# Horses , my life time obsession



## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

I like how you call me Trottin. 
Great stories! Love the one about pulling the cutter with Beauty and how you were given a stud to start out with.


Smilie said:


> Well, Goldie and my saddle were both sold, as mother thought i would grow up and become 'normal


My poor mother hoped for this also. Look forward to reading more.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I enjoy the journal section. I appreciate that people are so willing to share.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

LOL, my parent's have waited over 6 decades for me to outgrown my horses! Now I'm retired so can spend more time in the barn with them.


I enjoyed reading your journal. Thanks for sharing.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Well, chapter two.
When I graduated from medical technology, in Ontario, Foothills hospital was just opening in Calgary, and needed lab techs. One of my friends had been out to Alberta the previous year, during the Calgary Stampede, and suggested that 'we' ( a fellow lab tech, a medical secretary and herself, a teacher, go out to work in Alberta for a year
Needless to say, 40 years later, and I am still here, and totally western!
Anyway, working at Foothills,In hematology, I met a tech in Chemistry, who upon finding out about my love of horses, told me that there was a great little green broke two year old that I should look at. The horse was in Black Diamond, at a horse dealer/dude type ranch. Black Diamond was about as frontier as you could get at that time, close to Calgary!
Anyway, drove out after work one evening, not even sure what green broke meant! I watched an old cowhand get on this colt, in a dark barn, as that horse stood trembling in a corner. That old cowboy rode him in one or two tight circles, and I bought Tonka for $200. During the week, before I went to see my new horse the following Sat., I bought a saddle for $250, $50 dollars more then for the horse!
In that week, I also met my husband, so he came out with me that Sat, to see my horse.
I knew zero about ground work, or even about bits. That Chem tech told me I should use a'cowboy' snaffle " (ie, long shanked jointed mouth curb) Unfortunately, no one told me that it was neither a bit to start a horse in, nor that it needed a curb strap!
Well, I went to get on my new horse, and he bucked me off in a manure pile, before I even got my second leg over him. Years later , my husband told me how hard he had to work at suppressing a laugh!
I was young though, so being bucked off was no big deal, but someone finally had mercy on me, and told me I should add a curb strap! I would ride Tonka all through Black Diamond , with him often bucking me off, but I would just get back on, determined to be riding back to that ranch, as many young cowboys hung out there, and that girl from Ontario, sure was going to be riding that colt, not leading him!
Black Diamond was too far away, thus I decided to move my new horse closer to Calgary, to what is now Minnapour. I did not have a trailer, so had my future husband drive me out to the ranch , so I could start my ride at 5AM . I had to work 3 to 11PM that day
Not far along my journey, riding in the ditch,as Tonka was not shod, he shied at a huge boulder, up the bank, which caused me to loose enough position in the saddle , that he bucked me off-something he had not done in awhile
I just got back on, and continued my ride. It was the last time he bucked, as that ride got him broke. 
I began that day's work shift, by a trip to emerg first, to get a tetanus shot, as my leg had major road rash from being bucked off!
My future husband, trying to win me, by appearing like a fellow horse enthusiast, would borrow an older well broke stud, from the ranch that he was working at, during the summer, while going to university. That ranch was not too far from where I then had Tonka, so we would meet on the road, and ride
When we decided to get married, and I called my mother to tell her the news, I decided which shock I should hit her with first, and decided my marriage would be the lesser of the two. Thus, I more or less told Mom, that I was getting married, and by the way, "I bought another horse!
My future husband and I decided to ride in the Stampede Parade. Having no trailer again was not such an issue, as we decided that we could ride the horses into Calgary the day before, keep them in my future in laws back yard over night, and then ride in the parade, which we did. 
it just shows how horses work for you, once you get their trust, plus myself being more fearless then knowledgeable at the time helped!
Here was a young horse, that about a year previous was barely broke, had someone train him more out of a love of horses and being fearless, at the time, then any true horse training knowledge , yet I rode that young horse in heavy traffic, into major city! 
Have to go and get my horses that are in the corral fed, but I have some pictures of Tonka, so will find one to scan in.


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

I'm ready for chapter 3!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

great journal! great stories. 

I don't know if it's possible, but if you were able to put one more line of blank space between your paragraphs it would make it much easier for my old eyes to read. otherwise, it tends to look like a solid block of text. call me picky , to ask for that on someone else's journal, but , well, there it is.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Sorry, TT.
Guess I got so excited that I could actually post, before my computer froze, that I forgot my writing style.
At least that is my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!


