I had a pony as a kid, who taught me nothing except how to stay on as she bolted through the barn door, under the clothesline or against a barbwire fence. I knew nothing about horses then. Heck...I don't even recall deworming her. No wonder she was crabby...She just taught me how to stay on her.
Then I had a break and didn't get back into horses until I was in my late 30's. My early riding experiences trained me well, especially when it came to Hreggur. When Hreggur bolted through the trees I initially found myself hanging halfway off him and I somehow managed to right myself and the saddle and continued riding until he had tired himself out. That old guy taught me much more than an easy guy would have though. He had so many health issues that needed to be addressed and solved that I was constantly googling or reading Judy's list trying to determine what was going on with him. I realize now that his bolting was probably as a result of pain issues. So when I see someone with a narrow saddle sitting on that freaking cantle...well...I know where that horse will be down the road...and there will be some poor schmuck like me trying to rehab him and bring those atrophied muscles back into play... ...anyway... After all this time, and all this research on backs, legs, feet, eyes, feed, my hands, poor riding styles, poor fitting saddles, saddles that actually fit, nosebands, bits, absesses, puncture wounds, fencing, treeless saddles, gullets, training babies, worms...and don't forget GAITS...and I still feel I haven't even scratched the surface. I think I'll always be a newbie....and I am beginning to not mind it. There is always something new that I'm interested in knowing about. Wanda
