My wife took her first lesson in 25+ years tonight. The place she picked out has a heated indoor ring, which is good because it was getting dark out when we got there, and it is definitely getting colder. They gave her a early to mid-teens horse with one eye. I think they might use him a lot for lessons. He's pretty easy going, but I could see it in his expression he was done with work for the day and just wanted to go back to the pasture. She had a 30 minute lesson, re-learned how to walk him around, had him go through a slalom of cones, pull into a box of cones, turn around in the box, and back up a few times. She didn't get trampled, or kicked, but when it came time to get off the horse, she misjudged the height and fell down. As soon as I can find the right apps to downsize it and convert it to a gif, I'll upload it.

When she was done, she brushed him, gave him a couple of treats, and was leading him toward the pasture when the trainer's daughter said "your 5:30 is here", and they had to bring him back in. If that horse could have talked, he would have let out a F-bomb. I could tell he was pissed on the way back to the stable.

The stable offers 30 minute and 60 minute lessons, and if you buy a pack of 5 you can save 10%. They also offer boarding, and have some horses that you can lease. I'm guessing this is a partial lease, as it's cheaper to lease a horse than board a horse, and I'm hoping if the wife continues with this, that's what she chooses, at least for a few years. The leases are even month-to-month, and you can drop any time you want.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1700533517.jpg

That is a great pic, Rock.

I wanted to add to this thread again because I think it is important that horses at the end are not like taking a dog or cat to the vet...it requires planning and a lot of logistics.

The picture below is my wife, daughter and Batman, her horse for over ten years. It's his last bath on the mats (hot and cold water) before he was put down and buried on the farm...I drive by his grave when I am out with the dogs and smile every time. He was the real deal.

Tears.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1702320489.jpg

I found out the horse my wife is using for her lessons is a ringer.
He's a former reining horse, even with the one eye. I found a few videos of him in competition about 8 or 9 years ago. He has over 600 half siblings, his daddy apparently has some pretty good genes, and has won quite a bit of money.

When my wife was done with her second lesson, the instructor's daughter got up on him, and spun him around and ran him around the ring with just her heels, didn't need to use the reins at all. It gave my wife inspiration.

I have very little equine experience, but what little I have made me think that they are amazing animals, and I can see how a person and horse could get super attached to each other as much as any other family pet. Absolutely amazing animals. I remember years ago (20?) being in New Orleans and seeing the horses used for tours with sores where their gear rubbed them which killed me.
Wow, very cool. I hope your wife loves it, but manages, at least for a while to keep it to a reasonable expense.

Thought I'd post an update.

On Valentine's day I arranged for a double lesson. Partially for her, and also to prep me for part two. Since I hadn't been on a horse since the 80's, I thought a refresher would help, plus I needed to see if riding a horse would set off my back issues. Luckily it didn't.

Part two - we just got back from a trip to Hawaii. I booked a ride for my wife and I, and my brother and his wife. We went to the Gunstock ranch on the north shore of Oahu. I highly recommend the place. They take you around the ranch, an old sugar cane plantation. They take you up to the top of a hill where you can see out all the way to the ocean, great view.

When we were almost back to the stable, we had to stop while one of the guides opened a gate. My sister-in-law's horse jumped out of line, I think he was in a hurry to get back. My wife's horse followed him, and when he stopped suddenly, my wife's horse bit him in the butt. This caused him to buck a little bit, and my sister-in-law panicked. He didn't run off though, he just froze and refused to get back in line. The guide ended up putting them in the back of the line, and the drama was over. I needled my wife a bit about being unable to control her horse.

We might plan other rides on other vacations.

Good stuff Rockfan!

Just now seeing this thread.

I grew up in Virginia and went riding quite a bit...thought it was fantastic!

Later in life, now in Florida, and much older I dated an optometrist in Naples who stabled her two (Neb and Lovey) in Ft Myers, so went riding with her a bit before we broke up.

We met when I had a tree branch scratch one of my eyes and went in to the Naples office of Eye Center of Florida to get treatment. That's not how to meet girls but sometimes it just works out that way......

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1709339492.jpg

Then there was this other girl who had a place in the country.......

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1709402327.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1709402327.jpg

She's cute but a bit of an ass...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1709407028.jpg

:p