Nostalgia Thread

Topic for older horses and older riders
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musical comedy
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Nostalgia Thread

Postby musical comedy » Tue Oct 20, 2015 11:45 am

As the Steisand song goes "What's too painful to remember, we choose to forget".
That's pretty much true, because believe me, I've had a lot of heartbreak with animals. I live in denial about it, because it still cuts like a knife when I think about it. I'm way too sensitive a person when it comes to animals.

Anyway, I thought I start up another thread. We should probably consider spinning off to different topics. I prefer that, because it's then easier to find things. But whatever....the board is young.

I was thinking about the riding in the dark, as we mentioned on the other thread. Before I built the indoor in 2004, I rode outside under the lights. I only had two big lights on poles, but it was enough for flat work. There were shadows of course, that that didn't bother my horses and actually served as mirrors.

I can remember riding my horse Rose at night and seeing that the temp on the thermometer was 28 degrees. For me, 28 degrees at night seems colder than 28 degrees in the day. Why did I choose to ride her at night you wonder? Because I had another horse or horses to ride earlier. Rose was coming back from and injury and needed to be ridden at the walk only for a while. Do you know how boring it is to ride at the walk in a ring outside when it is dark and cold? I'll bet you do. I had the motivation, stamina, etc. to do this then. It was 1994-1997...around that time frame. Now, I don't even want to ride under the lights in the indoor when it isn't even cold.

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Chisamba
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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby Chisamba » Tue Oct 20, 2015 1:57 pm

I have so many but one i remember clearly, i had trained a large number of client horses ( nine) and still had my horse to ride, and i almost did not ride him. but i kicked myself in the butt, and saddled up, it was also dark, with one arena light on each end of an outdoor arena. i think something about the dark amplified my sense of feeling because things that I had struggled with for some time came with ease. i felt like i had the very best ride of my life on that horse that night, in the dark, late, just me and him, with no one to see it, lol.

however it was also a watershed moment, because i focused a lot less on my eyes and a lot more on my feel after that. i was never able to repeat the intense feeling of connection and achievement, not in any win, or ribbon or other moment. it was joyous

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby musical comedy » Tue Oct 20, 2015 4:57 pm

Ok, this is a sad one. And there are lots more sad stories to be told. I don't know why I'm so chatty this month. Just put me on ignore if it gets to be too much.

In October of 2001, I showed my grey mare Kali at the NJHP for the first time. I had not even owned her one year, as I purchased her around January, 2001. She was a beauty in my eyes.

I had one other at the time; a two year old named Rena. They were both out together on a very cold and windy day in early Nov. I went out to feed them lunch, and found Rena in the barn alone. No sight of Kali. My heart sank as I knew something was very wrong.

I looked afar to the back field and saw two complete fence panels down, including the post between them. I walked over far enough to see Kali down. I assumed she was dead. I couldn't stomach this, so called for the DH to come help. He went over to her and yelled that she was still alive. Well, as it turned out she was alive, but having convulsions or something. I live only 2 miles from a major vet clinic, so got someone here asap.

Several top vets from the clinic were called over and they all worked hard trying to figure out what was wrong and help this mare. They had to roll her over because as you know they can't lay in one position for very long. In the end, it was fruitless and she had to be put down. I still don't know what caused the accident or exactly what all was wrong with her. She showed no damage on her legs and body.

Kali was only 5 years old. I did not have her insured, and I had paid a considerable sum for her.
I had Kali in full training (shipping out for it) and had already paid my training fee for the month of November. Trainer said why not take the lessons on one of his sales horses, and I agreed. That sales horse was my current old man, Mr. W.

This is Kali at the NJHP at First Level in October 2001 at the Garden State Show.
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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby Josette » Tue Oct 20, 2015 5:42 pm

MC - that is a heart breaker. What a beautiful mare and so sorry you lost her so young. I've ridden recently a few times in the dark but try to avoid because the deer are wandering around. I remember when I boarded coming back from a trail ride in the dark (woods) and our horses were so sure footed. Earlier we had come upon a skunk and turned around real quick. ;)

Now our local parks are so over crowded with the trail bikers - who are clueless around horses. I've almost given up riding off property for fear of being dumped and then my guy getting hit by a car. It just adds stress to the situation when you have to worry about these things.

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby westisbest » Tue Oct 20, 2015 6:15 pm

musical comedy wrote:Ok, this is a sad one. And there are lots more sad stories to be told. I don't know why I'm so chatty this month. Just put me on ignore if it gets to be too much.

In October of 2001, I showed my grey mare Kali at the NJHP for the first time. I had not even owned her one year, as I purchased her around January, 2001. She was a beauty in my eyes.

