[InsideLeg2OutsideRein]

yearning to go ride your horse? Go do it better? Continue building your relationship? Have that warm sensation of complete love for your horse (and all his/her issues)?
I do. I am so thankful to have the little mare in my life.

Ok, now back to work so I can keep her!

[netg]

Yep!

My boy is the absolute love of my horsey life. All summer I got up and rode before work, and it made it so much easier to get out of bed. I love my job, but it doesn't compare to time spent with Tucson!

[Oberon13]

Every. Single. Morning.

And every night, as I lay in bed trying to go to sleep, I think about riding, how I could cue that haunches-in a bit better, how that canter transition should be a little more uphill and timed better, etc.

[mp]

No.



I usually fall sleep at night thinking about those things.

My wish for other horse people is that some time in their lives, they have or will have a horse they enjoy as much as I do mine. He's funny. He's talented. He's gorgeous. And the older he gets (I've had him since he was born and he's now 10) the better he gets.

Either that or I'M getting better. I'm sure from his POV, he's been fabulous since he hit the ground, and I've been playing catch up ever since.

[retrofit]

Yep. That's why I'm usually out at the barn before daylight.

[cyndi]

No.



I usually fall sleep at night thinking about those things.

My wish for other horse people is that some time in their lives, they have or will have a horse they enjoy as much as I do mine. He's funny. He's talented. He's gorgeous. And the older he gets (I've had him since he was born and he's now 10) the better he gets.

Either that or I'M getting better. I'm sure from his POV, he's been fabulous since he hit the ground, and I've been playing catch up ever since.

I think/say that all the time. In fact, I wrote about it in my blog awhile back:

http://donerailfarm.posterous.com/a-...ter-to-a-horse

[cyberbay]

Inside...Outside: I think your thread is really sweet and really cute. What a great one!

Yes, I am one of the ones who thinks non-stop about my horses and all the ones I'm involved with, and all the ones I'll know in the future...

[Coppers mom]

I never wake up in the morning gung-ho for anything

Now, the second my butt hits the chair at work, that's another story

[dwblover]

Glad to know I'm not the only one! My gelding brings me so much joy and I do spend quite a bit of time smiling thanks to him!! And I'm always trying to improve my riding so I can be better for him. I have a notebook that I jot ideas down in about how I can fix certain things that I'm doing incorrectly. My husband says he is jealous because he has not found a hobby to be so passionate about.

[Big_Grey_hunter]

Currently no, I have to make myself go every week. BUT, I've been taking steps to change that and it's getting better. I no longer dread going, I'm no longer angry the whole time at the barn, and I'm starting to enjoy myself once I get to the barn. Yay progress! Once a few other changes take hold, I hope to love and look forward to the barn.

[katarine]

What MP said.

I'm quite new to dressage but not to horses. With my current 'main' horse I have such a cool relationship that it is just such great fun to think about how to be better for him, and with him. My guy always thought he was pretty cute, but lacked confidence. He loves dressage, the predictability of it and all the little tiny texting of tiny requests back and forth, what can I say, he's chatty. I don't know where he gets it.

And no, I don't wake up thinking about it. I wake up wanting the Phoebe cat to get OFF my hair

[mp]

I can't honestly say The Mighty B loves dressage or anything else that isn't his idea first. But .. it's getting easier and easier to get him to give -- give his back, reach for the bit, relax when he's buzzed, pay attention, I said pay ATTENTION -- when he's not in the mood. He actually looks for that connection now, when before he fought it. And because he used to be such a hard nut to crack, it makes him getting soft and connected even more special.

But his most remarkable talent is the ability to make me laugh. And I don't mean just chuckle, I mean laugh out loud. Saturday, we were taking a little break in the middle of my lesson on Saturday, standing the middle of the arena discussing what I was doing, etc. My instructor had pulled out her lip moisturizer to use and Beam just had to check it out, so she lubed up his lips. He loved it. I almost fell off I was laughing so hard.

I guess you had to be there.

[katarine]

you know when I introduced Chip to side reins (Chip, these are side reins, side reins, this is Chip) he got really funny about them and esp cantering in them. He'd get VERY wide eyed out there at the end of the longe line, staring holes in me, can I canter, please?

Yep. and with a lift and look, off he'd go.

