Just a simple poll for all miniature horse owners

[KrisP]

I also have had horses for well over 20 years but consider my knowledge intermediate, there is so much more to learn in all aspects of the horse world. I've only had 6 riding lessons as a child, everything else has been learned as I go and by my own studying and research. I spend more time observing the horses and learning herd behaviour these days :bgrin

I also so agree with Jean B, anyone that is done learning is either dead or a blockhead, lol, love that!

My personal comment has been the day I quit learning is the day I die.

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Krisp

 

[chandab]

I said 16-20 years and intermediate. I have had my senior gelding for 20 of his nearly 23 years (I had him at home til college, then he was boarded on self-care for many years and now at home again). I don't do English or jumping and I'm new to driving. Always more to learn.

 

[AJ]

In the corporate world when I had to assess experience, I usually broke it down to , did the person have 20 yr exp, OR 10 yrs twice or often it was 2 yrs , ten times over. Therefore, experience should be based on what a person has all done, been exposed to, number of horses dealt with etc. Ex, a person with 30 horses could experience as many different health issues in one year as the 2 horse person would in 15 years. Just food for thought.

 

[sedeh]

I have had horses for over 20 years but I'm fairly new to mini's and have had them for 1 1/2 years. I'll always be an intermediate.......I'm always finding new stuff to learn(especially now with the mini's) and whenever I think I "know" something someone will show me a better way. This year I'm going to learn to drive!! Yippee!!

 

[capall beag]

I started riding when I was 2!

I had weekly lessons from 6-10 and got my own pony at 8. I had an older sister who also rode, we had SO much fun! We hunted with the Bray Harriers, we were members of the Pony club, we did 2 day eventing, show jumping and rode are horses daily!

My parents NEVER lifted a finger to help us! My mother never even came out to the stables and my father was a businessman and busy doing that! He did trailer us around the country to the different events, was always supportive both emotionally and financially

and he loved to follow and encourage our achievements.

I left home for College at 18 and my last pony was sold.

At 31 I couldn't stand it anymore! I went and bought a pony for the 'girls'

:

: , at 3 my daughter ahd very little interest!

I built a stable, built a fence and brought the pony home!!!!

I have tons to learn with mini's because they are very different really. I have lots to learn and feel like a little sponge on this forum trying to absorb all the info I can!

I have always and still do feel very comfortable around animals. I think when you grow up with them you naturally know how to be around them. I have never been one to do things by the book BUT am trying to when it comes to my sweet little minis!

:

I don't plan to be horseless again for the rest of my days!

 

[royalview]

I have been into horses for 33 years, making a living at it for 24 teaching, boarding training, and I would NEVER call myself an expert at any part of it. One of the major things that draws me to horses is you never stop learning!!! It is so fun to learn new things and that is one of the reasons I got involved with minis. Now I will say I am a novice at color genetics, rabbitfizz you are a wealth of info, I learn alot from you bravo to all who teach!! :aktion033:

 

[js1arab]

Well, I don't want to be disagreeable, but my dislike for the expert choice came from saying you had mastered "all" of any discipline. I do feel there are experts out there, but I doubt there are many people in any field that know "all" of even their chosen discipline. I chose the advanced level. I have worked with several breeds for close to twenty years and help my friends work some of their young stock, but I will never be an expert and since I am still a bit nervous in the ring, I wouldn't make a good pro just yet even though I feel very confident in my ability to train. Neat post though and it is interesting to see how everyone feels about themselves. Maybe the next poll could be how everyone else sees us LOL - Just being sarcastic

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[Becky]

I've owned, shown, bred and trained horses for over 40 years and currently make my living as a breeder and trainer. However professional that is, I am always learning something new! As others have said, the day you quit learnng, is the day you die!

With new technology and new studies being done all the time, there is so much to learn regarding feeding, nutrition, breeding, genetics, training, etc. I hope I never stop learning!

 

[Robin_C]

With the exception of a "time out" to raise my first child, horses have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. My mother, a riding instructor at a large farm, didn't have "daycare", so at 6 weeks I was in the saddle in front of her (I can thank my dear old Mom for being the excellent horsewoman she was, since I live to tell the tale

: ). She and I owned and worked horses together until the day she passed away. But the horse world lost a bigger treasure when my grandfather passed. He had been a professional horseman all his life, having trained for some of the most famous saddlebred farms in the nation. He was still working horses alongside me and my mother when he was pushing 80. I'll be eternally grateful for the knowledge he passed along to me, but perhaps more importantly something he told me. He said that the worst type of horseman was one who claimed to know everything, because that was the horseman who knew nothing. His motto was: "Each and every time you meet a new horse, you start to learn all over again." How right he was!

Robin C

 

[Devon]

1-5 intermediate..Wasnt sure what level I ride twice a week Hunter have shown for four years also own wee man who I have trained to do everything and shown him 3 years but I wasnt sure what to classify lol.