I had one other at the time; a two year old named Rena. They were both out together on a very cold and windy day in early Nov. I went out to feed them lunch, and found Rena in the barn alone. No sight of Kali. My heart sank as I knew something was very wrong.

I looked afar to the back field and saw two complete fence panels down, including the post between them. I walked over far enough to see Kali down. I assumed she was dead. I couldn't stomach this, so called for the DH to come help. He went over to her and yelled that she was still alive. Well, as it turned out she was alive, but having convulsions or something. I live only 2 miles from a major vet clinic, so got someone here asap.

Several top vets from the clinic were called over and they all worked hard trying to figure out what was wrong and help this mare. They had to roll her over because as you know they can't lay in one position for very long. In the end, it was fruitless and she had to be put down. I still don't know what caused the accident or exactly what all was wrong with her. She showed no damage on her legs and body.

Kali was only 5 years old. I did not have her insured, and I had paid a considerable sum for her.
I had Kali in full training (shipping out for it) and had already paid my training fee for the month of November. Trainer said why not take the lessons on one of his sales horses, and I agreed. That sales horse was my current old man, Mr. W.

This is Kali at the NJHP at First Level in October 2001 at the Garden State Show.


Heartbreaker indeed MC. And just one more reminder that even having your horses on your own property can't insure their safety. I think about that a lot, the thing that happened that led to the thing that I needed or wanted. In your case, losing one led to finding Mr. W.

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby kande50 » Wed Oct 21, 2015 5:53 pm

musical comedy wrote:Kali was only 5 years old. I did not have her insured, and I had paid a considerable sum for her.
I had Kali in full training (shipping out for it) and had already paid my training fee for the month of November. Trainer said why not take the lessons on one of his sales horses, and I agreed. That sales horse was my current old man, Mr. W.


Such a beautiful horse. I think this kind of outcome is one of every horse owner's nightmares. We put so much into them and have such high hopes for them, and then it's all gone in an instant. Very sad.

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby Rockabilly » Wed Nov 11, 2015 4:48 pm

I remember the first time I saw Billy in 1991. A friend of mine and I was looking for Jim Graham's Meadow Run Farm. We wanted to take lessons with someone there. In the Chronicle of the Horse there was a half page ad of a horse for sale. His name was Rockabilly. There was a photo of him jumping something huge and a long list of his accomplishments and he was at Jim's barn. He was also very expensive. Well, I must see this horse! At the time I had no idea horses were so expensive. We eventually found Jim's farm, but only his father was there in the office. Everyone else had gone to a show. I asked his dad if I could see that expensive horse he had and he said, sure he's down there on the left. I walked down to Billy's stall and there was this huge dark horse with a roman nose and a thin tail. I took one look at him and said who'd buy you? You're the ugliest horse I have ever seen.

Yes, who'd buy you?

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby musical comedy » Wed Nov 11, 2015 5:36 pm

Billy... :(

Hey, there's go to be more to the Billy story than that. Spill.

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby Sunshine2Me » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:41 pm

musical comedy wrote:Billy... :(

Hey, there's go to be more to the Billy story than that. Spill.


Yes! Some of us have heard stories of Billy, but have never seen photos. If you're willing, can we see photos, and hear more of the story?

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby Rockabilly » Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:40 am

Sunshine2Me wrote:
musical comedy wrote:Billy... :(

Hey, there's go to be more to the Billy story than that. Spill.


Yes! Some of us have heard stories of Billy, but have never seen photos. If you're willing, can we see photos, and hear more of the story?[/quote


Okay, so I'll continue the story. Billy was a Kiwi and he was trained by Jack LeGoff in Gladstone New Jersey. I heard from someone later that Jack said Billy had a mind of his own. So true. I always felt that Billy would think and he proved it to me many times. Anyway, back to my story. Billy was at Jim's to be sold. In the meantime Billy was used for lessons. Even I who was absolutely a beginner had a few lessons on him. The person who I was taking lessons from (not Jim) said I should buy Billy. I thought about it a while and put my offer in for him. In the meantime someone else in the barn did the same thing. My husband was working in Chicago and I called him about it. He said if I wanted him buy him. So I did. When my husband got home from Chicago we went to see Billy. I remember telling my husband that Billy was big, he was dark and very plain. He had a roman nose and a thin tail. My husband said he was expecting a mule. When my husband got to the barn I was grooming Billy in the hallway of the barn. He took one look at Billy and said My God, that is what a horse is supposed to look like! And as a friend of mine says and so we begin.

I am sorry to admit I don't know how to post photos here.

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Re: Nostalgia Thread

Postby Sunshine2Me » Fri Nov 13, 2015 3:49 am

Rockabilly wrote:I am sorry to admit I don't know how to post photos here.


If you email me photos at KYearry at gmail dot com I can post them for you! :D


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