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Back In the Saddle

I

I Luv Herfrds

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,639
Location
Montana
Finally I am getting my confidence back to go riding again. :D
Took my horses for their regular trim and threw my dusty saddle in the back of the truck. :wink:
I go to a friends, the farrier stays at her place.
She has a really nice round pen.
Got my son's horse saddled up and walked him around the pen both ways getting him used to it.
Got on him, he did a few funny steps as a bluff. Nutty horse. :D
Walked him at first changing directions and getting him to remember to neck rein.
Got him into a slow trot and then into his "machine gun" trot.
I think I rode for 30 or 40 minutes, then my knee started giving me fits and I had to stop.

I'm going to have to keep riding him, then hopefully by the end of next month I have enough confidence to get on my young horse and ride him too. :D
For once I wasn't totally scared.
 
Good for you! Too bad you aren't closer, I'm riding some colts and would love the company. How's the daughters horse?
 
He is doing very well. She is not allowed around him right now, she has 7 stitches in one of her toes. Just being safe right now.
Real calm horse. Sure glad we got him.
 
I Luv Herfrds said:
He is doing very well. She is not allowed around him right now, she has 7 stitches in one of her toes. Just being safe right now.
Real calm horse. Sure glad we got him.
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Why don't you start on him if he's that calm to regain YOUR confidence?


I gotta ask this...

If you have confidence issues with horses and you say your hubby won't ever get on another horse....how are you gonna be able to guide and build confidence in your daughter with and about horses?

Is she working with a separate trainer?

If you have any fears....and if your daughter is on her horse and say it kinda acts up....it will scare you and her and the horse .....equals TRAINWRECK.
 
kola I plan to take her to my friend who taught kids to ride and dealt with handicap kids.
now that school is out I can get both down to her. She charges $20.00 an hour.
I already rode her horse. Took several deep breaths before I could put my foot in the stirrup, so this last time i just stepped up and away I went.
 
I Luv Herfrds said:
kola I plan to take her to my friend who taught kids to ride and dealt with handicap kids.
now that school is out I can get both down to her. She charges $20.00 an hour.
I already rode her horse. Took several deep breaths before I could put my foot in the stirrup, so this last time i just stepped up and away I went.
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KEEP GOING you have already taken the HARDEST step. You are showing your daughter more about life in your getting back on the horse in more than one way. Best way to teach handling fear. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 
Yanuck what happened is I was helping some friends move their neighbors cows. I was on my horse that was a green 2 1/2 year old. the move was around 12 miles. There was 3 of us riders and a truck and trailer just in case.
Well about mile 10 my horse started stumbling and was tired. We loaded him up and I offered to drive the rig.
Our friend driving it said to take his horse instead. I had never ridden this horse.
The saddle was his, so it didn't fit me and the stirrups were too long.
There was a pair making a break for it and I goosed this horse to go after them. The horse took the bit went right instead of left in a dead run ran up onto the road jumped off of the 3' embankment on the other side, I got loose in the saddle, he gave a buck and I was gone. I know I rolled twice and stopped laying on my back with my right shoulder dislocated.
I had to explain to my friend on how to get it back in.
I did get back on that horse, but afterwards I had lost a lot of my confidence.

I still hate that horse. Every time the weather changes or I'm doing something very physical I hate him all over again.
 
I Luv Herfrds said:
Yanuck what happened is I was helping some friends move their neighbors cows. I was on my horse that was a green 2 1/2 year old. the move was around 12 miles. There was 3 of us riders and a truck and trailer just in case.
Well about mile 10 my horse started stumbling and was tired. We loaded him up and I offered to drive the rig.
Our friend driving it said to take his horse instead. I had never ridden this horse.
The saddle was his, so it didn't fit me and the stirrups were too long.
There was a pair making a break for it and I goosed this horse to go after them. The horse took the bit went right instead of left in a dead run ran up onto the road jumped off of the 3' embankment on the other side, I got loose in the saddle, he gave a buck and I was gone. I know I rolled twice and stopped laying on my back with my right shoulder dislocated.
I had to explain to my friend on how to get it back in.
I did get back on that horse, but afterwards I had lost a lot of my confidence.

I still hate that horse. Every time the weather changes or I'm doing something very physical I hate him all over again.
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Well, that's understandable to a degree as we've all been trounced, bounced and broken up.

But, remember one rule THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BOMB PROOF HORSE!!


I hear so many people say that and it just makes me itch!!!


Yeah, you got some smart calm horses but anyone one of those ' bomb proof' ones can get scared and freaked .


A horse, like any large animal, pet or not...can kill you.


Now that I've totally pizzed in your cornflakes.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just take your time and relax with the horses!!
 
Kola is right. I'm sorry that happened to you. Sometimes things
stack up and end in a disaster. I too, don't have the confidence
I used to have when riding. It comes with age too, I think.
Us women have so much responsibility that we don't want to get
hurt. And the more you ride the better you get. That is difficult too.
Not many ranch ladies go ride just for fun.