I hear ya, had to be there

[netg]

My wish for other horse people is that some time in their lives, they have or will have a horse they enjoy as much as I do mine. He's funny. He's talented. He's gorgeous. And the older he gets (I've had him since he was born and he's now 10) the better he gets.

I've only had my horse since last March, but this.

He's nowhere near my first horse, but he's the only horse who brought me so much pure joy. First horse brought me as much joy (an 8 year old with her first horse? Are you kidding?!) but it wasn't as pure given the bucking fits, stepping on feet, biting, kicking.... He is the funniest horse I've ever met, too. (See my profile pic for an idea of what I mean!) Just about every day I have a funny story to tell about him, from his learning how to stretch and grab his halter and shake it at me when I take too long getting him out, to the shadow puppets on the round pen wall, to the days he decides I don't feel well enough so he's going to do a tortoise imitation, to the gallop-maximizing circuit he makes turned out in one of the jumping arenas, including two lead changes and a rollback in the same spots each time he runs around it. I have always loved and been passionate about horses, and I love my other horse and my mom's horse, too. But he's just *different*.

[CZF]

I bought my first horse a couple of years ago as a yearling. He's now rising four (May birthday!). I backed him late this past summer and have given him a few months off, but I'm starting to get really excited to start him again soon! He was a super star about being backed (if only I could convince him that he can poop and move at the same time )

I had him on the lunge line on Sunday and he's looking so good now!!!

I can't wait until he's training at first level (steering more accurately and going on the bit would be a mercy! LOL!) I know his trot and canter are going to be a dream to sit. I just can't wait to get going with him!

I hope he'll be as much fun as your guys horses!

[atr]

Depends how hard it's snowing...

[slp2]

I'm a night person. I do that at night. But I think about what went well in my rides, what I want to work on tomorrow, etc. The only dilemna is that I have TWO horses that I enjoy riding. I sometimes get to the barn with time to ride only one and can't decide which one! Decisions, decisions! I am lucky to have 2 horses that I enjoy thoroughly. Both are different rides and have different talents. Both teach me to be a better rider and owner. And I am happiest when they are both sound and healthy (knocking furiously on wood as I type this).

Glad to hear that I'm not the only crazy, obsessive person that thinks about this daily!!

[Xfactor]

I so do!

I never rode as a kid. Had braces on my legs thru grammar school. UGH.
Back in the day parents would freak at the idea of me hopping on their daughter's horses.

Used to watch friends ride and just stand at the rail dreaming.

So, after my kids were grown and I had the time to devote, I dove in, head first.
Didn't learn to ride really..just went and got a horse and started it all then and there!


Was torn between getting a "fancier" horse to learn with and show...or get into off track horses that need homes, and go from there.

Went with off track; felt that especially with the STB, the need for permanent loving homes is great, and I could provide that.

I have SOOO loved my journey with them. Oh I have my frustration in taking literal blocks of wood and teaching them to soften and bend, and that YES THEY CAN!
This, while i learn to ride...lol

It has been beyond fun, rewarding, and fulfills my need to support a breed that "don't get no respect". ( I have pitbulls as well..nuff said)

The realization of my ultimate dream is my "pinch me, am I dreaming" horse..my Cob colt. He's fancy, built just right for dressage, is a huge mover, and a LOOK AT ME attitude..all those wonderful things we want for a competition horse.

I have my heart horses and my head horse.
Dream beyond dream, come true!!!!

I wake up every morning, strategizing, reading, planning, working on this or that, down to the smallest thing.

My husband doesn't quite get it. He'll ask, how can you be out there for hours..like what is there to do that takes that long?
Start trying to explain some in hand thing or ..but you have no idea how hard lateral stuff has been...
yeh no, he doesn't get it.

So I lay at night smiling about what we did, and wake up thinking about what's next...but smiling on both ends.
Makes whatever goes on in the middle, not horse related, very doable.

[ridealot]

I think about my horse and when I get to the barn any spare time I have. To be honest I would much rather be at the barn and riding then anywhere else. Even if there is barn drama and the horse is not on par for the day the barn is where all else leaves......my stress melts away. I can not wait to get out there. I do not even care if it is cold. I think some days if all I had was my horses and my dogs I could do without all the human drama.... send me away to horse island

[ViewParadise]

I never wake up in the morning gung-ho for anything

Now, the second my butt hits the chair at work, that's another story

I think we were separated at birth! Meeee tooooo!!!