I did, Dusty, part Arib gilding.

No but I threatened to shoot one that was too close and the owner about shît his pants

Charlie Hor9e, sure…..

Had a quarter horse/pony mix (Queenie) when I was a kid, along with her three offspring - June Lightning, Thunder and Bullet.
Does that count?

If you don't have a job for a horse all they are is a eating chiting money pit.

Are they bullet proof like in cowboy movies?

Had a morgan, quarter mix growing up. Used him for checking fences and moving cattle etc.
But that was 45 years ago.

Had 2 horses and a pony with X2, the crazy horsewoman.

Loved the horses, loved the horse lifestyle, hated the crazy horse broads - and almost all are. A lesson learned too late.

No. Close friend rides/rode dressage so spent time around them. If I wanted to ride - I can. Her horse just died. Cremated - ashes came in a monster box.

He was a Wesphalian named Gus. Decent horse from what I understand. She ended up leasing him to a para-olympian from Costa Rica or something and competed in the Para-Olympics so must have been decent.

No

I about got killed, neither me. or Dusty were trained in roping a sreer.

I got a pony tiller

I use mine for just about everything..

This.

There's a reason our ancestors dropped Ol Trigger like a hot rock when the Model T became available.

I grew up across the street from a horse pasture. Those horses' only purpose was to be an Ag exemption. One got encephalitis and the animal went batchit crazy. I've never seen a horse go that crazy when they tried to load into the trailer. My parents were convinced I was going to get encephalitis and did their best to keep me from going outside which was pretty much impossible. Somehow I'm still alive.

Cattle know they can't outsmart a horse.

The westerns would be dull without horses.

Are you saying they aren't dull WITH horses???

You folks are the “real deal”. Looks like right out of a movie!

Ol’ bay seems like a helluva pony!

I’ve heard of guys walking into a herd of elk, horseback before daylight and shooting them with bows at legal light. Seems like it would work.

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

My horse through Jr high and high school was a 3/4 Arab/1/4 Quarter mare. She wasn't particularly fast but she was tireless. We took her hunting many times and she never carried out an animal. It just worked out that we never got anything when we had her along.

I’ve seen them on the beach


I’ve seen them in the mountains




I’ve heard they are pretty awesome.

My Grandparents did not dress like cowboys, but they knew horses.

SONUVABITCH!

The Amish still farm with horses.

Do they still make them into glue?

😂😂😂

Sweet pics!

For some reason I thought you were a mule owner.

Santiam;
Good afternoon once more, I still hope you're all well.

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

It's interesting what some horses will and absolutely will not do.

Carly the Appy was my meat packing and hunting horse, but Cody the ranch bred Quarter Horse was a better mountain horse and way, WAY better cow horse the couple times I used him.

He'd been a pony horse at a local track for awhile too so that was great for teaching our girls how to ride.

Hopefully you and the fellow horse folks and even those who aren't might appreciate this tale of mine that I posted here a couple years back, but took place sometime in the early 2000's.

In the spirit of some of the recent "Have you ever?" threads, I mentioned in an answer that I'd done this a time or two over the decades, so with your kind permission I'll sally forth with the tale.



In the photo, we can see that when I headed into the mountains behind the house on Carly the Appy, I at very least looked the part! Someone once described me as looking like a 3/4 sized Marlboro Man and that sort of fits I suppose.

One particular morning I was out cruising the mountain when I came upon a young fellow standing over a mulie 2 point looking quite lost.

I need to note here that Carly the Appy was part Thoroughbred and she was by far and away, the fastest horse I've ever been on. Our method of hunting was a wee bit like riding a hot dirt bike in that she liked to run and I'd let her! We covered incredible amounts of ground in a short time that way and through the years I learned the spots we'd see bucks and would slow her down there.

Anyways all that to say we came up on the young man in a big hurry!

Perhaps he must of thought I was going to give him what for or something, as he looked a wee bit confused and a tad frightened.

When I congratulated him on the tasty looking buck, he visibly relaxed somewhat, but then said that it was his first and he had really not the first clue as to what to do next.

I chuckled, slid down off the horse and said, "Well this isn't my first rodeo, so hang onto Carly and watch".

He mumbled something about not knowing much about horses, to which I replied, "Hold the end the food goes in, watch the end it comes out and you'll be golden".

Perhaps I should add now that since I've been the community eviscerating specialist since I was a wee lad, it didn't take me long.

When I was done, I cleaned my hands on the grass, took back the reins and asked the youngster if he needed further help?

He said that he had buddies in a pickup down on a dirt road below so would be fine - and so I checked the cinch, mounted up and let Carly Gal go straight into overdrive as she preferred to do.

When I got home and was telling my good wife about the morning, she turned to me and started laughing.

"Can you just imagine," she began, "how his friends are going to react to his story? When they ask how he managed to gut his first deer, he's going to tell some wild story about a little cowboy looking guy who came riding up out of nowhere, hopped off his tall horse, gutted the deer, hopped back on and rode off into the sunset!"

"They'll never believe a word he says again!!!"

Of course I had to admit that hadn't occurred to me......😮

Thanks for reading and all the best to you all.

Dwayne

"With a ten dollar horse, and a forty dollar saddle, I'm a goin' to punchin' Texas cattle."

Grew up having horses.
Dad liked his horseback field trials.
Wife and oldest daughter have 4 of them
I refer to them as pasture maggots.
I like my horse to be iron and have 2 wheels and an engine

Just got rid of the last few a while back..Traided racing quarter horses while at U of Montana years ago and packed horses fora while. Then owned or worked with anywhere from 2 to 12 at a time ...Have to use them or they will burn money...

I consider a couple among my best friends...

I have 11 head of horses and mules. I use them on my wagon trains. Mine are pretty gentle. 3 are 18 hands weigh 2000 each. 2 are 17 hands weigh about 1750 ish. Have a 17 hand mule we drive and ride. I call them my kids.

Ex wife had a couple, nothing but work for me

Yessir - the real deal!

Never had a horse, but owned several mules over the years. Ride and pack the best way to get away from the crowds.

Of course!
As long as I can get horse-back, I figure I'm still viable.
Down to one, now - and he's getting old. I'm looking for an "old man's horse".
~ 15 hands, ranch smart, gentle enough for the grandkids. I have a hard time with 16 hands horses anymore - too stiff.

My family has been involved with Tennessee Walking Horses since the early 1970s. I used to show them and ride them on trails, etc., but soon found out if you have horses, you don't get to do much else. I also found out that hay don't put up itself.

Had them all my life. Switched to mules back in the70's. I still have one mule. They are healthier than a horse, live about another ten years longer than a horses and eat less

I grew up with horses. Being a career Marine kind of made that impossible to keep on with. My younger brother Gene became a farrier, and still doing it now in his 60's.

Me and Gene back in the day, circa 1965,


One of our stud horses, circa 1977,


Gene running the barrels in Colville, WA in the Jr Rodeo around 1970 or so,


Myself coming out of the chute on a young bull at the Colville Jr Rodeo, around 1970 or so.


Gene being awarded a trophy at the Colville WA Jr Rodeo.



We were cowboys once, and young.

A horse I was saddle training near Sidney MT, circa 1977. Mounting him the first time, after a week or so of ground work, and driving. One of the ways I earned money as a teenager, along with shoveling $hit.




My brother Gene, back in the early days, 1965 or so. We lived near Gig Harbor WA then, a little place called Arletta WA.

For a couple years while working on a feral horse project. One would hustle but could not be tethered and left alone. The second was perfectly happy trailing along a couple hundred yards back and could be solo tethered for extended periods. The former always came up with some means of dumping me about every 6 months, but I luckily came up unscathed each time.

Simply can't justify the expenses today, and if I could I'd go the mule route.

On the humorous side: The community has a kid's rodeo every spring, and I mean all the way down to toddlers. A coworker took his kids out last year and the younger slowed their departure a bit looking for his second stick horse. Said it might be needed if his first one got tired or threw a shoe.

Great thread guys.

Yes. They work out ok for me.

MY current rides


My Scar horse


Little mare we call GG(Grey Goose)
Like they say “if you can’t ride a good one,ride a grey one”

I always liked the look of your big roans.

Yup, came by cowboying honestly…

The outside of a Horse is good for the inside of a Man

Sure, hasn’t everyone. 😎 around 1962 South Park, Colorado.

Ever been bucked off? I have.

Came off a green broke colt twenty years ago. Broke my femur just below the right hip. Ambulance ride to the hospital where they put in a plate with seven screws and two pieces of baling wire to hold it all together.

It was embarrassing.

Grew up on and around horses, we had big cattle drives growing up, all the neighbors got together to work each other’s cattle. I know working and moving cattle is still better than 4 wheelers and feed trucks, cattle stay calmer and less stressed, and you don’t leave baby calves behind when you move heard, nothing like setting a good horse!

I've had two Quarter horses, one Racking Horse, and one Mountain horse

I grew up with horses. Today I breed and raise horses

What is a "Racking" Horse"?

Exaggerated walking gait on some TWH and saddlebreds. Very showy.

I have had a few but prefer mules. Mules always know.

Alabama Racking Horse. It's a breed

Thanks all.

I have seen a horse. I may even have touched a horse.

I used to help out on a rancher's cattle branding day. Once, he told me to jump up on that horse and go bring back that stray cow. I told him I'd never been on a horse. He looked at me like I was from Mars. So I asked him if he'd ever flown a jet.

Different life paths.

Many of my best memories have been on a horse. I spent the first 30 years of my life around horses everyday, riding every chance I got. Was nothing to grab a horse out of the pasture with a piece of bailing twine wrapped around their nose, swing up like John Wayne and head for the hills. Did a bit of Rodeo until my back got broke. Spent the last 15 years getting myself on a property where I can get horses again. The sweet smell of horse sweat and leather, your windshield is a set of ears and the world opens up in front of you. My folks are into Missouri Fox Trotters now, but I'll still take a Quarter horse, please and thank you.

