Hi folks! About 3 Saturdays ago, while waiting for Mitch's color answer, we decided to go to an estate sale. Totally unplanned, we came home with a horse. A nice gelding about 14.2 hands that had been professionally trained. However, he hadn't been riden in 3 years :). The first week all spare time was spent getting to know each other, grooming, walking him around the place with the halter and such. In fact he will tag along now without the halter.

The following weekend we decided it was time to start riding him for at least 2 weeks straight to get him use to the idea again. Motrin is now my best friend. Think everything but my ears are sore. He is a little cold-backed and am sure he can tell I am almost as green as grass; but so far I am more stubborn on deciding which gait & direction.

Have tried to catch back up on the postings, since I am on webtv....can sit (tenderly) in an easy chair; but have fallen asleep sometimes before the thing has loaded up. Slowly I am getting in shape for this, getting somewhat of a daily routine back, and still enjoying it all.

Looking forward to joining back in those stumpers, just have been too pooped to think. Glad your hanging in the Melissa I have really enjoyed this group! Lacey

-- Lacey (cddllt@webtv.net), November 04, 2001

Answers

Congrats on your new horse purchase, and hope you are beginning to understand each other better by now! What breed is he?

We have four Arabians here, and sometimes one or the other is not ridden for over a year, "Moose" tends to be my favorite, and I stick with riding him, but they always catch up with the riding idea quite quickly. Horses, like elephants, never forget, and remember their lessons, good and bad, very well.

Remember though, his back and joints are as sore as yours, carrying around a human on your back stresses muscles and ligaments he doesn't otherwise use, so you are not the only one hurting. That's why he appears "cold-backed", that will improve with conditioning and practice.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), November 04, 2001.

He is an Arabian also. Today was the first time I was able to ride long enough to be able to really enjoy it. He settled down nicely without so much testing. I usually walk him around a bit before getting on, figured it was good to do a small warm up, and can watch that saddle go down a little flatter on his back :). I am really impressed how gentle and well trained he is. He is really suppose to be my daughter's horse; but it takes the two of us to give him a decent ride.....and must admit I think I am enjoying it more.

Luckily my neighbor has raised and trained horse all his life and has been a wealth of information. Any hints or tidbits are always welcomed! Lacey

-- Lacey (cddllt@webtv.net), November 04, 2001.