And I hope you learned that a 12 miles is way too far to ride
a horse that young.

We were on a ranch in the Powder River that was 72,000 acres--72,000
rough acres.
The guys there were great horsemen. They rode a horse and led
a colt to wherever they needed to go. If we were sorting cattle,
they'd tie the colt up and gather with the older horse, then use the
young horse to sort with. They maintained that once you override
a young horse and he gets real tired, they will never be as good
as if they hadn't gotten used that hard when young. They
spent most of their life with a pair of bridle reins in their hands.
We learned a lot from them.

Did you see the front of the last Drover's Journal? Go take a look.
The man on the horse is sitting more to one side than the other.
When you have to ride a horse a long ways, you better not do
that, because you will soon have a sore-backed horse. These guys
on the Powder River would not allow that. you sat in the middle of
your horse!

And we learned about riding "both sides of your horse". Most people tend to ride one side or the other. You can tell which side you ride by looking
at your stirrups. One will be more worn than the other. All these
things are to keep your horse as fresh as possible on a long ride.

I realize most people don't ride as far as they did, but the principal is still the same. I found it most interesting--and so much I never knew, or
didn't think about. These guys were the real deal. We were fortunate
to have the opportunity to spend days horseback with them.
 
I understand exactly what you're going through, and it's no fun! It's really more of a mental injury you're trying to overcome, than a physical one :wink: .

Here's a link to my previous post regarding this topic, and THE BEST ADVICE I could receive, compliments of Leanin' H :D . Print his advice out, and read it before you go out to ride. It's really helped me out a lot! Good luck!

And FH, I am one of the few ranch ladies who regularly saddle up and ride...just to ride. It's nice not worrying about doing a job, but rather relaxing and enjoying time riding. Sure clears my head up, and helps put the day in perspective :wink: :D . I'm lucky to have this opportunity.

Link to my post: http://ranchers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25250&highlight=confidence

From Leanin' H:

Life is way to short not to enjoy being a'horseback! And wrecks will happen now and again, but the reward so outweights the risk. When your riding behind cows or checking salt or fence or lookin' for strays or a hundred other things you do on a ranch, you get the chance to see the world from a persective folks in cars miss out on. You get the chance to watch your ponies ears as he watchs his surroundings. You get to have wildlife linger because they don't recognize you for a two legged critter. You get the cleansing that comes from a surprise summer shower. You get to visit with companions who share your love of the west and cows. You get to see your dog doing what dogs do. You get the chance to bond with an animal that maybe you even had the priviledge to break. You even feel great after a 16 or 18 hour day when your tailfeathers are dragging but since you were a'horseback it don't feel like work normally does. Being astride a horse is what your soul needs to recharge, it's what some people never, ever get a chance to do! Your body will heal when ya scuff it most of the time, but your insides and your heart and your spirit will never take off on a lope without allowing yourself the priviledge, the honor, the pure joy of taking the reins of a horse and seein' where ya end up. Get up, dust yourself off and start grinnin'! Go ridin' and tell us how much ya love it!!!!
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Faster horses said:
Wow, H. That post to Wyoming rancher was profound.
Spiritual, even.

I know exactly of what you speak and I too, have been truly
fortunate to experince those things. Now when I get my knees
done, maybe I can be horseback again!!

Thanks for sharing that, Wyoming rancher.
Click to expand...

Thanks again H :D ! I agree, it was very profound, and has really helped me out.

And FH, our brand inspector had both knees done, and he's back to riding pain-free. Good luck to you... life's too short not to be riding a horse :wink: :D .
 
I am really excited and happy that your are back to riding and enjoying it WR!!!!! :D :D :D I have never been profound before and am quite proud of myself for being so! :wink: What does that mean? :???: :wink: I believe it was Reagan that said the best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse. I hope that I luv herefords can find herself sitting on a horse soon. :D :D
 
No, no, no... I never quit riding. I just ride without all the nagging fear I may have a wreck. :D . I can't imagine not riding... what kind of life would that be :lol: !???
 
A boring one WR.

Went to the barn this afternoon with my 2 kids. Son got on the horse we are sharing, so I was on foot. :(
Saddled up my daughters horse and got her up and riding him. :D
She has been pretty scared of horses too after falling off twice. Took a lot of talking to get her in the saddle, then to let me lead him around and finally she did some without me leading; though I was right by his head the whole time.
All she can talk about is riding in the O-Mok-See and he is looking forward to the 2 of us out riding in the pasture.

Realized today that we do not have enough tack to outfit all 3 of us. :oops: :lol:
Getting a list together. Stole stuff off the husbands saddle and a friends saddle that was left here. Still not enough. It's getting longer by the minute. Will hopefully have everything by this Wednesday.
 

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