Can this come true? Read on...
It is 2080.
A grandfather sits on the front porch of his daughter’s suburban home, his 7 year old grandson by his side. He could hear the hum of electric cars from the nearby highway, and occasionally a cricket chirping from its perch at the base of the porch.
His grandson was studying the screen of a Kindle in his lap, showing a dapple grey pony with the caption of “Merrylegs”. The grandfather recognized the Black Beauty story, re-written into 2nd grade words.
The boy touched the Merrylegs image gently with one finger.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes, Josh?”
“They used to ride horses, didn’t they, back in the old times.”
The grandfather looked up, noticed the blue of the sky, the lacy branches of spring buds in the trees and small white clouds skittering across the horizon.
“Yes, we did.”
“Why don’t we ride them now?”
The old man sighed, and stared at a neighbor controlling his robotic mower as it silently sliced across a green lawn. His eyes returned to the electronic image of Merrylegs in Josh’s lap, rubbed his worn jeans and then his thinning hair.
“Well son, it’s complicated. I rode my horses up into the mountains on a spring day and there wasn’t a better time. I had an old stallion that would produce the best fillies stamped just like him, and they beat every horse in the show ring. I got up every morning waiting to get on my horse.”
But let me tell you how it all changed, slowly over time……”
What do you think about the state of the horse industry - both from a participant and a professional standpoint? What are our weaknesses? How can we change them? What are our strengths? How can we perpetuate them?
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Well, looking across the farmland of central Ky. horse related activities are alive and well in our area. Trail horses increasingly to be the most popular equine sport in our area, as well as the local saturday night shows, many times,with the same horses and riders participating in both events. Trails are in excellent shape locally and there is a viable business far as feed, hay and tack etc, sales in this area. In fact, our farms sold 100 percent of our annual hay crop to horse owners in the past years, so participating as part of the increasingly profitable farm economy in Ky. In addition part of our farm income goes back into the local economy towards feeds fertilizers, veterinarian services etc.I feel that there is not a need to breed raise horses in the area at this time, due to past overbreeding, but holding quality bloodlines for future integrity of the standards of the breeds we hold for our personal trail quality mounts is a consistent consideration for our farm, no foals here for the past three years and no foaling planned for the next few years . Economy has hurt the industry as a whole but foresee a definite comeback as economy stabilizes.
Since horses are mostly considered pleasure and/or entertainment, we are most vulnerable during economic downturns. I had a dream recently that gave the horse a very useful purpose. Problem was that once I woke up, I couldn't remember what it was! It is my goal to remember that dream! As a professional in the racing industry, we need to get the overall support of the masses, hence slot machines allowed at racetracks. For the public to think this will cause more gambling, I say 'get real'! There are several avenues for people to gamble if that is what they are determined to do! With the internet, gambling is world-wide from the computer desk while you are in your jammies! The long term effects of allowing KY racing to fail is a much larger economic effect than most realize. Thousands of jobs, from the actual horse handlers to every aspect that is touched by the industry - hotels, restaurants, feed suppliers, advertisers, parking lots, attorneys, accountants, veterinarians, etc., etc. It is a long list. Until I remember my dream....
I only know about Tennessee Walking Horses, the breed that I love and have been involved with for nearly 40 years. I know the official breed organizations are ruining this horse economy because trainers and owners refuse to stop "soring," which is abusive training to make the horse pick up his feet excessivly high. USDA inspection involvement hasn't been able to stop it. Two special horse groups that I am involved with: National Walking Horse Association (NWHA)and Friends ofSound Horses (FOSH) work hard to provide a place to show horses that are not sored with tough inspections, and fight this abuse. My personal effort after I retired from showing in 2006, was to write my memoir about my life with this easy gaited breed: The Horse That Wouldn't Trot. www.rosemiller.net I share horse stories, history of the breed and soring, and what is being done to that date to stop it. The World Equestrian Games has selected NWHA to present sound/un-sore horses for demonstration, excluding the "national" breed organization of TWHBEA because of this continuing abuse. A portion of my book sales go to NWHA and FOSH.
ADVERTISE, Word of mouth, More help from the UK Ext. Offices. All livestock shows and programs for horses or other livestock should be advertised in their newsletters. And newsletters need to be passed out by district or state. We also need for more open environment at the equine programs for the state.
Horse clubs should not be short sighted and charge the public and the contestants to come in the gate at shows. Advertise these things as free family entertainment. Door prizes, etc. It will take at least a year or two for this type of entertainment and programs to catch on. Once you have them hooked on horses they will be the future of the industry. We need to draw in the public. Not push them aside saying how expensive it is. We need to show them the shortcuts to equine ownership and how cheap it can be.
