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Horse ownership; for those who have been bitten by the horse bug, there is nothing quite like sharing your life with these animals. And that commitment is long-standing for horses are high maintenance, sometimes high-strung and strong- willed. Horses will consume much of your time, energy and money, and there is nothing more satisfying than caring for them.
This website is dedicated to all the horses, and all the people out there who choose to share their life with these majestic beasts. Horses’ give us back more than we could possibly give them, if we take the time to learn about them and really communicate with them instead of trying to beat them into submission.
As a first-time horse owner in my late 40’s I found myself unexpectedly with a colt. Racer, a Mustang-cross was 3 months old when he was dropped off at our home. His mom accompanied him in the trailer and when she left, this 3 month old colt squealed his anguish and kicked down the fence racing after his mom. Had we not had the larger fence around the property, that stopped him, this little one would have followed mom all the way home.
Not long after that, a buddy arrived. A Breeding Stock Paint that I named Traveler. Trav was 5 months old. We had carefully constructed a fence to separate the two horses, but once they saw each other, not even the stoutest fence would hold them apart. They have been buddies ever since. Racer is 7 years old and Travler is 6 years old.
It has been a learning curve for me, sometimes painful, and sometimes frustrating, and always exhilarating. It has been a journey unlike any I have undertaken in my life. I used to believe that I taught my two horses, now I know that they have become my teachers. Through my interaction with them, I have learned patience, I have learned to think outside the box and we have discovered a special bond between us. I have learned to listen to what they tell me and that hasn’t always been easy, to quell my own voice and listen to their needs.
When you choose your horse, choose wisely. This website will just give you the basics you need and then supply with a road map on the cyber-highway where you can find websites that will help your further.
As you surf these pages, you will see a section called Fighting Founder. Even as a new horse person, my horse was not immune to this condition. It hit out of the blue, and what followed was a frustrating, scary and painful year to recovery. I journaled through most of it, and I share these experiences and thoughts here, hoping that others might be spared having to deal with Fighting Founder~
So pull up a hay bale, I hope you enjoy your stay- |
