Fellow Seasoned Rider:
My name is Cheryl and I'm the editor of Seasoned Rider magazine. Here is a little background on me. I have been an equine journalist since 1987 and I have been the editor of an equine publication since 2001. I have been a horse owner since 1975, a riding instructor and trainer since 1989. Good grief that's makes feel seasoned, oh well that's what it's all about. This is my first effort with a blog, but it's certainly a form of writing and I am a writer, so here we go.
Reflecting back I realize have met many Seasoned Riders in my life, but didn't realize it at that time because I was too young. Back in the early 1980's I boarded my horse at a stable. A gentlemen named Bud worked at the stable. Bud had been around horses his whole life and had been a working cowboy when he was younger. He always wore cowboy boots, cowboy hat, jeans and demin jacket. This was around the time the movie Urban Cowboy was popular and so dressing like a cowboy was in vogue, but Bud he wasn't dressing up - that was who he was.
He had this spunky paint gelding that sometimes would buck a little when being ridden, but that didn't bother Bud, in fact that was how he came to have the gelding - nobody else wanted him. If I remember correctly the horse was a registered paint, but his barn name was Bugger (sorry,but that's what Bud called him). Bud would take carrots out to him sometime in the evenings or after a long trail ride. He would give him baths and when the California winter got a little damp and cold he would even throw a blanket on the gelding. It was pretty obvious what he thought of his gelding.
Bud sat a horse like you would expect a cowboy to sit a horse - heels down, sitting straight in the saddle. I was too young to realize what a great horseman he was then, but looking back he was a excellent horseman. He was light on the reins and truly rode with his legs. His gelding would do anything he asked of him including side passing and doing flying lead changes. Again, I was too young and inexperienced then to realize how talented he was.
Bud was friendly with everyone, but only rode with a few people and I was lucky enough to be one of the few. He and I spent a number of Sunday mornings out riding - before other people arrived at the stable. We would go over to the nieghboring stable where they had a make shift race track and, yes, we would race our horses sometimes. Some might say that wasn't a good idea, but it was fun and we both had complete control of our horses. It was a real honor to go riding with Bud.
I'm not sure how old Bud was at that time. I think he had a grown child (or children) so I would say he was a Seasoned Rider. Bud was just one of number of Seasoned Riders that I have met over the years.
Well, I guess that's it for now. We will be hosting a launch party next month for the magazine - both online and in the real world.
Until next time enjoy your horses and horse friends too.
Equine News
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
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