I have seen quite a few topics on fat people riding, and peoples' opinions & thoughts on it. I have my own opinions. You know what? I'm fat. I ride my horses anyways. I have fun, & get off my butt & do something. It gets me out of the house, out of my head, and gives me a sense of pride & accomplishment, when we do something.
I threatened to start this thread a few months ago... and a few said it was a good idea... but it never happened.
So here it is.
Come on in, say hi, post pics, (or not), tell us about you, your horse, what you enjoy doing with them, goals if you have some, hopes, dreams, and heck, if you're just having a bad day, we're here for you!

So, I'll go first.
I'm Melissa, people here call me Red... I'm 38, have had 3 kids by c section, and bad knees. I'm 5'6", & pushing really hard at 198#. My boobs make my back hurt, cold makes my knees hurt, I have bad tendonitis in my elbows, and it's probably all weight related. I tried to quit smoking after 23 years, back in April, & quickly packed back on the 28# I'd lost from my diet started in January. So my diet plan now is I started smoking again. Weight increase has at least stopped. Probably not the best idea, but keeps me from a full blown panic attack.

On to pics!
Here's me 8 years ago, on my then 2 yr old gelding.

200#.
Same horse, this spring... 180#

(He grew a little!)
My QH mare when I got her 4 years ago...

Me on my 3 yr old filly.

(Yea... it took a lot for me to post this!)
So, instead of freaking out & going on a starvation diet.... I got a bigger horse.


(Seriously, that was a week later, amazing what jeans hide, & dark colors do when you suck your gut in,& saddles do for your posture, huh?)
My pony in an in hand Trail class... black is not as slimming as I had hoped!


When I was in HS, I was one of the little pipsqueaks... 115# soaking wet. I ran barrels with friends on the weekends, won a little money here & there, & loved it. Then life happened.
My kids are now old enough to wipe their own butts, and I can breathe! So now, my Goal, is to get my blue horse started on the barrel pattern, maybe drop a couple pounds in the process, and get back into it. I traded my red gelding for him after running him the last 2 summers... he hated it. He is now a happy trail horse, & Rio is my new victim.


So, anyone feel like chatting? Who else is not afraid to admit we're not a Barbie, and we DO stuff with our horses anyways?

I'm not! LOL. I'm about 5'11" and I weigh about 207. I'm working hard to get down to a good weight. It's just SO hard. My brother is a bean pole and my mom doesn't care anymore, so they always are bringing bad food into the house. Blah. Two years ago, I weighed 155, I was so slim, it was weird haha. But I ride a huge WB that has big ol' bones so we have no problems there.

I like to exercise, but sometimes it's hard to get up and go do it. I love going on the eliptical for 2 miles and it's easy *gasp* lol. But if I try the treadmil, I like die. For some reason it just doesn't like me.

Hi WB! Wow, 5'11"... No short horses for you, huh? So... what do YOU want to be when you grow up? (I haven't decided yet, myself!)

Hi! I'm Krista, and I too am overweight. I've struggled with it my entire life. At the moment I am over 300 lbs. My mare is a 17 yr old Appy named Belle who weighs in at roughly 1200 lbs or so. I've worried for years that my weight was hurting her, but I've been told that I am very balanced and have a good seat, and she hasn't showed even the slightest sign of discomfort We trail ride and hit the occasional fun show for the western pleasure classes. I also have a yearling solid Paint bred gelding named Connor. I'm planning on starting him myself, but not until he's at least 3 and I've lost a pile of weight. Until then we'll be hitting the trails on foot, doing lots of ground work, and will show in halter classes at the Paint shows. Eventually he will be my next show horse and trail buddy.

And now for pictures!!
This is Belle and I at a fun show in July


Belle and I at home


At a friends place


At another fun show




Bridleless

Hi Red and WB...

I'm 5'6" and weigh 179 pounds. I am going to be 45 years old the 21st of this month. I have a 16 year old and a 12 year old. Oh yeah, I got the husband too, lol.

I wish I weighed less. I'd love to be 155 but alas, I have no will power. The more I think about losing weight the more I eat. I had to confess to myself that I've been this weight for the past 2 1/2 to 3 years. I like to think this was a recent weight problem but it's not. I have no more muscle tone in my belly. It is just jelly .

