See if there are any NATRC events near you (http://natrc.org/). It’s limited distance trail riding, with a huge emphasis on safety and horsemanship. So no running your horse’s legs off, but they have to be sound and broke to do well.
The people are laid back and friendly, the horses are sane and sound and the fun times around camp can’t be beat.
[QUOTE=Bastile;7728534]
I’ve had bad accidents, i dont trust any horse, i am sick of barn politics, worn out with spending tons on money on vet bills, etc etc. i need to get back to the basics on totally dependable horses and with salt of the earth people.[/QUOTE]
A woman is talking to a real estate agent and asks what the locals are like. He asks her, "What is it like where you currently live? She replies, “The neighbors aren’t friendly, snobby, it’s too noisy and it’s just an unpleasant area”. He smiles and tells her, “It’s the same here, you wouldn’t enjoy yourself”. Later in the day a woman calls and asks him the same question. He asks, “What’s it like where you currently live?” She says, “We’re sadly having to move, the neighbors are great, the community is wonderful, lots of fun stuff to do…we really don’t want to move?” The real estate agent replies, “You’ll love it here”.
It’s not the barn so much, as the attitude. I have a mule, who goes western (and I grew up riding/competing english but english saddles tend not to fit most mules…so western I go)…and I board in a dressage barn, mirrors on the wall and warmbloods everywhere. They don’t stop me from doing trail rides, not dealing with barn politics (course, as a guy we are kind’ve not involved in these) and I sure don’t spend a bunch of money of vet bills. Had the same luck with my big warmblood too! It’s not the location, it’s who you interact with and how.
OP, first and foremost, you need to decide how YOU want to enjoy riding and then just work and ride with that goal in mind, regardless of where you are or what kind of barn you are in. If you don’t let yourself get caught up in other people’s values and objectives, you’ll figure out a way to enjoy your horse activities, your way, in the midst of the madness. All you have to do is make a decision to be calm and positive, and pick something you think might be fun today. In hand or under saddle doesn’t matter as long as its a quiet, calm, positive, session where the horse responds and tries to learn something new.
You can turn a TB into a cooperative, happy animal that will quietly pack you around if you treat him like any other horse with the feed, environment, and training a western ranch horse would get. Even if you don’t have 150 acres of turnout, you can do a lot with a lead rope, ground poles, and a ‘let’s play today’ attitude.
I do quiet, fun, low stress groundwork a lot with my OTTB’s and they love it. We do obstacle courses, liberty leading, clicker training. They will follow like a puppy, back up when I turn and move towards their tail, halt when I halt, and walk through water or over tarps, all without a lead rope. We do lunge work and ring work, but I always keep it positive and low stress. Walk, trot, long and low. Good boy. Ok, today we’re going to do 3 steps of lateral movement or a TOF. Good boy - we’re done, time for a walk in the woods.
Happy, safe, easy horses that like interacting with people. We could probably be drilling 2nd level dressage, or 3ft hunters, taking a step back and just ‘having fun’ actually makes them a lot more willing to work for me when I do ask it.
Drilling burns out a horse and makes it sour. That’s what you’re experiencing, and what’s making you unhappy. The horse doesn’t control the situation, so instead of blaming the area/discipline/horse for becoming what they’ve been turned into, just stop the cycle and do something different for their sake as well as yours.
I ride in a dressage saddle with a french link eggbutt bit. My OTTB has a totally laid back QH attitude because I don’t drill him. That’s really all it takes to keep sanity intact.
[QUOTE=Trevelyan96;7732322]
OP, first and foremost, you need to decide how YOU want to enjoy riding and then just work and ride with that goal in mind, regardless of where you are or what kind of barn you are in. If you don’t let yourself get caught up in other people’s values and objectives, you’ll figure out a way to enjoy your horse activities, your way, in the midst of the madness. All you have to do is make a decision to be calm and positive, and pick something you think might be fun today. In hand or under saddle doesn’t matter as long as its a quiet, calm, positive, session where the horse responds and tries to learn something new.
