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Thread III: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1311311/posts |
Posted on 04/26/2004 12:06:41 PM PDT by 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.
Pregnant goat? :') Isn't it funny how we can have "good" pain? If I can get myself up I want to ride early tomorrow.
Hey guys:)
I got Reba delivered back to Stan. He was very impressed with her. He said he was going to rope off her, healing, for a month of so then probaby send her back to me:) I have a feeling we will be doing this till he sells her, which I think won't be fast, he asks lots for his horses. He also said he will send me others thru the winter.
I talked to the other girl who has one she wants rode, will probably get him the first of next week. He's a great big sorrel gelding. Been a long time since I rode one as tall as he is, over 16 hands. But he looks like he's in good shape, she just wants him rode on trails, and she doesn't have time.
Especially with the cooler weather not far off I think I could handle two plus my own and give everyone their monies worth.
The weather here is just unbelievable the last few days, and from the forecast is going to stay this way. Highs in the 80's. That's just unheard of around here this time of year.
I had the boys all day yesterday, so I didn't do any riding. The kids all showed up here and stayed for supper. It has been awhile since we were all together here.
As soon as I get going this morning, I'm going to go ride Harley. I didn't get any pictures the other night. I forgot to take my camera. But we are going to be working him alot so I'll get some soon.
Beaker, sounds like you're making progress:). What particularly did you work on that was hard on the legs? Something special/different?
Hair, glad you finally got some rain. It's amazing what one day of rain will do for greening up yards, trees and gardens. I thought I was loosing my azealas. I know azaleas need alot of shade. I thought I planted mine where they would be OK, so when they started looking bad, I kept watering them more. Come to find out between me and the rain we were getting they were getting too much water. I haven't watered them all week and they look alot better. The garden too, altho it wasn't looking bad, the flowers always seemed to be soggy. Of course everything could be looking better because it's been cooler.
Well, sorry for the ramble just catching up. I'm trying to recover from the boys being here all day. 2 little kids are alot of work:).
Becky
Yup. Pregnent goat. I felt quite foolish.
Back from riding Harley. We had a good work out. I almost am beginning to think climbing hills is a better conditioner then long trotting/loping distances. Harely seems able to trot forever, but the hills really makes him sweat and gets his respiration/heart rate going.
Becky
Thanks for the ping... I missed your earlier post about returning Reba and missed Beaker's posts! I sometimes don't realize the thread has moved on if I don't get pinged... I talk too much and it'll fall off my radar.
I hope the pasture greens up some with this rain, but I figure, hard as it rained, one day of it won't be enough. We need about three days to start to turn grass green that is as dead as my pasture.
Lazy day so far, though I want to move and rearrange hay in the barn to make room for the mower and stuff that is now outside under a tarp. And I need to get the haystack covered so it doesn't get too dusty.
I visited a quarter horse ranch here once where all the pastures were on about a 45 degree incline. Those horses lived on that hill and were built like tanks. The owner says the terrain saved her a lot of work getting them in condition!
HHHHMMMMMMMMMM....that's interesting.
When I was competing I heard people talking, saying that long trotting built stamina, loping built cardiovascular system, and that hill climbing built muscle. But I'm thinking the hill climbing does a bit for the cardiovasular system too as much as it raises their respiration and pulse.
The year I had my mare in the best shape I ever got her, I did alot of all three. But the muscle she built was longer leaner muscle more then the bulky weight lifter type muscle. Where with Reba I did more hill climbing. She was just to rough at the trot and lope. Altho she was a naturally bulkey horse she looked a lot more trim and then bulkey when I took her back.
Becky
Why would someone "intentionally" starve a horse? I was looking at one up for adoption. They couldn't say much about it until the horse put on some weight. The ad reported unsure if abused but intentionally starved????!!!
Because they're f#*%$g idiots:).
There are reasons to take weight off a horse, keep them on the lean side, but there is NO reason to "starve" one.
If someone was doing something like that intentionally, it was probably because the horse did something that they considered mean and intentional on the horses part and was "showing" the horse who was boss. And most likely whatever the horse did was probably the owners fault in the first place because they don't have the first clue how to work with a horse.
A lot of people are surprised by how horses are when they get them. They expect them to have the mentality of a dog, or a pet. That's a big mistake. When the horse doens't act like that, peopel think they have a "bad" horse. It's really sad.
I was thinking today while I was riding that horses really are very fragile animals mentally and physically.
Of course this is all JMO:)
Becky
Have you all noticed that when you are on this thread and click on Browse at the bottom that it takes you to the News Forum rather then General Chat??
Becky
How cruel. There were lots of sad cases :') Someday once I know more and have the room I would like to do something like this too, I think. Not training, just healing and finding good homes.
Well, I can't explain the way a lot of people behave Cindy.... And they are right to wait before evaluating her temperament. Right now weakness could be mistaken for a docile temperament, and there is no way to evaluate what she knows or how easy she is to handle until she is strong. She got dealt a bad draw in life so far. I hope she gets the best from here on out.
I'd like to hope there would be room at my farm for cases like that too Cindy. I'd like to make a little room available at my boarding stable for the ones that aren't so easy to adopt out.
I wasn't talking about anything big, maybe just one at a time and just sell for cost. Something like that. I've nursed dogs back for the vet before. I would think only experienced riders should consider adoption though. There is no telling what has happened and might spook even the gentlest. It wasn't what I was looking for for us but once I started reading I couldn't stop.
Those people that do adoptions, are ~usually~ pretty good at evaluating the animals though, and are if anything overprotective and reluctant to send an animal to anything but an appropriate home. I suppose there are well-intentioned but desperate conditions also, but most of the adoption programs don't hide or mask problems. They don't want the horse to end up rejected or abused again.
Yeah, I was really surprised by how up front they were. They don't want the mares bred for some reason though.
They don't want more backyard breeding of grade (unregistered) and low value animals that they see as part of the problem. It's the same attitude that shelters have. Too many animals, not enough good homes.
Boy, it sure is nice to have a whole history of Bay in photographs on my computer. I was just outside and thought his eyes looked puffy today, they are watering some, which makes them look worse. I took pictures intending to post and ask for advice, when I looked up old pictures of him and they look exactly the same, he's normal today as he ever is. Great to have a whole bunch of shots to compare.
Yeah, that's why I think I saw such a big change in Reba the last 2 wks. I should have take one last one of her and post it. But she'll be back:)
Becky
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