Newbie here!

[gajumper]

Hi all!

I am new to the forum and to the world of Pasos.

I have been riding for over 20 years, mainly Hunter jumpers. 5 weeks ago I took a spill off a green TB mare and broke my back.

Ever since I have been looking for ways to get back into the saddle quicker! I thought the Paso breed, with their smooth gait and gentle attitude might be the horse to help me do that.

My goal is to be healed enough to do a local HJ show in March of 2007, but jumping could pose a problem, I'll just have to see.

I hope to learn as much as I can and take some test rides as soon as I am cleared from the Dr.

I live on a 10acres "farmette" in Ellijay, GA....its actually a "farmette" in progress! This is NOT a good time to be building a barn!

[Pasogirlz]

http://bestsmileys.com/welcome/3.gif

Hey there. This is our Ga test rider also gang.

Something tells me once we get her started on Pasos hot and heavy...she will be in love. 8-) I hope you are able to catch up w/Dave soon.
How soon are you gonna be able to do a test ride w/your back?

[Barbwire]

http://www.jammerbabe.com/flotilla/images/smiles/groupsmile.gif

[gajumper]

3 more weeks and counting until I can officially get back on!

At that point I can include it in as part of my physical therapy. For four weeks after that Dr would like me to take it easy and not over do...as in, no jumping, no 6 hour trail rides, etc. I figure, depending on what I feel like when I get back on, maybe 30 minutes twice week or so, but We will have to see.

My idea is to get to know the Paso breed, and even thgouth I may very well be back up and running at the hunter barn, I still want something safe, sane, and smooooth enough I can take out on trails on a regular basis. I dont think I'll be jumping more than once a week for a while but I still want to get in the saddle as much as possible to keep those muscles moving and rebuilding.

Also, once I return to my "former state" I would still like to keep a horse around I can put my Mom on, or neice. Just a good all around horse, which can be any breed really, but I'd like to see what the Paso can offer me in my broken state!

[Pasogirlz]

Also, once I return to my "former state" I would still like to keep a horse around I can put my Mom on, or neice. Just a good all around horse, which can be any breed really, but I'd like to see what the Paso can offer me in my broken state!
I think you will be pleasantly surprised 8-)

When Dave and Boyd get done showing you what they have to offer....you will have a special place in your heart for the breed. I know I do. 8-)

[gajumper]

I cant wait! just going to the barn and being around the horses has REALLY helped my mind.

The first 3 days were hell, and for the first 2 weeks I didnt think I would ever ride again. Now, I just WANT BACK ON!

Can someone tell me how to post a picture? [/img]

[Pasogirlz]

sent ya a PM about the pix.

I broke my jaw when I was 16. Got kicked in the face by a 3 yr old filly. :roll: Anyway...I couldn't WAIT to get back on a horse...mouth wired shut and all. 8-) It's in our blood for sure.

[Brigitte]

Welcome!!

[PasoVicki]

Welcome! You'll love your first paso ride (and you second, and your third . . . . ) :horsey:

[gajumper]

Attempting to post pictures.

If this works, the first is me riding Gally, a 6yo bay TB/Trek mare...this is about 25 minutes before I came off her and broke my back:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/beccam86/a0292a97.jpg

And this is me and Truman at the barn I take lessons at: Hes a 5yo off the track TB gelding and I just love him. I was thinking of buying him before the fall. this was taken the Saturday before I fell:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/beccam86/Truman2.jpg[/img]

[Pasogirlz]

The mare is beautiuful!
What happened when you came off? Freak accident?

And this is me and Truman at the barn I take lessons at: Hes a 5yo off the track TB gelding and I just love him. I was thinking of buying him before the fall. this was taken the Saturday before I fell:

Save your money for the paso. ;-)

[gajumper]

I have been working with her for about 6 months. when I got on her, her head was straight up in the air, clenching against the bit, back was hollow...she felt like she was going to explode at any moment. After 5 months of ONLY walk/trot transitions, that picture is what she is like now, although she is a little behind the bit there...but she is engaged from behind and her back is rounded, not taught.

At the canter I discovered she would once again grab the bit, but instead of shooting her head up and back, it went down...waaaay down. The kind of down that makes you think they are falling. The left was worse than the right. A month of walk/canter transitions, circles, and just plain cowboy riding seemed to get across to her and we were getting a nice relaxed forward canter.

Of course, EXCEPT when she was in heat, then you can just forget everything. :roll:

So, I had jumped her a few times and the only bad habit she showed was getting excited and rushing the jumps..after a few times she would settle and stop that.

This ride she was in heat but being shown to a prospective buyer that weekend, so I knew I had to ride her and make sure she was ready. I went through 45 minutes of trying to get "oher ideas" out of her mind and trying to get her to focus on work and not boys. Not to mention the boogie man that was hiding in the woods.

