<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeannette, formerly ponygyrl:
Ditto what ghazzu and jl said. Count me into the “In this camp, and horseperson too!” Though my horses are vertically challenged. I’m hoping my “half-breed” filly will move me into the horse camp…
I can vouch for the existence of Hobson’s horses - and fine one’s they are, too. I was right tempted to load horse Hobson onto my trailer after I rode him - but human Hobson was too much of a horsewoman to allow that. Glad she has had the energy to articulate some counter-arguments to this batch of pot-stirring!
TJO - did something horsie happen to set you off, or was it just a quiet day??<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jeannette…I think you’re right on both accounts. To answer your question, I guess you could say something horsie happened. Work done, I had planned to spend a few uninterrrupted days riding, having some lessons, etc., having missed a few recently due to work. You know what they say about the best laid plans…well, at the barn Wed., I got dumped 3 times in one half-hour lesson, when my horse very uncharacteristically kept stopping dead or stopping then leaping over some little, nothing fences. Usually I know it’s my fault, but my trainer wasn’t screaming as he wouldn’t hesitate to do, if it was. I kept landing on the same side, the same hip/butt/thigh area each time, once into an oxer, once a roll top, and once, a 360 over his head and right to the ground. At may age (OLD!), that’s not fun. I would’ve gotten back on again after fall #3 but I knew one more fall would really do me in. A good helmet saved my head and my jockey vest from the track saved my back (broken once already) but there are more black and blue marks and ugly bruises covering the areas described above, than there is skin showing.
I found out today, that the cause of his stopping was allergies, which he never seemed bothered by, just a little head tossing during flatwork (trotwork only), never during cantering or jumping, his favorite part of any lesson. The vet took him off the prednisone 6 months ago as he didn’t seem to need it. Until now! After all the rain we had, his head tossing had gotten really wild in the last 2 weeks but with my trainer away, I didn’t realize how bad until the other day. He’s back on prednisone now, so hopefully he’ll be his old happy super-jumper self again soon. THAT’S THE HORSIE PART.
THE SLOW DAY PART…Driving the 60+ miles home was bad enough, but the only comfortable chair in the whole house was at the computer so there I sat most of the day, decided to try posting a topic a little off the beaten track…and you know the rest. Actually I thought it would get few replies, if any, at all. So the number and intensity of responses not only was a surprise, it confirmed my suspicions that this is the one (AND ONLY) horsey BB with such a large audience of diverse, committed, intelligent, humorous, opinionated, infuriating, captivating, articulate, true to their convictions and all around interesting people. Believe it or not, I actually like hearing from people whose opinions are light years away from mine. Often I’ll play devils advocate just to get such a reaction when a topic seems to be getting a little mundane.
I was shocked to learn though that Hobson is a woman. Could’ve sworn that was typical male rhetroic I was hearing. But you know what happens when you assume…
Anyway, considering the topic, I was surprised at the extent of interest in what was to become the “dodgeball detour!”
I’m really not Rush Limbaugh or O’Reilly, though I do lean toward their idealogies more than that of say a Phil Donohue or most CNN folks. But I do appreciate rational, not radical, opposing views, even from liberals or socialists, such as the recent ones expressed by CWEINER here. Put in so logical a way, I could be persuaded to agree with some of them!
I guess you hit it onthe head JEANNETTE!
I finally figured out why I am always getting searched. I wear my dansko clogs when we travel 'cause they are so comfy. Airport sercurity looks for people who wear shoes w/ no laces to search because they have no place for people sit down and tie their shoes after they have been searched. I kid no not. If they are going to do a shoe search, they profile you by your shoes. That is security for you. How about picking people who actually might be a threat? What a concept! I have traveled a bit since last September, and I can tell you whenever a suspicious looking person (read here guy) gets up from their seat, I watch 'em all the way to the restroom. Law enforcement uses profiling for a reason, it is a valid tool. Islamic extremists don’t have red hair, wear sleeveless dresses with a hemline above the knee and travel with two blonde kidlets.
I am pretty sure you can actually do it yourself, since you are the original author.
