Truth About Horse Riding (Part 2)

Horses are a prey animal - other creatures hunt them, kill them, and eat them. Their instincts tell them to run from perceived danger; and if something strange is on their back, they will try to throw the scary thing off by bucking, or by running under low tree limbs in an attempt to knock this strange, threatening thing off their backs.  You can't blame them. Their eyes are on either side of their heads, and while they have a wide field of vision, there are also blind spots.  Packs of canidae (wolves, coyotes, dogs) chase them; mountain lions can leap from high tree limbs or rock ledges; if they are injured and/or lame in the wild, they are literally dead meat.  One can't be angry because they have a good survival instinct.
   Horses pick up the riders attitude.  If you're a relaxed, confident rider, that's the way your horse will be; if you are nervous, your horse will be nervous; if you are a good rider, you should be relaxed, confident and alert.  Then your horse will respond well to you.  ....  Some horses develop bad habits because they are allowed to do things repetitively - one should never run one's horse up to the barn unless it's a very real emergency.  I've always headed out at a slow, easy pace and that's the way I return.  Due to summer heat and winter cold, I have had to "hot walk" my horse to be certain that he/she cooled down normally, and didn't get any physical problems (such as tying up, or colic).  But, again, as I wrote yesterday, the more you ride, the more chances you have of falling off. 
  Horses are super companions, and a great to way explore local areas that are not too suburban.  They can teach you a lot about trust and a lot about how much work taking care of a pet, or companion, can be.  Most folks don't realize that there is a lot more to horsemanship - owning a horse - than just saddling, riding out, and turning your mount loose when you're finished.  Your horse has to be groomed, and his/her feet cleaned (at least) daily.  It must be fed once or twice a day; it must be provided with pasture, or time outside in a paddock; it needs regular handling and riding; it needs shots and the vet and the blacksmith.  The rider has to do all of these things, plus take care of the riding gear, or tack (the saddle, bridle, halter, saddle blanket [numnah], cinch or girth, and any other accouterments your horse wears.   It is something that can take up all of your free time - if your really enjoy riding, you don't mind the time and money commitment; if you do begrudge it, you probably shouldn't own a horse or pony.
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The Waldo Canyon fire is 97% contained this morning.  The difficulty that Colorado is now facing is that our summer monsoonal rain pattern has finally arrived - and we need it desperately - but the rain is now falling on the areas that were recently burned, causing mudslides and flooding.  This morning, the Cache la Poudre River, up by Fort Collins and running through the High Park fire area, is running black from ash and soot from the big burn up there.  It looks surreal to see black water flowing down a river.  -  There have been road closures due to mudslide and flash flooding up in the High Park area.  Today, the entire Front Range and Foothills areas are under a Flash Flood warning until 8 p.m.