We need Equine Ext. Agents in every district that are active in every equine club out there promoting the clubs to each other.
I think that the goverment needs to stop closeing are parks to trail riders .Like the 100 mile loop .They did not put in a trail for horses . WHY ? THIS IS THE HORSE STATE
The Breeders incentive Fund at first sight was a good idea. But I don't see haw anyone gave it any forward thought. No one considered the possibility that everyone would breed a mare and the equine population would double. No one thought about the fact that not every foal goes on to win in the showring.
Year end payments got cut as the pooled money got paid out to more people who participated. May the Incentive Fund guardians should re-evaluate whether it is still a useful productive program to the KY horse industry.
They probably need to be good stewards and come up with a plan to deal with the overpopulation of horses. There aren't enough retirement/rescue santuarys to deal with that issue.
Unless Ky. conciders the horse as other states do we will lose our status in the horse industry. Ky. is the only state that charges taxes on stud fees, horse feeds and supplies for horses. It is also my belief the the closing of the slaughter houses was wrong. I know a lot of good horses were going, but that could be governed. The cost of keeping horses have gone so high that people can't sell them yet they can't afford to keep them eather. My family showed Barrel Racing horse for years, and I now still trail ride, but I trail ride a mule. Cheaper to care for and much tuffer. I still have an interest in good horses but something has to happen to bring the market back. I believe that the goverment will end up having to add taxes to take care of the unwanted horses. Then the people will will see the real reasons the industry is in the shap it is.
I like the idea of Equine Extension Agents being available, or some central organization like KHC to publicize local horsey events, even the teeny ones. I am new to the area and new to the back-yard horse, so need all the help I can get. I haven't joined any horse breed organizations because I have a prejudice that they are exclusive and expensive. Am I wrong? Let's get info out there to refute that idea.
More informal and close-in areas to trail ride would be a great boon. I don't have the time to load up and spend a whole weekend at a trail ride, but would love to be able to ride for an hour or two somewhere besides the perimeter of my farm. Do those places exist?
I wish I could live in Kentucky, which is probably the only state in the union with a true, viable, and visible horse economy. I live in Arizona and it is and was a struggle to keep horses here because the government doesn't support legislation to encourage or even protect horse ownership.
While it's at a standstill at the moment due to the housing crisis, real estate development has been the bane of my existence throughout my entire horse-owning adult life. Phoenix used to have farm fields within the city limits, many neighborhoods had horse privileges and were near enough to the farms to ride on the dirt maintenance roads between fields. Not the same as having a forest to ride through, but at least there was dirt for our horses' feet.
But those fields are gone now, as farmer after farmer couldn't resist the huge amounts offered for their land, which was then chopped up into non-horsey subdivisions. The remaining horse properties are landlocked with no place to ride.
Follow me to California . . . there are some pockets of horse-friendly areas with trails, but my last address there was in Norco -- Horsetown, USA -- a place where there are bridle trails on every street, fines and towing if you park on those trails, hitching posts and water troughs in front of the stores on Main Street -- and it is being ruined by development.
When I moved there in 2002, I could ride a couple blocks and then head out across open land. With the housing boom of 2003-4, that open land was quickly leveled, chopped up, and planted with cracker boxes that were being sold to people who wanted a big lot but didn't have horses.
Those people had no sense of what horses meant, and would speed right past a spooking horse (there was a horse fatality from a car accident the week after I moved from there at the end of 2004) and the voting base was starting to shift from pro-horse to non-horse.
The other thing the development of that land meant was the displacement of hundreds of coyotes, which moved into town and commenced a campaign to stamp out cats and small dogs -- I lost a cat to one and adjacent neighbors lost another cat and a small dog, all within four weeks of each other.
Unchecked development, and allowing developers to disregard the existing nature of the community in their developments, is the biggest enemy to horse ownership that I have seen.
I'm in Arizona again, in a small town which used to be very horse-friendly and boasted of the world's oldest continuously running rodeo -- and in the past year the town has removed mention of the rodeo or a western lifestyle from its promotional literature and town slogans. The beginning of another end.
There will always be more of "them" than there are of "us". I fear that futuristic scenario described above will be true someday. Every time there is a recession, more people get out of horses, more properties cease to be horse properties, more rights get eroded because there are fewer people to speak up for them -- and we don't seem to get it back when the boom times return.