You can turn a TB into a cooperative, happy animal that will quietly pack you around if you treat him like any other horse with the feed, environment, and training a western ranch horse would get. Even if you don’t have 150 acres of turnout, you can do a lot with a lead rope, ground poles, and a ‘let’s play today’ attitude.
I do quiet, fun, low stress groundwork a lot with my OTTB’s and they love it. We do obstacle courses, liberty leading, clicker training. They will follow like a puppy, back up when I turn and move towards their tail, halt when I halt, and walk through water or over tarps, all without a lead rope. We do lunge work and ring work, but I always keep it positive and low stress. Walk, trot, long and low. Good boy. Ok, today we’re going to do 3 steps of lateral movement or a TOF. Good boy - we’re done, time for a walk in the woods.
Happy, safe, easy horses that like interacting with people. We could probably be drilling 2nd level dressage, or 3ft hunters, taking a step back and just ‘having fun’ actually makes them a lot more willing to work for me when I do ask it.
Drilling burns out a horse and makes it sour. That’s what you’re experiencing, and what’s making you unhappy. The horse doesn’t control the situation, so instead of blaming the area/discipline/horse for becoming what they’ve been turned into, just stop the cycle and do something different for their sake as well as yours.
I ride in a dressage saddle with a french link eggbutt bit. My OTTB has a totally laid back QH attitude because I don’t drill him. That’s really all it takes to keep sanity intact.[/QUOTE]
I need to frame this and hang it in my tack area to remind me.
Not really, but I just liked the title of this thread 
If you can move, do it!! I’ve been the east coast, but it just doesn’t suit my Midwestern relaxed style very well.
If that is not an option…look and search long and hard for other discipline to get into- including trail riding- that better suit what you want to do and experience. If it’s Western- go to reining, cow horse, and WP shows and start asking around…If it’s trail riding, check out state parks in the area where people ride or join a riding club that does trails or other low key events. You will have to look harder, but I am sure you are not the only person on the east coast who feels this way!!
Just because you are on the west coast don’t think you will be free of drama and vet bills. Even at a western barn… you will have it. Yes it costs less to ride western but to board in California… shoe, feed your horse is about 4 times more expensive.
Orchard Grass hay is over 25 bucks a bale here. I miss VA and can’t wait to get back there. I make my own path with my horses, no matter what tack I am riding in.
There’s lots of space between the east and west coasts too. Green space, with ponies, nice people and reasonable costs. Just saying!
You should got to Ireland- they are having a cowboy festival in Drumcoura City in Ballinamore Co. Leitrim! Western horsemanship clinics and country line dancing! WHOOT!!
[QUOTE=Bastile;7728574]
where do winery rides take place?[/QUOTE]
Wherever you happen to be when you put some wine in your saddle bags! 
I also think where you live on the East Coast … the NE, Mid -Atlantic, or South… can make a huge difference too. We all know New Englanders are waaaay more uptite than people in Georgia for example. Cold air makes people bitter? LOL Too many people? The meanest drivers I have ever encountered were in and around Boston… although I love Boston… man do they have tempers driving around there!
When I lived around DC especially in Northern VA … Middleburg I found it happy medium Sure there were uptight peeps, expensive barns… snobbery. but there are also plenty of good old farm types… that love to ride whatever horse they have in whatever tack and enjoy the magnificent green hills.
I think the Mid Atlantic IMHO has the best of both… and take my horse’s word for green grass sure beats a dusty dirt lot any day!
[QUOTE=Plainandtall;7736753]
You should got to Ireland- they are having a cowboy festival in Drumcoura City in Ballinamore Co. Leitrim! Western horsemanship clinics and country line dancing! WHOOT!![/QUOTE]
I wanna go!
[QUOTE=La Gringa;7737536]
I also think where you live on the East Coast … the NE, Mid -Atlantic, or South… can make a huge difference too. We all know New Englanders are waaaay more uptite than people in Georgia for example. Cold air makes people bitter? LOL Too many people? The meanest drivers I have ever encountered were in and around Boston… although I love Boston… man do they have tempers driving around there!
When I lived around DC especially in Northern VA … Middleburg I found it happy medium Sure there were uptight peeps, expensive barns… snobbery. but there are also plenty of good old farm types… that love to ride whatever horse they have in whatever tack and enjoy the magnificent green hills.
I think the Mid Atlantic IMHO has the best of both… and take my horse’s word for green grass sure beats a dusty dirt lot any day! ;)[/QUOTE]
True true… I don’t even consider the Carolinas, GA or FL to be the “east coast”. When you say east coast, definitely Boston, NY, New England come to mind first. Southeast coast…TOTALLY different story. This Midwestern girl would be fine in the SE for sure.
Ah heck come to KY. Besides racing and english, there’s lots of western, gaited, saddlebreds, harness, driving, and just plain old fun on horse back. There are some judgemental people but the further away from the cities you go, the more laid back the people are. A lot of them will take you on a moon lit ride and toss a beer to you while riding.
[QUOTE=spotted draft x filly;7738250]
Ah heck come to KY. Besides racing and english, there’s lots of western, gaited, saddlebreds, harness, driving, and just plain old fun on horse back. There are some judgemental people but the further away from the cities you go, the more laid back the people are. A lot of them will take you on a moon lit ride and toss a beer to you while riding.[/QUOTE]
KY and TN rock!!!
[QUOTE=Frog Pond;7728035]
Right there with you with admiring Ray Hunt, but, “sane” and “the Horse Whisperer” don’t belong in the same sentence, just my view ;). Check out Linda Tellington-Jones. Go look at Eva Roemaat’s youtube videos of bitless, bareback dressage on a beach. Stacy Westfall’s interesting – more bitless, but Western. Chris Irwin is a cowboy I like. Every horse sport has a rat race – just keep your BS sensor on high, and keep looking around.[/QUOTE]
Maybe better not watch this one: :lol:
Wow, I don’t even know what to say…that’s a good way to get your head knocked off!
Yes it costs less to ride western
Says who?
[QUOTE=Bastile;7727992]
I need a big break from what i am calling the East Coast/english riding rat race. without going into detail, i need a break from ring work, thoroughbreds, “the Hamptons” type horse shows, barn personalities, vet bills, horse heartache, and my own broken bones. I need to get back in touch with horses as horses.
I want to watch the Horse Whisperer, just to imagine riding sane horses thru gorgeous country side.
If Ray Hunt were around I would spend a month working beside him with horses.
Any suggestions for me?[/QUOTE]
:lol: :lol::lol:
Run run run;Most of those things will follow you.
Ahhh, this post is exactly how I am feeling! I live in New England. I grew up in hunter jumper land. I spent a lot of time bombing around bareback in a halter on a super amazing pony, and then bought an absolutely insane but gorgeous warmblood who taught me to… stay on. I rode at pretty fancy barns towards the end and just wasn’t a fan of it. Throughout college, I rode whatever greenie/ wacko I could get my hands on. Then finally I graduated and rescued my unraced TB, moved to an eventing barn, and loved the laid back vibe. But then it wasn’t so laid back, and I’m not really into it. SO last week I moved to a western barn and I am SO intrigued.
My mare is 5yo… I trained her as a 2-3yo, then she had some time off, and now she has been back under saddle for a few months. Going lovely. Lovesss to jump. But when she isn’t jumping, she likes to just poke around with her head down and relax.
I feel like western would be good for her, and more relaxing for me. I have no clue where to start. I just want to get on my horse and have fun and relax…
No clue how to navigate the western world, or start western training. Can somebody explain the BITS to me? She currently goes in a french link eggbutt with a flash because she flings her tongue over the bit.
My suggestion… run away to a western barn!!!
Buck Brannaman will be in Lewisburg WV Oct 3-6. You would definitely be around some knowledgeable people who know and love horses and are not worried about competition and all that goes with it. We do compete; however, when we need a relaxing break we go play cowboy dressage… non-competitive.
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