This blog is named for a wonderful Arabian that passed on July 28th, 2009. He was fifteen years old at that time and was taken from me after five wonderful months of a partnership. It was way too soon. I rode Western before I found him and switched to English just for him. He was the sporty type of Arabian, descended from Padrone lines, and you couldn't have found a horse that was more like Padrone than this boy. He would do anything with me. By anything I mean one day we were riding along a road that happened to be busy at that moment in time, and what comes along but a lumbering big rig along this back country road. When I say lumbering, I mean this thing was clanking and jake braking and just causing a ruckus. I said to Pride before it got to us, buddy it's going to be okay if you keep your head about you and I promise you'll be fine. And it was okay, because he just poked his head up and puffed up his chest like his aggressive self and kept on marching. I said good boy and hugged him as soon as it passed. He was supposed to teach me how to jump. I had never taken a jump before in my life. I took a foot high one at a trot, and ended up hanging off his neck. He looked me like okay mom, that's not where you're supposed to be, climb back up so I can keep making us look good.
He meant the world to me and I think I was something special to him. His previous owner told me several times how he was never that nice with her and he would prance all over the place and constantly try to bit her. He would put his muzzle against my chest and would stand with me 'til the cows came hom. That gelding taught me more in five months than I learned in eleven years of horsemanship. He was not my first horse, but he was my favorite. As this blog goes on, so will the memories of Pride.
I ride a couple different horses now but haven't found that perfect one yet. I'll wait and I don't mind it one bit. My man has a horse, an Arabian and Appaloosa cross; aka- Arapaloosa (I hate these chopped up breed names). He's a handsome big guy and has already thrown the man off to get a broken collar bone and rib. That does not mean Rally is dangerous. He heard a gun shot and my man lost his balance and Rally didn't appreciate it. Rally is teaching my man all about horse ownership and I need to teach Rally that not all owners want him to just go fast. He was badly trained for either barrel racing or reining, as soon as he's in the ring he just wants to take off. I've ridden him several times and have managed to get through to him. He's a self conscious horse that thrives off of praise.
My project for the winter is a friend Reining Quarter Horse. He's for sale by the way, a big gray gelding that has a huge personality. I'll keep the blog updated as I can.
