedule created constraints and conflicts with her regular job as an apartment manager. So, I had to cover for her while she did her volunteer work. At the same time, I was getting more technology classes to teach. More work for me to help pay for the horses and more experience for my sweetheart. What a deal!
While at Thumpers, she made friends and learned a lot from their manager and trainer. I learned how they operated on donations, the complete sponsorship of the landowner and free labor from lots of volunteers. If the aged landowner died, there would never be enough income to pay for any kind of lease. The fees that the parents paid for their handicapped kids were woefully insufficient to make this non-profit a going concern. I figured the only way to make a business out of a Hippotheraphy Center was to have physical therapist on staff and bill insurance for much higher fees. In addition, more parents and kids who had insurance coverage could become clients.
While at Thumper's, we met Fancy, a newly acquired 19 year old Appaloosa mare. She was to be the newest and youngest of the theraphy horses. Unfortunately, she wasn't settling well and was too spooked. Her owner was moving and could not take her back. So we made the best offer we could make. It was waaayy below the original asking price. Fortunately, after checking out our pasture and knowing she would be going to a good home, the owner agreed to sell.
We arranged for transport and on the day she arrived at the pasture, OReilley bucked, squeeled and danced in delight. He had a mare! This confirmed our choice!
First thing we found out was the spare saddle didn't fit Fancy. So we had to squeeze a bit more money out of the budget for tack that fit her. Thanks for Portland Outdoors' try before you buy consignments, we were able to test several saddles before purchasing one. We also needed to supplement with more hay because there was a drought that summer. She was also quite dominant and chased OReilley from his hay. But I had my horse and we tried to make to most of it.
There was now twice as much poop to shovel.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
With horses, one is never enough
After the crash through the fence, the mules next door were pastured farther away from the gossip fence. OReilley was feeling lonesome, so it was time to consider a pasture mate. The landlord wouldn't allow a goat, "Climbs fences.", he said. So we started shopping for another horse. What an experience!
First, there isn't a mall for horses. Farms and ranches are far apart. Second, we aren't in Amish country, so buyer beware! I'm told that the Amish are so honest, they tell you everything good and bad about a horse. In contrast, everyone turns slicker than a used car salesman when offering their horse for sale. Oh the platitudes!
There's so many considerations: breed, age, conformation, training, color, attitude, purchase cost, transportation, saddles and tack, etc. I plumbed the internet forums for ideas, read books to get caught up with the intricacies. I found as many opinions as there are "experts" times the phases of the moon. The only constant I saw was that any horse would cost more than it's purchase price in time due to the cost of maintenance. In the process, I started to find cost justifications. We could offer rides or training to offset our expenses. Perhaps we could have riders trade for chores, etc.
Melissa had her ideas too. She wanted to start a horse therapy program. She wanted a cowboy barn. She wanted to breed the perfect horse. She even has an ultimate dream of a medieval bed and breakfast castle with all the ambiance and romance of knights and ladies.
In short I was thinking of one more horse. Melissa was dreaming of moving back time to when horses were extremely useful in everyday life.
In other words, this wasn't going to be a hobby. We needed a plan to make a going concern of horses.
First, there isn't a mall for horses. Farms and ranches are far apart. Second, we aren't in Amish country, so buyer beware! I'm told that the Amish are so honest, they tell you everything good and bad about a horse. In contrast, everyone turns slicker than a used car salesman when offering their horse for sale. Oh the platitudes!
There's so many considerations: breed, age, conformation, training, color, attitude, purchase cost, transportation, saddles and tack, etc. I plumbed the internet forums for ideas, read books to get caught up with the intricacies. I found as many opinions as there are "experts" times the phases of the moon. The only constant I saw was that any horse would cost more than it's purchase price in time due to the cost of maintenance. In the process, I started to find cost justifications. We could offer rides or training to offset our expenses. Perhaps we could have riders trade for chores, etc.
Melissa had her ideas too. She wanted to start a horse therapy program. She wanted a cowboy barn. She wanted to breed the perfect horse. She even has an ultimate dream of a medieval bed and breakfast castle with all the ambiance and romance of knights and ladies.
In short I was thinking of one more horse. Melissa was dreaming of moving back time to when horses were extremely useful in everyday life.
In other words, this wasn't going to be a hobby. We needed a plan to make a going concern of horses.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
