Sorry about that.My typing did not get through so i had to redo it.

I am Kathy and my other half is Carl and we are in the Generictc Cowboy Society,Well we are kind of over 50.LOL so We like to ride and work with our gang.I have 5 assorted critters,Most fo them are Welsh ponys,3 mares a stalliond and Carls indian paint who is a bit bigger for him to ride.When i can get him to.

I am handycaped,i am 4ft4 and have hypo condro Dysplicia(a genitic Dwarfisim)along with ostiprosis which is making me shorter so i had to go to a small er mount as my hips and knees lock up when i am on a larger horse.I was rofing a 15+ hand quarter jorse and he was a dream,a bit old but he was my angle and took great care of me.he passed this past summer from cancer and i miss him so much.But once on him i could  and would not get off till the ride for the day was done.i ate,drank and rode.At the end i would take him to the edge of the goose neck trailer and he would wate patiemntly as i slid off to the wheel well and tried to get down some times i fell and under him but he never moved till i was standing beside him.He helped me walk a few times with me hanging onto his saddle and he would not let other horse take advantage of us.he would pace himself to where he knew i was safe,even if i was last in line.Jiffy would not speed up unless i ask for it and then only a trot.He some how knew i could not do much more.but we traveled many miles going slow and seeing many things.

Carl would ride him and he was a diffrent horse,he loved to work cattle and was good at it,but with me he was my angel.I hope one fo my pony's will become my angel and klet me get out gain in the woods where i am happy.

We live in West Texas and here is my Web site,it is a family site,wit h pics of the ponys and us.I tried to get a picture on here but have not figured out how to do it yet.but it will come.

So i hope to see you on a trail,look for the little short old lady with the welsh pony.And the tall texan on the flasy paint.it might just be us.

http://windspiritwelshponys.tripod.com/    Our home page,I hope this is ok.As this is the only way i could show pictures.

Well happy trails.

Kahty and carl

Kathy, (Keeshy)

Your story of Jiffy touched my heart.  You must miss him terribly. 

It is uncanny how a horse you have a special reationship with can sense when you are hurting and seems to know what to do to help you.  Here is a little story.

Before we purchased our acreage and horses, we used to spend a week each year at a 40,000 acre ranch in Canada where campers could ride unattended and keep the same horse their entire stay with responsibility for grooming and caring for the horse. 

I always got a fairly good mount, but one year there were more campers than horses.  I lucked out by getting one of the owners roping horses.  Kiowa was full of spirt, but also good minded and mannered.  We just clicked!  All week the owner and I bantered back and forth with me asking how much he would sell Kiowa for, and him telling me he would never sell him.

The next year, I saw Kiowa but had to ride a horse reserved for campers.  This horse was new to the place, and no one had ridden him.  Long story short, after many behavioral problems,  this horse tried his best to buck me off.  He didn't succeed, but I fear he injured my back for life.  I told the owner he should get rid of him because one day he would really hurt someone.  (Didn't know my back injury was going to bother me from then on.)

The owner assigned Kiowa to me after that.  The next day he knickered when he saw me and came right to me.  And he seemed to know how much my back was hurting.  I tried a long ride, and Kiowa did everything to be slow and gentle.  He was like a different horse............he replaced his eagerness to go fast with gentleness.  He didn't even try to follow when the other riders took off and left us in their dust.  He just knew...............but my riding was over for the rest of that trip.

The next year we bought our property, so we never went back.  I never saw Kiowa again, but I will always remember and think of him. 

Jiffy will always be with you in memories of love and his gentleness!

Thanks for sharing your touching story Kathy!

I haven't been on here to read as much as I like, but your story did catch my eye.. and my heart. 

Lisa 

Wow, I only found this thread this morning, so I haven't read the whole thing, but I have read some really touching stories.   Thank you for starting this thread, and thank you to all that have posted.

 I am 53 this fall, have been riding ever since I was a desparate wannabe as a kid.   I learned to shoe horses 26 years ago, and has been my main source of sustainance ever since I left a loser husband in '82, raised two kids, they both ride.

My main thrill besides spending as much time as I can with my guys, is eventing.  I also like endurance riding, and will take that up more when I become too old to jump, if that ever happens.

I am also a certified level 1 english instructor, do some training, start and sell eventers at the lower levels, and travel a lot of miles to do farrier work.

My favorite horse for the last 7 years is an ottb that I got as a 7yr old, and took up to training level.   I broke my own heart this fall by sending him to a stable near Vancouver to sell, as I am done competing him, and he no longer has a job, but will see if he will be a good lesson horse where they will take great care of him.  He hasn't sold yet, because I won't sell him until I know everything is fine there.  I'm going to see him this weekend when I visit the Mane Event in Chilliwack.

A good friend of mine is a guy who is in his 70's and brings his 3 yr old colt to go riding together.   He is planning on riding 50 mile endurance rides next year, and he just rode in his first show class on saturday and got a 4th in novice horse walk-trot.  He was the oldest rider at the show on the youngest horse.

