My first Horse Auction

Well, I found out there was a horse auction today, and while I wasn't buying (I made sure not to show up early enough to preview ANY of them!), I wanted to go and get a feel for how one goes.
In this auction's case, there were 45 horses of various breeds, and all except 8 had their lineage printed in the auction catalog.

Now, I know everyone in the horse business is aware of the horse economy and how low it's gotten...but...wow. All I can say is, I'm glad I didn't have a bidder number, because these horses were selling for WAY lower than they should've. This little mare in the picture above, 9 years old, disgusting amount of experience with cattle, sold for $1400! And this pretty brood mare below, at 11 years old, halter trained (they didn't say she was saddle trained though :( only went for $300!! It made me sad....to have to listen to such low numbers.

Well, I talked to my teacher at our lesson Thursday- she had me ride in a different saddle so I could learn the differences between them. This saddle had more of a flat seat as opposed to a "wedge" seat, and boy, it made my butt hurt! I knew that there were different styles of saddle, but it was interesting to learn there are even more differences- I feel overwhelmed by the idea of purchasing a saddle someday. There is a horse expo coming to my area, so I will definitely be going to sponge more information into my brain.

I'm still waffling about buying a horse of my own. On the one hand, it seems like fun, being able to go to the barn whenever I please, to hang out with my horse, groom him, clean him, and of course, ride him, and try to make him into the best horse for me. Or even just to stop in and say hi, here's a carrot.
But on the other hand, there is the expense involved, and the commitment. A horse is a living being, not just a toy you can get bored with and throw in your closet or sell at a garage sale. All of the overflowing rescue organizations out there are proof that not enough people considered these factors when entering into owner-hood. Am I prepared to have vet bills that would make a serious dent in my finances? Prepared for the horse's possible "off days", where he's not ridable, for whatever reason? Am I prepared to care for him even if I could never ride him again? Am I prepared to spend time to bond with this horse, so that he doesn't become a pasture ornament at a boarding facility, where the other people at the stable say "Yeah, that horse is owned by some lady, but she's like, NEVER here. I haven't seen her in ages!"

I need to think about this. I need to make sure I'm not going to get a horse irresponsibly. I need to make sure this wanting is real....

I'm in Blog Love!!

So I know I have linked Fugly Horse of the Day here before- a beautifully snarky blog about the nasty people in the world who don't take care of their horses....but this is a lovely blog that relates to my last post-


Best and Worst of CL Horse for Sale Blog!!!

This blogger puts it all out there- and it encourages me to keep looking on CraigsList- maybe there might be a friend on there that needs help.

In other news- teacher has been on vacation, so it's been stable duty only, no lessons. I'm getting more comfortable about communicating to the horses exactly what I want from them while they're poking their noses in my face (and wheelbarrow, and shavings fork, and everywhere else!) while I'm cleaning their stalls, and I have learned a little more about horse behavior just by watching them interact with eachother in the pastures.

I'm heading to the tack shop today to buy my helmet, since my noggin is a valuable piece of me- I have been told that the Tipperary helmets are a good schooling helmet, so that's the direction I'm heading in. I stopped in the other day but they were out of them, and said they would call me when they came in- they called me yesterday, so let's hope there wasn't a crazy demand for them!
Here's another horsie picture....

Next lesson is on Sunday, so I'll be back with a report then.

Oh Craigslist- you are a wellspring of hilarity.

I have been known to peruse CraigsList from time to time....but I feel like there are really only 3 types of ads for horses for sale. I've decided to show you these examples, with appropriate typographical and spelling errors on the first one, so you can see what one will read when looking for horses.

