umm... do you always prefer uhh... bareback?

I grew up in GA about 15-20 miles from the NC line. I've had so many people ask me if I've ever seen snow :eek: . If they only knew... Many were the times the school bus could not navigate the roads due to snow. Like HH says, it was never more than 4-6" and usually was gone with a day or so, but north GA is quite mountainous (Smoky Mountains) so travel became hazardous. Our driveway was 3/4 a mile long, all switchbacks to the top of a hill where our house was perched. Many times after some ice or snow, we had to park the car at the bottom near the highway and lug the groceries or whatever up the drive by ourselves.

Oh my, horses! Beautiful pictures HH! It is yet another similarity between us. My sister and I had first ponies, then horses, during the time we were growing up in GA. She currently lives in South Texas and has several of her own, but I am now an urban dweller and horses are something I see on TV or in parades. :sniff: .

Were you in a Ren Faire or Pageant in the 2003 picture? You look so...elegant and ethereal.

Stormie

Bruce, the horse *has* a bridle. Or were you talking about HH? :p

Snow In GA
 

We've got this weatherman in Hotlanta named Glen Burns. No matter how much snow he predicts, his wife still gets one to two inches each night.:p

:smack: *groan!*

Something that didn't occur to me until xoB's post is the fact that both horses are bitless. Perhaps that is what he meant.
You could tell I wasn't wearing a bra?! :eek:

I have been to a few Ren Faires in California as a spectator, but none here in GA. That photo was my attempt at Lady Godiva (though much more modest) and I had a friend come photograph us. We got some very nice photos and I used that one for my Xmas card. The dress is my evening gown from our family 7-day cruise to Mexico. Couldn't let the dress go to waste in my closet now, could I? ;)

As to riding bareback being my preference? Yes.
Call me lazy, but it was quicker to just carry a bridle out to catch the horse and then hop on and go. I do have several saddles, but I'd say that 99% of my riding is done bareback. Saddles feel funny to me, I feel like I can't 'feel' what the horse is up to and I have a better ride when riding bareback as I feel more a part of the horse, rather than sitting on top of the horse in a saddle.

I have a 3yo who is going away to school today or tomorrow. This is Q:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...lvAnniv/nn.jpg

Absolutely beautiful.

My mistake, I couldn't see a bit in the horses mouth and thought she was riding with a halter on the horse instead of a bridle. :blush:

That takes a horse well trained to neck rein.

The bridle in the first picture is a Bosal, a fairly common Western headstall. The bridle in the second picture is a Paso Fino Jaquima. I don't think this is very common except within the PF breed, but I really like the headstall as the chin-piece has two rings to connect the reins to, instead of one spot at the center/lowest point.

The first horse is trained to neck rein while the second is plow-reined (direct-reined). As I ride with both hands on the reins, I direct rein the direction I want to go and I also lay the opposite rein against the neck to reinforce the request. Sort of like a combo of the two techniques.
hh

Cool, thank you. Good thing the 'vette only takes one hand to steer or you couldn't wave. :D

No, my mistake. I wasn't well-versed enough to recognize a bitless rig. I ought to know better with you, damn your versatile and well-researched hide.

It did allow me to make a naughty joke, though, so my faux pas wasn't entirely wasted.

I had horses (4-H), until I left home. :blush:

Hey Hoof Hearted, I love your crimson dress. I wish I had one like it.