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## Hoofpic (Aug 23, 2015)

Great read, thanks Smilie


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I promised  to find some pictures of Tonka, so looked through old photo albums
No computors or even digital cameras-just film cameras!

This picture shows The two horses, in my future in law's back yard, where they spent the night, before the parade. The neighbor living up the hill, phoned my mother in law to be, and asked if the horses would be staying in that backyard!

It is my husband who is actually sitting on Tonka, while I am on the old stud. The little boy is my husband's younger brother, now in his fifties



Here we are, the morning of the parade





This head shot of Tonka, was painted by my father in law, who was a portrait artist. My husband gave me that picture for our first Christmas together, and it still hangs on my wall, some 40 years later




Life happens, and I was working full time plus call back, so had limited time to ride, or to go see Tonka. Tonka was also moved onto a 1/2 section of land, where he lived in large herd
I spent my day off, trying to find him, and not having an ATV in those days, used my husbands Volkswagen, to drive over that bumpy and hilly terrain. By the time I caught up to the herd, most of the day was often gone
Once we started a family, I knew that I had to give up my horse, thus sold him with a heavy heart, to a young woman, who I hope loved him as much as I did

I still recall loading Tonka into that two horse trailer-yes his first trailer ride ever, and Tonka looking back at me, as that trailer pulled away. It had a half door in the back, so he could turn his head and look back.

I then vowed never to own a horse again, until we had our own land, thus spent almost 10 years borrowing horses from friends, renting a horse at riding stables, offering to get on any horse, just so I could ride

I don't know what breed Tonka was, but suspect he was half AQHA at least. All I know, is, he was a horse that was totally un broke, cowboyed, when I bought him, gave me his heart, so that I could ride him anywhere, not because I knew anything about training, but just because horses can be so generous.


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## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

This is honestly beautiful


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

What a fun read!! Tonka has an awesome head, oh my gosh! I can see why you'd keep that portrait hanging 40 years later! He was a handsome boy for sure!

But, I have to ask, since I'm extremely curious. Why is there string or something on the bit, connecting from the ring for the cheek piece to the ring for the rein? I've never seen that before, and am always curious to learn new things!

I'll be keeping up with this thread  seems it'll be worth reading!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Tazzie said:


> What a fun read!! Tonka has an awesome head, oh my gosh! I can see why you'd keep that portrait hanging 40 years later! He was a handsome boy for sure!
> 
> But, I have to ask, since I'm extremely curious. Why is there string or something on the bit, connecting from the ring for the cheek piece to the ring for the rein? I've never seen that before, and am always curious to learn new things!
> 
> I'll be keeping up with this thread  seems it'll be worth reading!


No problem on the question one bit, and I admit that after 40 some years later, I have absolutely no idea!
I will have to look at the portrait, if it is there also, and some other pictures that I have. It certainly looks like it is there in that picture, but I can't recall it being there, nor have I used such a bit since.. Maybe some one told me to, or it is an artifact????


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

That is so cool that you used to ride to the parade, then ride in the parade! I did that too! Since I was a tween (70's), I used to ride to the Cloverdale rodeo and ride in the parade, sometimes my parents arranged to have my horse hauled in, but I always rode home, I just liked riding, period. I remember the cable channel 10 always televised the parade, we would all gather around the tv watching for me, so exciting. Those were the days, no one does stuff like that anymore.


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Smilie said:


> No problem on the question one bit, and I admit that after 40 some years later, I have absolutely no idea!
> I will have to look at the portrait, if it is there also, and some other pictures that I have. It certainly looks like it is there in that picture, but I can't recall it being there, nor have I used such a bit since.. Maybe some one told me to, or it is an artifact????


You'll have to keep me posted if it is in other pictures! I've just never seen anything like it!

And I'm totally admitting I'm anxious to hear the next chapter :lol: it's like a book you can't put down!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Waresbear, yes, there was a time riding in parades were fun, and we did it for awhile , later on, as a family, thus I rode several horse in parades.
That brings back one of the stupidest thing I ever did! My husband and I, and our two sons, rode one year, as outfitters in a parade, as that was simple, since we had the pack equipment, What was stupid,, was putting our five year old, on top of the pack on that pack horse, with him just holding on to the rope of the diamond hitch.
If he has come off, from way up there, on that pavement, he would not now be the father of our grandchildren! No helmet, of course!