I always wanted a Fox Trotter

Yes, us 3 boys (at the time, another added later) shared a mean Shetland pony. We named him Trigger and we all know why. Trigger was mean and would bite you, rub you and your leg against stationary objects. He got meaner when we all came down with the red measles and he was not ridden much. He tried nip Dad and then rarred up on hind legs to strike him with the front hooves. Bad move on Trigger’s part. Dad wrestled freight and bounced at a beer joint on weekends. It was just like Mongo in Blazing Saddles. Three spotted skinheads watched the drama thru the window screen with wide eyes. Johnny, the youngest hollered , “Momma come quick, Daddy’s fighting Trigger!”We had a friend that owned horses and we rode his a good bit. I even got to ride one with in the Greenville Mississippi Christmas Parade with the Sheriff’s Posse. Mr Roy Lee Phillips was the friend and had a twin brother named Lee Roy. Only in the Deep South.

No -don't have a meat locker or freezer big enough for one.

Currently a Norwegian Fjord horse (a draft horse)

13 hands 3” and 900 pounds of muscle.


Calm, easy keeper, athletic— a good horse for my youngest girl.

BMT

That’s a pony.

Pony height, Horse muscle.

But they are technically horses—according to the people who categorize such things

Them and haflingers I always thought were neat.

They are good horses.

Mine is like a 900 pound yellow lab.

Easy going and always hungry 🤤

My quarter horse Dan
Best pleasure horse I had.
But like others above, I’ll take a mule over a horse EVERY time.

My Momma always said, "There are more horses asses in this world than there are horses".

And she meant it.

Once upon a time those liberal fucs in Hollyweird had to know how to ride.Guess they had one skill,besides being total douches.

Saddlesore,, is there much difference in hoof care between mules an horses? if so could u explain? Thanks in advance

Every good man and woman should have at least one good horse or mule in their lives.
Had both for years, for me good mule in the mountains good quarter horse pleasure and working cattle.

I had a horse that retired. One day my uncle came over to ride it. He started to put the saddle on it and it laid down. When he pulled a saddle away, the horse stood up so he started to throw the saddle on it again. The horse laid down again.

Their are a few things. A mule's foot is generally healthier and harder than a horses. They still have to be trimmed and balanced on a regular schedule. The foot is more oblong than rounded than horse and have a straighter hoof wall back towards the heels.This they get from the donkey side. You sure have to be careful not to quick them on those rear nails.

Many mules can go without shoes because of how hard their hooves are. I shoe mine with spotted borium on toes and heels for iced big rock country in hunting season.. Those fall trails get muddy and freeze and can sore up a foot pretty quick.

Mules carry more of their weight on the fronts than horses and my present mule will roll over his toes pretty quick. I generally follow the angle of the pastern,but set them up on their toes just a tad.

You can make mule shoes out of keg horse shoes, but it is easier, and cost more to buy ready made mule shoes. I have used pony shoes on a few smaller mules because the smallest mules shoe I can buy is 000.

As for horses, I found out about fifty years ago, their best use is to make mules.

My present ride:





Before him:



They can pack pretty good too.

You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead.

I had 2 horses for about 20 years. They were great for packing a camp into the backcountry and packing my elk, moose, and other critters out, and for just riding into the backcountry. Unfortunately they both died in 2000-01 and much of my lifestyle now doesn't fit having horses. They did give me some of my best hunting trips.

Never had a horse, but if I did, it's name would be Charlie. Just saying.

Saddlesore,, thanks again,, loaded with info,, havnt been around mules a lot, but have been through a few horses,, Qrtr horses mainly, roping head and heels on weekends with the boys, pasture roping is an activity I especially like whether for myself or one of the neighbors,, I noticed the red mule ,2nd pic down had hobbles and tied with chain lead rope ,, can I ask why both?

My Dad talked more about mules.

Also the way those stirrups are turned out,and that leather shines, you may have put a mile or two one that rig

She pawed when tied and chewed lead ropes. Bred and raised her. Had her for 12 years . She never stopped. She went to an outfitter in NW Colorado. She was stolen winter before last.

Had 2, one each for my girls growing up.

One had a big ole American Saddlebred, about 1000#
The other girl wanted a Appaloosa, her it comes.

She saved up her money and got a 2 yr. old Appaloosa
He was "greenbroke" he was a "cribber" he would not
"piss in his stall", he had to be taken out every day in the winter.

But he was only $400, that corksucker cost me that much
in 6mos. in repairs to everything he destroyed.

He finally started biting the girls, I got their $400 back, they took
turns riding the other one that fell asleep with them on his back.

Sweet, did I break even?

Three saddles, one a pony saddle in the shed.

I have not, don’t want one either!

Grew up around horses rode them for work and pleasure. The rich Yankees would come unglued seeing us riding down Indian Town Rd trailing 2 or 3 dogs to Jupiter inlet and then down to double roads. Now we sell hay to horse people and I just shake my head when they start talking horse sheit.