Horse club

[CJLR]

Hi everybody, I've been meaning to join you guys for awhile, and now I have more time, lol.
I've been riding for - let's see - 50 years off and on.
As a kid I took lessons for a couple years, then did eventing on a leased pony and then a horse, but during high school/college/twenties I could only afford to take the occasional lesson or trail ride.
After I graduated I started taking regular lessons again, leased an experienced hunter/jumper horse and competed on him, Then moved here (Puget Sound region) took a few lessons here and there until I found the right place, then spent a couple years as a student/employee with an awesome eventing instructor, where I learned everything I could about caring for horses and rode all kinds of horses, including helping to start young ones. I also enjoyed being involved in Pony Club as a horse management judge at rallies and an intern at ratings.
Finally, I bought my own horse - a Trakehner/Arab who I bought as a weanling and my instructor helped me start as a 3-y-o. We had many fun years eventing, as well as trail riding and horse camping in our beautiful mountains. I still have him - he's now 26! Retired from competing, but still a lot of fun to ride non-strenuously.
I also had an Appy mare, a $600 auction horse. I don't recommend auctions as a good place to find horses normally, but all I was looking for was a mare with a calm temperament to be a pasture buddy for my colt while he was growing up, and sound enough to ride around our local trails. She turned out to be WAY much more than that! I have so many stories about her, but I'll save them for later, because this is already getting too long.
I also had a 4th-level dressage Trakehner stallion who taught me so much (the sire of my colt, another long story how that happened) as well as the younger full brother to my colt, who I started and sold to an awesome girl, - they went on to have lots of success in Dressage.
Lastly, an OTTB mare who another trainer friend of mine rescued from the kill pen and sold to me for $1 after I'd been riding her for a couple months and we got along. My trainer friend had tried to use this horse in her lesson program, but the mare was not at all suitable for students, in spite of her sweet nature on the ground. Super sensitive about any pressure on her mouth, to the point of flipping out, but very responsive to seat/weight aids. She's now 21 and I still have her, as well.
I'm close to 60 now, and not as competitive as I once was, so I'm happy to just do low-level schooling horse trials and derby events, to have fun, and keep learning!

I wish I had better pictures, but I got a new computer recently and haven't gotten around to salvaging many of my horse pictures. But here are a few of my two current horses: Komet (Arab/Trakehner, 26) and Fiona (OTTB, 22) hanging around in the pasture.
They look so similar, except Komet is a bit taller. I definitely have a thing for dark bays, lol!

As I get older, my next thing might be driving. I've only driven horses in a cart or carriage a few times, but, wouldn't these two look good as a matched pair driving a carriage?

Welcome

 

[CJLR]

Wow, everyone here has such amazing photos! I thought I would pop in and say hello since I love talking all things horse lol.

I've been riding ever since I was three; first Saddle Seat, then I switched to hunter/jumper, which I love. I don't own any horses at the moment and I haven't been able to ride because of what's happening lately, but I've been keeping busy by teaching my dogs in agility (dogs are like mini horses...right?) and doing my other favorite hobbies like reading and photography.

P.S. @Butterscotchbitesfinger, your puppy is absolutely adorable. I have a Great Dane too, and I think they're the greatest dogs

Here are a few pics of my crew:
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Aww i love great Danes what is it's name?

 

[Rocky1028]

His name is Duke. We named him after the college, but he acts more like a royal duke (he's very spoiled lol)

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

hello i joined last August
I have 2 mini horses chocolate is 13 and buttercup my sister's mini is 10 or 11

I know you joined! But I was welcoming anyone who hadn’t joined, the reason I quoted you was because you were talking about being behind

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

His name is Duke. We named him after the college, but he acts more like a royal duke (he's very spoiled lol)

So is our pup. 10 months old and he ways almost 80 kilos

 

[Rocky1028]

Geez, he's gonna be huge full grown! Ours is about 160 lbs, but he's pretty tall and not very stocky.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Geez, he's gonna be huge full grown! Ours is about 160 lbs, but he's pretty tall and not very stocky.

Yeah and he is already super tall and strong. I can’t hold him, like even trying to stop him jumping on someone by holding his collar. It doesn’t work!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Put a saddle on him lol

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Put a saddle on him lol

With our last Dane. I dressed up as an Indian and we made a foam saddle and entered him in the local fancy dress dog show. I won it.

 

[CJLR]

Anybody interested in reviving this thread?
I challenge you (if you want to) to a best picture competition.
This is mine.

My dog mable

my mini horse chocolate

a wild pony at Grayson Highlands Nc
This picture was taken July 2019