So nice to see this blog! Since I ride Arabs and am involved in the sport of Endurance, my concern is the loss of open trails. It is a shame that the Horse state of Kentucky is so lacking in this area. I do lots of endurance rides outside of KY and am amazed and delighted at the upkeep and the new trails offered in other states. Where the rangers actually want horses there! So for me the lack of support from horse related venues, such as tack shops, feed stores and other horse sports, is a sore point for us trail riders. I hate to think that soon, very soon, what trails we do have open to us, will be closed so that bikers can be the exclusive users. Believe me, they are working hard for this very thing.
Trail riding is a huge past time for all age groups, too bad KY is not opening more trails instead of closing them.
I didn't grow up here or was I raised with horses so I have a different perspective towards KY's horse community. This is horse ownership nirvana! The opportunities we have are spectacular. Whether you ride trail or show in a ring we will have to work together to safeguard those very opportunities.
My 2 cents may not be welcome but here it flies!
In regards to the Gaited Horse industry, police yourself. It should be enough of an embarrassment that you all have Federal supervision but I guess not. If you would refuse the folks who hurt their horses access to your shows, you would take the money away from them. No shows, no points,no bragging rights, and most of all...no stud fees or sale prices. If that is done, these folks in question would leave the industry for the next scheme. The Clark County Saddle Club opted not to hold a show this year for fear that the "Feds" would show up and there would be a mass exodus to leave the show grounds, and the club would lose $9000.00. Yes, that is how much money it takes to put on a sanctioned show. Damn shame as they have had that show for 40 some odd years now!
In regards to the racing industry, stop your whining! You made this problem for yourselves. Too many poor quality stock bred for the almighty $ only to break down on National TV. You don't need public subsidies! I would have loved to have sold one of my home bred QHs for a 1/4 of the lowest Keenland price tag. Close the stud books sooner and stop the mentality that every uterus need to be bred. The QH industry has done it! Slots are not the magic bullet. Isn't this state poor enough, that you all want to pad your purses with money from folks whom can least afford it! For Shame!
And let me remind you all the the Thoroughbred horses make up ONLY 25% of the population of horses in the state, the rest are the lowly back yard horse.
Now, Im not just picking on the a fore mentioned groups. the QH people tie their horses heads down, the Arab people do strange things with powdered ginger and the Saddlebreds are kept in the dark to mention a few more atrocities!
As far as my suggestions, we have the best form of advertising in the world with the WEGs being held here. Lets make the world envious of us. Lets stop the trail closures as that can be a great tourist capture! You all who have been born here have no idea how gorgeous this state is. I like the UK extension agent idea previously posted! That can help get the kids as well as the young at heart involved. Also, lets push our representatives to give us a feed tax exemption like the cattle people get. I stumbled on an old receipt the other day from 12 yrs ago. Southern States Reliance sweet feed was $3.68!...alot more now huh?
And lastly....Ginny bring back the Bluegrass Post! That was a great little magazine for the new to Kentucky horse owner. It told you were to get things, people to contact and upcoming events. I believe funding was the issue, and maybe we can get UK to take it on as it is their charter to be educational?!
Well I'm sure I've stirred it up now...I'll wince as I take the backlash!
Down here in the mountains, we have some of the best trail riding stock in the country...That being said, horse traders and the like are dumping their unwanted culls on unsuspecting, first time horse owners. These people take their horses home and expect it to perform like Trigger.
You can imagine the results when this gulable, novice, new horse owner tries to ride this low end horse. At the very least the new owners are dissapointed and reluctant to dabble in a semilar venture again!
Horse people are short-sightedly cutting of their nose in spite of their face. Youth and first level entry adults are the future of expansion within the horse community. The horse industry as a whole should be VERY conscious of these "rookies" and help them have as pleasant a first time riding, buying expirence as possible. I don't know how many people I have spoken to that just didn't have a good first expirence with riding or owning a horse and just got out. This attitude of "dumping" horses on an unsuspecting public is slowly killing the horse industry in Ky, and elsewhere.
Also, people don't have enough places where they can keep a horse. More should be done to provide reasonable stableing for people who don't live on a farm.
More state parks should be open to horses so that potential horse people can be exposed to the sport.
Just my opinion...
If horses are nothing but curiosities in zoos by 2080, my guess would be that it is because of human overpopulation and unchecked development. Even with Fayette county's rural preservation efforts, look at all the former farms that are now big box strip malls and cookie-cutter subdivisions. It's happening everywhere, to former farms and wilderness lands that used to have equestrian trails.
