On the advice of my new trainer, Barb Kohr at Halcyon Farm, I leased an "aged" show horse with a very credible record. When asked how old Simon actually is, I say somewhere between 24 and 30 years old, depending on who you talk to. You see, Simon is a lot like me; he doesn't think he's old at all! He still runs with his pasturemates on a chilly day and kicks his hind legs in the air like a 2-year-old. When I see that, I can only laugh, even if I am trying to bring him in so we can have a lesson. In the ring, he is the teacher. He is patient to a point, and then makes sure I "do it right." If I'm up his neck on a jump, he let's me know--and not always in a kindly way. If I let him do his job when "Simon Says," we are usually successful. Just like me, he cleans up great for show day, and if nothing else, we always look the part. You see, I do take George Morris' comments very seriously.
While I've only experienced 10 of the 28 things on Jim Wofford's list, a day never goes by that I don't stop for a minute to think how lucky I am to be in a world with horses in it. I might still be a rider and I might never be a horseman, but I always appreciate the opportunity to participate in a sport filled with such wonderful and talented people and animals.
Robin Hawley
York Haven, Pa.
I loved your article, "Are You a Horseman, or Just a Rider?" with Jim Wofford's list. I was a very blessed inner-city kid who landed at Onondarka Sables in Los Angeles at the age of 7 or 8. The Simingtons, who owned the barn, took me in and taught me about loving horses, thus, taught me that there were so many things in life to learn and love. I felt moved to send you my list of "Have you ever--"
- Trained a horse to bow and to go on the flat and over fences without a saddle or bridle.
- Stood on your horse's back and jumped something higher than your head.
- Jumped a human horseback.
- Ridden through a gymnastic consisting of 6-8 verticals and oxers with NO GIRTH, NO STIRRUPS, NO HANDS, singing a favorite nursery rhyme and lived to tell about it.
- Led school horses out of a wild fire in a box canyon.
- Snuck your city horse out of his stall in the middle of the night to graze illegally, enjoying the happy munching and thanking your lucky stars for the wonder of horses.
I could probably list things like these endlessly, but these stuck out as the highlights in my 50-plus years riding and training horses. I'm fortunate to still be able to ride at 65 years old and like many others, I've taken up dressage. I depend on the Practical Horseman training articles to keep abreast of new things; they are greatly appreciated and helpful.
In closing, I think Jim Wofford has yet to throw a diamond hitch on a pack horse, taken off a bell boot in a tux and ridden a horse above the timberline.
Judy Fendley
Lake Cormorant, Miss.
For more letters about the December 2006 column and additions to Jim's list, pick up the March 2007 issue of Practical Horseman and visit the Practical Horseman Forum.
