Pony prices and training (long)

[Trishmare <Trishmare@aol.com>]

In a message dated 98-01-09 23:27:46 EST, you write:

<< In past few yrs, I have bought 2 'unbroken' but rather untrained older
 horses, both over 5.  I will do it again.  They were not abused too young
 by being overridden too young.  The white stallions that do the spanish
 riding school events are not brought in for training until they are 4. 
 Mary Ann,TX>>
 
Dear Mary, I am glad there are people like you out there who are willing and
able to train horses for those of us who don't want to do it.  What I meant
was this: when I bought David I thought, #1. It would be "fun" to bring up a
"baby" all by myself, clean slate, don't have to fix someone else's mistakes
or abuse etc. etc.  What I failed to take in to consideration ( and was not
entirely aware of myself ) was that I really just want to ride a good horse,
you know?  I want to be able to go out to my barn, saddle my horse, and go for
a ride assured I can do so in a reasonable degreee of safety, comfort, and
peace.  I don't want to have to worry about what the horse is going to do when
I try to pass the garbage truck on the road ahead, or if he is going to have a
problem with that dog that is running around barking, or if he is going to try
to jump that little stream rather than cross it--etc. etc. etc.
    I know these are all problems that can be dealt with through training.  I
have found, after the fact, that this training involves a lot more work and
time than I first imagined.  No horse is perfect, and all have their little
quirks.  I don't mind this.  But just started, hyper 3 yr olds have lots and
lots of little quirks!!!  Lots.  Lots and lots.  Too many.  
     #2. Maybe out on the Colorado plains, with laid back stock horses, JLyons
methods work great, but on Michigan gravel roads, complete with traffic,
garbage bags, ditches to either side of the road, children who come running
out to "pet the horsies" when they see them, clinging to balloons, small dogs,
and other assorted toys as they do so, and on a high strung, 3 year old, just
started arab, JLyons methods don't work so good.  I say this from experience.
Trust me.
     #3.  In my mind, I always have more  free time than in real life I
actually do have.  Training a horse takes a LOT of free time.
     #4.  Riding horses for 20 years does NOT qualify one to train them,
contrary to my original belief.
     #5.  Taking on the training of a young horse without really knowing what
you have gotton yourself in to is a good way to get hurt.  I know this from
experience, now.
     #6. Trainers, books, videos and clinics purchased to help one once one
realizes they are in over their head cost a lot of money.  My husband, at one
point, said, "Sheesh Trish, why didn't you just go out and buy a $10,000.
horse?"  I smiled and said, "Don't worry dear, by the time I'm done with David
I'll probably have one!"  
     #7. These things are, however, cheaper than emergency room visits.

I love my pretty arab David. He is a sweet and honest horse, but also a high
strung and insecure one who is being taught by me, not the ideal teacher for
him I think.  But I am taking things slowly and trying hard to do the right
things. We are making progress.  Very slowly. My hope lies in that both David
and I are improving, in our rides together.  Very slowly.  As Kimberely said
to me, it often seems one step forward, two steps back. In the end I know we
will become a team, hopefully one to be reckoned with out there on the
trails!:)   I am sure that when all is said and done, I will be proud of
David, and proud of what I managed to do with him, myself, with my own hands
and brain. But it is a lot of work, a lot of time, a lot of money, and I
really don't think I'd want to do it all over again.  
     This realization hit me full force last week.  For the first time in a
year I went for a ride on my faithful old gelding Tash, whom I've owned for 20
years. (I didn't ride Tash at all last year as part of a New Year's
Resolution; , David's training progressed very slowly because I found myself
always saying, "I don't feel like messing with David today--I just want to go
for a ride, I'll take Tash"--so for 1997 I said to myself, if I have time to
ride Tash, I've time to ride David, and David needs it more.  I leased Tash to
a good friend."  Well, so I took my old guy out, it was garbage day, it was
windy, garbage bags flapping in the wind, some of the turned over cans rolling
about the roads.  Tash just walked on by them.  When I cut into the fields two
deer rose out of the long grass right in front of me and bounded away.  Tash's
head came up, and he snorted a little bit, but then just plodded on. (David
would've reacted a bit more--ah, actively, than that.<g>)  About midway
through the ride, as I was just letting Tash amble along, reins loose, and I
was enjoying the scenery, it hit me--gosh but it was GREAT to be able to just
sit on my horse and RELAX and enjoy the ride!  I have often enjoyed the rides
I take with David.  I am rarely relaxed on them, however.  To say the least.
    David is beauty, and fire, and spirit, and speed, and a spectacular
floating trot, a canter so smooth you could ride it all day--he is also
skittish, insecure, prone to bolting, prone to kicking, prone to bucking, and
a lot of work!  Will it be worth it?  I'm sure it will!  Will I do it again?
Probably not.  (I say probably because I always believe in leaving my options
open!<g>)
     This is what I meant.  
 > 
 > << I've spent too much money to count on Mystery and I don't know if I 
 >  would ever buy an unbroke 5 year old again. >>
 > 
 > I feel EXACTLY the same way about my David (only he was a basically
 unbroke 3
 > year old).  I love him, and in the end I'm sure it will all be worth it,
 but
 > it is a lot of time, a lot of money,--and as often as not, my blood
 pressure
 > still cranks up a notch or two everytime I decide to ride him.  I look
 forward
 > to the day I can go saddle David with the same sense of security and
 emotional
 > comfort I have when I saddle my faithful old gelding Tash. >>

Trish & "pretty David"