 

[jleonard]

I have had horses and been riding since 1998. I chose intermediate, because while I know a lot about many areas of horsemanship I know I still have a lot to learn in other areas, such as showing minis for example!

:

This is a great poll!

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

6+ years with minis and I would call myself an intermediate.

There are a couple of areas that I might be close to advanced in and definitely alot more that I would be still be a novice! I seriously think I learn something about horses and minis on a daily basis.

 

[Kathy2m]

I've had horses in and out of my life since I was 11. I wanted to make a career out of horses so my parents sent me to Meredith Manor in 1978, when Kay Meredith was still there (some of you Dressage people might know her). I learned alot but, like most of you have said, and the reason while I joined this forum you can never learn enough. According to the pole I would be a professional because I have taught and trained H/J and lower levels of Dressage for over 20 yrs. I've seen the KNOW IT ALL trainers, I vowed never to be that way. So with foaling season starting get ready for all my questions!!!!!!!

 

[Tammie-C_Spots]

I have 20+ years hands on. I chose the advanced option because I don't think anyone will know all there is to know. I guess I'd be between advanced and professional. I've ridden all seats, driven pleasure horses, trained horses western, english pleasure, saddleseat, sidesaddle and driving over the years. My favorite overall though is breeding and the babies

Tammie

 

[Kendra]

"I have mastered all areas of horsemanship knowledge"

I don't believe it's possible to make this statement. The minute you believe you know everything about horses is the minute you prove how little you know. It's one of the wonderful things about horses is that there is ALWAYS something new to learn!

 

[Black Magic]

Gosh, it was difficult to find the correct area for me. I put novice, but I'm not sure even about that anymore. My first experience was doing trails at a farm to make a few bucks. I can't say I was a good rider, but those horses were old, and as long as you didn't kick the horse, you could stay on it for the course of the trail, and hang on for dear life on the way back. Then Mom sent me a a women's college where we had a trainer that was from Germany and all the ladies, except the roomie and I were doing dressage, owned their own $50k horses, trailers, trucks and had their own private grooms.... roomie and I ... had to fend for ourselves with rental horses... seven days a week, six hours a day if we got off lucky. I left the school doing the h/j thing and was able to go over some nice size jumps, flapping like a bird, but not falling off... but heck, I even went over full size corral panels. and didn't fall off. Then I moved on to doing pony rides, (again to earn money) and doing carriage rides. I did that for two different employeers. One place i worked, driving was like the trail rides. The only think I had to make sure was the horse didn't start out until everyone was in the carriage. The horses knew the routine better then I did.

Three years ago.. (this Feb.) we purchased our first mini and my very first, personally owned horse, and much to our distres, we purhcased Horsezilla! It took me an entire year to realize that he kicks at EVERYTHING... but has never landed a kick! When I realized he was all show and just a very blustery proud "R" (325 lb 36") mini, it was easy to get him saddle broke. He finally decided that it was just too much energy to kick at everything in sight. He is now saddle broke, our six year old rides him, and does cross ties, and he's a great trail horse. He thinks he's a full size horse. He was gelded, but he loves to flirt with the QH. Oh, yes, we now have three minis, another one on the way, and of course, the QH.

So I think ... that all adds up to novice...

 

[Hosscrazy]

More than 20 years experience and the more I learn the more I realize I don't know!!! :aktion033:

Every day, and I mean EVERY DAY...I am learning something new!

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Liz R.

 

[Lauralee]

Hi folks....sorry if my chosen wording was not suitable for the definition of Expert.

I fully expect that experts and professionals continue learning as new techniques develop.

So there wasn't any hidden message in my poorly worded definition. And like the master of any profession, be it medicine, hairstyling, plumbing, or waste disposal, there are always new things to learn! However, it is possible to be a master of your trade and continue learning.

 

[anoki]

Well, I got my first mini 16 years ago (I had a donkey 6 years before that, but I didn't really have much to do with their care until I got the mini), and it's been downhill since then!! :bgrin

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I have been serious into the big horses for the past 10 years now (as well as growing my mini herd), and I've learned soooo much from my coaches that has also helped me out tremendously with the minis....but I am still learning! So I put Intermediate....

I liked Lisa ruff n tuff's post about Hilda Gurney though....very true!

~kathryn

 

[Dona]

DANG DONA!!!! I hope I look that good and stay as physically fit when I am your age!!!!

You are TOO kind Lauralee. Believe me...age is taking it's toll.

: I'm on a regiman now to lose the 30 lbs I put on over the last two years. Unfortunately, as I get older....the more I love to eat, and less I like to exercise.

Not a good combination when you get up in age. The older you get, the more active you need to be & the less you should eat. Now I ask you....just HOW is that fair! :no: