It's Not Just About Riding

Most of us got involved with horses because we love them and enjoy riding, but it doesn't take long to figure out how much more goes into the sport than just swinging a leg over the saddle.  For those who grew up with horses in their back yards or have been in the business awhile, it is easy to forget how special it is to be able to care for and spend time with the animals.

The workdays at QRF, like the one this past Saturday, remind me of how great it is to be able to learn horsemanship from the ground up. (Which is more fun than from the ground looking up..ie. after a fall!)  As usual, we had a great group of young people to help with barn duties ranging from mucking and scrubbing buckets to cleaning tack.  They get to spend a little hands on time to appreciate what goes into running a barn, and we get a slight breather from the same old grind.

The horse business is definitely not a nine to five undertaking, and it certainly isn't boring.  To keep horses happy and as close to natural as possible when they would much rather be fat, shaggy, and turn out twenty four hours a day is a juggling act.  Hopefully, the kids who come through our program learn that becoming a horseman isn't something that you can do for an hour once a week, but takes a lifetime of work.