I feel like I'm too heavy for my QH Max but he loves me anyway. I feel better on my QH Cotton but he's a bit bulkier than Max. I have started to run barrels. Last year at the end of the season I got the courage to get out there. This coming summer I'll start the club early and do the full season. I worry too much about what people think I guess. I have found that once your out in the pattern, the last thing you think about is what people might be thinking. I attached a video of my first run ever. This was after watching for a full winter season and most of the summer season:


I have recently come to the conclusion that I have to like me for me I guess. I'm am the size I am and until I can get the will power to really change it, well you get my drift.

Thanks for the thread.

Deb

ps, I think I put on a couple more pounds since the picture below was taken



edited for spelling

Hi Krissy! Welcome!
I am so freakin Jealous of you right now it's not even funny! You can ride bridleless??? Did you train her yourself for that? How long did it take? Your mare is gorgeous, & she looks happy working with you! (My mare hides from me! The boys & the filly are easier to catch...)

Krista, Your mare is Beautiful! I think you are fine on her. She's built really nice.

BTW - Red, I love that blue horse of yours. I have always been partial to the Blue Roans. If I could have a 3rd horse, that would certainly be a first choice.

Can't forget a few pictures of my boy!

This is Connor and I in August (he would've been about 14 months in this picture) I'm about 5'8, if that gives you an idea of his height




And here is the boy in late September (about 15 months old)




So there's my boy Does he look like he'll be a good size to you?

Hi Deb! Great Run! I hear ya about what people think... I just joined a local saddle club this June... and after hitting 6 shows, only 1 or 2 people even notice or say Hi to me... which reminds me... meeting tonight. I went last month, & felt so out of place! But, I managed to invite myself on a camping trip, that was fun!
(Posted a thread about it on the trail riding forum)

LOL, Here's a video from my first show last summer... you did a lot better than I did...

I didn't place at all until I think it was the 3rd show THIS year. I got a 5th & a 4th, (Only because it was raining cats & dogs, most of my competition went home!) but hey, what a confidence booster!

Awww, Krissy (Or do you prefer Krista?) he looks like a baby version of my old gelding, "Bo"!

Deb... the Blue is "Rio", I got him in July. He's such a character, I love him already!

Oh, I forgot one horse... well, he's CJF's horse. (CJF Farrier on here, he checks in sporadically... we're engaged, no set date yet...)
Anyways, here's "Rocket", his 2 1/2 yr old Fox Trotter.

I know NOTHING about gaited horses, but CJF swears by them. He said to get him started, he'll fix his gait when I have him going well. (If you ask me, it's like riding a cross between a drunk mule & a camel...)

Thanks Red If you could have been in my head for both those seasons listening to my cousin and her daughter. I took so many mental notes about what I was suppose to do and what to watch for. It's a lot to remember if you think about it.

Rio is a good name. Fits him too.

Well, I have to get back to work.

Have a great day everyone.

Deb

Thanks girls! I did train Belle to go bridleless on my own, pretty much She used to have a bit of a rearing problem as a younger mare, and I'm so proud of how far she has come A friend had me trying a bit of natural horsemanship, and before long we had Belle going in a rope halter instead of a bridle (and what a difference!) One day I just said to myself "Hey, try slipping the halter off and see what happens" I don't do much of the NH now, and but I think she could pick the bridleless thing up again no problem! Give it a try, it's a blast!


Almost forgot, I usually go by Krista You both look great, by the way!!

Ok, Krista it is!
I tried riding my filly in just a halter... it worked for about 5 minutes...(bareback pic) but then everyone else started running through the big pasture, she lost all focus on me, & got a little squirrelly. I don't bounce as well as I used to... so I got off & got the saddle & bridle. Maybe I should try it again with her when it snows....

Oh red Bless your heart. We fat girls can ride and be damned proud of it! I'd post pics but I got video's loading so I can register my baby. I'm 44 (45 in Dec) 245 lbs. I have Advanced Degenerative Disc in my lower back. My right hip, knees and ankles are shot. I live in pain daily. Years of thoroughbred racing horses knocking me around and mucking stalls have taken their toll on my body so I've gone GAITED! In about 2 years I will be back in the saddle again. Riding stock horses makes it unable for me to move the next day. I am working on getting weight off but that's easier said than done. As long as I can get my foot in the stirrup I'm riding!

Keep doing what you love girls!