Example 1(AKA, The perfect horse that is so perfect it's perfectly perfect. Perfect.):

Hi I am selling my horse hes the sweetest horse ever hes been out to pastchur for 2 years or so but he had training when he was younger and you can ride him and everything you could do anything to this horse and he just stands there I think hes like 5 or 6 and you can ride him western or english or on trales or in the arena or on the streets or anywhere you could put your kid or husband on him and he is sweet and gentle never needs his feet trimed or his teeth neither he had shots 2 years ago and I hate to sell him but I need the money to buy a car he trailers great and stands for forever if you want him to hes the perfect horse you wont find any better out there asking $300

Example 2 (The out of touch owner, AKA either I don't want to sell this horse or I am just looking for money):

Selling 3 year old filly, AQHA, really sweet horse. Not broken, trailer shy, really pushy, has herd issues, needs training,  really pretty head. Doesn't like to stand for the vet and doesn't like to be touched. Asking $6000 to approved home only!


Example 3 (AKA I want to make some money): Selling 2 year old filly, Dam is DOCSMOSTEXPENSIVEHORSE, sire is IMAKEMYOWNERSMONEY, both were great money making horses!!! Halter broke not gentled saddle trained but ready to make money for your money winning project! I sold a colt from the same parents for 20,000 dollars 3 years ago, this filly is a steal at $10,000. (No pictures are posted)

I feel like people are lying all around- I understand, you have a horse that you're trying to get rid of, but be realistic- no horse is "perfect"....if that were the case, they'd rule the world instead of people, and we all know how perfect we are....lol.
Secondly, the horse economy is in the toilet. If you need to sell your horse, take the time to find out what the horse you have is actually worth- one that's never been handled, not broken, and needs alot of training is NOT worth what some people are asking- and not posting up pictures of something that you're trying to sell is just plain silly.
Oh, and the whole "I bought him for my husband but he doesn't ride" bit? Yeah, don't be so stupid as to buy a horse for your husband without asking him if he is even remotely interested in riding!! Are men that stupid on horses that to point out how gentle a horse is you call him a "husband horse"?
I know I know, I don't know alot about horses- but I'm not stupid in general- If your horse is so darn wonderful, why do you only want 200 bucks for him? And on the flip side, if it's a crappy economy, why would I pay over $2,000 for your trainer's nightmare? And if I wanted to make money on horses, I'd invest in the Stock Market on my iPhone while I'm riding at my next lesson, since that's the only feasible way to me, it seems. Oh, and for all of them...post a picture, and make it a better one than the horse's butt, or a picture of numerous horses without saying which is the one for sale...and spell things properly!!
I'm done ranting....

Puckey?

This, my friends, is horse poo. This is horse poo in the outdoor riding area at the stable I take lessons at. After agreeing to the glamorous position of stable-bitch, I have activated my radar to find and gather horse puckey. Yes, horse puckey. I like saying it, it has a nice snappy sound to it.

So, Thursday, I didn't have a lesson, just stable duty. My teacher is going on vacation and I've been so disgustingly busy at work that I put my lesson off for a couple of weeks. I got there, and there wasn't anyone in the arena, no one visiting their horses, and none of the stable owners...just a quiet, sunset filled barn with the soft sounds of horses, birds, and fresh air. I cleared my head and realized I had work to do. I mentally went over everything I had been instructed to do, and took a quick survey of who was in a stall and which ones needed to be cleaned. Well....remember, I'm GREEN.... I wonder if there was a hidden camera, because it would've been hilarious to watch....even play a drinking game to.

Big Green Girl's HorsePuckey drinking game rules:

• Take a drink of whatever you're having for every time BGG says, "hi horsie!"
• Take a shot for every trip BGG takes to confirm her duties on the bulletin board. (I was so worried I'd forget something)
• Take a shot for every trip BGG takes with the wheelbarrrow for more hay. (This will be many, considering she kept losing count of how many flakes she needed and for which horse)
• Turn around in a circle while staring at the floor for the number of times she didn't put the shavings fork within reach.
• If you're not passed out by now, you're not human.

Suffice to say, I had fun- as I have said before, cleaning around horses is very calming and fulfilling....though I do wish one of those horses were my own.....I feel like a student who is waiting for a master to tell me, "Ah, yes, Grasshopper, now you are ready for your own horse." But really, is anyone really absolutely ready?


