[RC] Cheap horses and saddles and other ramblings (long) - Juli Bechard
I’ve been reading with interest about the “cheap
horses” and their use as endurance ponies.? Alpine was given to me.? He
was a 4 year old Paso Fino who knew nothing but forward (fast) and stop.? His
owners bought him at 9 months, and when he was two, he was sent to a Paso Fino
trainer.? The trainer (I’m using that word loosly by the way) was very
abusive and he blew Alpine up.? Then, the owners were afraid of him, because,
well, he was bad.? Not that I can blame him.? So they gave him to me.? I spent
a year doing dressage lessons and the last 8 years desensitizing him to stuff
and teaching him that not everything is going to eat him.? Some days he’s
still bad (if anyone had been around this morning, he was for sale cheap.? He
has since redeemed himself.? As Angie said, Al ain’t worth much to a lot
of people, but I love the screwy twerp, so he’s great for me.
Merlin was an accident. The neighbors untouched (literally)
Arab stallion of really nice bloodlines got over the fence to my friends pure
Puerto Rican Paso mare.? The mare owner didn’t want the foal…for
that matter, she really didn’t like him much.? He was an accident and as
she put it, wasted an entire breeding season.? So she sold me a healthy four
month old colt for $200.? Merlin is worth much more than that to me.? First of
all, his bloodlines are impeccable for endurance.? His sire is a grandson of
Witez II and Witraz, he has Rasyn not too far back.? The Paso side has great
bloodlines with a very even, calm temperament.? I can’t wait till he’s
four and I can ride him!!!!!!
As for saddles, I really put my new Freeform to the test
this weekend.? We did a Donna West clinic this weekend.? For those who haven’t
heard of her, she’s a natural horsemanship kind of trainer who is very
common sense and just a great deal of fun to work with.? We had a blast, but
she worked our little brains off (but not our butts, cause most of the clinic
horses were not in great shape).? I was in the saddle half the day yesterday,
and all day today on a jiggy, anxious horse who thought walking was highly
overrated and stopping was optional.? However, his back wasn’t sore, he
was moving beautifully when he chose to listen to me, and when I took him out
for a ½ hour today at a full gait on the trails, he was fantanstic! He is
currently out in his pasture doing Loopty Loops around the pasture with Merlin.?
Needless to say, I think it’s a keeper.? I’m going to buy a Haf pad
I think to put under it, and then I’ll be pretty satisfied with my saddle
options.
Anyway, I’ve rambled enough.? If you ever get the
chance to do a Donna West clinic, I recommend it.? She’s a lot of fun, a
terrific horse person, and is very good at teaching.? And she’s even
willing to get on the psycho Paso when I’ve had enough of “Jig,
jig, jig, wiggle, squirm, tapity, tapity, AHHH!!!! It’s a tree!”.?
I got told “he’s a lot of horse……”? Hehehe, like
I didn’t know that already.
Juli and the Herd
Alpine (I’m HOME.? I can not stop all I want and no one will call me
names)
Merlin (Yay! Mom and Uncle Alpine are home.? But I bet she
came home with all sorts of Ideas that she’s going to try out on me
tomorrow…)