I wanted to jump her a few times over a crossrail and then quit. We had already been over it 4 times, 2 each way. She had relaxed so I decided to do it once more, give her a tiny bit of rein, use my voice and let her pick the spot...I knew thats probably what the prospective buyer would do....she jumped great, found a great distance jumped balance and cantered away at the landing. 2 strides away she grabbed the bit, yanked downward and stopped, I mean a dead square stop..all I could see was her shoulder, no neck, ears, nothing. No buck, not hop, just stopped.

I went over her left shoulder and landed smack on my head, (Thank goodness I had a helmet on!). I felt it as soon as I hit.

My Mom happened to be visiting and was there, again thank goodness. she waited until I started cursing before she ran over. I tried to get up and couldnt, the pain was unreal. Gally just stood there, looking at me like I was nuts.

It took 4 grown adults to get me in the car, and my boyfriend literally had to carry me screaming into the house. I think we were all afraid I wouldnt be able to move the next morning.

I work for a Sportsmed Dr, so I refused to go to our Podunk hospital and waited until the next morning to go see him.

I dont think my Mom or my BF initially thought it was as bad as it really was, until he went to get me out of the car and I about ripped his arm off!

Both ligaments on either side of the spine were ripped to shreds, I had a compressed Fracture of the T12. X-rays show the top left corner of the vertabra completely broken off, and the one above it is literally sitting on the one below it. throw in a couple of bruised ribs for good measure, and I was all set.

I was back at the barn 4 days later checking on Gally. 8-)

Todays x-rays show no improvment, fracture is still there, floating next to the vertabra, and the compression hasnt expanded, so I am now shorter, lol.

[Pasogirlz]

I hurt just reading that. :shock: You better take it easy and heal woman. I can't believe you are walking around still.

[Terri]

http://bestsmileys.com/welcome/15.gif

I know you will love Pasos! (psst,....I am a little biased)
But you will have to make a few adjustments from hunt to paso and I am sure Dave and Boyd will help you out with that. But I too have a history of hunt seat riding. It took me a while to get comfortable with longer stirrups, deeper seat, looser reins and NO leg. But now I would NEVER look back. When I watch the hunters at the show I keep thinking, Oh My the stirrups are soooo short! :lol:

[Terri]

OMG, I just read the story of your injury. OUCH. You are amazing, hurting that bad and thinking about riding again. Heck I would just be hoping to walk well again. Thank God you are walking. Go slow, the horses will wait till you are really ready.

[Laura S]

Welcome! I hope you get healed up really quick! Sounds like it was a nasty fall. I can't wait to hear about your first paso rides. They are a joy to ride. They have huge hearts and are very willing. You never have to do more than ask them to go, then just look where you want to go, and that is where they go. They are a dream to ride. :D

[Boyd R]

Hello I am Boyd Russell. My wife Su and I live in Loganville. You will have to come Visit. I will let you ride Porcy for the trail ride of your life, to get aquainted with the best a Paso has to offer on the trail. And when you are ready to jump we will put you on Dos for the smoothest jumping you will ever do.

My daughters friend came over to ride shortly after we had bought him and she wanted to try him over some jumps. She had been to two summer camps and loved to jump. I said OK. She started him on caveleties and 2 hrs later she was at 4 feet. She only hit one rail the entire time and did this all on a bareback pad.

The next weekend we let her take him to a show (Newton Co. saddle club) and she took 1st, 2nd and champion in cross rails. 5 shows later at Wills Park Blue jeans and chaps show she took I beleive 5th out of a field of 17 in the 4ft Jumper class. He also does barrels under 17 seconds

Yes Pasos can do it all.

So get yourself healed up so you can glide through a knew door to a wonderful knew world.

[Moniece Dickerson]

WELCOME!WELCOME!You'll love it here :D !!Moniece

[Laura S]

That is awesome Boyd!! :D
Wished I lived closer, I'd come visit too! ;-)

[gajumper]

Wow! I had no idea they could jump!

[Terri]

Of course they can jump! They just do it "smoother" :D

[Pasogirlz]

Boyd, I had no idea Dos was so talented. 8-) Do you have any pix from his big wins at the show?

[Boyd R]

I think we have a video of him in the last jumping class he did. I will just have to get it digitilized. which is no problem. The pics are hidden somewhere in the other computer. As the puter was gettin bad I tried to transfer them out to a cd and they got transfered to another file in the process and we cant find them. We just learned that they did not write to the new cd because it was the wrong type of CD. DUHHHH

[Pasomom]

Well, first of all....WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY!!!!

Now, Just so you'll know. I am considered "MOM" on this board.
YOU BETTER TAKE IT EASY Young lady! You have been thru a bad mess! You body needs time to heal before you go injurying it again. Take it from one who has lived with a bad back since getting hit by a car when I was 17. (I was a pedestrian)

I too am unable to ride at the moment. Foot surgery....but I am trying my best to be REAL good, cause I don't want to have to go thru this again. I know just how hard it is to sit and do nothing, but for the sake of healing your body, PLEASE do as your doctors say, and don't push that envelope! Trailriding season is coming up and I am dearly hoping that I will be released to enjoy a little ride with my friends.

