The long story regarding my other 1100 lb puppy

When I was a kid (aka 13), my parents allowed myself and my sister to work a full summer as an assistant cook at a summer camp in order to save up our dollars to buy a horse each.  We lived on 2 acres and had a fair amount of livestock at one time or another including a goat, pigs, chickens, turkeys, dogs and cats so this addition wasn't far fetched.  Myself and my sister each badgered my parents regarding horses forever as far as I can remember and I was elated when I found out that we were going to be able to each get a horse.

My Sis, Robbie, Chester & Myself not too long after we got Robbie.

I remember the day we came home to my sister's horse Robbie eating contendly in his new paddock like it was yesterday (and because I have a picture).  He was a small paint (14.1) with one blue eye and one brown.  We'd purchased him from a relative of a relative who had used him as a pleasure horse. They were trimming down their herd and were looking for a good home for him.  He was good natured and friendly (except with dogs and men who were scared of horses - totally another story).  That day he put up with my sister and I fawning over him and trying to jump on his back from the ground (which actually was more like running into the side of him repeatedly while he was grazing).  He also had been a stud for 7 years prior to being gelded and fancied himself a ladies man.

Myself & Chico taking the son of a friend for a ride.

Not long after purchasing Robbie, we found Chico.  He was being used by a lady outside Sherwood Park as an everyday pleasure horse.  She'd started having kids and was painfully aware that he wasn't being ridden as much as he should have been and was selling him for a reasonable price.  My dad and I rented a horse trailer and brought him home to his new boss, Robbie.  He was a slightly larger quarter horse (15.1) and was to be my teacher in the art of 'not-getting-bucked-off' each time we went riding.  However, you could put a small child on him loose in the paddock and he would act like an old nag.
He was a trained Dressage horse and now that I look back from my highly educated 34 years, I realize that I was too green for him at the time and probably confusing to have as a rider.  We reached an agreement not too long into our relationship that I wouldn't ask him for a full gallop and he would only try to buck me off if he ate hay or grass that day. I got pretty good at reading his body language to avoid the bucking in the first place and he got pretty good at pretending to look sorry if he managed to get me off.

Gentle souls

My sister and I ended up selling them when I graduated from high school as I wasn't going to be there to help take care of them.  It was a sad day but I was also very excited about moving to a new city and starting a life for myself.  I always promised myself that one day I would get horses again.

Winter Bareback Riding

Looking back I realize that my parents were on to something, allowing a 13 year old girl a horse.  Young girls love horses almost as much as they like young boys, in some cases more (unless it was a young boy with a horse).
 Having a horse taught me a lot about responsibility and money.
I learned that you have to get up 45 minutes early-even in bitter cold winter - in order to feed and water the horses every morning before school and again after because "He is your horse, not mine"-Dad.  Horse poop multiplies in the dark and is never completely cleaned up. Saddles must be cleaned, bits must be warm, horses must be brushed and vet bills and hay can be expensive.
On the other hand, laying on a horse bareback in the early morning light on a spring day while he is quietly grazing is a little piece of heaven.  Horses know when the school bus is coming (just like the dog) and will be there without fail to meet it.  They enjoy pressing their butt against a glass screen door and having a nap which is amusing from the inside of the house, making faces at themselves in a window (also amusing from the inside of a house) and letting their tongue hang out after a good long drink.  They are gentle with small children on their backs and baby animals walking around their feet - grooming occurred near the chicken coup and we didn't lose a single free-range chick to large hooves.

'The Greeting' - Oreo

Fast forward 16 years, 2 children, post marriage and a mortgage later....
As part of my new and improved life, I decided to finally start taking actual riding lessons, found a like minded friend to go with and have been learning a lot regarding the finer points of horsemanship.

Prior to this, I jumped at the chance to purchase a 5 year old solid paint gelding named Oreo from friends.  I'd been eyeing him for years as he is a beautiful chocolate brown with a couple of white socks and light gold eyes.  He needed a job as he'd been out to pasture for 3 years and was really bored and super impolite.

 He'd been started at two as a 4-H project but hadn't had much done with him past that.  He needs training (about to remedied this January, more posts to come about that adventure) but is generally a good horse.  I take the kids to see him 1-2 times a week as we live in town now.  They get to learn about the work it takes to have a horse, crawl all over him and love him with a passion. I get to groom him and learn how to train him through the stable I enjoy and (in a couple of months) work him in and outside the arena as my new (rather green) lesson horse.  Next year, my oldest will be starting lessons and perhaps she will get to use him as her lesson horse.  Maybe one day we will all compete together.

My plan to keep my children busy through their teens is almost complete....