Sometimes, Things Change
Sep. 28th, 2003 11:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elegant_bonfireTwenty years ago, I was in college. I had also just discovered the world of sport horses and combined training. I had been obsessed with horses my whole life, but I had only been able to ride rental horses with western saddles, etc. I met a sport horse trainer, started hanging around her farm, took a hunt seat lesson, and that was it: I was hooked.
Six months later, a friend of mine who was into animal rescue heard about a horse standing in a field. The elderly farmer who actually owned her wanted to sell her. The young couple who took care of her liked her but knew absolutely nothing about horses. (They gave her bubble gum for a treat!). My friend cut a deal with the old dude to buy the mare for $325, then said to me "If you want to train her, you can have her." So I became the excited owner of my first horse, a white few-spot unregistered Appaloosa mare, who was rising four and had never really been handled. They called her Bailey, the name seemed to fit her, so I kept it.
She loaded into my trainer's trailer with only momentary fuss, and I began the process of training her, when I barely knew anything myself. My trainer used the old classical methods, lots of lunging and ground work before anyone ever got on. I was the first person on Bailey's back, and she put up with my beginner mistakes as we both progressed somehow. As I worked at stables and saw more of the horse world, I now realize how lucky I was. I was a beginner rider with a green horse, but never once did she intentionally try to harm me or anyone else. She was an easy keeper and would get fat on air.
She never reared or bucked (other than an occasional feeling-good crowhop) and in 20 years, I only came off her twice. In both instances, something truly terrified her, and she spun around so fast I couldn't stay on top of her.
As time went by we did a little jumping--something I was never very good at but Bailey loved. We went to a few shows (all I could afford) and came home with a nice little selection of ribbons in the hunter division. Dressage had always fascinated me, and back in the 90's I got to visit the Netherlands, and see a World Cup qualifier dressage competition. Several Olympic riders were there, and I got to see truly high-level dressage for the first time. It lit a fire in my heart--I knew when I came home that was what I wanted to do. I was lucky enough to study with some excellent trainers, including one on the USET's developing riders list. And even though she had a stable of fancy warmbloods, she liked my little fat white Appy, and was excited for us when we did well.
All through these years, I worked part-time in the horse industry to support my riding. I groomed, cleaned stalls, gave lessons, farmsat, in order to afford my horse and her essentials. In the past two years, though, costs have risen dramatically in the business. Other obligations kept me from working on the farms as much. I realized that I could no longer afford to take care of her the way she should be cared for. And Bailey was getting older, and while I had learned so much over the years and wanted to progress, she had days where she was tired, and just didn't want to work so hard anymore. But how do you give up something that has been your heart and your whole life for 20 years? Sometimes I would be tormented by thoughts of her standing alone in a field, uncared for, and I knew I could never subject her to that. Her whole life had been a structure of busy stables, regular work and training, and lots of attention. It was what she was used to, what she enjoyed.
The solution came from a old friend of mine, who owns a hunter stable with lots of students. She took Bailey on 'permanent loan' as a school horse, and it worked out perfectly for both of them. She is a safe, friendly horse who has no stall vices and is an easy keeper. At 24, she's sensible and has seen pretty much everything, but all the dressage training she's had makes her nice and forward, so the girls don't have to push her to keep her going. I watched her in a lesson a few days ago, and she was taking a little girl who had just learned to jump around a course. Her little rider got her crest release and jumping position, and the expression on Bailey's face was priceless. If she could have talked, she would have said, "Just leave this to me, I'll get us around!" She looked for all the spots, trotted and cantered when she needed to, and all her rider had to do was steer on the ends of the lines. I was so proud of her...I know she will have a home for life, where she will be taken wonderful care of. The farm is just outside the city limits, so I can go visit her as often as I like, and I'm free to ride her if I want. But I'm also taking lessons on different horses, improving my skills and progressing has a horseman...and my beloved Bailey is helping to teach the next generation of riders.
That was the best $325 ever spent.