When I have time tonight, I'm going to read this whole thread.

Robin

Gang,

One of the men here. (There are a few of us out here. LOL!!) 58 this yr. Mystic is 11, the horse in my sig. Caught the bug in summer camp many yrs ago. Got mystic just before my 47th birthday, and although I don't have him now, I nknow where he is and hope to buy him back soon, if my situation allows. I need his therapy.

Frank

We'll keep good thoughts for you to get him back. There's no therapy as good as a horse!! We do have a few men at the boarding stable with a pretty bad case of the horse bug, but they are outnumbered by the women. 

Took my DH out to the farm this morning for a little riding lesson on Minx. It's windy and there was gun fire going on all around the farm so she did two major spooks with me on board in the outdoor ring when I was warming her up for him. There was no way I was going to let him on her in those conditions so we took her to the indoor where it was was nice and calm and quiet. She was a perfect angel for him and did really well. He had nice form and used his seat and leg rather than the reins to guide her. He doesn't really know what seat and leg are yet but understood when I told him how to look where he was going and turn his upper body to indicate direction.

I'm so very proud of them both!!

Robin, Welcome!  We are so glad you joined!  Yowzer you are a very busy lady and it's all pretty physical.  When do you sleep???? 

Mystic's Father,  I hope you are able to get Mystic back very soon.  We ladies enjoy hearing from you, so please post often

LuckLady,  ah yes, small game must in??  It's in down here in Middle Tennessee and I am dreading first day of deer, which is much earlier than in PA.  I think rifle opens on November 17th, I have to double check.

And get this.  Unless they changed the rules this year (need to check that too), Tennessee allows Sunday hunting - at least for deer!!  And that mean public hunting, not just on your own private property.

I love it here and have no intentions of leaving, but I find it odd that I am in the Bible Belt and Sunday hunting is allowed!  We don't even all public hunting up north - unless that rule has changed since I left in 1998.

I come from a family of hunters, but that doesn't mean I have to like the playin' rules

Keeshy, your horse is a very special one indeed to have done that nice thing for you by looking out for you all those times when you needed him to. I am sorry that he is no longer with you. I am sorry for your loss.

I have known horses like that!

Walkin, in Virginia our deer tag counts for Elk. We have Elk that come into Virginia from your state, KY, and NC. I wish we had Sunday hunting. We have been trying to get that here.

Well, you can count me in. I've been here so many years, I can't count, but everytime they revamp the website, I lose my status and probably shall remain a foal forever...now that makes me feel young!

 I have 3 in my barn and they are the sunshine in my day. I'm in the middle of breaking 2 of them right now and have all the ground training in place and hoping the first ride doesn't have me eating dirt. I got a helmet...something I never wore before, do now.

I have loved horses all my life, but this time around, the whole experience seems so much richer to me. I've got the showing bug out of my blood and love them more for who they are and what they feel....guess I've matured..ya think?

I live on the end of a dead end road and sometimes it feels like it, but I've been learning about the barefoot trim and all three are fully transitioned now. Not an accomplishment, as I see it, but have given an ultimate gift of love and respect to have given them back their feet to what they want them to be. It makes me so proud to see their movement unencumbered, their thoughts elsewhere than on their feet. I am so happy that I was able to do this for them.  I've got a couple of other horses I'm trimming now, though, I'm not a professional trimmer. I find that it doesn't matter if its my horse or someone else's, I love them just as much and try to help.

I saw the neatest video on You Tube the other day. This girl was mounting a 16+ hand TB bareback from the ground. She shifted her weight to her left leg, kept the other one straight, and swung it from the the hip 2x, then let the momentum take her right on up. It was amazing, so effortless....like magic! Oh, yeah, beautiful, but I'd need a hip replacement after that move,lol!

I don't know why they started this hunting business on Sundays. I'm in Ontario, Canada and it started last year. I thought I'd atleast have Sundays in peace...guess not. It's not my favourite time of year, cause when they're in the thick of it, my husband is back at the hunting camp and I'm alone here to fend off the crazies. Lots of fun.

I agree with all that was written before.  I have loved horses my whole life.  Could not afford lessons (or a horse) when I was younger, and after college took up the sport of scuba diving (not a bad sport either!).  Finally decided to do it myself (take riding lessons) after watching my kids enjoy a lesson, given by my niece, while on vacation.  The kids no longer take lessons, but I do!  Finally got my own horse when I was 54.  I have quite a few friends who are over 50, and they ride much better than I do.  Plus a few who are working on getting to 50!  This thread is definitely a live wire for many of us!