When you got your first horse (assuming you have one) were you ready??

Horse Poo!!!

I didn't blog Thursday, since I technically didn't have a lesson...at least not one on horseback!




I'm going to be doing some stall cleaning and feeding for my teacher, so we needed to go over the do's and dont's before she leaves on vacation. So, I learned how to clean a stall!!

This may not be exciting for anyone who's grown up around horses, but remember, I haven't been around horses! At least, I've been around horses in a very limited manner.... one of my co-workers thought I was crazy for wanting to clean up after "stinky animals", so I put it into perspective. If you're someone who is into car racing, and one of the car racing teams you love so much asked you to push a broom around the shop just for the opportunity of being there, would you?
Well, most people would say, "Sure! That'd be fun!"
So, I said, "oh please may I?"

And you know, there's an odd "zen" experience to be had when mucking out stalls. It's quiet, there are birds chirping, the general sounds of the horses, their breathing, the satisfaction of cleaning, making something good again, and the serenity of just being in the barn. And there's the occasional visit from a barn cat, or sometimes moving a horse from one place to another, and it all comes together and is very mind soothing.

So, I am now a "stablebitch". See, the old term was stable boy....but I'm not a boy. Maybe I should change the name of my blog?


Ok, and for today's lesson-

I worked more on directing Forrest around the arena, and I learned how to "post a trot". That means you're sort of standing and sitting alternating with the rise and fall of the horse's gait- it sort of gives you a specific rhythm when they're trotting so you're not bouncing around like a sack of potatoes. Then we took a short jaunt around the corrals to practice stopping and going. It was super warm today, so I actually worked up a sweat!!

I did way better tacking up and un-tacking, and I'm really getting the hang of basic horse language- I've definitely gotten more comfortable moving around them.

I also started thinking about a horse of my own....ok, when did I ever stop thinking about a horse of my own?!?

I can't wait for the day that I can be an independent rider- to be able to drive up, get my own horse, groom it, tack up, and go for a ride. I am sort of leaning on the idea of a prison-trained BLM horse... but I know I've got a long way to go.

So antsy!!!

I won I won!!

Well, dressagerider over at Confessions of a Struggling Dressage Rider picked lil ole me for a Beautiful Blogger award!!! How cool is that?!?!?
Here's how it works...I have to tell you 7 things about myself that you may not know. AND, I get to pass this award on to 15 other blogs.

First, the things you may not know about me:

1. I am a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. I started a blog about it a while ago, but I didn't feel comfortable exposing the stories of the families I serve, and the process of embalming out of respect for people who have to face death unwillingly.

2. Mickey and Minnie Mouse attended my wedding. The wedding picture of me and that pretty black horse was taken at the Disneyland Hotel, where the service was held. And yes, they were there!!

3. I love greyhounds! I have 2 greyhounds and 1 italian greyhound. The big ones were rescues from Golden State Greyhound Adoption. They were the best dogs to bring into our family.

4. I collect antique books- one of my favorites has "horse remedies" in it, it's from 1886, called "Cures for Man and Beast".

5. I was a member of FFA when I was in High School. My project was raising Mini Rex rabbits for show.

6. I was a small animal Veterinary Technician before I worked in Funeral Service.

7. One of my first jobs was being the Easter Bunny at the local mall.

Now....for the 15 blogs who I think are awesome!! I'd put Confessions of a Struggling Dressage Rider up here, but I'm not sure I'm allowed to tag back...