Six months later, a friend of mine who was into animal rescue heard about a horse standing in a field. The elderly farmer who actually owned her wanted to sell her. The young couple who took care of her liked her but knew absolutely nothing about horses. (They gave her bubble gum for a treat!). My friend cut a deal with the old dude to buy the mare for $325, then said to me "If you want to train her, you can have her." So I became the excited owner of my first horse, a white few-spot unregistered Appaloosa mare, who was rising four and had never really been handled. They called her Bailey, the name seemed to fit her, so I kept it.
She loaded into my trainer's trailer with only momentary fuss, and I began the process of training her, when I barely knew anything myself. My trainer used the old classical methods, lots of lunging and ground work before anyone ever got on. I was the first person on Bailey's back, and she put up with my beginner mistakes as we both progressed somehow. As I worked at stables and saw more of the horse world, I now realize how lucky I was. I was a beginner rider with a green horse, but never once did she intentionally try to harm me or anyone else. She was an easy keeper and would get fat on air.
She never reared or bucked (other than an occasional feeling-good crowhop) and in 20 years, I only came off her twice. In both instances, something truly terrified her, and she spun around so fast I couldn't stay on top of her.
As time went by we did a little jumping--something I was never very good at but Bailey loved. We went to a few shows (all I could afford) and came home with a nice little selection of ribbons in the hunter division. Dressage had always fascinated me, and back in the 90's I got to visit the Netherlands, and see a World Cup qualifier dressage competition. Several Olympic riders were there, and I got to see truly high-level dressage for the first time. It lit a fire in my heart--I knew when I came home that was what I wanted to do. I was lucky enough to study with some excellent trainers, including one on the USET's developing riders list. And even though she had a stable of fancy warmbloods, she liked my little fat white Appy, and was excited for us when we did well.
All through these years, I worked part-time in the horse industry to support my riding. I groomed, cleaned stalls, gave lessons, farmsat, in order to afford my horse and her essentials. In the past two years, though, costs have risen dramatically in the business. Other obligations kept me from working on the farms as much. I realized that I could no longer afford to take care of her the way she should be cared for. And Bailey was getting older, and while I had learned so much over the years and wanted to progress, she had days where she was tired, and just didn't want to work so hard anymore. But how do you give up something that has been your heart and your whole life for 20 years? Sometimes I would be tormented by thoughts of her standing alone in a field, uncared for, and I knew I could never subject her to that. Her whole life had been a structure of busy stables, regular work and training, and lots of attention. It was what she was used to, what she enjoyed.
The solution came from a old friend of mine, who owns a hunter stable with lots of students. She took Bailey on 'permanent loan' as a school horse, and it worked out perfectly for both of them. She is a safe, friendly horse who has no stall vices and is an easy keeper. At 24, she's sensible and has seen pretty much everything, but all the dressage training she's had makes her nice and forward, so the girls don't have to push her to keep her going. I watched her in a lesson a few days ago, and she was taking a little girl who had just learned to jump around a course. Her little rider got her crest release and jumping position, and the expression on Bailey's face was priceless. If she could have talked, she would have said, "Just leave this to me, I'll get us around!" She looked for all the spots, trotted and cantered when she needed to, and all her rider had to do was steer on the ends of the lines. I was so proud of her...I know she will have a home for life, where she will be taken wonderful care of. The farm is just outside the city limits, so I can go visit her as often as I like, and I'm free to ride her if I want. But I'm also taking lessons on different horses, improving my skills and progressing has a horseman...and my beloved Bailey is helping to teach the next generation of riders.
That was the best $325 ever spent.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
thats one of the best personal stories I have ever read
Date: 2003-10-02 10:12 pm (UTC)I am glad you are now here. I have wondered about you, and now I have my first glimpse.
See you around.
T.
Re: thats one of the best personal stories I have ever read
Date: 2003-10-03 04:42 am (UTC)I am glad you liked the (true) story--it seemed like a good way to get my journal started. You are welcome to stick around and read as I add more.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-17 12:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-17 02:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-07-22 08:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-07-26 09:07 pm (UTC)