You will LOVE the Paso's. We have a lot of hunt/jumper people on the board who have fallen in love with the breed. You are very young, but some of us older folks love this breed cause we are back on a horse again after years of abstinace from life's injuries!

Hope your test rides go well, I know the guys will find you a great horse to try out!

[gajumper]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I am doing my best to be good and obey orders as I dont want to go through this again either...I am worried about my confidence coming back more than anything right now.

It has helped a bunch just to get out to the barn and be around friends and animals.

Thanks again for the welcome and I cant wait to ride a Paso!

[baileyholc]

Sorry about what happened to you. :hug Welcome to the board. We are glad to have you. I can say that Boyd is Not telling stories about Dos or Purcy. You really should take a trip to visit with him a Sue. It will be well worth it.

[lisa l aka marci]

sent ya a PM about the pix.

I broke my jaw when I was 16. Got kicked in the face by a 3 yr old filly. :roll: Anyway...I couldn't WAIT to get back on a horse...mouth wired shut and all. 8-) It's in our blood for sure.

Hehe......first off- WELCOME!

I had a horse fall on top of me back in high school - was back on him while still on crutches.........non-Paso.....

Had knee surgery a few years ago and was back on riding bareback (couldn't use a stirrup!) about a week after it.....on a Paso......

Got kicked in the knee while out riding (3-4 hits!)- rode 20 minutes back to the barn.....on a Paso....., untacked etc and drove muself to the hospital.....

Oh - and as for the H/J - I know someone who successfully showed her Paso gelding in local H/J classes - and I jump with mine - have worked up to about 1 1/2 feet so far.....not going to go much further probably.......

Lisa

[Boyd R]

Haven't found the video of the competition yet it must be misslabled or taped over but here he is doing a demo at the Ga. show 2 years ago. The lady riding him just met him and had been riding him for about 30 minutes and had never been on a paso before. He also had not been over jumps for over a year.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/skoalcwgurl88/th_DSCN1670.jpg (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/skoalcwgurl88/?action=view&current=DSCN1670.flv)

[gajumper]

Cool! He looks REALLY quick! And he has great form!

[Barbwire]

That hoss is a jumping fool! Thanks for sharing, Boyd. :D

[baileyholc]

That was so cool. Dos looks like he really would rather jump than corto or largo on the trails. :D

[Jennifer]

Welcome!!!

[pasofantasy]

Welcome! Pasos sure will jump! We do it on the trail. I have a stud, who went over the farm gate at 3 months of age. When he was 7 months, he jumped from a 12x12 stall and cleared a 12-foot walkway in front. If he has to jump at all on the trail, he goes way up! Mac MacDonald used to show versatility and loved jumping. He told my husband, that he jumped a paso fino mare 6'6" once.

[britzlove]

Welcome!!! Sorry I'm so late to welcome you! I am also of the school that believes Pasos can do anything. I'll also reiterate the warning that they can be VERY addictive!

Big Welcome!!! Glad to have you!

Brittany

[paintedhorizon]

I'm late as well! Welcome! I'm positive you'll love the pasos!

Boyd, great video! Just sent it to a HJ friend that is unsure of the pasos. Still can't get her to come to Stella's with me!

[baileyholc]

PH, do you have video of the drassage you and Stella have been doing? I bet she would really love to see that. I know I would.

[paintedhorizon]

Actually Bailey, it's been bumped up on General Chat by Soltera.

go to General Chat to watch the video and see the pics!

[gajumper]

I just wanted to check in and say thanks again for the welcome.

It looks like I will end up having to have some back surgery in my near furture...things just are not healing that well.

Lucky me!

[Pasogirlz]

So does that mean you won't be riding as soon as you thought? :(
I had a feeling it was going to take a little longer than you expected.

[gajumper]

I dont know really. I am trying to find a specialist in the ATL area to go talk to and get a better idea of whats needed to get this thing fixed...or at least somewhat fixed.

My guess, I'm out for the rest of the year. :cry:

[Pasogirlz]

I dont know really. I am trying to find a specialist in the ATL area to go talk to and get a better idea of whats needed to get this thing fixed...or at least somewhat fixed.

My guess, I'm out for the rest of the year. :cry:
:hug Im so sorry, but maybe better the rest of the year and not the rest of your life :shock: Imagine that. :mad:

How close are you to Perry Ga? Ya know Nationals starts next weekend. 8-)

[baileyholc]

I'm sorry too. :hug I hope to here that you are in the saddle again soon. Take care of your back for now and do as the doc has told you.

[Dave]

Sorry to hear that Becca! I agree that it's probably something that shouldn't be rushed but also very hard to be patient. Good luck with your recovery and also with finding a good doctor!