Alrighty! REMONA! YOU are now my new favorite person! Can I volunteer you to be my "Go To" person when I have questions about Rocket? I swear, I have no idea if he's messing me up or if I'm messing him up... but 2 rides so far, & both times he bounced my boobs RIGHT out of my bra!!! That's not normal..... right?

I would be proud to join your group! I am 44 and a single mom. I am 5'5" and weigh almost 250#. I have debated this very topic many times on the debate board. I decided long ago to love myself the way I am and not try to change anything to please anyone else. I am very happy with my life and wouldn't change a thing! I ride a 15 hand Appaloosa gelding and Johnny loves me the way I am, the same way I feel about him! He has a little weight problem himself, but it doesn't stop him from taking me on 6 hour trail rides through some pretty rough terrain!
I have to add that you all look great on your beautiful horses! And don't let anyone ever tell you different!

Here's Johnny and I on a trail ride a couple of years ago. If I can get it to upload!
Deb

Welcome Loud Appy! Johnny is Gorgeous! You look great too!

Wow, this is getting a lot more attention than I ever thought it would! I hope we can keep this going for a little while...

Thanks redneck for starting this. Yes i am about 300 pounds myself and aint proud of it. So for that fact i sold my riding horses and feel like i am to big to ride. The mistake i made was selling my three year old gelding cause peolple said i was too big to be on him. I am working on my weight and currantly own a 9 month weanling hoping i will loose enough weight to ride her and feel comfortable. i really wish i had a horse i could ride again cause i miss it so much.


me november 2006 with my then yearling Apollo Sold him cause he was going to be pony size


this me with the three year old i sold feb 2008

i can tell i lost some but not much so hopefully i will get back on track and loose more

Hi all

Saw the title of this thread and had to join in.....I am rather new to posting on the board, though I have been lurking here for quite a few years.

My name is Lynn and I am 37. I am 5'6" and about 215lbs. My daughter and I ride together. I tried my hand at barrel racing this past year and didn't do too bad, but broke my wrist at the end of a run in July and just haven't been able to get back in the swing, so just trail riding now, but that is better than nothing!! Also did some pole bending and western pleasure classes.

Anywho, hope ya'll don't mind me bargin in here, but like I said, saw the title and had to post, lol.


My mare and I at a show this summer


And one more


My daughter and I in the ribbon race at the same show

Hey can I join! My name is Jasmine and I'm full figured women myself. I'm about 5'10" and was a size 22 but now I'm down to a size 16 my goal is a size 12. (I haven't been a size 12 since right after highschool.) I've been around horses all my life and I'm not about to give them up. Hopefully this spring & summer our mare Molly will be legged up and we can hit some barrel races ( She had an 08 foal and wasn't competeing), then still show Jr. Hubby wants me to start roping in shows, and I think that will be fun... nerve wracking but fun.

Here is a picture of Molly with Dollar (sorry really old picture from Sprin 08)


The picture of me and Jr is from August at a team sorting we went to, and my team won it!

Hey, Tampa! That filly you have now... that's the one you JUST found out was N/H, right? Well, hopefully she's going to just be a carrier, & not symptomatic... my buddy Equi-Librium has an Impressive bred boy(he's N/N though)... & she's not exactly a tiny little thing either... but Louie is big enough to carry her AND me! Hopefully she'll pop in here & post a pic of him & her...


And it's all about our non judgmental equine friends, right?
Hey, here's an idea... what about a driving pony, till your little girl grows up?
My little fuzz butt is doing very well at hauling us around... CJF is pushing 270... the pony can pull him, me & the kid in the cart... he did the whole 6 mile loop around our place at a trot & never broke a sweat.

Welcome, Lynn! Come on in!

HEY DUNS, THERE you are!!!! Where ya been hiding?????

SUCH a good idea Red!

Hi everyone! My name is, well, whatever you wanna call me... my given name is Lacey. So Lace-o, Lucille... whatever hahaha.

