Readers Respond
Looking for inexpensive ways to have fun with your horse this summer? Of course you are! Find our ideas beginning on page 43. Here are a few budgetfriendly activities and money-saving tips from our Facebook fans.
Abigail Harkey Trail rides! Going to the mountains or any local state park is so much fun. It’s relaxing, and you can definitely test your horses’ skills there, too. Spending time with my horse while cruising through creeks and watching scenery is a blast!
Dara Stanfill Prioritize! Decide what shows/events are most in line with current goals and offer the most bang for the buck, and only buy the tack/clothing/accessories necessary for those. And when possible, share or buy second-hand.
Emily Parks We’re headed to a state park with some friends for camping this summer for some trail riding while the guys go fishing.
Susie Low I built an obstacle course mostly out of items found around the farm and have invited any and all out to tune up their horses or just have fun at no charge. best of everything. It’s important for horse people to welcome new riders by making the horse world accessible. At that age, it should be all about getting kids interested and showing parents that they can allow their kids to experience horses on a budget. I think too many people are scared off too early in owning horses because so many experienced horse owners make ownership seem too unrealistic.
QI have part ownership in a mare that’s a wonderful show horse but has a bit of a bad attitude toward other horses and even people. We’re interested in breeding her, but wonder if that bad attitude might cause her to reject her own foal.
I shot a video of the whole routine and shared it with my friend.
A different friend posted a video of a horse bringing a guy a drink out of a cooler. “Do you think Thor could do that?” she asked. I gathered the supplies, then taught my gelding this trick in 30 minutes. I posted a video right back to her with my reply, “Well, what do you think?”
An Inner Artist Emerges
Thor’s artistic potential came to light one day by accident. Standing in the crossties, he noticed an old paintbrush lying atop a nearby sawhorse and simply reached over and picked it up. That got my wheels turning! I bought a few art canvases, a new paintbrush and some paint, and we set to work.
How long did it take? Well, he created his first painting that same day. I picked the colors and handed him the dipped brush; he did the rest. Since then, his many and varied talents have made him something of a local celebrity. Our NBC affiliate did a feature on him, as did RFD-TV. He’s also painted publicly at local events. Many of his pieces have sold to admirers; others we’ve donated to raise funds for equine rescue.
Glamour aside, Thor—now 9—remains a trail horse at heart, and we love him for that. Still, it’s fun for my grandsons and granddaughter to be able to tell people their grandma taught a horse how to paint paintings!
Dorinda Hennings lives on a nine-acre farm in Lizella, Georgia, with her husband, David. When not trail riding or helping Thor paint, she enjoys showing him in halter, trail, and Western classes. For more on the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft Horse, go to sugarbushharlequindraft.com. To learn more about Thor, go to bit.ly/paintinghorse or check his Facebook page, “Thor the painting horse.”.