>>>> She is happiest when she is surrounded by children learning about how to put on a halter or pick out her feet. She is happiest when she has a timid rider on her back. She is happiest when she is giving a lesson in either a round pen or arena.
But what you just described isn't exactly a typical "school horse" life. A lot of horses like having kids around them, petting on them, picking feet, brushing. Even my old Holly will stand for what seems like hours for little girls to brush her and braid her mane - so will most of my Icelandics. In fact, a good number of horses just like kids - period. And a fair number of horses don't seem to mind giving lead line llessons or similar low-key mostly walk lessons - for little kids or timid adults- IF they are done in moderation, followed by carrots or cookies, and more petting. But to move a horse to a new location and have 15-20 people immediately start walk/trot/canter lessons (on a multi-gaited horse), bouncing around in the saddle as they learn their "up-down" lessons, while older students try to canter, when the riders and even the instructor aren't familiar with the horse's cues, his gaits...? That's another matter altogether. Several of our horses have been used for occasional lessons, but in such moderation that I don't think anyone would consider them "lesson horses" - I'm not sure any one horse has ever been used for more than one lesson a week, possibly two. At the moment, no one is taking lessons on any of ours, except for Cary and me. And we always are there when someone else takes a lesson, with an instructor who I'd trust with my own life, and who knows all my horses like they are her own. You are picking this life for Osp after you've had her for years, after she's been essentially a one-person horse, right? You are making this decision based on what you have learned about her personality over several years...? And you know her well by now...? You know her gaits, their cues, and her idiosyncrasies? Are you giving the lessons yourself, or are you letting someone who doesn't know her at all give the lessons when you aren't there to watch? These are all important variables that determine how successful a horse can be as a lesson horse. I know that Alex rides Gat in her lessons, just as Emily rode Thunder in hers, but I haven't heard Virginia say that the barn uses her for other lessons, not many anyway. In my mind that does not make Gat a "lesson horse", but a pony who is learning with her human partner, same as it was for Emily and Thunder. Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.10/626 - Release Date: 1/14/2007 8:29 PM
