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Poka_Doodle
Herd Master
Figured this was best as a double post, but lately it seems I just love to write. Figured I would share something special that I typed a couple days ago. Will include some pictures for fun too.
I pulled out an old friend for a ride today and got to thinking about something. Something about a horse that is nearly retired at my house.
It was time for me to go on a trail ride today, without any tack. I’d ridden my working horse, and schooled lead changes, like we sometimes do. It was a ton of fun, and my horse and I worked really hard. And then afterwards, having a little extra time today, I decided to get out my nearly-retired horse, just to play for a bit.
Gone are the days of working this horse, named Jester, in the arena. Gone are the days of hauling him to 4-H, and working hard together. Gone are the weeks of working together nearly every day. Gone are the times of being my main horse.
As the past couple years have passed, Jester has gotten less and less work. Lately it seems that his main job is to be a buddy for our other horses, in the pasture. He seems happy that way. Happy to eat hay, and play with his buddies. Happy to get some occasional scratches and a cookie if he is lucky.
I can’t help but wonder if he knows. Wonder if he misses it at all. Sometimes I see him trying to come out when I get my working horse out for a ride. Maybe Jester does want to join. I wonder if he wants to come along and explore the trails. Or just get some more attention and maybe even one-on-one time with me. I just wonder if he does slightly miss the life of being a main horse, doing some 4-H, and just getting worked regularly.
At twenty two, the mostly retired life is what he has earned. He doesn’t owe us a thing. What he does for us, as the perfect companion horse, is incredibly helpful. He is fantastic about being a buddy to our other two horses, especially when we take one away, Jester doesn’t mind as much as the others, he stays calm, and it is so helpful to have that in a horse like him.
Every now and then, we may have a friend who has never ridden a horse before, come over and want to ride a horse. We can count on Jester to take care of them, which is not something I would say about either of the other horses. Even if it has been weeks since his last ride, I really couldn’t ask for a better behaved horse to occasionally throw a beginner rider on.
Honestly now though, I am not sure I know the last time Jester had a saddle on his back. He is a fantastic horse, but definitely being treated as if he were retired.
A couple times this summer, including tonight, I have gotten a slight desire to go ride a horse bareback, with only a halter, and Jester is perfect for that. Though our days of long rides together are long gone, the short ride on the trail, just him and I, was so much fun. I know in the pasture this horse gets annoyed by the mosquitos out, but on the trail, I never realized how badly they were swarming him until they went after me. Jester was too happy to be out and too focused on taking care of me, to react to the bugs. As we rode down the trails, I decided to ask Jester to trot, just to get away from the bugs. For a couple minutes I worked to get myself comfortable in the trot, and Jester felt me and tried to make adjustments, slowing down and eventually walking when I got unsteady. As we continued down the trail, Jester feeling relaxed and happy, I eventually steadied myself, and Jester felt it, he decided to break into the lope, and could not have been smoother. I truly don’t know the last time this horse got to lope, it has been a few months, but watching him, you would never know it. He didn’t react one bit, and was extra-well-behaved. A few minutes later, we were close to home and I went to smack a few bugs on my leg, and my horse suddenly felt uneasy. I looked down to see a little bird on the ground that my sweet boy was worried about. He didn’t have to care, but he was very concerned, and it was really cute.
When we got home, I gave the well deserved cookies and scratches before putting my old boy back.
His working days may be something of the past, but tonight sure reminded me how special and incredibly sweet my boy is. His job as a best friend for the other two horses, is a job he excels at, but going for a ride occasionally, just like old days, is a treat. One day we will have our final ride, and the nights like tonight, where he takes care of me, are the nights I will look back on and appreciate.
Ticket, my jumper pony on the left, Jester in the middle, and Ruby, my moms horse on the right
I pulled out an old friend for a ride today and got to thinking about something. Something about a horse that is nearly retired at my house.
It was time for me to go on a trail ride today, without any tack. I’d ridden my working horse, and schooled lead changes, like we sometimes do. It was a ton of fun, and my horse and I worked really hard. And then afterwards, having a little extra time today, I decided to get out my nearly-retired horse, just to play for a bit.
Gone are the days of working this horse, named Jester, in the arena. Gone are the days of hauling him to 4-H, and working hard together. Gone are the weeks of working together nearly every day. Gone are the times of being my main horse.
As the past couple years have passed, Jester has gotten less and less work. Lately it seems that his main job is to be a buddy for our other horses, in the pasture. He seems happy that way. Happy to eat hay, and play with his buddies. Happy to get some occasional scratches and a cookie if he is lucky.
I can’t help but wonder if he knows. Wonder if he misses it at all. Sometimes I see him trying to come out when I get my working horse out for a ride. Maybe Jester does want to join. I wonder if he wants to come along and explore the trails. Or just get some more attention and maybe even one-on-one time with me. I just wonder if he does slightly miss the life of being a main horse, doing some 4-H, and just getting worked regularly.
At twenty two, the mostly retired life is what he has earned. He doesn’t owe us a thing. What he does for us, as the perfect companion horse, is incredibly helpful. He is fantastic about being a buddy to our other two horses, especially when we take one away, Jester doesn’t mind as much as the others, he stays calm, and it is so helpful to have that in a horse like him.
Every now and then, we may have a friend who has never ridden a horse before, come over and want to ride a horse. We can count on Jester to take care of them, which is not something I would say about either of the other horses. Even if it has been weeks since his last ride, I really couldn’t ask for a better behaved horse to occasionally throw a beginner rider on.
Honestly now though, I am not sure I know the last time Jester had a saddle on his back. He is a fantastic horse, but definitely being treated as if he were retired.
A couple times this summer, including tonight, I have gotten a slight desire to go ride a horse bareback, with only a halter, and Jester is perfect for that. Though our days of long rides together are long gone, the short ride on the trail, just him and I, was so much fun. I know in the pasture this horse gets annoyed by the mosquitos out, but on the trail, I never realized how badly they were swarming him until they went after me. Jester was too happy to be out and too focused on taking care of me, to react to the bugs. As we rode down the trails, I decided to ask Jester to trot, just to get away from the bugs. For a couple minutes I worked to get myself comfortable in the trot, and Jester felt me and tried to make adjustments, slowing down and eventually walking when I got unsteady. As we continued down the trail, Jester feeling relaxed and happy, I eventually steadied myself, and Jester felt it, he decided to break into the lope, and could not have been smoother. I truly don’t know the last time this horse got to lope, it has been a few months, but watching him, you would never know it. He didn’t react one bit, and was extra-well-behaved. A few minutes later, we were close to home and I went to smack a few bugs on my leg, and my horse suddenly felt uneasy. I looked down to see a little bird on the ground that my sweet boy was worried about. He didn’t have to care, but he was very concerned, and it was really cute.
When we got home, I gave the well deserved cookies and scratches before putting my old boy back.
His working days may be something of the past, but tonight sure reminded me how special and incredibly sweet my boy is. His job as a best friend for the other two horses, is a job he excels at, but going for a ride occasionally, just like old days, is a treat. One day we will have our final ride, and the nights like tonight, where he takes care of me, are the nights I will look back on and appreciate.
Ticket, my jumper pony on the left, Jester in the middle, and Ruby, my moms horse on the right
