In 2011, I began this blog partially to chronicle my journey with Honor, our Quarab gelding.(Here's a link to read about that:)
It has definitely been a ride! Indeed, sometimes I've contemplated passing him on to someone more experienced than I. He is a beautiful boy, but I am not as unbreakable as I was at 19, and the more I endeavored to teach him, the more I realized that while I knew how to ride (or more accurately, how not to fall off), I did not really know how to advance him beyond the basics (and even some of those were missing).
Enter an amazing trainer in the Redding area. She has transformed this equine equivalent of a slightly snarky teenage boy into an attentive, collected, respectful mount. She has also transformed yours truly from a self-taught bareback rider into one who can give proper leg and rein cues, and command respect in the saddle and on the ground. Yes. And now I'm taking Honor out on the trails and we are having an idyllic time.
I know there are deeper meanings to this chain of events, which I could and probably will delve into at some point, but honestly, my brain hasn't had enough coffee for that yet, and really, I just wanted to give an update on Honor because I'm so thrilled with who he has become and the fact that I am able to go out riding under the endless October sky.
I just found you via your article on country kitchens for Grit. Love your story about Honor. I have similar with my Splashmanian Devil paint who we were given to love after he developed a headshaking response in the show ring. Since we have loved him with gentleness and not held him to a demanding show schedule and barn shuffle, he has become a wonderful equine friend " ) Neither of us are in the condition that we once were, but hopefully we can improve that in the coming months--- happy trails!
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