Tazzie, when I think back, I believe that bit was just designed that way-sort of an open triangle on that shank. I know for sure that I never tied any string on, so I believe it is just a thin bar, part of that shank
I gave that bit an d bridle, free, to the buyer, as I wanted Tonka to have the bit he was used to
Today has been busy, trying out the Jeep, we bought at an auction, to replace the car a deer encounter wreaked, as we have only 24 hours to discover any major defect, and have any re course.
I will continue my horse journey asp, as it helps to bring back memories! Tonka was the first horse that I bought myself, once i left home, and just writing about him, brings back so many good memories!


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Ahh, I have seen other bits that had the bar there! Didn't register it could be something other than a string :lol:

I hope the jeep trial went well! Hate when deer jump in front of us! And yes! Can't wait to hear more  Tonka was a very handsome first purchased horse!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

A bit more.
As I said, after I sold Tonka, I hit a time in my life where I did not own a horse, but that did not mean I forgot about riding!
When i could, I took invites to spend weekends going 'home' with fellow hospital worker friends, who came from ranching backgrounds, so I could help on cattle drives, or just ride, period

My least favorite way to get to ride a horse, was to go to a horse rental stable
First, I felt sorry for those horses, and secondary, many were very herd bound, hard mouthed, and who fought taking any steps away from the other horses
I went to places where they would let you ride out alone, but made the mistake of answering the experience level question, incorrectly, out of pride!
When asked of my experience level, I would declare 'experienced' Thus, I got the worst spoiled horse to ride out, and should have been paid for training that horse, versus being charged!

Anyway, not dwelling on any 'poor me',just explaining the next chapter in my life, our second son died shortly after birth-diaphragmatic hernia, un diagnosed before birth. All at once it hit me, that these things did not just happen to other people!
As a result, I could not go back to working in pediatric oncology. The logical part of my brain , told me I would not be risking transferring any leukemic virus to our oldest son, but logic was out the window for me, at that time.

Hubby was also starting his own renovation business, and thus thought a small town would be better, competition wise, then a big city
The dream of owning our own land thus became a reality.We sold our house in Calgary. We built a spec house in Olds, and bought an acreage. Now the search for a horse could begin!
Only problem, with money invested in the spec house, and building a house on that acreage, with my last maternity cheque looming, funds for that were limited!
Panoose , thus came into our life next, and why I stuck to Appaloosas, after that, is beyond me, as she was not a horse that endeared me the he breed, but through no fault of her own!
We bought her at an Auction in Olds-not knowing the history of any local horse dealers. She was just a long two year old, but touted to both ride and drive
We were still living in that spec house in Olds, while building our house on that acreage, where we put Panoose. By now, Our youngest son was also born, and around 8 months old, plus our oldest was 5
I had also been offered a job in the local branch lab, which was a private lab ,of a company known as Calgary med labs, and was spitting the shift with another tech
Very boring routine basic lab work, but it helped pay my horse addiction expenses at that time!

Thus, after work, and when hubby got home to watch the kids, I would drive out and ride Panoosy.
Every ride, she seemed to become more 'lively', from when she went through that auction-drugged, no doubt!
One evening, before I got on completely, she bucked me off., then took off.
No problem, as I re -called the advise to get back on, and show them the futility of this type of action
I thus caught her, checked her head around, got on, and had a decent ride, after a 'discussion'
Got home and told hubby that the new horse bucked. He had complained that he had yet not ridden her.
No way would he get on a horse that bucked today, but being young, told me no problem, he still wanted to ride her

We had planned a camper trip with the kids, thus were going out to the acreage to load it. Hubby decided to still ride Panoose first.
Well, he got on, and she did not buck, but bolted instead, straight towards a barbwire fence. Hubby decided to bail at full gallop, and Panoose swerved, never hit the fence, but came running back to where I and the kids were standing
I once more recalled the advise to get back on, thus once more checked her head around, and rode her, until my oldest son said, "mom, maybe you better check on Dad, as he has not gotten up!'

I had neither my contacts in, or my glasses on, so really did not see that fact!
Turned out he had broken his ankle in two places, which wound up required a pin!
I might even have a picture of Panoose somewhere. She was aloud Leopard.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

*This journal has been closed due to prolonged lack of participation by the author. Journals that have no active participation by the author for a period of time greater than 18 months will be considered abandoned and will be closed until the author asks for them to be reopened.*


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