You know you're doing something right

[Minouri]

Pending moving my horses into our backyard in March, we just moved them to a barn that provides excellent care..but doesn't have much of a ring. This time of year it's just a mudpit.

The driveway on the other hand is slightly uphill and set high enough that it's pretty dry. I corto up and walk down.....corto up...walk down. My fiance rides his Appy and trotts up, walks down....and repeats. Just a way to excercise them and have some fun when there is nowhere else to ride.

This weekend we were met with mixed emotions by the other boarders. Some thought we were just crazy...cause the driveway ends in a busy road. A couple tried to join us but could not control their horses. One woman asked me how I had trained my horse to slow down at the end.

I was feeling a little down after our fun ride was met with so much criticism, but then one woman told me that she bets there was more than one boarder wishing they had our horses that day.

And I thought....I must be doing something right when I dont' have to worry every moment that my horse can't or won't do something for me. I'm not saying he's perfect, but I'd ask him to ride on a postage stamp if that's the only dry place we could find and I think he'd try for me.

I'm always telling people when they say Paso Fino's are HOT and make that sound wild that they dont' understand the breed at all. Spirited does not mean crazy. He may get excited and throw his head and snort sometimes, but he never tries to kill me....lol

Not wanting me dead is a trait I love in a horse....lol

[hast]

So true... On Saturday I rode with a group of 4 others and all except for one lost control of their horses when one decided to pass us all in a gallop. My paso tried to run sideways, and was very unhappy with me, but he will do what I ask. He too can snort and "flinch" but is one of the safest horses out there. I use him to direct traffic with the posse... while he's "dancing" (he's far from fino, but at times tries very hard ;-) ) and snorting but will quiet down if a person comes up close, or I "get after" him, until I relax and he can let me know his displeasure by doing his best imitation on fino again. :roll: They are such emotional, and opinionated, horses -something I really love with them.

[Brigitte]

Ha proved those people wrong! Good job and great horses ;-)

[Minouri]

This is just another reason why I love this board. I'm always looking at my horse in a new way.

When we trail ride....if I make him stand still while others are going.....he dances in place. People tell me that I should stop that....but he's not going anywhere. It always made me laugh. It sure is not the Fino that people talk about but it has footfall that goes nowhere. That's usually when I start deep breathing and sighing and most of the time he'll stop. He's never taken off with me on him no matter who or what runs past....but I have sat through some weird tap dancing routines....lol

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

[hast]

So true... On Saturday I rode with a group of 4 others and all except for one lost control of their horses when one decided to pass us all in a gallop. My paso tried to run sideways, and was very unhappy with me, but he will do what I ask. He too can snort and "flinch" but is one of the safest horses out there. I use him to direct traffic with the posse... while he's "dancing" (he's far from fino, but at times tries very hard ;-) ) and snorting but will quiet down if a person comes up close, or I "get after" him, until I relax and he can let me know his displeasure by doing his best imitation on fino again. :roll: They are such emotional, and opinionated, horses -something I really love with them.

[SandyMM]

opinionated, horses

LOL - had to laugh at that description... The non-Pasos who live at the place we keep ours have absolutely _no_ opinion about _anything_... unlike ours! :roll: