I've been riding horses since I was about 8 years old. I took english and western lessons, showed in 4-H for years, and even barrel raced. I used to have my own horse (My family's very first horse) and I practically had to retrain her. She really came a long way in all the years we had her, but had an accident on the trail one day when my dad took her out. Unfortunately she had to be put down. This was about 3 years ago now.
After that horse died, we went looking for another horse and found a mexican ranch horse. Of course my dad and I sort of rushed into getting another horse so we could ride again and we didn't really take enough time to look around. We bought a sorrel quarter horse gelding for way too much money because my dad wanted a "ranch horse". This horse has been nothing but problems. He bites, he tries to kick, he throws his head so much he will sometimes rear and he's just all around untrustworthy. Of course none of these issues showed up when we bought him...but we should of known we were going to get a problem horse just for the simple fact that he was probably abused in mexico by the ranchers. THey are not so nice when training their horses.
To make a long story longer, we also have a 27 year old palomino gelding. He's still rideable, but shows his age. He's a retired trail horse and so laid back its boring to ride him. He's a good horse, but there's not much fun in riding something that won't go faster than a walk!
Now my dad is convinced we can fixed the other horse and has been training him a lot. We probably CAN fix the other horse with the right training and I know he's thinking of bringing out a trainer to help. The thing is, this was supposed to be MY horse and my dad won't even let me do anything with him....not even groundwork. I'm not a little child anymore...I will be 21 in less than a year. I've been around horses longer than he has and it frustrates me to no end that I have two horses and I can't ride either one. I am away at college, but I tend to be home more than I am away at school because my school is fairly close to home. I used to LOVE going trail riding and I haven't been able to ride in about a year now.
My dad keeps throwing around the idea of going to look at horses, but then he'll give me to the ok to look at horses and then say we don't have the money. That's ok because I understand that a horse is a big expense. I'd spend the money myself, but my dad won't hear of it. I keep telling myself that I can buy my own horse when I get out of college, but in reality I probably won't be able to have one until I am well established in my career. I just don't understand why I shouldn't be able to work with my own horses NOW! I WANT to work with the mexican horse, but when I do my dad tells me I'm doing everything wrong. He doesn't want our training methods mixed up.
My dad's a good guy, but when I try to tell him these things, its like he doesn't listen. I'm almost at a point where I may just spend the couple hundred bucks a month to lease a horse or take lessons, just to be able to ride again. My dad will think that's ridiculous because we have horses on our property. It's just one big...and very frustrating...circle. I don't think I'm being greedy...its more that I'm frustrated at having the resources I need to ride and not being able to use them! The other thing that frustrates me is my dad will take out all his "work" friends to go riding...people who have never ridden a horse before...and almost never asks me to go anymore. He asked me to go today, but it always seems something else comes up and we have to cancel. Now we are supposed to go tomorrow, but I bet you anything...something else will come up.
Grrr...I need to go hiking!
After that horse died, we went looking for another horse and found a mexican ranch horse. Of course my dad and I sort of rushed into getting another horse so we could ride again and we didn't really take enough time to look around. We bought a sorrel quarter horse gelding for way too much money because my dad wanted a "ranch horse". This horse has been nothing but problems. He bites, he tries to kick, he throws his head so much he will sometimes rear and he's just all around untrustworthy. Of course none of these issues showed up when we bought him...but we should of known we were going to get a problem horse just for the simple fact that he was probably abused in mexico by the ranchers. THey are not so nice when training their horses.
To make a long story longer, we also have a 27 year old palomino gelding. He's still rideable, but shows his age. He's a retired trail horse and so laid back its boring to ride him. He's a good horse, but there's not much fun in riding something that won't go faster than a walk!
Now my dad is convinced we can fixed the other horse and has been training him a lot. We probably CAN fix the other horse with the right training and I know he's thinking of bringing out a trainer to help. The thing is, this was supposed to be MY horse and my dad won't even let me do anything with him....not even groundwork. I'm not a little child anymore...I will be 21 in less than a year. I've been around horses longer than he has and it frustrates me to no end that I have two horses and I can't ride either one. I am away at college, but I tend to be home more than I am away at school because my school is fairly close to home. I used to LOVE going trail riding and I haven't been able to ride in about a year now.
My dad keeps throwing around the idea of going to look at horses, but then he'll give me to the ok to look at horses and then say we don't have the money. That's ok because I understand that a horse is a big expense. I'd spend the money myself, but my dad won't hear of it. I keep telling myself that I can buy my own horse when I get out of college, but in reality I probably won't be able to have one until I am well established in my career. I just don't understand why I shouldn't be able to work with my own horses NOW! I WANT to work with the mexican horse, but when I do my dad tells me I'm doing everything wrong. He doesn't want our training methods mixed up.
My dad's a good guy, but when I try to tell him these things, its like he doesn't listen. I'm almost at a point where I may just spend the couple hundred bucks a month to lease a horse or take lessons, just to be able to ride again. My dad will think that's ridiculous because we have horses on our property. It's just one big...and very frustrating...circle. I don't think I'm being greedy...its more that I'm frustrated at having the resources I need to ride and not being able to use them! The other thing that frustrates me is my dad will take out all his "work" friends to go riding...people who have never ridden a horse before...and almost never asks me to go anymore. He asked me to go today, but it always seems something else comes up and we have to cancel. Now we are supposed to go tomorrow, but I bet you anything...something else will come up.
Grrr...I need to go hiking!