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Thread: Horses, anyone?

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Horses, anyone?

    My Dad was a cowboy, and he always had at least one horse. He'd buy puny looking young horses for a great price, then feed and care for them until they developed into muscular, beautiful animals. Palominos Appaloosas, ponies, a good many regular old quarter horses or whatever types. A few years before he died, he had a stable of six fantastic horses. It hurt to sell them after he died, knowing the care he'd given them.

    I was never much of a rider, but I loved the horses, fed them, helped Dad shoe them, gave them medicine, watched births and deaths. I know how to saddle them, and I rode enough that I could saddle and mount a horse today.


    Yeah, I like the smell of horse shit in the morning. Ha ha. I love the smell of the horses. Because I don't live in the country, I can't have horses, wish I could.

    Sometimes I wear a John B Stetson hat and some bad ass Ariat boots. Even though I"m not currently a "practicin'" cowboy, I've earned the right to wear the duds.

    Are any of you horse owners or lovers?
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  2. #2
    Forum Member dirtdog's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    I tried to love horses. Girl I was enamoured with when I was much younger was a horse girl. I'm allergic to something around horses - the horses themselves or hay or whatever. I'd ride, but I'd pay the price during and after.

    I prefer my horses to be iron these days!

  3. #3
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    I grew up with horses. We got a couple of ponies (named Ginger and Nutmeg) when I was about 12. Then my younger sister got into riding and we got a couple of real horses. The one I remember most was an appaloosa nicknamed Bert (because he was from a ranch owned by Burt Reynolds). My sister rode him in shows most weekends in the summer. Western and some hunt seat. I'd go to the shows to chase girls.
    I had a girlfriend with a beautiful morgan. That horse was the only thing of value that her family had. She lived in the city and worked at the stable in the country so she could afford to keep him there. She rode him in dressage events and had a wall of trophies and ribbons.

    After my parents were divorced my father took up polo and played in a local circuit. He was a stunt double in the polo scenes in a movie about an Indian prince over 30 years ago.

    All those horses around and I never really got into it.

  4. #4
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    I have very little experience with horses but I like them and it seems to be mutual. I have what my mom would call animal magnetism, they just seem to like me.

    Certainly can't call myself a cowboy, that's for sure
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  5. #5
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    I spent enough time on a horse when I was a kid on the ranch. Before I got my driver's license, I was horseback all the time. I don't miss wrangling before daylight, and being in the saddle all day! I did climb on one 30 years ago to show the "linemen cowboys" using one to pull a rope, that I was a cowboy back in the day. I also picked up his feet, and pointed out that there was a shoe loose.
    I've no desire to have, or especially feed a horse now days!

  6. #6
    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    A good friend’s wife had three or four of them. He was so sick of taking care of them he offered them free to would ever take them. It took a while to get rid of all of thembut they’re gone now.

  7. #7
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    I grew up in farms, there always were horses around but I never really learned how to ride them.

    Steel horses with 8 Cylinders, on the other hand... :)

  8. #8
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    My siblings were better riders than me. For many years, we lived in Nashville, and we rented barns outside of city limits. That was where we spent our weekends, though I admit that I stayed back in the city when I could--writing, reading, music, and TV were more my thing.

    The last time I saddled up, my father said, "Son, don't ride that horse. I'm afraid he might get hurt"--which was his way of saying, "Although you're a middle aged man, you're still my baby boy, and I don't want YOU to get hurt." Great and kind man he was my whole life.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  9. #9
    Forum Member gibsonjunkie's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    My experience with wild Mustangs is more aligned with this.

    "We catched fish and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness." Mark Twain

  10. #10
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    I wouldn't mind having one of those Mustangs either!
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  11. #11
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    Grandpa giving me my first pony, Christmas 1964! It's hard to believe that he was younger than me at that time.


  12. #12
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    oh, wow, I'd bet even that pony would be worth a pretty penny today
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  13. #13
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Horses, anyone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    Grandpa giving me my first pony, Christmas 1964! It's hard to believe that he was younger than me at that time.


    Great pic, really!

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