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The School of Life with Horses

A blog covering my journey with my quarter horses and paint horse. Horse show news from the Pacific Northwest, to do lists, horse tips as I learn and share them, my struggles and solutions - basically everything horse as I come across it.

The Return of Hunt Seat

I just had the most wild weekend ever.

Uphill on the rollercoaster:
Traveled down to Lewsiton to ride my horses, brought the english saddle along just for grins to see how my 4 yr-old gelding would look hunt seat. Rode down with a fellow barn member and friend, our plan this year is to car pool down for trips for riding lessons - we both live north of Lewiston and have about a 2 hour drive to go ride. While there I met up with Horse Talk blogger and Horse and Rider contributor Juli Thorson.

Rode Stretch for 3+ hours western working on Western Pleasure and Western Riding. Had lunch at the Sage Bakery there in Lewiston - and oh my gosh, awesome sandwhiches and great company!

Then tried out Hunt Seat in the afternoon and WOW was I surprised! Not only did he love it - he excelled at it! His cadence was better at all 3 gaits, his ears were all perked up and even though he was confused about it all at first he really enjoyed once he got into it. AND the little poop, he didn't even break a sweat after 30 minutes of long trotting and loping around. He is such a great horse I hope this is something we can have a little sucess with in the ring. It all came back to me fairly easily - although out of practice it was nice to ride hunt seat again.

On Friday I had bought a pair of practice denim breeches - because I seemed to have lost my old ones. I forgot what it feels like to wear pants that go up above your belly button - YUCK, and I didn't exactly look sexy in them but they were just for practice, and hey, they were better than western jeans. Also I noticed that between now and when I bought the boots almost 10 years ago - I grew calves and my legs no longer fit all that well into the boots. Maybe they will stretch a bit? At first I was fairly embarrased at having to use my trainer as a boot jack, but it ended up being fairly funny as he practically had to drag me down a bank by my foot to get the stupid boot off.

All and all it was the most fun I had on a horse in years -YEARS. I was toooo tired after the Hunt Seat thing to ride poor Patrick who was waiting patiently all the while saddled tied to the fence. But his time will come, my trainer, Joe rode him so at least he got some time in.

Picture is of the Hunt Seat ride on Stretch - pulled them off of a viedo so they aren't the best qualtiy I just wanted to see what kind of a stride he had before I made the decision to show him (another thing I wanted to get done in Lewiston). 

  

It was really important with the upcoming show that I work on my Western Pleasure, Trail and Western Riding it was also important that I try Hunt Seat as I was tring to decide on what tack to bring to the show. But I had over shot my estimate to my husband on what time I was going to arrive home by like 4 hours! I hadn't been down to see my horses in almost a month and won't get another chance to go down again before the show so it was very important i got those issues taken care of before I left.

Then the downhill ride of the Saturday rollercoaster:
I called to say I was goin to be late, twice, but it wasn't good enough for him. I caught so much crap when I got home it really got me thinking about different options for our marriage. I know it was because it involved the horses that he got so angry. He never came out and said it but he didn't have to. I feel that if someone in a relationship makes a mistake and apologizes and then comitts to taking steps to not let it happen again then that person should be forgiven - they shouldn't have to be yelled at and berated all night for one stupid thing. It was blown completely out of proportion, he was almost ready to leave me because I was late and he couldn't change my studded tires off that night. I actually heard the pharse "Sorry don't fix Stupid" leap out of his mouth. Said he could've gone to two parties, but I told him to go ahead and go when I called and told him I would be late earlier. Aren't I lucky that he didn't go?Tongue Tied

We just can't continue like this, it breaks my heart but that's not the way I want to live for the rest of my life. He's been so wierd lately don't know if its a mid-life thing or what. I am so confused, still love him but gosh how long can a person be treated like that........

  

Comments

 

mmd1983 said:

Ah, yes.  I've started riding English again after piddling around on my all around horse for the past 5 years while I finished up school.  Nothing like working HUS in a western saddle, eh?  Now, I've made it a goal to ride atleast once a week in an English saddle.  Fortunately, my horse is a packer and doesn't care while I work on getting my legs back in the shape they need to be.

I hear you on the non-horse hubby frustrations.  Sometimes (well, most of the time), they just don't get it.  I will say, that fortunately, mine has come a long way and has just accepted the fact that horses are just a part of my life.  Good luck to you.

April 11, 2008 2:39 PM
 

inclined2ride said:

No kidding...I can spend the extra time to throw on an english saddle (and change clothes cause you just can't ride in an english saddle for a long time in wranglers) or I can can work it in a western saddle and suffer the consequences. Oh well...its just kinda fun to do it again!

Thanks for the luck - we'll either work it out together or we won't I guess I have done almost all I can, its up to him now.

April 14, 2008 12:00 PM
 

Juli Thorson said:

Hey, Steph, guess what?

.... I got to sit on your horse (Stretch), while mine got worked on.

That is one LONG neck! No wonder you call him Stretch.

April 17, 2008 4:37 PM

About inclined2ride

Live up in Northeastern Washington State - where its cold and we have snow for a loooooong time. Been riding horses since before I could walk - grew up doing the 4-H / FFA thing, and a lot of Open shows. Was educated in Western riding as well as English riding and Jumping. Survived college on Top Roman so that I could keep my horse up there with me. Am now all grown-up with a non-horse husband, and 3 horses to boot (technically 2 horses). I currently show on the local and regional Quarter Horse Circuit with a Paint Show thrown in when I can. Horses are as much a part of me as my arms or legs.

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