Sunset Farms

05/21/2023

03/28/2023

Thinking of you

One day I feel happy,
The next day I feel sad;
One day I feel good,
The next day I feel bad.

08/05/2022

SO True😊

07/31/2022

true

Platitudes take on lives of their own---If something is said repeatedly, many people begin to believe it simply out of familiarity, and such a platitude is this one about bits for horses---

“It isn’t the bit. It is the hands holding the bit.”

There’s enough truth here to hide an even more accurate underlying truth. Certainly, rough, hard hands can hurt a horse even with a mild bit like a medium sized smooth snaffle. But those same rough hard hands can hurt a horse so much more when they are attached to a bit specifically designed to be uncomfortable, like a double twisted wire, or to a bit with strong leverage such as a long shanked bit with a curb chain.

When the rider has tremendous power to cause discomfort based on some specific bit, it can too easily turn into that other saying, “a razor in a monkey’s paw.”

The razor itself doesn’t cut if it is used with extreme caution, but that slashing potential is never far away. Same thing with a heavily bitted horse. The hands holding those reins need to be highly skilled and educated hands, and the temperament of the rider can’t be impatient or easily frustrated, and that is not a combination that the average rider brings to the situation.

It can go wrong in a nanosecond.

07/29/2022

🥰

🐴💯🐴

07/20/2022

always❤️

I Hung up my Bridle Today

For anyone who might think they shouldn't ride horses anymore.

this is beautiful:

I Hung up my Bridle Today
by Kris Garrett
11-11-09

Yesterday, for the first time, I was too tired to ride
Yesterday, for the first time, I was afraid I would be hurt if I was thrown
Yesterday, for the first time, I heard someone say my barn was too shabby
Yesterday, for the first time, I let someone tell me I was too pudgy to ride
Yesterday, for the first time, I realized I was old
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to face that I could no longer keep up
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to let go of my dreams
Yesterday, for the first time, I felt my heart break
Yesterday, for the first time, I turned my back on my friend
Yesterday, for the first time, I knew I was done
Today, for the last time, I felt warm, braided leather in my hands.
Today, for the last time, I ran my stirrups up so they wouldn't bang my mare's sides
Today, for the last time, I released the buckles on the girth and watched my girl sigh
Today, for the last time, I slowly dropped the bit so it wouldn't hit her teeth
Today, for the last time, I gave my mare a cookie to thank her for the ride
Today, for the last time, I buried my head in her soft, warm neck
Today, for the last time, I inhaled the sun and the dust in her long winter coat
Today, for the last time, I closed the gate and trudged to the muddy porch
Today, for the last time, I tracked hay and horse hair into my house
Today, for the last time, I pulled off my boots and felt the sting of warm blood returning to my cold toes
Today, for the first time, I cried after my ride
Today, for the first time, I felt my hands shake as I set the saddle on its rack
Today, for the first time, I hugged my young trainer a final goodbye
Today, for the first time, I waited for the new owner's trailer to arrive
Today, for the first time, I set my boots in a box to go to the Goodwill
Today, for the first time, I sighed at the wear on my riding gloves
Today, for the first time, I had no hay in my hair
Today, for the first time, I did not hear nickering when I opened my back door
Today, for the first time, I felt worse leaving the barn that I did when I entered
Today, for the first time, I had no one to check on before going to bed
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't have to buy hay
Tomorrow, for the first time, I can stay in bed longer
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't see the p**p pile grow
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't be able to fly on four legs
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be sorry I listened
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will regret letting her go
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at God
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at myself
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will cry the day away
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be glad to die
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will awaken in tears
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will know I was wrong
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will defy all the judgement
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will ignore my old bones
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will return the buyer's check
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will bring my friend home
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will take my boots out of the box
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will be reborn
For the rest of my life, I will have a horse in my yard
For the rest of my life, I will ignore the cruel judging
For the rest of my life, I will watch the p**p pile grow
For the rest of my life, I will have hay in my hair
For the rest of my life, I will track mud in my house
For the rest of my life, I will bury my face in her soft neck
For the rest of my life, I will let my soul fly
For the rest of my life, I will never be alone

06/28/2022

Christian Langeder is every hard working horse's BEST FRIEND!☺️

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