Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ever have a horse?

When I was about 6 years old, dad had a Tennessee walking horse named Duke. Dad belonged to a group that rode in parades and such. I was the one that fed Duke. Several times he bit me on the top of the head when I fed him. I hated him!

Yes have had many. We had a stud bunch and raised the colts. Always had a few around that we were training ( breaking) .

Where would man be without the horse, has sometimes been mentioned.

Truth about the Model T and since.

We had one or two on the farm back in the 60s. They were for us kids to ride. My brothers rode them, I rarely did, but was thrown from one and seriously hurt my knee once.
I’ve ridden them on elk and dall sheep hunts in the past 20 years, but am not a fan at all.

for Dinner probably... unknowingly of coarse..

Yes.

On a horseback hunt if you can survive the livestock the hunt is the easy part.

I'm not riding anything bigger than me that doesn't have an ignition switch and brakes

Santiam;
Good afternoon to you sir, I hope the day in your part of the world is a tad brighter and warmer than here and that you're well.

Although it's been years since we got out of horses, we had them for something like 17 years if my math is correct and it may well be suspect.

Regardless of my math skills, I was at one time if not a Red Seal Journeyman, at least a 4th year Apprentice - Horseman that is, so can say without reservation that top photo is of a very, VERY well trained horse.

I'd add it's an uncommon one in my experience too.

A tip of the battered Bailey to both you and that well mannered horse.

This was me way back when the earth was green and the mountains had points as they say...











The Red Dun Quarter horse in the background got too old and he's buried in the yard. I couldn't bear to leave the Appy by herself and she went to what I hope was a good home.

I swear on still mornings I can still hear that Quarter Horse banging his shoes on the stock gate, demanding I get out and feed him because, it was high time!

They get in your blood somehow or they did.

Someday soon I need to put the saddles up for sale as I know I'm not going to use them anymore.

Somehow I'm finding that really tough to do.

All the best.

Dwayne

Met the wife in 96 and she was a horse person. She would put me on her Arab gelding Meczet Supreme or "Max" and ride a friends horse. Bought my own Arab gelding Suitor in late 97, rode him for 19 years. Was horseless for about 4 months then went shopping since trail riding was what the wife and I had always done. Took about 3 months to find Khanaan another Arab gelding he just turned 14 and bought him as a 5 year old. Outside the expense they have been a positive experience , at 70 years of age I expect I wont own another. The wife's current horse Californio is 24 and shes not sure what will happen after Cal passes.

Twice..........first & the last time

Had to give the two 'em away

3 ton of hay a year..

Vet bills

Farrier bills.........done

Pasture oranments

How long do they typically live?

Fed 8 in the barn just a bit ago

28-30 yrs in a healthy environment

That pretty much describes our situation. Dad had been a bull rider at the Cowtown Rodeo (Google it), after his discharge from the Army after WW II, and was a fan of all things "cowboy" for years.
He put a lot of money into those ponies - food, veterinary care, farrier and such. Used to ride them, both with saddle and with a two-seat sulkie he built in his welding shop.

As he grew older, and I became busy with college, work and firefighting, Dad made the difficult decision to sell them.

I grew up riding horses but haven't been on one much since college.

My dad (1920-1981) LOVED horses
Horses were an everyday part of my life until I graduated high-school!
I've been, bit, kicked, pawed, laid on, fallen on, stepped on, thrown and anything else you can think of a horse can do to a human.
I had an Arab gelding. He and I covered 25 miles in 2.5 hours. Gus was a beast.
When I was 5 years old, my dad went to the local blacksmith shop to have horses shod to move some cattle. The farrier was drunk!
That was the beginning of his horse shoeing career that lasted about 25 years, kept me fed and beat and bruised from unruly horses!
I SWORE that after I graduated, I WOULD NOT have a horse.
Fast forward to 1992. I have a wife that wanted a horse and two kids dead set on high-school rodeo!
In 1994, I looked in my four acre pasture and counted 7 head of horses 😖 ....then went to unload the $250 load of horse feed......then the farrier drove up!
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS a head!
I was ready to cry!
How many guns and how much ammo did I throw into a rodeo arena, barn and pasture!
Oh! Don't forget the saddles, tack, horse trailers and pickups!

Over thirty years later, and I still have a 20 year old, "Easy Jet × Garrets Miss Pawhuska", unregistered gelding wandering around in my pasture! Absolutely gorgeous animal!
He's never been ridden!

I don't like horses!

Yep.


We have 5 of the chitheads and October through May they eat a 1500lb bale per week. It would be expensive(about $400/month) if we didn't put up our own hay.

BC30cal,

Good looking ponies.. I always wanted a horse with some color.. Like a 30-06, plain old bay is kinda boring, but gets the job done just fine..

Got him when he was 2..Going on 21 now and have never been off of him..Nothing much bothers him except the ocean.. Can't drag him out to the beach with a truck.. LOL

Several years ago when he was a youngster a buddy killed a big 5x4 blacktail a couple miles behind a gate ..We hiked in after dark and I had his saddle on fairly loose, thought I would cinch him up when I got in to the buck.. Of course I forgot.. Got the buck threw on and headed out.. Lots of times I would just turn him loose and he would follow along..After a bit I realized he wasn't behind us.. Found him 100 yards or so back with his legs spead out with the saddle and buck underneath him .. Just standing there waiting for someone to untangle him..

I had to quit turnng him loose while hunting though..He spotted some elk once and I guess he thought they were horses because he took off after them..LOL