My current weight is around 260, with most of it residing in my a$$. LMAO. I was told in high school that the reason it is so big, is because i ride so much. Therefor, it spreads to the sides instead of spreading to the back. So i guess you could say i have a redneck ghetto booty? HA. I was a lil skinny mini with bright blonde hair up until thrid grade, when my doctor put me on albutorol for my asthma, causing the side affect of gaining weight. By the time i was in 4th grade, my body pretty much exploded... :(

ANYWHO. I have 13 years of experience on the back of horse. I'd ridden/leased over ten before i got, my now old retired man, Rio when i was 14 (he was 16). I now have three wonderful boys. Rio - the herd matriarch, Quincy - my main man, and Chiko - my yearling mustang. I LOVE riding, it makes me feel good about myself, and people say i am quite a good rider. I'm more knowledgeable about horses and the way they work than most of the friends that i grew up riding with, and i set myself out to make a name for myself somehow. In my county, i guess you could say i did. I excelled at the 4-H shows, and Rio & I won high point at our local saddle club three times in a row. In 2006 we won all-around. Proud, Proud moments. :grin

I did all of Quincy's training myself, and he is capable of taking younger less experienced people for short lil rides as long as im around. I'm starting him on the barrel and pole pattern, but im not sure if thats what i want his job to be. He was bred for reining and i think i am going to take him to my teachers to get trained for it in a year or two. So his job is still in the air, all i know is that i love him.

As for Chiko, hes little. Very little. Im still crossing my fingers for a nice stout 14 hand mustang by next winter... so yeah... cross yours for him as well! He was a training project for school, and my boyfriend paid the adoption fee for my birthday because i would never shut up on how much i loved him and wanted a mustang. Best birthday present ever, i swear.

They are moving home... TODAY. wOOt

As for me? Well, im going to school at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, with a major in Equine Training & Instruction, and a minor in Equine Science. I plan on going to the Oklahoma Farrier School this summer for two weeks and then apprenticing with my farrier throughout the summer. Then maybe having a decent clientel by the beginning of Junior year to give me a decent income throughout the rest of college. BUT, after i graduate from SMWC, due to the economy, i am going to apply to Purdue's Vet Program, to get my associates in veterinary medicine.

I drive a Ford F150, dubbed Lucille. I have a wonderful, loving, caring, handsome, nerd boyfriend that i wouldnt trade for ANYTHING, and he loves me for who I am.

I'm used the looks i get at school when i show up to class, used to the harassment i got growing up about what i love to do. And i push through it, i know im going somewhere...



Theres my story!

I will add pictures when i get to school tomorrow (highspeed!)... i only have dial-up at home... so yeah... not really accessible when im here.

Krista - I have seen many pictures and videos of you an Miss Belle. You are very balanced, have soft hands, and you and Belle make such a good team. How is the house coming? (good I hope!)



Hey Red! Ya I haven't been on the chat hardly at all. Just been really busy showing and getting ready for winter. So far it isn't looking like it is going to slow down.

Alright, I guess I'll join in too. I'm 5'11" and about 226. I joined weight watchers last night. I use to always be thin; then got pregnant, had a baby and got a divorce and somehow GAINED over 100 pounds. Seems I like them because my baby is almost 6 YEARS old now.

I have an older QH mare who is lame/retired. An Andalusian colt who just turned 6 months old. And I ride an Andalusian mare. Luckily Andies are 'war horses' so she can cart me around just fine.

My goal is to be thinner and fit when my baby is old enought to ride at 3 years old. The mare I ride had colic surgery when she had the baby so she and I are going to get back in shape together now. I'm excited to be getting back to riding again - it's been almost 8 months since I rode last. Except cooling out my friends horses for her, and that doesn't really count.

I'm glad to know I'm not alone. I love my horses and riding - and like Red, my kid is just now really old enough that I can actually do it now.

Woo hoo - go us!!

(I'll post pics later - gotta work for a bit now)

Thanks for the welcome

Guess I could add too....I am married and have a 17yo son and a 15yo daughter. Son has no interest in horses, nor does hubby, but daughter and I love them and riding. It's a huge stress reliever for us!!

This is fantastic! Come out of hiding ladies. There is absolutley nothing to be ashamed of!
We are ALIVE!

red, I'm just now learning about gaited breeds since I got my SSH but I can hook you up with a great forum that is nothing but gaited horse people. They have helped me tremendously!

Hi, I'm Jodie and people just call me "Raps" and I am overweight. I'm 32, child-free (unless you count the kitties and my gelding) and have a wonderful fiance who loves me the way I am. I'm 5'7 and I'm not sure of my exact weight. I've been overweight for my adult life, but up until around grade 8 I was slim.

