My New YEARS DEAL....

hillbilly

Re: What Are You Doing On New Year's Eve?

Dec 31, 2002 10:03

Master Member

United States of America
Posts: 206
Since: Sep 18, 2001 kSNsGNAtb+tmo2wtkzxbWg

Never been a big party hound so the big bashes don't draw me in.

But I do have a years end Ritual I started in 1999-2000

I ride a horse on New Years Eve Day and on New Years Day. I started doing this on purpose for "Y2K". I plan to do this on New Years till I cant "fork" a saddle then I will drive a team and wagon. (or ride in it)

Other than a few working Cowboys and mounted unit police I am sure that I am one of the few folks on the planet who have been horseback in two Millinieums, or 2 centuries.

Why? I realized that horses and the relationship they have to human history is a grand thing. In '99 I realized that by 1899 the Frontier was "closed" and the death knell for the horse as a working tool and partner had been sounded. How many people using horses in 1899-1900 really knew that in 40 or 50 years society would loose the daily contact with man's partner for so many centuries? My family has had connectons with the horse for years.

Farmers, Cavalry, Ranching......My great grandad was in the business of buying and selling teams for delivery work till the horse was obselete in out area-- the 1930's. My grandmother rode saddle horse in the auctions ring as a girl. It skipped a generation but I carry the equine gene in my line to this day and have passed it to my son.

So some time this afternoon I will throw a saddle on my old paint gelding and we will check fence for a hour or so. I could do this with the pick up but I won't. Same tommorow. My horse knows what this is about. He knows that he and I honor the past doing this. He ( and most horses kept other than Lawn Ornaments) well, you can all feel them swell with pride under saddle when they partner with you.

Dogs may be man's best freind.... but the horse as a partner is a lynchpin in human history.

Country Girl

Hilly Billy:

Beautiful post! I sometimes wish it could go back to the day when we all rode horses to get around. I, also, have the equine gene and have three of my own to love, brush, feed, and ride. What a beautiful ritual you have. Sounds like a great thing to pass on down to your son. Wish my son took more of an interest in riding, but, sadly, he prefers motorcycles and girls.. heheheh. I have had horses in my life as long as I can remember. I come from ranch stock -- Grandfather a rancher and farmer, all uncles and aunts living on ranches and farms. The best summers I ever had were with my Grandparents on the farm. Horses were always a part fo that. My Father is a restaurant owner, so it also skipped a generation in my family, but I got back out to the country as soon as I could. I have had horses since I was 13, and adore them. I raised my colt since he was born, and he is 3 now and a joy in my life. Horses are such noble and strong creatures, and throughout history have represented a significant part of people's lives, cultures, and art.

To me, they represent the free part of myself, the one that wants to ride forever into the sunset with no holds barred. The wind in my hair, the feeling of power on such a mighty beast. Guess it's in my blood.. hehehh.

Good luck in the New Year and all the years to come for you and your trust Paint.

Country Girl

In fact, I made two of my babies my new profile pic. Aren't they cuuuuuuuuuuute?

Country Girl

LyinEyes

Oh darn it Hillbilly,,,,,,,,,,,,,now you are reminding me of the love I lost years ago.

I wanted a horse so bad, when I was a girl, but daddy made me wait a year to see if I was serious. Ihad to work with him making the barn, the fence, the land all ready for a horse. Each long day only made my dream a little closer.

THe day came when they drove up with my beautiuful Tennessee Walker, He was a very tall horse for such a little girl.

It was truly one of those moments in my life, that I will remember being so happy I cried. I stood there stunned at the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I still think horses are the most beautiful.

I remember his smell, his coat, his big feet, he's sweet eyes. I used to run and grab his mane and jump on his back and we would just walk around our place in no particular direction , no saddle no briddle, just us. He was almost like a big dog, he followed me around, got in trouble all the time, he was mischeiviuos. And I loved him very much.

A couple of years later we got involved in the riding club and I really loved that , I was Riding club queen for a short while , and starting running the barrells. Well Tennesse Walkers are not barrel horses. My dad found a really fast quarter horse for me and we bought him. We did really well and I won alot of ribbons, tropheys,,,,,,,,,,but for some reason my dad thought I should get rid of my first horse, the one I loved so much. He said we had too many, and that horse was always into something. I had to choose. Since at that time I reallly wanted to stay in competition, I told dad I wanted to keep the barrel horse, but I didnt think he would really get rid of mickey. But he did.

I came home to find him loading him up and I heared him whinny as they drove him out of the cattle guard.

This next moment was one of the top heartbreaks in my life. I will never get over what my dad did that day. We had money , there was no reason to not be able to keep both of my horsees, we had 6 already, and like I said money and feed was not the issue.

THis was just another thing my dad to "teach" me some valuable lesson in life. Bullshit.

I heard Mickey was at a good home with an older man who adored him and took him on long walks. That made me happy.

I grew to love my barrel horse too, we had a special connection. My mom named him Buster, because one I got on his back, she said he would bust hi butt to please me. And he did. I was the only one who could ride him, he was very fast and a nervous horse. But I loved him out of his nervousness at least around me. He was beautiful with eyes like a deer.

My grandmother was well in age, and sick, but she would get a lawn chair and sit out in our arena to watch me practice, and she just smiled. She used to ride as a girl , out of necessity , but loved riding and she loved me riding.

My daughter wants a horse and she wants to be a barrel racer like I was. She will have her horse hopefully by the fall on 2003, she will be 10 and the perfect age to be able to be serious about taking care of her horse. She doesnt know this yet, it will be a surprize that I am serious about getting her one.

So I intend on carring on this family tradition. Thanks for this post Hillbilly, it brought back some really good memories, about the love of horses. It was always something my mom and me had in common and could relate to together. The good memories I have of my dad usually centered around our riding, or working together........it sure was JW stuff.

Mac

Hilly,

Great post! Keep up the tradition, I love it.

mac, of the used to have a pony class

hillbilly

well we got the New years eve ride in. the sun came out and it was a warm calm afternoon. I have done this ride in some hellish bad weather the last year or two.

hillbilly

and we got the New years Day ride done without a hitch too. I decided to be winter today....pretty cold out.

"There is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse"- Winston Churchill

"The word doesnt look to bad when its framed between horse ears"- Hillbilly

For anyone who likes to read I can recomend a book-- "The Faraway Horses" by Buck Brannaman. Buck is cowboy in the best sense of the word--and the survivor of an abusive father. This is the only book I ever bought in hardcover and paid retail for. Thats endorsement enough!

HB

hillbilly

Another year... and another ride in. New Year's Eve was cool and clear and windy........ New Year's Day was very warm, near 55 F, damned tropical for Michigan in winter. We are all wintering happily and living off the fat of a good harvest.

Happy New Year and God Bless us All!

~~Hill

arrowstar

Happy New Year, dear.

Lisa

hillbilly

Happy 2006!

~Hill

My New YEARS DEAL....

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