pony luv

[kirkcudbright]

Yesterday, I rode Gemini again. (Sorry, no pictures - my camera battery was frozen; I understand the pros keep spares in their shorts.) She was every bit as good as the last time (which was the last time she was ridden), and she did fine in the snow. Alas, my saddle doesn't fit her so well, but lyonesse said "you pick the horse that fits your heart, not the horse that fits your saddle."

Next up, I rode Razzy.



He's a big pony (officially 14.2hh, but feels taller, and stocky). He's also a big dog - very much in your face, in your pockets, lick lick. He's well-built, well-muscled, a little out of work at the moment, but perfectly recovered from his terrible neglect.

But he also has some of the pony attitude and stubbornness. He didn't like the deep snow, and wasn't too keen on the more packed snow either. The same surface that Gemini floated over was suddenly choppy, and he took a lot of cajoling to leave the track for the deep stuff. He wasn't deliberately bad, but he wasn't as attentive or responsive as Gemini. He can be someone else's perfect horse.



Finally, today I rode Fletch, the first non-MSPCA horse I've looked at. 9 year old 15.3hh registered Apaloosa. He's been a school horse and trail horse, but currently not being used. You might notice that his feet are way over-long.

He's gorgeous, and nicely put together. He's friendly, willing to listen, but again needs a bit of motivating the get off the path he's worn himself here, and venture into the deep snow. I rode him in an outdoor ring - plowed, but a bit icy. He's got a lovely tolt-y jog, and he trotted for a few strides, but he freaked and bucked when I asked for a canter. After the second time, he backed completely out of the ring.

He's still in the running, but if I bought him, it would be for his potential. If I adopted Gemini, it would be for who she is right now. I think Fletch has a lot of potential, but I really like who Gemini is right now.

Next Friday, the barn staff have suggested I look at Bandit, and I'll try Gemini in lyonesse's adjustable saddle.

Comments

[c1.livejournal.com]

my camera battery was frozen
File this under "the $100 fits-in-any-pocket P+S is way better than the $1,000 super-mega-awesome-tron camera that needs a legion of porters to carry it anywhere so it's back home at the moment": I have a great little digital that's the size of the proverbial pack of smokes. As long as I remember to keep it in an inside chest pocket, the battery keeps going in the cold just fine. It's not got better resolution* than what's suitable for web or a 4x6 print, but as you know, sometimes you just want to record the moment.

*Part of that's because it's a few years old. But I also have a dive housing for it, so when the going gets hairy, it goes into the housing, and I stop worrying about how the camera's holding up through the wet and muck and crud.

[kirkcudbright.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was using the old S410 P+S that day, but I'd had it in my car, rather than on my person, so both the primary and backup batteries were reading as drained. The picture of Razzy is from after I warmed things up a bit.

[noire.livejournal.com]

Not about horses,but someone once told me "you can't date potential." I think that might apply.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

hm. i love my horse, but the relationship's not like dating :)

consider fletch; he's nine years old, so quite young (gemini's eighteen). he's spent his entire adult life learning how to scare beginning riders (his former career, to which he was not suited :) he's not going to scare kirkcudbright quite so easy, though. and kirkcudbright is of an experience level where bringing a young horse into to his potential can be a really rewarding experience, like teaching a young person.

not to say a word against gemini -- i think she's a lovely horse and if she's physically sound enough i think she might be a wonderful match.

on the other end, stjarni has spent much energy bringing *me* to *my* potential. i don't know why he decided to do that, just that when we met i had the feeling he could, and i truly believe he has. (remember my pre-stjarni riding logs? :)

ljufur, on yet another spectrum, is a green horse with a green rider. they get by together because they are both basically sensible and relaxed, and they love each other, and they have a lot of fun. and they're surrounded by a great support system, which helps -- but the important thing in making the match was for them to find **each other** -- the rest of it (instructor, caregiver, &c) could be brought in as needed.

....i'm sure i'm not explaining this well. anyway i miss you, so can i buy you a drink sometime and yak at you about horse relationships? :)

[catness.livejournal.com]

Fletch looks like he was rolling in the snow. Heh.

I used to own a dunn apaloosa (pink papers only; she was the Wrong Color but if her children bred true they'd be registered), years and years ago. She was a stubborn bitch. School & trail horses are generally awesome in my opinion, but Empress was probably the least cool horse I've ever ridden. *laugh*

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

my childhood pony steely-dan was like that when i met him -- he was a schoolie then. we had, umm, a very contentious relationship for the first few weeks. then we fell irrevocably and mutually in love, and he'd do any damn thing for me, and me for him. (we both stayed stubborn bitches with everybody else :)

he was 100% unregistered but fabulously marked -- silver in front with white spots, white in back with black spots, black socks, roany face, spotty lips and all :)

[candle-light.livejournal.com]

I've got a soft spot for Appies ever since Steely Dan. Fletch is awfully cute.

I really like what you write about Gemini though. She sounds like the right spiritual fit for you. Are you ok with having an older horse?

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

*grin* thanks for remembering danny! :)

gemini is a real sweetheart. and she's only eighteen and in great shape, i would say she has at least a decade left in her, god willin' and the crick don't rise. (remember dan was only thirteen when he contracted the moonblindness....)

[kirkcudbright.livejournal.com]

Are you ok with having an older horse?

Hehe. Cheyenne was 24 when I met him. We had a contentious year or two at the beginning - he tested my limits, and I his. We eventually relaxed, and (importantly) got into more comfortable tack - the western endurance saddle, the softer bits (largely thanks to lyonesse). It was a rewarding collaboration.

Before Cheyenne, there was Shylo, who was also in his 20s when I started riding him. He got so swaybacked in his later years that we couldn't put a saddle on him, so I had to ride him bareback. He had a deep, comfortable back, and I barebacked him at a canter, in the woods.

If things had happened in a different order, I would have been all over this little 24 year old named Bear at the MSPCA. But he was adopted about a month before Cheyenne died.

So, no, age is not a barrier.

[wereterrier.livejournal.com]

Wow! I looked back at the intake picture for Razzy, and it's hard to believe that's the same horse!