We'll have nowhere left to ride or keep horses within a few generations because while Americans walk away from a rural lifestyle, they refuse to embrace an urban one. Instead of fostering a sustainable urban core that only minimally affects the surrounding area, people would rather plow down wilderness and farmland to put up inefficient subdivisions and Walmarts with sprawling parking lots.
I do fear for the long term future of the equine industry across this country. I fear the HSUS, PETA and others that go so far as to get naked and wrap themselves in plastic in protest! What nuts! I'm all for freedom of speach and the right to assemble but they worry me because they are well-funded nuts.
I'm from rural Kansas and it's hard to imagine no 4-H horse shows or Blackjack Saddle Club shows, no ropings at a neighbors place on Friday nights. But, 20 years ago who ever thought there would be laws banning smoking in public places. Things can change quickly and without unified vigilance from all horse owners across the United States HSUS will become more powerful.
Right now they are promising financial assistance to local rescues from funds raised through the ACTHA's World Record Ride for the Largest Trail Ride Competition on June 13. The goal is to set a Guiness World Record by having a ride in every state and use the proceeds to benefit horse shelters and rescues. I've contacted one of the oldest and largest rescues in KS and she's not heard one word of anything coming from them and has serious doubts the HSUS will actually hand over any money. So do I and I will be keeping track. They are a wolf in sheep's clothing as far as the horse industry is concerned.
I hope my great grand children have horses that are still considered livestock, well cared for and loved livestock, not pets. I also hope there are still public, open spaces for them to ride and competitions that haven't been outlawed because they have been deemed cruel or dangerous to horses. If you treasure the lifestyle you have with your horses now - Don't support the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States).
Kentucky should look into what Wisconsin does at it's annual horse fair. People from all different breeds participate, from the exhibition of breeds to the liberty class. Everyone that is involved is interested in one thing: get people to the fair to see horses. It doesn't matter which breed they are promoting, just get ordinary, everyday people to see what is available for what their individual interests are. Ohio and California also have this sort of fair, so why doesn't Kentucky, supposedly the "Horse Capital of the World" have one?
I agree with Janice, as a fellow endurance rider, we ride more trails than most people. We see so many fantastic places, mainly, due to the wonderful trail systems. Unfortunately, KY seems to want us out. Cave Run Lake, a long time favorite of mine is one of the most beautiful trail systems in the country, but is fast becoming unaccessible to horse back riding. We need better relationships with the Forestrys and need to help them see the economic empact of trail and distance riders that would come to our state, if trails and camps were improved. Keeping us going way past 2080
I am a "senior" age horsewoman who has ridden, shown, taught for over 50 years and can not imagine life without horses and kids to share the joys of horses with. From my perspective I feel we who are in the equine industry need to be responsible about how and why we breed for new horses and instead look to horses who have been rejected in one discipline and could be used in a "second" career. I also feel we should treat our equine charges as partners, part of the family/team, and with the respect due such a member. It is our responsibility to be fully aware of the commitment we make when we aquire a horse and be prepared to care for that horse for its life. We who are teachers have the responsibility to help our students understand what is involved in horse ownership and guide them in a responsible decision whether or not to acquire a horse and then guide them to choosing a suitable horse.
Donna, KY did have a horse fair like Wisconsin and Ohio...it was called Equitana and it went out of business. And if Im right...I rode in it with you! Hi!
How about a multi-day horse fair that does not cost an arm and leg to participate...a not for profit show put on at the KY Horse Park which is now an international horse venu. Maybe all of the breed and horse organizations could step up funding it (organized by the KY Horse Counsel) to have an annual event, or better yet a semi-annual event for all breeds. Getting the majority of horse owners to participate in an event of this kind would go a long way to fixing the problems of public exposure.
There are many good ideas here and good insights as well.
The Central KY area in which I reside contains massive numbers of what I call horse "snobs". So, if we could somehow get past the snobbery of having to own registered horses and registered breeds, that might help the horse industry in KY. Just because someone may not be able to afford a registered horse, doesn't mean it is inferior. I have seen saddlebreds with the best of bloodlines and TWH's too, that couldn't cut the mustard with a chainsaw. TRUE horse people love ALL horses and can appreciate each breed and discipline, but may have a preference for a certain breed or discipline. Why is that so hard to understand? Just because I prefer gaited horses doesn't mean I don't love a quarter horse, arabian, saddlebred, or draft horse. And just because I prefer to trail ride doesn't mean I don't appreciate the work and conditioning it takes to participate in dressage, pole bending, barrel racing, pulling, or cross-country. The ATTITUDE of the general horse owner should reflect an appreciate of the HORSE as a general creature...regardless of breed, registration, or discipline.
Secondly, there are several really good horse shows in this area that include classes for non-registered horses both gaited and otherwise. They tend to draw a great number of people. Maybe if more county fairs would do this, more revenue could be generated and more people could be made aware of the fact that you don't have to spend a ton of money to have a great, versatile horse!
Thirdly, people who don't own and have never owned horses should not even have a voice with regards to the horse industry. Slaughterhouses served a purpose and kept the price of the horse high. There were FAR FEWER cases of horse neglect and starvation when they were in operation. Why? Because at auctions, there were 2 types of bidders: meat men and people wanting a horse to ride/breed. The bidding wars kept the prices up. Now people who supplemented their income by training and selling horses cannot sell what they have because buyers know they can get what they want for a really, really low price. There is no competition.
Finally, if at all possible, more horse trails need to be opened up in the area, but, especially in our state parks where there are campgrounds where people could hook-up their living quarter trailers or camper, or pitch a tent and stay a while. It might be necessary to expand the facilities at our state parks to include horseback riding facilities and campgrounds. That way, horse people can also enjoy activities such as swimming, playing basketball, and enjoying the common campground amenities. And I'm sure people who are camping without horses would enjoy watching a show each evening featuring the horses staying at the camp!
Love your story Ginny. Even tho more horses thrive today than yesteryear, so do us human beings. And some people could care less and don't even like horses. They complain about their poop. Horses are herbivores. God's other creatures glean undigested grains. The soil and the plants are fertilized from their poop. I ride my mountain bike through poop and I'm here to tell you I love it.
Not too long ago, I visited NORCO, CA. There's not a street in that town that doesn't have a horse trail. Their main street is 5 lanes wide with trails on both sides. The US Government put a bridle path over I-15 for them. Norco wanted the highway to go around their town, but the bridle path was the compromise. Get this - Norco gave up land to neighboring town of Corona, because they couldn't keep a wealthy developer from building high rise condos. These condos would house enuf people, to vote out their lifestyle. They have trails that follow the Santa Inez River to the Pacific Ocean.
What will that town look like in 2050? What about Taylorsville. We can't get the Corp of Engineers to finish a study allowing 9 miles of trails to be used. It takes the Taylorsville Lake State Park Trails from the Park to Edgewater Resort.
It opens up opportunities for commerce and small business entrepreneurial endeavors.
The Corp supposedly started this study in 2008. HOW LONG - HOW MUCH PATIENCE do we have to have. If actions speak louder than words, what is GOVERNMENT telling us?
Mardy Smith
AQHA Recreational Activities Committee
PonyGirl, I have to respond to your comments.
"Slaughterhouses served a purpose and kept the price of the horse high."
Prior to this statement, you were talking about the problem of horse owner snobbery in central KY. If this is a problem, then wouldn't a lack of low-cost horses exacerbate the problem? If you have to be able to drop four figures or more just for the purchase price, then it's harder for average, middle-class people to even consider horse ownership. Right?
"There were FAR FEWER cases of horse neglect and starvation when they were in operation."
I'd be interested to see your research. I have read this statement numerous times, but it's always anecdotal. I wasn't aware that these numbers were available, but I'd definitely like to see them.
"Why?"
Because there was a giant, global recession that happened over the past couple of years, around the same time the last slaughter plant in the US closed. People lost their jobs. People lost their savings. People had to choose between buying hay for their horses and groceries for their kids. None of this had anything to do with slaughterhouses.
"Now people who supplemented their income by training and selling horses cannot sell what they have because buyers know they can get what they want for a really, really low price."
Again, buyers are few and far between these days since we're all still reeling from that global economic turmoil thing. It's not that they're turning their back on the trainers in favor of a free horse, it's that they simply aren't there.
And if these so-called trainers were selling horses for meat prices prior to 2007, then they weren't very good trainers.
The people who benefit from having a floor, per-pound price on horses are the people who are producing horses that don't have a sound mind and/or body, or who aren't bothering to put in the training that makes a horse worth the cost of upkeep. I'm not interested in propping up the lifestyle choices of bad breeders and bad trainers by giving them the option of making money from their mistakes.
