My Horses, Your Horses
I'm looking out the window at my little herd du jour (around here, the faces change with some regularity, as my sale projects come and go), and thought it might be fun for us to exchange details about our critters. So here's my roster:
* Riley, 2003 sorrel Quarter Horse gelding registered as All American Choice. I bought him as a weanling, showed him at halter as a yearling (have the trophy buckles to prove it), and have been working on his riding skills ever since. He's had some downtime this year, after a soft-tissue injury, but appears to have recovered and will be going back into training Dec. 1.
* Gussie, 1991 gray Quarter Horse broodmare, real name Gust A Gray. Gussie's had three foals for us--one in each of the years we've owned her, and all of them gray, like her. We left her open for 2008, due to the depressed horse market, and stlll haven't decided where to go from here. She may just get to retire and become a fulltime pasture ornament.
* Tiffany, 2007 gray Quarter Horse filly, registration pending but hoping to get The Perfect Option as her name. (Sire is named Absolute Option, dam is the mare named above). She's our favorite of the babies we've raised, and we're enjoying the chance to see her grow and develop.
* Tank, 1979 dun Quarter Horse gelding, also known as Dunnys Wimpy--except no one but AQHA ever calls him that. Tank was given to us a few years ago by the rodeo cowboy who'd used him as a rope horse for ages; he wanted to retire him from the rodeo life as a reward for his great service. The old guy still pulls the occasional trail ride or colt-ponying job, but mostly he acts as big uncle to the foals, and as Gussie's pasture pal.
And, though he's no longer ours (we sold him to a friend), we also have custody of Beau (Zipalong Cassidy), a 2001 chestnut roan Appaloosa gelding who serves as a nonpro show horse.
We've had as many as 12 horses on the place, so five seems like a much smaller--and more manageable--number of horses to care for.
OK--your turn!
posted by Juli Thorson @ 10:19 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
wcydycHi Julie,
I'm new to your blog and new to horse ownership. My dear husband, knowing that it has been the desire of my heart since he's known me, surprised with the gift of a horse for my 50th birthday. He did all the research on boarding stables in our area, but left the horse research and choosing to me. I purchased a beautiful 7yo registered QH gelding named Doc (DC Dry Colonel Jack). Sire was TQH Jack Rabbit and dam was Miss Colena. He seems to be a great horse so far. He's been trained as an endurance trail horse, but hasn't been ridden for the past year due to his previous owner going off to college. We're both "in training" and I look forward to many years of enjoying him. I'll look forward to your great insight as well as I enjoy reading your blog. Thank You!
I have 3 in my pasture, 2 adopted from a horse rescue and one a "rescue" of sorts on my own.
Dee: Registered with the APHA as High Dice Two Dee. I geuss she has had some foals but at 18 years old, she has earned her retirement. Tried riding her but with some bad arthritis in her left hock, thats a no go. Adopte from St. Francis Horse Rescue.
Buddy: 26 year ish Pinto gelding adopted from the rescue. Was originaly to be a "foster child" but we decided he needed to stay perminantly. Such a love bug, has his good days and bad ones. Suffers from bad arthritis in both front legs, but still lets the girls know who's the boss!
Star: 8ish year old grade mare,we think she's at least part Morgan, given to me by a guy who's wife was afraid of her after she "bucked". She's tried with me, and well lets just say, she tries LOL! My pride an joy after bringing her back into shape after a bout with founder. She also has EMS, and low tyroid. Such a ham, and knows it!
Becky,
Congratulations on your first horse--what a wonderful thing that must be for you. And thanks for reading the blog!
--Juli
Hi Julie
As always enjoying your thoughts.
My pasture looks like this right now but subject to change at any given time:
Tank 27 yr old QH retired from Charlie Daniels ranch, I used him to sort and pen on for some time. Now he just goes on occasional trail ride and rules the roost here.
Harley 5 yr old QH registered as
Solanos Silver King. My new project, competing at ranch horse shows and learning how to do working cowhorse class. A real spitfire who should be named dennis the menace.
Wilson 12 year old welsh pony, bought for my kids but he really is the pony I never had. Smart as a fox and a real entertainer. Harley thinks of him as his personal cow to cut all day long, which keeps wilson in shape.
I have one little four-footed critter living (almost) in my backyard -- she's boarded 2 miles from my house. :)
Flynn is my 2003 sorrel AQHA mare, registered as Tabasco's Miss Flynn (sire was Tabasco Tivo, an own son of Poco Tivo, and dam is Flynn's Sassy Chick). She was bred to be a cutting horse, but I bought her back in March as an English prospect because she was such a cute little mover. She's an opinionated little princess, but also one of the most straightforward (and smartest!) horses I've ever ridden. In eight short months she's gone from just barely greenbroke to really getting there with her flatwork, and I'm dying to show her this spring and see what she can do...
Hi Julie,
The Queen of our pasture is my 21 year old AQHA mare, Cash For Neva. I bought Whitney when she was 2-1/2 and unstarted. She was my weekend warrior; we showed in open and AQHA shows and did a little team penning and trail riding/camping. At the age of 13, she was no longer "show sound" due to an injury, so I picked a nice pleasure bred stallion and we made a baby. I raised two colts from my good old mare, and she has now spent the last 5 years totally retired from everything, no babies, no riding, no doing anything she doesn't want to do. (That's why we call her Queenie.)She is a peach once you get a halter on her, but getting one on... well, you know, someone MIGHT want to ride her, so halters are to be avoided at all costs!
Whitney is the first horse I have ever had "just because". When I was a kid the only horses we had were ones that we were using and we were limited to one horse each. It has been such a journey, owning one horse for 19 years. I remember the thrill of bringing along a young, unstarted filly, winning our first class and our first AQHA point. I remember crying the day I accepted that she was no longer sound to ride, and feeling stupid about it because she was lame, not dead. One of the most exciting days of my life was being in the field with her and helping deliver her first baby. I treasure the time I spend with her each day, grooming her and making sure her blanket fits correctly. I rub her bony graying face, and scratch her ever more prominent withers and feel blessed that I can give her the life she so richly deserves.
The heir to her throne is her big, handsome and rather emotional son, SS Ina Cash League. Poor Nicky got his mama's TB brain, but like his Queen Mother, when he is "on", he is the horse of my dreams. He is also very sweet and patient with us humans as we fumble with his blankets.
New to our herd is the horse my sister leased for herself and her daughter. Derby is a very sweet guy and we are lucky to have him for my horse crazy niece to learn to ride and show with.
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