A Short Tag and Eight Horse Profiles

I got tagged by Equine Spirit. This is a new one for me, and I decided that I'd do it.

The rules are...

You must post the rules before you give your answers.

After you've been tagged, you need to update your blog with your middle name and answers.

You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name.

Each fact must begin with that letter.

If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name/last name.

At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details).

Here are my answers -

L..oving
Y..outhful
N..urturing

And I'm tagging -

Echo at Diary of a Young Horse
Wiola at Freelance Instructor's Diary
Julia at Mood Swings in Med School

Also, I got tagged by A Girl and Her Horse for the Seven Things Meme, and I was a giant pill and didn't do it because I'd already been tagged. After thinking about it, I decided not to do seven things about me, but what I remember most about Eight Horses from the school horse herd that I started out riding when I was 12 years old.

Eight Horse Profiles

Dallas

Alpha horse. Older appy gelding with eggbar shoes and a fiesty attitude. Dallas was a beginner horse but would sometimes show up in the intermediate or advanced classes, but he didn't jump. We always had to be careful where and how we tied Dallas to the row of hitching posts where the horses stood waiting for lessons because Dallas would get into mischief. His favorite things were kicking over the brush buckets, grabbing a whip in his teeth and whacking things (horses and people too) with it, and untying himself or his neighbor.

Snowball

Second in command. Older white gelding pony. Snowball was also a beginners horse who liked to jump but didn't get the opportunity to do so much due to his age. He was also a popular mount for the kids because he had the habit of coughing or sneezing and farting loudly at the same time, which made everyone giggle. I also found out one day that he didn't like the top of his rump touched while being ridden. He let me know about it by bucking quite athletically for an old fart. Being 12, of course I did it again while my friends and I just laughed.

Chester

Chestnut (of course) gelding. Probably an appendix Quarter Horse but I'm not sure. Chester was an intermediate/advanced horse who jumped. He had to be put down while I was still taking riding lessons there. I think he foundered but I'm not sure. There was talk of putting him down and none of the adults would tell us kids anything about why or when. We wanted to be there, but they made sure it was done when we weren't around. I have a shoe from him in a box somewhere that has his name and the date he died written on it.

56

Palomino Quarter Horse gelding with a brand on his neck of "56". He was a tall, thin, beginner/intermediate horse and was the first horse I took a lesson on. I'm pretty sure he had navicular syndrome because I remember him moving very stiffly at times. He was a favorite and was always requested by riders because of his great attitude. Very quiet, laid back, and obedient.

Monty

Liver chestnut with some white socks and a blaze. I have no idea what breed but he was average height, kind of round, and had good bone. Intermediate/advanced horse. This is the one horse that I didn't get along with at all. He was ornery and stubborn, but he gave great rides to some people. Monty arrived after I had been taking lessons for a few years and we quickly found out that he could not be tied to the hitching rail with the other horses. Several broken halters and lead lines later I learned what "pulling back" meant, and Monty was then always tied to a tree with a chain. This seemed to suit him just fine, and for some reason he never attempted to pull back on that chain. One or two rides on him convinced both of us that we weren't a good match and I never rode him again.

Ranger

Chestnut gelding with some white socks and a flaxen mane and tail. Arab cross of some kind. Advanced horse who loved to jump. Ranger came to the barn after I had a few years of lessons but for weeks nobody rode him but Blair because he was so hot. Eventually he settled in and he was a blast to ride, especially on trail rides because he loved to run up hills (which all the kids loved to do too). He was a bit spooky but not malicious, and was an exciting ride.

Tommy

Black bay gelding. Probably a thoroughbred cross. Advanced horse. Tommy was a retired event horse and he loved to jump. I think soundness issues brought him to the barn because there were days that he had to be trotted before we'd tack him up to check if he was lame. My friend Jean-Marie who got me into riding loved Tommy and really wanted to buy him. I only rode him a few times because if Jean was there it was understood that she'd be riding him.

Moose

Bay with 4 white socks, a blaze, and a large "X" brand on his left hip. Probably a clydesdale cross. Beginner to advanced horse. Moose was just like his name implied - big and plodding and kind of lazy. Moose was the first horse I loved. He would do anything if you pushed him, including gallping up hills or jumping. Jean and I used to talk about somehow raising money to build our own barn, buy Tommy and Moose, and live there forever with our two lovely mounts. Ah, the dreams of two teenageers.

Years after I had left that barn I drove passed the paddock where the school horses lived and I think I saw Ranger and Monty. Sadly, I'm sure none of those horses is still around, but they sure helped me learn a lot about horses and riding. I wish I had pictures of them all, but I don't think I have any. I'll see if anyone else from the old days has some. Those boys were quite a crew.

I'm not tagging anyone with this, but feel free to jump in with Eight (or Five or Two) Horse profiles.