Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Is there any way to keep both?  Does your wife want to ride?  What are your feelings towards Sadie? 

 

I don't know how old Sawyer and Sadie are.  I'm guessing Sawyer is at least 10, and probably more like 15.  I'm guessing Sadie is more like 7 to 9.  I'm making my guesses based on Sawyer being broke when you got him 6 years ago, and that your wife wants you to look into using a younger horse. 

 

IF you can keep both, you can continue to work with Sawyer and do all the things you love.  In the meantime, you can take riding lessons (or your wife can) and start getting Sadie into shape and into tune with you.  That way, when sawyer is too old, you can move on to Sadie without having to start at ground zero (where I am with Jon).

 

How you do this without Sawyer wondering what happened is another matter.  Right now the hardest thing I do is care for my Percheron.  She was my only horse and I was able to spend hours with her.  She took care of me when we rode.  She went wherever I asked her to go (over a bridge even, never occurred to me that this might be a problem).  She has Ringbone, and it's severe enough that when I ride her she goes lame.  I got Jon when I couldn't ride Keepers anymore.  I still feel like I abandoned an old girlfriend when I see her. 

 

Charles

 

PS: Keepers is pretty happy living out.  She likes the life of being a pasture pet (one ton dog), and this spring she'll be ridden by one of the other people at the barn who is waiting for her baby to grow up enough to ride. 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Ed Roley

To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 7:24 PM

Subject: [RC] Horse Decisions/Suggestions Please

My daughter is 17 and has stated she is ready to sell her horse because she is

not riding and has little interest in riding. Her horse is a beautiful 16H T-bred(Sadie)

which has done hunter/jumper (up to 4') stuff and has done a handful of 25's(fast

horse, usually 2:30 or less on 25's with daughter on board, FW). At Lexington

last year she was 2d BC behind me but I have nearly 100lbs on her! We cannot

keep a horse which isn't being "used" so here comes the decision. Wife says

I should sell my horse and train and ride Sadie for 25's and 50's. My horse is

a grade(Sawyer),15H, (no clue what kind of horse) which I have had 6 yrs and

been doing 25's & 50's on(only 350 miles of endurance). We finished 3rd HW

division at Nat'l Champ 2002 ride in a race to the wire with 2d place (guy bigger

than me on T-bred which could be Sadie's twin). I have an emotional tie to Sawyer

but do see the advantage of riding a larger, faster horse(would have had a shot at

2d had I been on Sadie at the end of the NC). Here is another factor.

I am not a "trained" rider. I got my horse, got on and rode. Sawyer and I have

learned together about what we want to do. I have noticed the few times I have

been on a well trained horse (Sadie is one of them) I tend to give them too much

leg and they want to go! I probably will ruin Sadie in regards to her good training

if I end up being the one on her back all the time(my daughter learned to ride correctly).

Now all of you experts can throw your 2 cents in and help me make a decision!

Thanks,                        Ed Roley