It is not without regret that I write this post, wherein I share some of the mistakes we made when selecting Teddy as our first horse, and also where I share why we finally decided to find him a new home. But, this being a blog that has a lot to do with horses in our life, I can’t not tell you what happened and how it all went down.
Horse Life
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As is the case with most things in the horse world, finding a trainer/instructor can be tricky. You can search online, call a local barn, find a riding school, ask around. There are many ways to find someone to work with. But then, once you find someone, how do you know they are the real deal? Below is a quick list of things I’ve learned to look for. It’s not a definitive list (and indeed I would welcome more tips in the comments!) but these are the big ones that, if I had known them from the get go, would have saved us a lot of headache.
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Everyone thinks the decision to buy a horse of your very own is an exciting one, and it is. Finding your equine partner can mean years of riding together on the trails or in the ring, and if you ask me those sorts of memories are what life is all about. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that buying a horse can utterly ruin your faith in humanity if you go into it with the wrong mindset. This is especially true if said horse will be ridden by a beginner rider (or your child).
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When I was younger I rode my uncle’s horses in the mountains of Southern California. I was perhaps 10 when I began riding, and though I was a pipsqueak, I wasn’t afraid to climb on the…
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Folks who haven’t spent much time around horses look at me funny when I say Teddy makes me be more fully present. But if you are a fellow equestrian, I feel certain you’ll understand. Horses know…
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On a brisk winter morning I donned my fleece breeches and headed to the barn for a horseback riding lesson. Despite the 15F weather, I was excited to see our new horse – a chestnut gelding…