um, there’s actually a place near my mother’s house that rents horse + western tack out by the hour to anyone to take out on the local trails. I think they might drug the horses or something never seen such passive animals in my life. You see yahoo wanna be cowboys trying to get them to go faster than a slow jog all the time. No helmets required either.
Oh Woodland you are so right! People would lead much happier lives if they tried to find the GOOD in things…alas not here, normally. I actually wonder if this person would go on a guided trail ride? I am not anywhere near her or him, but many times I’ve taken friends and family that have never ridden on trail rides. They ride the steady eddies and I am the guide. They have fun and we have fun. Maybe that is just what this person wants? I hope I didn’t have too many spelling or grammar errors. My late father would be upset, he was an english teacher.
[QUOTE=Haalter;3668642]
Here’s the rough draft of my Craigslist ad. Does it sound ok?
"HELLO I AM LOOKING TO HAVE SOMEONE PAY MY VET BILLS FOR ONE DAY, NOT LESSONS, JUST WANT YOU TO PAY MY VET BILLS? NOT WITH A LITTLE BANK ACCOUNT. Please name your account number and when you will be coming?
thank you :][/QUOTE]
That’s great - or I would say, my fee is $1,000,000.00 per hour, if he’s interested then he is more than welcome to take my horse out in the field. I guarantee my horse will be back ALONE in 15 min and will have bought himself over 10000x… Of course, the man would have signed a release too… People just think there is NOTHING to riding, just swing your leg over and kick… Oh yeah, that’ll work wonders with my horse, he wouldn’t last the first leap through the air 
My bad! For my spelling errors on my title to the thread, gezz. I just thought the add was funny and that someone would post an add on craigslist to basically say hey let me know if you have a horse I can ride and tell me where to show up.
Basically in our area there are no barns around that offer this sort of thing. I actually thought about responding to the add as I would love to have a riding buddy to ride with, but with their thought on no lessons that is what makes me hesitant. Any one that I would let ride my horse will have to start with at LEAST a mini lesson so we can asses the riders ability and knowledge and how they are going to work with the horse.
And sorry if my above paragraphs have spelling errors:winkgrin:
I think that is what you are doing in your post, isn’t it? Finding fault in the OP and all.
Trubandloki
I think that is what you are doing in your post, isn’t it? Finding fault in the OP and all
Apparently, you didn’t read her first posting.
Woodland
Aw, it’s some little horse CRAZY girl that just wants to dream a little dream. We have all been her at one time. I just fear for her posting so openly on such a free for all site! Poor little dear! If she were close I would send her one of my “free hour” coupons so she could at least visit and ride - under supervision of course! But it might soothe - or feed the savage horse CRAZY beast!
Do not be mean - I am sure she means no harm!
Ok, back to the point, I’d feel more comfortable if she’s willing put in more effort into producing a decent ad asking for ride.
I dunno ya’ll
This ad is giving me flashbacks to those looney men who really LUV horses, you remember them? Want just one day with a real horse, and not in a pen? :eek:
There are no horse crazy girls I know who would be able to type an ad like that without writing things like “I really luv horses, all horses, I have always luvd them, I want to ride so bad.”
I suppose I can see some peoples point I mean running down kids and poking fun at them is safe from getting it handed back. And this way the kid can be discouraged from staying in the horse world. It being so crowed with self proclaimed experts and all.
I did see her first post.
My point was that woodland was saying how horrible it is to be mean to people and poke at them, but that is exactly what woodland is doing to the OP of this thread. I guess it is ok for some and not for others.
BTW - I am not supporting that people pick on kids. I just find it ironic that someone would b-itch at someone about them complaining about someone else.
No, you are right trubandloki - I stooped to the same level shamefully.
I have been blessed with horses since I was just 7 - yet I remember what it was to want something so badly and so out of my reach it was painful to even acknowledge.