I rode hunters and jumpers from age 7 to 24, and kind of got tired of it and wanted a change. My mom at that time got into roping, (she was 56) so I started going with her to practices, and it looked like a lot of fun, not to mention everyone was super friendly! So I started roping off and on, and a few years later got a bit more serious about it. So I bought my Quarter Horse gelding named Pedro who at 15.1h and 1250lbs has NO trouble carrying me. He has the old stock type build, all shoulder and hip! He was started on heeling and breakaway. Shortly after I got him we had a wreck, and I broke 3 ribs and fractured my T4 vertebrae. It really shook my confidence, and a year later we had another. He's been a pasture ornament at my parents' farm for the last 3 yrs, due to my lack of confidence and apprehension, and in April I moved him to a stable near me. I've been riding and working with him as much as I can, sometimes work gets in the way though!

My goal is to get him started back on cattle this winter, and join our jackpot roping assoc. in the spring! The first roping of the season is in May, right after the Finals.

He's progressing well, but he's not the type that you can leave for a week or two and hop right on and he'll be fine. He needs regular work, so we've encountered a few setbacks to where we've had to go back and start at the 'begining' but he catches up pretty quickly. I still have some confidence/fear issues, so I know that hinders me somewhat. I'm slowly getting better, and I don't do anything I'm not comfortable with.

Here's a pic or two of my guy. I don't have any of myself, I'm camera-phobic!

Free-lunging in the arena:

Welcome, Cowgirl, Mare & Raps!

(Geez, I go to lunch quick, & we have more!!! WHY oh WHY did I put this off!!!)

Remona, I'd love to hear more on a gaited forum... pm me if you have to! (I tried hanging out on the gaited forum here for a bit... posted a couple threads on Rocket... no bites. Maybe I was asking too much?) I think I took a shower that day... so I don't think I smelled funny...

Duns, how's the babies doing?

(I met Duns back in April... took my mare to breed, but she didn't take. Jr is my favorite stud.... but I had to get Kelly back before my 9 yr old got here for the summer, it was going to be a surprise... that didn't work out. Probably one of those weird blessings in disguise things...)

Yeah lol. My mare is 17hh and her filly is about 16.2. Me? Grow up? HA!

a redneck ghetto booty?! I love it!

Red - The babies are doing really well. Everyone around here has their winter coat already. UGH! I hate the cold.

Ghetto booty. I love it!

I love weight watchers! Lost 36 lbs last year on it and have managed to NOT gain any back since getting off track. Was actually thinking about getting back on and I may just do that. It was a lot easier than anything I had ever tried before and a lot of good foods that I didn't have to change the way that I ate.

Hey all, WOW, a thread I can really "fit in" on... sorry bad pun.

I'm Jennifer, 31, 5'7" and weigh 220#. Married, two boys 10 and 5 and a hubby. (biggest kid of all)

I was a size ten all through school up till and right after having my first kid. Then after having him and going back on birth control pills after kid # 1 I packed on 40 lbs. Then it went down hill from there. That on top of bad eating habits that I'd picked up and another kid and here I am.

This is me and Journey (where my user ID comes from) in a fun show last year


This is us at one of our Search and Rescue practices. (actually, this was our first practice)


This is me riding Brat, my 4 YO very green broke filly out of the above gelding. This was early summer this year.


and this is me and Brat in September at a fun show.

Howdy Journey! Cool, a father daughter pair... but dad got gelded, huh?

I just signed up on that spark thread off the "would you sell a horse to a 300# guy" thread..... looks... interesting.

It would be "nice" to get down to a competitive weight for me... but not a major priority right now. That site put me at "Obese" right away & set a goal of losing 50# right away. I guess I need to nose around a bit more before I decide if I'm ok with that or not.... Scheduled dieting scares me. What if I screw it up again?

That Spark thing was crazy IMHO. I joined it a long while ago and never really used it. It wanted me to lose a lot too - and set major goals for me. I like WW. I lost a lot with it a couple years ago. I haven't put it back on; but haven't lost any more either. It is doable and you do it at your pace.

Journey - I like Brat. He is a cutie!! Sounds funny to say he is out of a gelding.....I know, I get it...but it reads funny you know?!

Hi everyone! I wanna join too!

I'm Andi -- not very imaginative with my screen name since it's also my real name!

I'm 48, married, no kids and live in eastern Oregon on a small place of 40 acres. We have a bunch of horses, a stallion we stand, some cows and a bull, 3 goats, 3 turkeys and some pigs that will be in the freezer before Christmas. Oh and 3 dogs and who knows how many barn cats!

