So Now What Do I Do?

Well, it sure didn't take me very long to figure out I didn't know anything about taking care of a horse.  First of all, in my excitement of the moment it never occured to me to make sure I had some good fences before I brought them home.  The upper pasture was pretty good so I put them in there for now, and had to sweet talk my husband into fixing me some fence.  Henry had sent me home a little bag of feed, the halters, lead ropes, saddles, blankets, bridles, and fly spray,  and I had about a hundred bales of hay in the barn.  It's the end of October, so we are just now heading into winter. Mom had a couple of curry combs and as the horses were pasture horses at my brothers, they came to me with their tails and manes matted with stickers so I spent the first day with them just grooming.  Boy they are looking good.

Gracie Myself Dixie
2008 October

Ok now the next day I'm going to go for a ride, but I can't find anyone to go with me, and we already know that Gracie can't be left alone.  Well, I decided I would ride Dixie and pony Gracie behind.  That would be easy enough and we'd all get a little exercise.  I got the bridle on her with no major problem, but when it came to the saddle I couldn't remember how Mom had told me to fasten the strap.  Oh Crap!  So I lead the two horses down to Mom's two blocks, stopping every ten steps or so to move the saddle back up on Dixie's back.  It's hot, I'm flustered, and already about worn out when I get to Mom's front door, and now where am I going to tie them up so I can go get Mom to help me.  Thankfully Mom's dogs raised cain over the horses being in the front yard and she came out to investigate, only to find me standing there like a fool with two horses.  She helped me rig up the saddle, but I couldn't pull it tight enough that everytime I would try to get on it would slide off.  So, I walked the horses back to the barn, put the saddle away, took off the bridle, gave them a brushin, and called it a day.

I went  home and start looking up info on the internet.  I watched every video they put out there, read every blog, horse magazine, expert advice I could find.  It might not be tomorrow, but I'm going to figure out how to do this and I'm going to ride those horses!