I teach kids like this all the time - they are so dear. They are us - just at the beginnings of their lives with horses. If someone had been cruel too me then when I was so tender - well who knows if I would have had the life I have led 
Perhaps it is a pervert - but I doubt it. I get emails and calls like this all of the time. I just hate to see dreams demolished by the self righteous. Not just in horses, but in every arena. I long for a kinder gentler humanity where people look out for each other. Where we look for solutions instead of problems or faults. And maybe it take calling it to attention to make a change. Heaven knows i have laughed at inappropriate times - but I want to change that in me as well.
You’d think I’d been listening to John Lennon music all day instead of cleaning stalls :lol:
For now - let’s pay it forward - OK?
If this is indeed a child (with innocent intentions), then where are her parents–and why doesn’t she first go to them and ask them how they could possibly help her work towards this goal??
As opposed to putting an anonymous plea out there–to random strangers–who might misinterpret her intentions, mock her online, or dismiss her entirely?
(I wonder because I teach–and have taught–many, many horse crazy children…and I have a daughter myself…)
Very well said.
I need to find me some of these kids. I have so many horses and ponies that could use kids like this. My problem…mostly my 2 year old daughter. In the winter I don’t want to make her stay outside in the cold…and my husband works opposite days that I do. So I don’t have him. I think a great idea would be on the weekends having a few hours where I could just introduce kids to horses. Have them groom, etc to start and as they get better and confident and want to ride allow them to work off lessons. I sure know I could use the help and there are always horses to groom, manes to pull, tack to clean! I was fortunate. My mo and dad didn’t have much money but there was a local lady who is STILL helping kids that allowed me to realize my dream. When I outgrew my pony and my mom and dad got me a new horse 22 years ago. I remember laying in bed crying and crying that Christmas, thinking I had to give up Frosty. She called and asked if I was excited to get Sir, and I said no cause I thought I had to sell Frosty. She said, nope I’ll use her in some lessons and you can have free board. Then when I bred her and instead of selling the baby kept him and she wasn’t using her she told me I had to pay. I was in tears. You know what she charged me. 22.50 and then I cleaned 7 stalls a day for two ponies board! I can only hope I touch someone the way she touched and helped me!
[QUOTE=wendy;3669251]
um, there’s actually a place near my mother’s house that rents horse + western tack out by the hour to anyone to take out on the local trails. I think they might drug the horses or something never seen such passive animals in my life. You see yahoo wanna be cowboys trying to get them to go faster than a slow jog all the time. No helmets required either.[/QUOTE]
There are tons of riding stables like that around here. And no, the horses aren’t doped. They are broke to death and know the trails. You can read a newspaper from their backs. Most places charge by the hour. No, helmets aren’t required. It’s not a law to have to wear a helmet if you ride a horse. That’s what a liability release form is for.
Dr. Doolittle - I was born to two VERY non horsey parents. I had taken my pleas to them many times to have them fluff it off. If it is a kid he/she is looking for kindred spirits.
aspenlucas - What a sweet story! In your neck of the woods I’ll bet you could easily find an au pair that would take payment in horse time! I hated keeping my kids out in the cold and the heat and the bugs and the dirt - all though they do seem “ok” for all of it - they are 21 & 14 now. Hmmmm… But tiny cold hands awwww
I have lots of kids that groom and cleaning for ride time, board, lessons, etc here. All with parental permission of course. But at least half of the kids found their way here without a parent at first. They can not participate until I meet the parents and show them around and sign a release - but when the parents see what a horse can do for a kid! Not to mention dedication and responsibility! Plus horsey kids have to stick together - no one else at school is like them - LOL!
That does sound like it was written by a hopeful kid…
Although if they’re desperate enough, they could certainly come to Nicaragua… it seems to be the norm at hotels here to rent horses by the hour, optional guide, no helmet, no experience, no marked trails, no waivers necessary. Actually can be a ton of fun, but I’m still not entirely sure how they don’t have more disasters. :eek:
