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]

It's a horrible feeling. and getting worse as I get older.

I am not heat tolerant at all, but I thought it was supposed to get better when we got older. All those snow birds go to Arizona in winter!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well I think my cooling system is just as screwed up as Rusty's. I've seriously considered trying his thyroid medication:). Two times thru my own fault I've gotten into serious trouble due to not paying attention to conditions. Once at a competition, I had water, but it was so hot and humid, my horse was totally wet and still had a ways to go so I poured my water on her, I felt fine at the time. It was a messed up ride, the mileage was wrong (didn't find that out till it was over) and everyone was having to really push their horses to make time. We didn't know there was a problem with the mileage. No matter how fast I went, I kept getting farther and farther behind on time. So I finally pulled becaue the horse was dragging. I had to lead her about 2 miles to a trailer to be taken back to camp. I was fine till I got to camp, thank heavens, but I knew I was hot, and got out a big bottle of water and started gluping it. I got the most horrible chest pain, I really thought I was having a heart attack, and was going to faint. Kristy was with me, and I told her, I'm going down Kris. :), I think I did kind of zone out for a few minutes. Ever since then I've really had problems tolerateing high humidity. Then about a year after that, I went out on a trial ride it was just going to be a short one. I was trying a new horse. Stupidly I didn't take any water and it was very hot. About 30 minutes out, I had to stop and get in some shade and send the girl with me to a house to get a drink. I felt sick and weak for about 3 days after that. I don't leave even in the winter now without water and always head home as soon as the water is gone, and don't get to far from the house in the summer.

I guess when you get to my age, everyone develops something that scares them. Mine is heat. I don't even like going out at 3 to feed. I take a bottle of water with me just to the barn:) I've read enough about it now, that I'm really thinking I should be carrying something more like gatorade then just plain water.

Becky

[Beaker]

People do differently in the heat. I myself would rather be cold, because I can warm up, but the extremes of each don't sit well. :-) The heat made me sick once. I had mucked several paddocks in the blazing sun then stacked bales in a humid hot stuffy hay loft. Usually though, if I got unbearably hot, I went in the barn and sat for a bit. Drank lots of fluids too. I would go through 2 or more of those big gatorade bottles of water a day.
I've been fortunate that it gets cool around 5:30 ish, which makes decent riding weather.

On a different note, I've discovered a horse channel, and was watching free style dressage last night. It was beyond amazing. I was in total awe.

[Beaker]

How did your session with the trainer go?

[CindyDawg]

I haven't seen her yet. The owner has been ill and I haven't seen her around. Trying to call today. I'm not riding again until Thur and I really need to find the ferrier. His feet may be ok but they look bad.

[CindyDawg]

How's school? :')

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Dressage is something:). I've never really made up my mind as to what I think about it tho.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, I know I'm very outnumber on this thread, English vs. Western, but I just don't see the point to it, other then to say you got the horse to do it. I've always been distrubed at things like teaching a horse to go in the WRONG lead????

I've always thought it funny that English/dressage riders look at rodeo events as not good on a horse, how can going in the wrong lead be good for one? And jumping can not be any harder on their legs then barrels or roping. Maybe it's the attitude of the English set around here that has given me certain prejudices towards English riding. I've run into some very snotty people in the English stables around here, and the funny thing you take their horses outside an arena and they are total idiots. Rodeo people may be a bit rowdier, but I've never found them to come across in the condesending way of most of the English people (present company exempted, of course:) around here do.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Monday night when I took Harley to the arena I discovered that being tied to the trailer makes him a bit nervous. He was fine riding in a strange place, but got stiff and snorty tied to the trailer. Here I have a tree I tie too.

So yesterday while Heather was here I tied him to it as it was still hooked up from the night before. He got stiff and snorty again. So guess what Harley gets to do today:). Means hooking and unhooking the trailer, everyday till he gets use to it, and I hate that. But it's something I need to do. This will give me a clue tho, to just how fast he does adjust to things. This behavior rather surprised me, because when I first brought him home being in different surroundings and being tied to th tree didn't bother him. And the girl I bought him from showed me pictures of him where he was tied to a trailer.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

Well I cut back to 32 hrs. Off on Weds again:')

[Beaker]

Is your trailer reflective? We had a metal trailer that was, and the horses had fits for a while before they got used to it?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Becky

[Beaker]

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, I know I'm very outnumber on this thread, English vs. Western, but I just don't see the point to it, other then to say you got the horse to do it. I've always been distrubed at things like teaching a horse to go in the WRONG lead????

I'm not sure that I understand quite what you mean. Is it that you don't understand the point to dressage, or the point to english? (I don't know what displine you ride in) Either viewpoint is ok :-)
Dressage is very important. It teaches your horse to be supple, (the key is supple supple supple) and respond to the lightest touch, to go on the bit, and to move in harmony with you. Once you have a supple horse, that works in concert with you, you have a much better jumper/hunter/barrel racer/cowpony/whatever.
I mean, the hunter/jumpers that I rode were extremely stiff compared to the horse that I ride now. The difference is quite drastic.

The counter canter is important because it teaches horses how to change leads, and provides the drive and the impulse that they need to do it. Western riders do it too when it is useful for riding patterns.(If my memory serves me correctly)Counter cantering also allows you to learn how to control the horse better.

Yeah, I agree with you, english riders can be a snotty bunch of snobs. But it depends on where you go, and what barn that you're at. I've delt with my fair share of those who think that their poo doesn't stink. But my current trainer is pretty cool, and the borders are friendly.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

See 3591.

This trailer use to have drop down windows. Rocky cribbed so hard on them that he pulled them off when they were down. Funny thing we had to keep them down because when he saw his reflection in them he would get all excited and start talking to it:)

One time he got out one night and went up to the neighbors house. Their house has roof to ground windows on the front in the living room. The lady of the house was sleeping on her couch and heard him. He was standing at the windows seeing his reflectiona talking and acting study. I think if she hadn't of woke up when she did and caught him, he might have come thru the window. That's the only time in 12 years he's ever got off our place. STill don't know why he went thru the hot wire that night.

Becky

[Beaker]

School is expensive! But thank you for asking! :-)

[CindyDawg]

Tell me about it. I'm trying to finish up my BS by correspondence. It aint cheap but probably a lot less than a university. It is all the other fees that get you:')

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well like I said, my prejudices are probably just due to the people I have been around that do that sort of thing more then the actual sport itself. I also don't care that much for arena riding.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Isn't dressage a more advanced version of English riding?

Becky

[Beaker]

Well, yes and no. Dressage can get very advanced, but everything is difficult in its own right once you get up there.

[Beaker]

Yeah, I don't care much for arena riding either, but it's fun to jump and such. I really like to ride bareback, and trail ride. And I prefer to ride without stirrups then with them.

[Beaker]

It is all the other fees that get you:')

Well you hit the nail right on the head. :-)