Today, Cleo and I rode with Carrie and Artie, and Emily and Kincaid. Both of the other horses are also paints. Artie is a tri-colored paint--black, white, and brown. Kincaid is a dun and white paint--sort of beige and white. Both are geldings and Cleo loves riding in the arena with both of them. She gets to be the lead mare. When the three of us are in the arena, she is lively and 'forward.' For non-horse people, forward means she is using her hind end to propel herself--like a rear-wheel drive car. She doesn't want either of her 'boyfriends' to get ahead of her. She is so busy trying to stay ahead, she forgets to misbehave. We had a great ride today and I concentrated on my riding technique for almost 40 minutes which is a good workout---mental more than physical in many ways.
One thing I like about having a hobby like this is that it transcends generations. Emily is a 20 something horse crazy young woman with an HSU degree in business and recreation who works at a lumber yard to support her horse passion. Her horse lives two stalls down from Cleo--with Artie in between--and we see each other every morning and evening depending on our work schedules. She helps me with Cleo--wormed her today--and I feed and muck Kincaid when she is out of town.
When I moved to Freshwater Stables, I don't remember there being any paint horses, now there are over a half dozen with four coincidentally living in adjacent stalls. Even though I have had Cleo for over three years now, I am just learning more about paint horses. I didn't buy her for her breed or appearance but for her suitability for my goals. But paint horses are a particular breed with mostly quarter horse lineage and certain markings--although there are solid colored paints--horses with paint parents who came out without patches of white. Thoroughbreds can also be registered as paint horses. But other breeds with such markings are called pintos.
Today was also a good riding day because the air was fresh and brisk after a light rain overnight and the sun shone a brilliant yellow. Tomorrow, a vacation day from work, promises to be overcast and rainy. Much more typical for the time of year.
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4 comments:
I love how much I learn about horses from your blog and your stories, Susan. See: even when you're pursuing your own goals, you're also teaching.
I should probably warn you that I'm posting a Cleo and Me link to the blog we've created for our NWP Annual Meeting 2007 session. Be prepared for comments from readers other than Catherine and me. TD
Hello Susan!
I would love to see Cleo's picture.
I like your titles and quotes.
Even if Cleo is naughty, she sounds like a better-tempered animal than the one in the last horse story I heard from you. (the one that put me off horses completely)
--Harriet
Hi Susan,
Don't forget to invite me to your special event. I'll bring my camera and we can post a photo for Harriet. I can't say I understand the difference between pintos and paints--they're both spotted and begin with p.Make sure you check out Tracy's work on the blog for her NYC presentation--you'll be so proud.
Catherine
Susan, you know I love hearing about you and Cleo! I feel privileged to have met her in person. I am glad you are out enjoying yourselves so much! Since I have begun riding every weekend too, I know how healthy it makes me.
Vicki
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