I haven't been riding much on the weekends, but one of my friends told me that there's been shooting heard on Sundays. Don't know what that's all about. There's a practice range at the farm next to the boarding barn so most of the horses, including Minx, are fairly desensitized. But yesterday, it wasn't the spaced out shots. It was more like a series of fire crackers. Also, the DH, took a lawn chair and sat in the corner of the ring that's especially spooky. I don't know why it's more spooky than the others but it is. Anyhow, the big scarey object in the spooky corner caused the jump and spin that almost unseated me. Even after we went up and talked to the scarey thing and it rubbed her face she still wasn't too sure. Every time I get complacent about how good Minx is and that she almost never spooks, she reminds me that she's only 4 years old.

There's not supposed to be any hunting on the boarding farm, of course. But all us riders are pretty careful. We certainly don't go trail riding the first day of deer season and we stay close to home all during hunting season.. DH says he read somewhere that the first day of deer season in PA is the sporting event with the largest number of participants in the world. I don't mind that people like to hunt. Just wish it wasn't dangerous for non-participants and their pets.

Well, I am finally getting a chance to join and post. This is a great thread....even though I hate to think I am 50....geez, where did the years go?  I still feel 18...though my body aches a bit more, I am wearing those cheap magnifying glasses to rea, but I am one of those who refuses to give in to aging :p

My story, quickly...I was always horse crazy...I still have a picture of me 4 or 5 years old, holding a little toy horse.   Got my first horse at 18...an aged gelding on the way to the knackers; I paid $400 for him, and he was a crazy ex-barrel horse.  I learned a lot with him and the horse I got my mom (an attempt to bond with her, which worked!).  Oh, the things I did with them I would not even consider now :)  That is a whole 'nother story...

Fast forward...after two kids, and horseless for 17 years (even though I worked at a small dressage barn for a few years in between), I got remarried, and the "neighbor kids next door" (in their 20s) built a show barn.  Of course, the way we met was two of their horses ran through my yard when they were not home, and I had to catch them....and while putting them in stalls, I saw this "spirited" bay mare who was so excited she tried to bite me...well, I had promised my new husband that, when we bought this 3 1/2 acre 100-year old farm with a dairy barn that I did not want a horse until we were done with our other sport (drag racing) and I would take on an old rescue horse that needed a home, and somehow, I ended up riding that crazy, green broke,  6 year old mare, and falling in love...of course when they decided to sell her (she is a Appendix QH and they show paints), I was made an offer that was incredible, and my DH said to go ahead and get her....

Well, Starlette and I have bonded and are really learning about each other...and I am full of questions and opinions.  Things have really changed over the years...and since I *learned horse* on the east coast, I am learning the "Midwest" western and eventuallly switching to dressage (once I get leg strength back)...I also have a lot of questions (and opinions).  It looks like I can get a lot of answers here for my question...such as why tie around a horse and whip them until they are exhausted to teach them to "give into the bit'? Why use a twisted snaffle on newly started horse? What is the big thing about spurs?  My mare was "spur trained from the start", and I am having a hard time undoing it....I suck with spurs (already got bucked off once - Starlette's opinon of spurs is quite clear) and really don't see the point in using them except after they are trained for fine tuning. What is with feeding alfalfa hay mix?  I had a hard time getting just grass hay for her...I am sure it's a Midwest thing. And what is with only giving them two flakes in the am and two in the pm...and no grazing?  And stalling for almost all day/night with only riding time or turn out in mud/dirt for a few hours? Or closing a barn up so tight in the cold weather that the urine smell makes your eyes water...in order to keep a show coat?  Even leaving the lights on 24/7...I understand so many hours to keep the coat short, but I would think 24 would mess with their biorythms a lot..Okay..I am ranting a bit (my husband's favorite terms for what I do)...maybe I am way out of date with horsecare, but some of what I see just doesn't seem right...

To get back on track...It's nice to be here; I hope I make some friends and get the guidance I need with my young, teenage mare that I am training and teaching to trust, and some comradeship, too! 

Jackie and Starlette

Welcome Jackie and Starlette.  I joined this forum a few months ago and things I've learned are that there is no shortage of opinions, that sometimes we have "dicussions" about issues, that you can learn whole bunches of good stuff, that many of the ???s (like some you raised) are just the thing to get one of those "discussions" started, and that generally horse people are generous with their knowledge, caring about each other and those pesky problems that crop up, and lend a shoulder to cry on when necessary.  And there are always lots of great pics to look at, which is way cool.

Join up!!!

 Terry

Well, I fit in this thread too. I'm Carmen and 50. I have also loved horses all my life. Would go to great lengths to ride. When we were young my sister and i would walk a mile to ride the mile back on an old mule and a white horse which were used for skidding logs, and yes we fought over who got to ride the white horse. lol.

I bought my first horse an unregistered TWH who trotted like a QH, when I was 36 I didn't know any better. But thought horses would be a good thing to get my kids into, sure beats them hanging out at the Mall or Skating Rink or God knows where. We did pretty good until they discovered cars, boys/girls dating and all that. Now I am the only one who rides, but love it and can't imagine my life without horses in it.