Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

 

    I was blessed with my first horse when I was 10. I had run into the back of a car on my scooter (Holloman AFB, NM) , concussion, awakened at home and the first thing I asked my dad (Air Force physician) was, "Do I have a horse? " The next day, I had Boot's, a 3 year old Thoroughbred, QH cross. 2 years later, we were re-stationed and my dad sold her. I had no clue that she had been sold until I went to the base stables and some man was in my horses stall and he told me that she was no longer mine, he owned her. I never even got to say goodbye. Dad did admit later that he should have gotten a horse trailer and moved her with us as she was the best horse that I had ever had.

 

Next was Bianca, 3/4 Arab, 1/4 Appy. Almost killed that poor horse with heat stroke as I was used to riding hours a day and he was fat and out of shape when my dad bought him for me. The things that I did to that poor boy, inadvertantly. Had to sell him 2 years later as we were being re-stationed from Mather AFB,CA,  (lived in Folsom) to Long Beach, no chance of a horse there. Terminal Island was where we lived in So. Cal. 2 years of misery without a horse there then re-stationed to Hill AFB, Utah. First thing my daddy said was "Just because it is Utah doesn't mean that you are getting another horse." Wrong he was. Went to the base stables as soon as we arrived and found out that it cost $25 a month and the stables provided the hay.

    Next horse was Duster, register QH off of the track, 5 years old, green broke when I bought him, green broke but very spoiled when I had to sell him 18 months later as I was supposed to be going to college. No college for me, marriage at 19, first house at 25  (1/2 and acre, zoned for 2 horses).             Next horse at 26. Bashir was my first full Arab, a stallion when I bought him at 3 1/2 years of age, un-trained but kind on the ground, even after I had him gelded.  First child at 27, a wonderful son who is not horsey at all. Second child at 31, daughter who is more horse crazy than I ever had a hope of being. Bashir died of an impacted enterolithe in 1993 while we were visiting my folks in Oregon. Vet that ended up putting Bashir down after tapping his gut and finding it green with manure, said that the only reason he had survived so many hours in that condition was because he was an Arab. I think that he was waiting for me to come and say goodbye. I wish that I had had the vet put the phone to Bashir's ear so that I could say "goodbye" but I was too broken up to think of that.

    Through Bashir's loss, I was able to get Silver and Zebby, as my mom said that she would buy me another horse. I had found Zebby, 2 yr. old freshly gelded POA/ASB palomino. I thought that I would get this cute little boy (14.2 hands), train him and resell for a profit. WRONG I was. The Lord had different plans. After I told the owner of Zebby that I would buy him, I found Silver (Full Arab) in the paper. I said that if Silver had 4 black hooves and was truely 15 hands, I would buy him. Asked mommy if she would buy 2 and she agreed. I had been wondering how I would be able to get a horse for my daughter and this is how the Lord provided. Zebby and Anna are the same age. Zebby became her 4-H horse/pony. She and he have made it to State in 4-H 4 out of the 5 years that they competed. Zebby foundered severely 3 years ago, rotation of 14 degrees on the right front, 11 degrees on the left front. Most anyone else would have put him down but we chose not to. He is now sound and pissy as ever. Through Zebby's founder, Anna has learned to trim and will actually trim Zebby for the first time in August, as per my Barefoot Trimmers instruction.

    4 horses now, all of whom Anna rides. I have my one wonderful Arab, Silver, 19 years of age now. Anna is riding him in Pony Club now. Silver is now convinced that Anna can ride well enough to have him take her over the Beginner Novice jumps (2' 6") on our local cross country course. Anna will try for her C1 rating on Silver this fall. Still have Zebby, the magnificent. Porthos the pudge, 6 year old QH that Anna got as a 3 year old to train. Jezreel the 2 year old "Filly from Hell". Anna and I went to look at her as a yearling thinking that we were only going to "Judge" the 3 yearlings in the pasture. Instead, Anna came up to me within 5 minutes and said "Mommy, she has Zebby's attitude." Wrong thing in a filly but we bought her because Anna wanted to start another one. Jez has since settled down and will become an excellent horse, with the proper raising up. As I tell Anna, once taught, Jez would have been like teaching 10 or 20 horses as she will make you work for every step gained. Sorry that this is so very long. I had no idea the stories I had in me. Beccy