The Horsepower Homestead

It's ironic, jumping was the part of horseback riding that I missed the most when I wasn't riding. But as a teen, when I rode all the time. Jumping was what I used to dread practicing. And when I was first learning, I found it terrifying. The fright factor may have had something to do with the fact that might first jumping experience was less than ideal. When I was about 10 years old, I was riding a pony (yes, I know that was my first mistake) named Sassy. It was bareback day at Horseback riding camp. So there I was sitting up on Sassy, bare back with nothing but a halter and some clip on reins. The teenager that was "instructing" us would lead Sassy around the arena and then another kid would get on. Other, older riders, were practicing trot poles and little cross jumps in the center area of the arena while we took Sassy along the rail. When it was my turn, the teen instructor's phone started ringing. She looked at me, decided I was one of the bigger ki...

Dating is hard. And dating as a "horse girl", in my opinion, is even harder. The challenge is finding someone who would muck stalls with you, someone who will video your lessons, someone you can call after every ride, who will listen to you cry through the hard rides and provide comfort, who will cheer you on when you accomplish something good, no matter how small. Ideally someone who loves horses too. Who would never ask you to "grow up". I tried internet dating. I made sure to include a picture of Apache and myself. Almost like I was trying to give them fair warning. But that's the thing about most people. They think that they like horses. Or that they're okay with horses. Until they get into the nitty gritty of it. And I wasn't the type to bring a string of strangers around the horses. They're like my kids. You have to earn meeting them. And the ones that insist that they can ride, because "it can't be that hard". They made me w...

I purchased this item off of Amazon.com for $27.90. Dover, and StateLineTack also sell similar extenders. Mine is Havana color. The online listing: Perri's Is Best Known For The Most Complete Line Of The Finest Amish Made Products Available Anywhere. Adds Up To 7 Inches To Girth. Stainless Steel Roller Buckles. Girth extender I purchased this girth extender so that I could use my English saddle on Sonny. When I first started riding him, he was kind of chunky. I was using a 56 inch girth and couldn't get it around his hay belly! I purchased this extender, which if you notice from the picture, adds 4 additional holes. I would attach it to my Wintec at the last billet and I was able to get the girth on Sonny. As he lost weight, I got to a point where I no longer needed the girth extender. I have been using my girth extender on the OTTBs I take lessons on, they're so tall, I often need an extra few inches of girth to strap the saddle down. The elastic on t...

At the Hunter/Jumper barn that I take lessons at during the week, there are over 15 different horses. I've only been there a few months. I'm still learning them all. I've ridden about 5 different horses so far. They wanted to offer some variety, make sure they found the best fit for me as a rider. Yesterday, I rode Mickey. I didn't know much about him previously. Even though I've ridden him quite a few times now. He was actually the horse I rode during my first lesson at the barn. He's a very tall, 17 hand, stocky Appendix Quarter horse. He's about 13 years old. Bright red chestnut, thick white blaze, two white socks on his hind legs, and bird catcher spots sprinkled over his back and rump. Mickey  From what I've learned of his bloodlines, he's a very well bred horse. His dad was an OTTB. His mom was Champion AQHA Jumper. He used to do shows. But he got hurt. He has a chip in his back right knee. And an occasional sore back (Ki...

I remember the first time I felt that nasty gut wrenching feeling. I was in college. I had joined the Equestrian team. And as I mounted up for my first practice, the feeling settled deep in my belly. "They're better than you." The other girls wore pristine breeches. They were thin, with custom saddles, fancy tall boots, and embroidered saddle pads. I was wearing skinny jeans with half chaps pulled over old paddock boots. I had a synthetic saddle. And no one new who I was. I didn't train under fancy trainers. I didn't win world class shows. None of the people I trained, rode, and otherwise "horsed" with were famous or important. And these girls, they were the real deal. And I was a little bit scared. I'd been riding since I was a kid, and now, after all these years, I was finally scared. The coach told me I had quiet legs and a steady hand. That seemed like a compliment. The other girls never invited me to hang out with them, they didn't t...

I remember the first time I got back in the saddle. May 1st, 2016. I hadn't ridden a horse since 2010. Maybe late 2009.  Previously, I had ridden horses for what felt like my whole life. It doesn't really sound like that much time now. Six, maybe seven years.  But for me, it was like not breathing. I had stopped doing something I loved because it became too hard. Life was busy. I was injured. I was in college. I let life get in the way. Then one day, when I was sad and watching my relationship with my boyfriend fall to pieces in slow motion, I knew I had to go back.   I scoured Craigslist, I called stables, I researched lesson prices, I called all my old friends. I pulled my saddles out of storage to clean and oil them. I bought a new Troxel helmet. I cleaned my paddock boots. I tried on my breeches. Which to my surprise still fit. But at the end of the day, all I had to show for it was a guest bedroom that looked more like a tack ...