Local Christmas Parade. Possum and I and a few others from the barn. The two bays you can see are OTTB's.
Moonshine and I last fall jumping round bales and tires in the field. 
Possum and I at the beginning of our 20 miles trail ride. 16 people from our barn participates in the ride and it was tons of fun! 
Possum and I in mid trot on the 20 mile trail ride.
Wanted to ask a question in this post. But first a quick update on myself. Had a pretty good weekend. Rode Possum Friday and Saturday. Friday my roomate and I had plans to ride to the pond to go swimming but there were expected thunder storms so instead of getting stuck away from the barn in a big body of water while it's lightening we decided to play in the arena instead. So dressed in shorts, tanks and sneakers we decided to ride jockey style and jump. I quickly realized that sneakers were not going to work as evidenced bu the missing skin and bloody spot on my ankle bone. SO I found some socks, half chaps and paddock boots, as did my roomie. We were a sight to see, strutting back to the arena with boots and half chaps with shorts and tank tops. A big fashion no no in the horse world.
We actually ended up having a lot of fun. I jumped 3'6" with jockey stirrups and did quite well. It's nearly impossible to have perfect equitation with your knees hitting your cheeks. We had a ton of laughs and lots of people starting in disbelief. Possum was great. He definately remembered from the other day and loved tearing around there. After we were going to take them around the loop to cool out. But once we hit the dirt road the temptation to gallop was too much. SO with stirrups hiked up and knees in our chest we took off. It was the closest I have ever raced. We only went about a quarter mile and her mare Casey and Possum were neck and neck the wjole way. He would get an inch in front and then she would and it stayed that way until we pulled up. We had so much fun and were breathless by the end of the gallop. Cooled the horses out on a long walk, gave them a good cold hosing and scrub and fed them thei dinner after we got back to the barn.
Saturday my roomate did a serious ride while I opted to ride bareback because my ankle bones were still very raw and pussy from the day before riding jockey style. Possum and I had fun. We jumped a few jumps and he only did a few small bucks. Yesterday didn't go to the barn at all. "G" was being a cranky pill so instead I opted to go for a motorcycly ride with my friend. We went out to eat and visited my parents and had a good time. "G" continued to get more and more cranky as the day went on. FInally last night he said that he didn't want to be with me and getting back together was all a big mistake blah blah blah. I know that he is going through a tough time now with sobriety, money issues and this damned rainy weather. But Geesh! does he have to take it out on me??? I'm just giving him some time and space right now and hoping that his common sense brain takes over his 6th grade brain he is using now.
So back to the original question. What are some of the wild and crazy things you have done around or on the back of a horse. This weekend was one of mine. I'm alomost 27 and riding like a jockey galloping around and giggling like a 10yo. I also jump crazy jumps, go on trail rides of every kind. My horse followes me all over the arena and we race each other. Obviously he usually wins. If I jump over a jump on foot and will jump after me with no lead or halter. As a kid I also would gallop the ponies in the field while the trainer was away. We would ride double and bareback with no shoes and shorts and t shirts. Oh yeah and wrapping my horse in snow fencing and sticking in pine boughs to carry across the property as a pack mule. I never really think these things are crazy until someone else tells me they are. I like having a horse because I can do whatever with him and he has fun too. We're both adventurists and up to any challenge. SO what are some of the crazy stories you guys have?
6 comments:
When I was little (I may have mentioned this before) I would take my gelding for rides often I'd be gone the whole day - and be MILES away from the house.
In the summer we'd often head up to a pond up about 2 miles behind the house. Since Nightfire (cute name huh?) liked swimming I would always let him walk around in the shallows with the lily pads. Well one day I wasn't paying attention and he managed to lay down in the water - I was riding bareback so I didn't care and let him get the other side wet too.
By that time were out in the middle of the pond and it was still so shallow I just thought we'd walk to the other side. Nightfire took 2 steps and sank like a dang rock (there was a BIG drop there I didn't know about). Head and all right under the water - I thought I drowned my horse. I was floating of course. Then I felt him, and he popped back up and blew water everywhere shook his head and headed for shore. I grabbed his mane and let him tow me. If I hadn't been so scared I would've been daydreaming about that scene in the Black Stallion. The opposite bank was steep so clung to him like crab as he scrambled up the bank.
We reeked of pond! Did I go home? Nope of course not! We rode on, i knew that I would be dry by the time I got home anyway so why not keep riding. I was quite the picture, wet kid, wet horse, water dripping off both of us as we walked down the logging road...when I did get home I hosed of Nightfire and me before I went - sneaked back in the hose.
That swim had him all buzzed up it was kinda funny, he was like "okay now what do we do? Let's gallop!" He sneezed the whole day - from the water I am sure.
I was nuts as a kid - never told Mom where I was going, I'd just up and leave, for the whole dang day. Get so far away if something bad were to have happened NO one would've found me in time, no way.
Nightfire was such a good boy - I would almost always follow his lead if he was nervous or insisted on going back I would usually go. One time this kept us out of striking range from a Mountain Lion that stalked down the side of ridge behind the barn. But that's a story for another post...
She has since told me that she would've been concerned if Nightfire would've shown up without me. But she was surprised when I told her as an adult how far away from the house I would get.
Molly,
What kind of boots do you show in? Dress or Field?
What's best for jumping vs flat?
Hope you're doing okay...
Just found this blog today through Stephanie. I love your story! It instantly had me running down memory lane! Stephanie's comment sounds just like what I would write, almost to a tee except for the fact that my swim was in a big river with a good current to it. My gelding would sink rather than swim! We also had many backcountry adventures and as I didnt have much sense of direction (I should say DONT rather than didnt, I still get lost in my home town) at the end of my ride I would put my hand down and tell Rocky to head home. He would usually head off in the opposite direction that I would have guessed home to be in, but I trusted him and he always took me straight back to the barn. One of my favorite memories was playing tag with my friends on horseback, (bareback in halters and leads.) We would get so caught up in the game that you'd forget you were on a horse and so when you reach out to tag someone, and just slide right off. We would all fall off a dozen times but it was just sooo much fun. I have only had one ride in the past seven years that was as fun as what I had almost every day as a teen. Thanks for making me think!
Dont worry about the boy, they always come around in the end, most love us and hate us in equal measure.
Stephanie,
I have field boots. Actually their the Ariat Heritage 2 field boots. Not the most expensive ones, but I love Ariat and their really comfy. Now I don't know if showing in hunters and such if you aren't supposed to wear dress boots, but I only see competitors wearing field boots. I do not know if there is a specific rule against dress ones.
I do know that dress boots are favored in dressage and once you get to I think like 3rd level or something that you have to have dress boots.
Hmmmm....interesting I wonder why they would make you wear when you get to that level.
When I was younger I tried both on and like the dress boots better so that's what I have alway purchased, but guess they are so out of style in QH shows. Oh well they are last on my priority list.
I have seen the boots you have and like them alot - if they would've had those when i was younger I may have choose field boots. That's what I would like to get, the pair I tried was very comfy.
Thanks for the info!
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