1.  Fugly Horse of the Day- Her "tell it like it is" attitude is refreshing.

2. Tacky Tack of the Day- Being a member of the self proclaimed "Fashion Police", this speaks to me.

3. Riding Aside - All about a rider who rides sidesaddle on a beautiful Saddlebred.

4. Geekwithahorse - Well written blog of a man and his Belgian

5. Our First Horse - Blog of a family who decided to get a horse- all of their experiences are here.

6. Equus Girl Adventures - Hilarious and heartfelt blog of a horse lover

7. Not So Humble Pie - Not horse related, but this is one beautiful baking/cooking blog.
8. I am Boyfriend - Tales from the perspective of a beautiful horse...wonder how he types?
9. BitchCakes- Not horse related, but one of my weight loss inspirations!
10. The Jumping Percheron- Being partial to draft horses, this is one blog I make sure to read!
11. HorseyPants-  Another of my favorites.
12. Brays of Our Lives - As I have found blogs about horses, Bartholomule is teaching me about mules.
13. Horse Laughs- A blog of horse jokes!
14. It's Really a Long Way Down- Fugly Horse of the Day's other blog, about training and horsey life.
15. HighMountain Horse - A blog of Guest Ranch owner, her thoughts and experiences.

I'll be back for the next episode of "She didn't fall off!!" Thursday....

Lesson 4, The Freedom is Mine!!

At tonight's lesson, I dragged the Husband along with me, to be my papparazzi. I got tired of putting up others' photos, and thought it'd be nice to prove I can haul my cookies onto the back of a horse. Unfortunately, husband failed. He whined about not having a flash on the iphone and that the camera we'd brought along wasn't working properly. So....my next day lesson I'll have him take more photos. Ugh. At least I got one....this was during the "follow the leader" part of the night.

As the riding portion of the lesson was starting, I looked up, and my husband was smirking at me as I talked myself into mounting Casper. I talk myself through alot of things in front of the horses. This is my basic mounting speech:

"Ok, get on the mounting block. Stand up straight, put foot in stirrup, pointing to the left. Now swing right leg up and over horse quickly, but gently, and down. Now go."

Keep in mind, this whole thing is said aloud, while I'm standing on the mounting block, not moving a single bit. Just standing, telling myself what I expect my body to do.....not sure if it helps or not, but I sound darn confident when I'm chatting it up. Even on the "now go" part, I still haven't moved. I'm sure my teacher thinks I'm a nut.

I learned about moving the horse on the ground with body language, commands, and touch, how to back him up, move his rear over, and move his front over. I don't feel like I'm getting the body language thing down. My husband said it looked like I was overthinking it by way too much. I'm way too worried about which way I'm supposed to face that I end up confusing the horse in the process.

As soon as I did all of the motions correctly, I mounted up (after my mounting speech, of course), and I was given the reins. I started off by following my instructor, which was easy, since the horse naturally wanted to follow her, but it was good for me to get used to putting the reins in the correct position.

After a few circles around the arena, she stepped back, and I was free to maneuver my horse anywhere I pleased....What freedom!!!

It was only walking, and my horse, being a lesson horse, made everything way too easy, but the feeling of working as a team with a horse was awesome. We turned in every different direction, practiced stopping, starting, and turning.

I got all proud of myself- my teacher said I look really balanced in the saddle. I feel balanced too, I don't feel like I'm going to slip off, and I don't feel nervous on a horse either, so I hope learning groundwork gets better, since I hope to have a horse someday.

Oh, Trivia Answer!!

What's the difference between a horse and a pony?

In some cases, ponies are under 14.2 hands or less, and horses are more, but it's also about ancestry and breed, since some horses are shorter just like people are shorter or taller.

WikiAnswers says this, "Different ancestry, living conditions, and conformations. However, the technical distinction relates to height. Anything measured 14.2hh and under is considered a pony anything measured 14.3hh and over is a horse.
However there are anomolies. For example a in the game of polo all equines are referred to as 'ponies' regardless of their size or breeding."

Oh, and a "hand" is 4 inches. So if a horse is 15 hands, he's 60 inches tall "at the withers", which means that's how tall the highest point of a horse's shoulders are, which is that spot right behind the mane...sometimes there's a bump there. 

Till next week, happy riding y'all!