Ever thought of being a western cowboy or want to ride the range. Horseback riding is to the way to travel and it's my second favorite hobby too. My interest in horseback riding begin when I was in middle school, I want to learn how to ride a horse. I read books about horses about how to tackle(saddle) a horse, how to brush them and how to understand them when their scared or happy. Pretty soon, I knew what to do when I'm around horses. I soon learned that my dad had a friend who worked at a ranch in a nearby community.So I asked if he could give me some lessons and sure enough he did.
When I first went to the ranch, I was excited and a little nervous that I was going to be near horses. While I was there, the people told me of what kind of job it is and they ask me if I was ready to get my hands dirty. I told them "yes" and I thought that even though I get dirty, I'll always get clean afterwords. As I was at the ranch, I learned how to bring a horse from the stall and how to tie the horse to a hitching post. Then I learned how to saddle the horse which was no easy task, for example, I learned that before the saddle goes on, there's a blanket that goes under the saddle that keeps the horse from being cut or blistered while being ridden and saddle is a little heavy too. Next I learned how to bridle a horse and how to brush it's coat, it's tail and mane, which was fun to do.
After I learned what the caring of a horse involved, I was giving a hands on chore of feeding the horses. To do this, I had get up early in the morning and meet up with a ranch hand to help give the horses the proper hay and alfalfa that they eat. I sometimes got a little hay on me but it was fun just the same. Then I had a job to exercise a horse, which was to bring him out of his stall and to an open arena to let him run around to excise him before anyone can ride him. It felt great to watch him run around in the arena and the ranch hand show me a way to make the horse exercise fast or slow using a whip. I never hit the horse with it, I just hit the ground with it and give a saying to tell to gallop or trot. Plus I even petted or pat the horses if they were good or did what my commands were. But if they were not happy, I always left them alone, for example, when the horse's ear was standing upward that would mean it's angry or it's scared and if the ear is moving around, that would mean that's curious and happy.
When I first got on the horse, it felt a little weird but exciting. As I sat there in the saddle, my mind drifted back to another time when many of my favorite historical figures felt when they were riding horses. I soon learned how to ride going straight, to turn around and how to make the horse go or stop. I felt like I knew what to do when I'm around horses. I was so interested in being around horses that I decided to look for a ranch that had horses and would consider the use an extra handout. While I was finishing my last two years at high school, I found two ranches in my community and I thought Why don't I give them a call and see if they have room for extra ranch hand. So I did and one of them said come on down and we'll talk to you. I volunteered there for a few months, it was nice help around saddling the horses, brushing them off and putting things away for the night.
Soon I decide to find another ranch and I found one called Happy Trails. So I sent an email and they said come on down and we'll talk to you. So I went there and they asked me if I was ready to get my hands dirty and I told them I'm always ready to get my hands dirty. While I was there, I didn't just have the chore of saddling the horse, brushing them and bring them from their stalls. I got chance to be an assistant trail guide and I got the chance to be on trails with the groups. Still today, I still ride the trail toward adventure and horses are still my favorite interests.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Can Not Escape History
My name is David and I love history. I'm also a history buff myself. In history, I learned of many conflicts that changed America, shaped America and made America the way it is today. I first start getting interested in history, when I first read railroad history. During that time, I loved trains and loved how they helped build the United States by shipping freight and material and during war times, they shipped troops and equipment to the front. The building of the Transcontinental Railroad was my main interest and still the history of the railroads remain good source of research, in my achieves.
When I entered middle school, I began to read books on American history and the battles in the wars that America fought. When I read about those books, I felt like more knowledge was given to me than discovering a diamond in the rock. When I read these books, I was pumped up with enthusiasm and patriotism as I read about many great battles that were fought. These battles or generals made me curious to investigate more on how it was fought. For example, When I read about the battle of Gettysburg, I was amazed that this was the largest battle ever fought on American soil and I want to learn more on it. When I read about the battle of Midway, during World War II, I was amazed that the United States Navy manged to punch back at the Japanese and I like the tactics that were used against the Japanese Navy.
When I enter High school, I became more interested in History than ever. I began to get interested in Military History and History of the Old West. I first read books on battles in the wars that the United States fought, I got interested in the Strategies and Tactics that were used against the enemy. It showed me how generals moves their troops and how they came up with the strategies that changed the course of the battles. For example, when i read about Napoleon Bonaparte's victories in Europe, I was amazed that he outmaneuvered his enemies with his army. Napoleon's army was made up of seven corps.
I got interested in the Old West, I then got to learn and discover the stories behind the Train Robbers, Shootouts, and other historical western figures. I want to learn about famous people like Jesse James, Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. When I read the first book on the history of the Old West, I was more interested in the history then ever. I began to admire the style of the Old West, the clothes, the guns and the towns where it happened. For example, when I research the gunfight at the OK Corral, I was amazed that Wyatt Earp and his brothers along with Doc Holliday survived because they are professional lawmen for 23 years. They had one advantage that overpowered the cowboys, which was the the double barreled shotgun.
After I graduated from high school, I still want to learn and study history. I began to think of becoming a history teacher or a Military Historian too some day. Still today, I looked forward to researching more history in the Old West, Military and US history. Many of the history I know so far, I keep in mind and in my archives. I believe if people don't research battles and history like me. All these people and events will be forgotten.
When I entered middle school, I began to read books on American history and the battles in the wars that America fought. When I read about those books, I felt like more knowledge was given to me than discovering a diamond in the rock. When I read these books, I was pumped up with enthusiasm and patriotism as I read about many great battles that were fought. These battles or generals made me curious to investigate more on how it was fought. For example, When I read about the battle of Gettysburg, I was amazed that this was the largest battle ever fought on American soil and I want to learn more on it. When I read about the battle of Midway, during World War II, I was amazed that the United States Navy manged to punch back at the Japanese and I like the tactics that were used against the Japanese Navy.
When I enter High school, I became more interested in History than ever. I began to get interested in Military History and History of the Old West. I first read books on battles in the wars that the United States fought, I got interested in the Strategies and Tactics that were used against the enemy. It showed me how generals moves their troops and how they came up with the strategies that changed the course of the battles. For example, when i read about Napoleon Bonaparte's victories in Europe, I was amazed that he outmaneuvered his enemies with his army. Napoleon's army was made up of seven corps.
I got interested in the Old West, I then got to learn and discover the stories behind the Train Robbers, Shootouts, and other historical western figures. I want to learn about famous people like Jesse James, Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. When I read the first book on the history of the Old West, I was more interested in the history then ever. I began to admire the style of the Old West, the clothes, the guns and the towns where it happened. For example, when I research the gunfight at the OK Corral, I was amazed that Wyatt Earp and his brothers along with Doc Holliday survived because they are professional lawmen for 23 years. They had one advantage that overpowered the cowboys, which was the the double barreled shotgun.
After I graduated from high school, I still want to learn and study history. I began to think of becoming a history teacher or a Military Historian too some day. Still today, I looked forward to researching more history in the Old West, Military and US history. Many of the history I know so far, I keep in mind and in my archives. I believe if people don't research battles and history like me. All these people and events will be forgotten.
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