I've been slightly overweight most of my life but in recent years, I've gained more than I would care to be packing around. I'm slowly losing a few lbs. here and there but not as much as I would like to, as fast as I would like to. I stepped on the scales holding the saddle I use now and together, we come in at 212 and I'm 5'5" tall.

I've been riding since I was about 6; here is a picture of me at 8 years old on an old Mustang mare named Trixie:



About 6 1/2 years ago, we had a pretty QH mare named Sugar, who did NOT live up to her name AT ALL. She was a total witch. I should have listened to my "inner voice" but no, I had to listen to my husband ... he said, "Oh, just ride her -- she's not going to do anything!" So I did. When no one was home. Against my better judgment. And as I was stepping on her, being careful not to "toe" her or drag my leg over her, she exploded. I landed on the other side of her, knocked out and hurt. My right hip still gives me trouble and hurts all the time. I bruised both kidneys, had a bruise from below my rib cage to my knee and various cuts and scrapes. But my confidence got dealt the biggest blow.

We sold Sugar and got a nice Appy mare named Ty. She was great on the trails and I felt "OK" riding her ... still scared, still wouldn't ride alone, still wouldn't break out of a trot, but I was riding her. But she had one big issue -- she hated men. When she came after my husband, teeth bared, that was it. She was fine in hand but loose? Look out! Here is a photo of me and Ty, in a corral, the first time I swung a leg over a horse since Sugar bucked me off 6 months earlier:



So, we sold Ty and got George. He was a goofy horse, not mean, just didn't really 'know' anything and not exactly as "safe" as he was reputed to be. I don't have any pictures of me on George but I came off him once too, when he spooked and spun in the other direction. So since I was too scared to ride him, we sold him too and got Katie.

Katie is a short, stout, QH mare. She's a nice mare but she has a little more spunk than what it appeared she had when I went and tried her out. She's a pretty nice riding mare but was NOT the confidence builder I needed. She's big enough and stout enough to pack me, even at 14.2-3 hands but she's very quick and catty and I was fearful of being launched again. We still have Katie and I *will* ride her again, probably next year. Here is a picture of me and Katie from 2004:



Then came Dreyfuss. At last, not only a BIG horse that I felt more "suited" for weight wise, but also a TRUE "safe" horse. He's not exactly the prettiest pony in the field, and being 1/2 Clydesdale, 1/2 Appaloosa, he's got some pretty funky conformation but he's sane and just a big old Sweetheart. Heck, the 2nd time I rode him, I loped on him, the 3rd time I rode him was at a local show and the 4th time I rode him, we went at a dead run across the desert chasing cows! This is my first ride on Dreyfuss, back in 2006, almost 4 years to the day from when Sugar dumped me:



Dreyfuss is going blind now but in the meantime, he has restored my confidence a great deal and has made me a better rider, with better balance and the ability to relax now. And thanks to him, I've been riding my 3+ year old colt Jake (he turns 4 in April) and feeling good about doing it. Since many of you probably saw the photo of me and Jake on the other post, I'll put a different one up ... any excuse to show off my baby!



My goal is to ride well enough to show Jake in the local Stock Horse Futurities in the fall of 2009. Not sure I'll make it but I'm going to give it my best shot! To do that, I will need to lose some weight and ride lots more ... which riding helps lose weight too, so that's a plus!

Thanks Red for this post!

Hey ya'll! Thought I would join in too. I am 50 soon to be 51, stand 5'5" in my bare feet and I love to ride! I too am overweight and stay mad at myself. 2 & 1/2 yrs ago I weighed 135lbs. Now I weigh 183! I have to take meds for the kidney transplant and they make me want to eat everything in sight.

Luckily for me I have two horses. Blue, short 14.3hh, bulldog appy who doesn't seem to care. He has a weight problem too.
Then I have Bandit, 15.3hh grade qtr horse who I think could carry Blue on his back and never slow down! LOL

I used to run barrels all the time. As a matter of fact, I bought Blue for a trail/barrel horse. But Blue doesn't have the heart to run them. Either that or he just considers it too much work!

Bandit may have, but he was cowboyed and needs to learn to get flexible before he can even attempt to learn barrels.
The only pic I have of me on Bandit was taken in Feb 2007. I think I weighed 168 then.


I have been seriously thinking about Weight Watchers too.

Holy cow! You gals are way more energetic than I am!
BBblue - I love your gray Bandit! He's a tank!

