Share Horse Stuff

Sorry I haven't posted in ages, I've been ridiculously busy doing art coursework and what not. I thought I would talk about my share horse Murray. If you are not horsey, I'm sorry but some people are including myself so I just thought it would be an interesting topic to write on, and if you are not into horses but would like to know a little about my horsey life, then keep reading!

I currently share Murray, a skewbald, 15.2hh(ish), lazy, riding school horse. That is what he looks like to the right.

I share him once every two weeks, and I have a riding lesson at the same place but sometimes on a different horse on the other week. He is lovely, a 'wouldn't hurt a fly' type. He can be a bit funny though, for example, in the stable, you can't move quickly or suddenly as he threatens to bite and when riding him he is ridiculously slow at times. Also, if you try to use the schooling whip to get him moving a bit (only a light tickle behind the leg), he just resists it and throws the occasional buck. He is such a sweetie though and behaves very nicely on the ground. He does jump but it seems to be more upward than forward with feels very giraffe like! He goes hunting occasionally and is apparently a lot faster then, he must be more a happy hacker.

For my riding, I have been riding for 8 years, although I really don't look it, it looks like I've been riding for about 1 or 2. I don't want to be the best rider though, I just want to enjoy it an have a fun time. I have ridden at 4 yards and I've never owned or shared/loaned a horse before so sharing Murray, despite it being a riding school share and not very often, is a big deal for me. I've been looking for a share for over 3 years so I'm very glad I've found him.

Here is another picture, for want of a better image of me riding. (Sorry about the pink, this was when my camera was on it's last legs)

The horse I'm riding here is Coco. He is a livery at the yard but he is used in the riding school when his owner can't ride him. He is roughly 17hh and is black with a white belly and 3 white legs and a semi-bald face. He hunts with his owner a lot and he does get very strong so arm muscles are needed with him. He is a Jekyll and Hyde type horse in the way that one day he will be whizzing around the school and jumping anything in sight, and the next day he will refuse to do anything more than a slow trot and just has no impulsion whatsoever. He is a darling though and the only time I have fallen off of him was when he spooked at a barking dog, completely not his fault.

Anyhow, that is my horsey life so far and I will keep you posted. (Sorry if my grammar is a bit iffy today, I've eaten far too many Doritos at my friends place and the chemicals are doing my head in)