Furthermore, even if horse slaughter in America was somehow a miraculous cure-all, it would still be cruel. Horses would still be mishandled, mistreated, transported in overcrowded, unfit vehicles for long distances to die in fear, sometimes exsanguinated alive. This was the US slaughter industry that so many irresponsible horse owners want to bring back. Why? I don't understand it. Can you stand up for the meat men and still profess to do right by your horse? No.
The evidence is readily available. http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/
This myth of equine slaughter as a "humane alternative" needs to end. There is no place for it in modern society. Our horses deserve better.
To anonymous May 14th @12:31....you have no idea about what you are speaking of and no backbone to atleast put your first name down...so how can we take you seriously.
If you think the "meat men" have gone away you are foolish. They are making a huge profit margin now and laughing all the way to the bank! The demand for horse flesh has not gone away with the closing of the USA slaughter facilities. On the contrary! You have just increased the demand and thus the profit margin. Supply and demand economics is what makes this country great! You have just pushed a large amount of money into the hands of these people that has been stolen from the small breeder/trainers. These animals are now being purchases for less money at auction than is spent on a shelter dog on adoption day at Petsmart. They are then sent to Canada and Mexico where the "Meatman" receives a large check! The increase in stray horses and underfed and neglected horses can be directly linked to the Slaughter ban. That is why the American Quarter Horse Assoc. has done the research and printed the numbers. Once again, lay people have misunderstood an ecosystem, changed it to feel better, and screwed things up for the object of their concerns. Moral of the story: leave what you dont understand alone!
Horses are a big part of Kentucky and if asked what is the first thing you think of when someone mentions Kentucky, it's horses.
One of the first ways, in my opinion, to preserve anything, is through education.
The average person needs to learn about horses and the people who own them need to know more about them because not everyone who owns a horse really knows everything there is to know.
Horses are complicated animals, unlike most other domestic ones.
A trainer once said, he knew people who bought horses and didn't know much about them, then had a bad experience and sold them.There is more of this that goes on than what we imagine. If we can incourage people to learn first, and then own, it would be a win win situation for everyone.
We need to preserve Kentuckys connection with the horse.
It's not just racehorses, there are a lot of recreational horses in Kentucky.
Horses are also good therapy for many people, ask most happy horse owners what they like most about owning them. The answer I get most is therapy for a stressful life.
But we need to make sure horse owners can understand how to handle them and have harmony with them. We can do that by helping promote trainers that want to educate horse owners on how to live happily with their animals.
Christina
I think I was like alot of horse (Tn Walking Horses) owners, I had big dreams of raising & selling horses to make extra money... The thing is I have never had alot of money and I guess I never will !! And, found out quick you had to be somewhat of a horsetrader/dealer to make any substantial money from horses I started out breeding, raising, working in round pens, breaking my own 2 yr olds and that worked for awhile and I had decent blood lines. My first Good Mare (Ebony Masterpiece & Mack K Handshaker Grand daughter)(Bay) which I still have today, Collecta My Part turned 24 yrs old this yr !!! I also had Pusher C.G. and Generator bred mares.
I have never had alot of money to buy special feeds, or get special treatments for my horses, I have just fed sweet feed (maybe different brands of feed for different circumstances), good quality hay, de-worming regular, vacs, and try to keep their feet kept up, (I think these are the basics for horse keeping) I started showing some but, some people turned me off showing. They would argue and fuss about what they placed or didn't win, I guess I am not confident enough or like to show off my horses.
I have some very nice horses and I have raised horses for 14 yrs but, I still don't consider myself an expert.
I just like to be out on a trail enjoying my surrounding with the warm sun on me, with a sweet breeze on my face, the freedom of enjoying & trail riding my horses means the world to me !!! The end of my story is I had up to 21 horses counting Stallions, Mares & Foals (all beautiful in my eyes). I am glad I started cutting down right before this economy went crazy and since I started working full time, I didn't have the time or money that was needed to take care of these horses... I still have six horses most of which I have raised, still have two-three for sale but I think I can hold out until the economy breaks, if it breaks. I have been out of the saddle this spring & summer with some surgeries but, just as soon as I am released from Drs care, I can't wait to get back on the trail & cleaning up my horse area, and hugging & loving my horses again !!!
I think this world has lost it's respect for one another, common decency, acknowledging another persons likes and dislikes, just about everyone is wrapped up in their own world and have forgotten how to think of others. Just like driving down the road, how many people take the time to wave, smile, nod to you or even watch where their going ??? I have been guilty of this also, I am not perfect and never pretend to be... I just hope & pray that the old ways of loving, riding & caring for horses does not leave us, I know it would kill me !!!
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