Journey, my gelding is a daddy, too! Ooops... we were a little late with the snip-snip.

Deb

Welcome Andi & BB!!!

(Thanks for the PM Remona!)

What is it about horses named "Sugar", & them NOT being exactly sweet?
Here's mine...


Man, look how skinny I was! Ugh!!! & those HUGE Bucked Teeth!!! I was So glad to get braces... one less thing people could pick on me about. (Yea, I was the quiet little bookworm that never said anything, & did nothing but draw pics of horses on EVERYTHING!)

Hey - you all look great! I am 49 (50 in Jan) 5"5" and 180 lbs. I have ridden since I was 18, I hope I have good balance so that my weight isn't an issue for my horse. Magic, my horse for the past 1.5 years, is a stocky 14.2 quarter horse, he carries me well. I will be looking at a new horse over Thanksgiving, a 5 year old paint mare, she needs to gain some weight and muscle up, I will be trying her out for 4 days and will see how it goes.

I noticed one thing looking at the photos and the video - you can't miss the joy that you see in everyone's face as they are with their horses - and that's a beautiful thing! Thanks for starting a great thread.

Hey guys! I'm going to join you as well but I'm at work at the moment. I'll post more later tonight when I get home!!

Just wanted to pop in and say hi!

LoudAppy, I"m one of those evil back yard breeders. Journey actually has 8 babies on the ground. Well, not babies anymore. The last one is coming 3 now. It was always my dream growing up to have a paint stud. Then Journey fell in my lap. I got him at 4 months and he's coming 8 now. I actually had a hard time getting him gelded. My vet ( a great horse vet that specalizes in repro) didn't want to cut him. He's 100% homozygus for the paint gene. Threw better then himself everytime. Has personality oozing out of him. Which all his babies have. Threw bigger then himself. Even the one baby that was out of a barely 14 hand mare (he's just over 15 hands) turned out to be 15.1. Brat, my filly was 15.3 when I sticked her in May. She was butt high at that time and I haven't bothered measureing her since but I'm willing to bet she's pushing 16. Long way up for a fat girl I finally threatened to use a different vet if my vet didn't cut Journey. She grumbled the whole time that it was a mistake. I don't regret it one i-ota (?) He has since gone on to be my MS&R partner. He can be a boob at times, but that's what I love about him.

red I've seen that pic before! Ain't that the horse you taught to rear like Hi-Ho Silver? Your welcome for the pm.
BB....wow! Now THAT'S what I call a bulldog quarter. Thick and wide like a tank. Andi has a sexy tank too. I forgot his name but I love him anyways.

There sure are some perty ponies on this thread.

LoudAppy- Thanks, but that is him in his winter fuzzies and blubber. He packs it on somehow in the fall and winter. I guess hay agrees with him
This is what he normally looks like -
In barrel racing gear

In his black trail gear-


So Blue doesn't feel slighted -


Oh, forgot to say earlier, my weight was bouncing up and down for a while. Gain, lose, gain, lose.
In this pic, Sept 2005, I weighed 175lbs, then lost a little then gained again.
Never before seen on here, Blue & I and his one and only Halter class appearance at a state show!

Yea... that was in my story I wrote about my Grandpa that passed away about a year ago... a post titled "$500 worth of Sugar"
That's the girl he bought me... a half arab, who hated most men, and taught me so much about who I was and am.
She had her issues though... never did learn to back up without rearing. Funny... now that I'm older, I would have had a heart attack if one of mine nowadays pulled the crap that mare pulled!

im in! lol..

i havent rode hardly at all this year... a) either their not broke (young or broodmares)... or b) all sorts of fun vet/unsoundness issues....

im 5'11".. and definatly not a scrawny little twig.. lol..


my old mare was all of about 15.2 and 1400#s on a skinny day.. showed her AQHA, and did some dressage.. she thought she was a 17 hand warmblood, even for a little runt. (well not really a runt.. but ya..)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhAZ98-9_pw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yarN2B7jveM

then theres Louie, my new "pony"... 16.2ish.. and about 1600 on a skinny day..

DAAAANG that's a big horse!

howdy ya'll i'm here

I'm another Melissa... just call me Lissa or hucks.... or hey you

I am currently holding a wonderous 210-220.... but i love food too much to look weight lmao

here is me and my boy diesel

red melissa... remind me to actually SIGN ON to HC now