Lorraine Price
Administrator for NC Horse News
I have 5 horses, a Mustang, 2
Quarter horses and 2 Paso Finos.
I have been involved with horses all my life. My favorite aspects of horses are the training and riding. I love riding a green horse and seeing the world through their eyes. I have done endurance riding and Competitive Trail in the recent past and now mainly do pleasure trail riding in any spare minute that I have on the trails around our farm and in my county.
They have taught me a lot and I hope that I can learn from them for many years to come. There is something so calming about being around horses, that I cannot imagine never being owned by one.
My Father gave me my first horse before I was born, a 17H Thoroughbred. I was on her at 6 months old, learned to “ride” at 2 years old. My Father never let me use a saddle; I had to “ride” bareback. Of course, at 2 years old, how much riding can you do?? I have pictures of myself, crying and screaming as I am being pulled off my horse. Riding has always been my passion and caring for horses has been my life choice. Animals in general are my passion, not only horses. I rescue dogs as well and one of my horses is a rescue horse. I have been told that I cannot save the world, but in my mind, every animal I can help, gets me that closer to doing so.
I got my first Paso about 10 years ago as a 13 month old. When she was about 33 months old, I decided to gentle/train her myself. I had never completely trained a horse from the start all alone, so I enlisted the help of a friend who is an excellent trainer, Lawson Walston. He told me where to start, gave me direction and off I went. He came over every few weeks to see my progress and let me know what I needed to work on and what I needed to “not” do. That was all it took. I was hooked. It took about 3 months of trusting, learning, trying, failing and winning and was all worth it. I now have a horse that is exactly what I want and is my best trail buddy. We ride as one. I also have her half sister that I trained the same way and is just as wonderful.
Between these 2 horses, I log about 20 hours a week, or 100-180 miles per week, in cooler weather. In warmer weather, we only log about 10 hours a week. We swim in lakes (that I know have safe bottoms) explore woods, blaze trails, help other horses with trail issues (not crossing water, spooking at everything, etc) advocate trail manners, viewing the country side and enjoying my horse. That is my idea of Eutopia.
Of all the breeds I have ridden and owned, the Paso Fino so far is my true love. They fit me perfectly. I love all horses and can find wonderful assets in every breed, the Paso just happen to fit me better than most.
I hope to be riding for the rest of my life. I learn every day more and more about my horses and my dogs, mostly due to NC Horse News. It is such an informative board that I feel like I have learned only a little of what I need to know.