For the horsey people here

[sunshine_gg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQgTiqhPbw[/video]]YouTube - ANDREAS HELGSTRAND - WEG2006 Freestyle Final

I keep coming back to this video when I need a pick up
What a magnificent mare.

[LookingToGrow]

For the horsey people here

She is amazing!

[rubywillow]

For the horsey people here

Will show this to my Gracie. She loves all things horse. Just brought her a bridle for Christmas.

[sunshine_gg]

For the horsey people here

Oh, show her Stacy Westfall, too... it's kinda sad, but awesome to watch, none the less. Stacy was supposed to BE HERE this fall to do a reining clinic on the island... we couldn't get enough commitments ($$) - but we're trying again for next year.

Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMr4REbiW-s&feature=related[/video]]

Btw... LOL... I tried that with Sophie last year... ended up having to bail... Miss Sophie knew full well that I had NOTHING on her (usually I ride her at least in a halter and lead rope) and once we got to a canter, she decided she really didn't want to stop!

[LookingToGrow]

For the horsey people here

I've seen her on TV. I love it! I will show that one to Hanna, for sure.

[dancelot]

For the horsey people here

Sunshine -

Cool videos! Though reining bareback makes me think of hitting dirt.... I'm too old for that!:H
The World Equestrian Games are at Kentucky Horse Park next year. You going? Seeing that caliber of horse in person has got to be amazing.

We saw the Spanish Riding School when they were in Houston a few years back. They were unbelievable, and put every DQ trying a musical freestyle to shame. If they're ever touring again (or you visit Vienna), they are a must see. One of their bridles actually broke and was flapping, the horse didn't miss a beat, but I bet the groom got his ass kicked!

What type of riding do you do? I do dressage (no where near that level!) on my mini warmblood cowpony (he's a great mover).

[sunshine_gg]

For the horsey people here

I'm just hacking, Dance! :H

I had a really bad fall 3 years ago.. and then another the following year (the devil horse, both times) and lost all confidence. I still have nightmares about mounting (Mark used to take to going into a bucking fit while I was mounting). If it hadn't been for Sophie, I'm not sure I'd ever got on a horse again

I try new things with her because I trust her. She takes good care of her rider, whoever he/she is. When she has an experienced rider she will try to have some fun herself - but never mean spiritied. And, when she has a novice rider, she won't take a step out of line

I'm fully planning on buying a (by then) 7 year old Gelding next Spring. He and I seem to have a real connection and I'd love to get into reining with him. My friend (a trainer, who owns him now) ordered me to ride him with my eyes closed... that was quite an experience :H

Send me a pic of your pony, will ya! Please!?

This is Atlas... hopefully mine by Spring:

[LookingToGrow]

For the horsey people here

He's a beauty! Like the name too!

[sunshine_gg]

For the horsey people here

You like, LTG?

Funny, I'm actually not into paints. At least not this light. So, visually... no, he ain't my type at all. But... in a way we're very much alike, both very insecure. He was severely abused (has permanent scars) and looks for re-assurance constantly. Perhaps that's propelling me a bit? Who knows. For some reason it just works.

My friend who is an awesome horse woman shook her head months ago and said: "One of these days he's just gonna follow you home, isn't he?" :H

[LookingToGrow]

For the horsey people here

Oh, he's a keeper! Damn shame he was abused. That's just wrong!

[startingover]

For the horsey people here

I was watching those vids Sunny...they took my breath away.

I know what you mean about the bad accidents and losing confidence. Me too.

Atlas looks amazing. You are a lucky lady....

[one2many]

For the horsey people here

Sunny..he is BEAUTIFUL....

[tawnywitch]

For the horsey people here

i lost confidence 12 years ago when my beautiful highland mare ran away with me, when my 9 year old started riding this summer i suddenly realised that i wanted to ride again so much, but i was always too hungover to feel well enough, so it was a big reason for me to give the booze up, had 6 lessons so far, in a school, but im cantering and doing halfpasses, really enjoying it and hoping that one day soon i will go out for a wonderful hack, my husband has said he will buy me another one when i feel ready, i am so lucky, the mare was stunning, my 14 year old sons best friend is carl hesters brother, he is really good at dressage too.

[dancelot]

For the horsey people here

Sunshine - That's great you found a horse you connected with. My current guy was the replacement for a TB :H that had "potential". Just not mentally. Physically he was capable of Grand Prix. Mentally he was an evil little prankster, he would actually play tricks on other horses in the pasture, and had learned a "trick" of bucking during a canter transition. This was something that could be "trained out", nothing I wasn't capable of according to every one I trained with, knew how I rode, etc. It appeared to be going well, until the little shit couldn't be worked for 2 weeks, and I got on between lessons, cantered 4 strides, then was airborne on a horse whose entire neck and head were no longer visible. I was still holding the bucking strap when I hit the ground, which didn't feel as much like pavement as I expected. His registered name was Contamination (by Grand Rivulet, out of Oil of Olive). I'm giving you the breeding because he was bred in Minnesota, you're in Canada, maybe those boys are related. We turned him over to a Mennonite trainer as a driving horse, my trainer knows some driving dressage people, and we had hoped he could do that.

I love my Appendix Quarterhorse, mostly they get the QH brain and the good TB traits, so are great athletic horses.

Tawny, that's great you started riding again too! I used to see lots of returning adult riders, myself included, as well as moms that signed the kids up to ride when it was them that secretly wanted it. Being scared is no fun, and it is important to ride appropriate horses for our skill and/or comfort level. Plus the older we get, the less we bounce! We don't have to prove nothing to nobody anymore. It's great you're in lessons too, our balance, flexibility, etc, can be very different from when we were kids, so that's a really good way to get back in the game before buying a horse.


Sunny, I was never crazy about dark bays, especially after the TB, but my QH is one (in the winter anyway; he's a strange shade of bay when he sheds out). All it takes is meeting one great one of any color, and we're hooked!

Let's keep up the horsey thread ladies, you guys are so much more fun than the dressage forum! :H

[rubywillow]

For the horsey people here

It's REALLY hard to 'get back on that horse' when you're thrown,isn't it, and you think the earth is moving instead of you when you hit the ground!! Believe it or not, my crazy (but beloved!) Daddy taught me some skills when I was about 6 and he let me try to ride a yearling calf he'd bought for our winter freezer! I can remember Momma standing on the front steps yelling "You're gonna kill her!", but he pooh-poohed her and I hung on for dear life. He bought me my first real horse, a 14 year-old walker when I was 12. I survived!