The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread

[HairOfTheDog]

Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?

A few of us thought it would be interesting and informative to have a chat thread where we can share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. We may not ~always~ have a lot of activity, but when we do, it will be fun. I will put a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!

I will also develop a ping list for horse threads that are of interest. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.

I am hoping this thread will be a fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - I know what your mind does to ya, and horse people that have had the same fears will understand better than your family and doctor why it's important.... heck, I'd get ya up and lead him around if I were there and your hubby wouldn't kill me ;~D

[CindyDawg]

Yeah, poor guy. He has the state in for his annual review this week and then me doing this. He had a fit that I went out there today. I'm waiting for him to get home to tell him I need to go back out this evening to keep some sort of routine.

Off topic but it is the weirdest feeling to have air under your butt. We are talking about seconds here but I'm thinking "where's my horse and saddle then oh no, Roll!"

[HairOfTheDog]

Time sloooooooows down....

I got bucked off a horse a couple years ago. I held on for three bounces, maybe three seconds... felt like several minutes... it took me the first bounce to figure out what was happening, and that there was a complex set of reasons and forces for why the second bounce wasn't going well, and then could tell early in the third bounce that I was going down, but it took a long time to land.

Now, last year when Bay fell, there was no warning, no buildup! Just walking along and pooof. Hit the dirt. He didn't have time to try to save it. Just face plant and we were on our side. That unnerved me too because I didn't know if he was gonna do it again. He stumbles sometimes and my heart jumps, but the real thing was no stumble. I think he was asleep.

[HairOfTheDog]

Could ya round pen him for the next couple weeks with some help? I know you're awful stiff... but it would help you with that routine.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

You know if I know "why" a horse does whatever it does that has caused me to come off, if there is a logical reason then it doesn't bother me mentally. But it's the times they do something and you have no clue why that get me unnerved. Last year when I came off Rusty, it was because he spooked so hard at some deer. Heck they startled me, so I couldn't very well be upset or scared of him. The funny think tho, I was not afraid to get back on him, but was scared of that spot for a long time, no matter what horse I was on. I still won't hardly go down that trail at much more then a walk, and it was one of the few places you could move out.

I think that is why I finally had to give up on Belle. I have never figured out what caused her to go into her routine. So there was never anything I could do to counteract it. Left you feeling pretty vulnerable.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

Not a bad idea. What I usually do is make him stand on the wash rack tied up awhile and then lunge him in the round pen and then take him to the barn to get tacked up for riding. He's not going to go anywhere on me that I don't want after I get on (the problem :'(

Just spoke with Eddie. Mr. Cool lost his cool. Yelling at me. Then he called me back and said if I would wait til Sat. he would help me. Sat. it is but I don't think I can afford any longer.

[HairOfTheDog]

That is what un-nerved me about Bay just falling on his face. There was no warning or reason, just 'whomp'.

If he has a physical reason to collapse, or if it was just that he was asleep that day, or if it might happen any time again, I was afraid for him. Have gotten a lot better, but it still affects me, and my heart still jumps if he stumbles. Even though the fall was at a walk, I won't trot him or canter on any but the smoothest ground, and his fall had nothing to do with an obstacle.... was smooth ground.

[HairOfTheDog]

I hope Mr. Cool gets his cool back! Just to go there today upset him?

You know.... lots of people get injured and become baby patients.... Your drive to move around will help you heal faster than just sitting around getting depressed by pain, don't you think?

[CindyDawg]

Yeah it upset him. He would have preferred that I stayed home in bed. I'm not a good patient. It's a guy thing he says. He wants me physically healed and isn't worried about the mental stuff. He tells me all you have to do "is just get on"

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, be good till Saturday then! It's only another day to wait.

[Beaker]

Oh Cripes. I'm so sorry. I misunderstood. Serves me right for poking my nose into other people's posts. No, $1000 is not "give away".

Putting myself into that kid's shoes, I'm sure that she's told her parents all about it, begged, pleaded, and offered to sell her right arm and a kidney to boot. :-) But, I'm sure if her parents have enough sense, they'll try to guide her away from it. Mine always did.
My mom told me that when I turned 18 I could buy a horse of my own. And that's the first thing that I did. I didn't buy a pack of cigarettes or a lotto ticket- I bought (or rather leased) my first horse.

If you don't think that it's a good idea for her to have this horse, I'd sit her down and gently explain why if she brings it up. (Who knows, maybe she won't) I'd also sit her parents down if they want to take this route, and explain that that lady has a very different idea of what "give away" is. That, and this horse may not be a good first horse.
I hope that this post was coherent. It's a bit long.

[Beaker]

Time sloooooooows down....

Right. Enough time for you to think "Aww crap. Why haven't I... *splat* (hit the ground yet)
My favorite internal moment whilst in the middle of an accident waiting to happen, was when my horse took off on me and went into a bucking frenzy. I stayed on for about four of five hearty ones. Enough for me to think: "Hey, I'm still on! I'm pretty proud of myself!" (The "proud of myself" part was thought while summersaulting through the air)

[Beaker]

She does not have alot of experience. She's a good rider, but this doesn't sound like a horse for her. I'll talk to her mother next week, and let her tell the disappointing facts.

Blarg. I just blathered on about this in a reply to your previous post to me. My apologies.

[CindyDawg]

That kind of sounds like my story. I had a bad mount and accidently cued my horse to go with my leg. I should have aborted but I didn't, I got up over the saddle as I'm pulling back on the reins and I'm thinking "ok, I've got it" and the next thing I knew I didn't :'). He didn't buck though. I just couldn't get balanced.

[HairOfTheDog]

Eh blather on and on all you like!

Welcome to the thread!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

No problem. I am really bad to think that everyone knows what I'm thinking, so I don't have to fill in the details. I probably wasn't that clear.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'm so proud. I just got in from riding Harley:). I think the sudefed has really helped.

Remember me telling you about the adjustments I made in my barrel turns. I just have to say again, I can't believe how much smoother it is with the new approach. I even loped him and it was as smooth as glass. And in reality I don't think he is really quit ready to move from trotting them yet. But he's learning quick.

Becky

[Beaker]

Thank you! :-) Glad to be here.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

So do you have horses? What do you do with them?

Becky

[Beaker]

He didn't buck though. I just couldn't get balanced.
Ha ha. That happens to me all the time. My horse used to love to spook, especially when he knew that I was relaxed and actually thought that I knew what I was doing. ;-) It kept him entertained anyway.