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.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Morning. Isn't today the day you ride?

Becky

[Beaker]

Isn't today the day you ride?
Yes it is! :-) Recovering from a nasty cold, though, and I hope that I'll be well enough by this evening.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Sorry you're sick. Alot of that going around.

If I ride it will be this evening. I rode Trash yesterday for about 3 hours, then Tami came and got him and took him to the arena in town. He may need a break today. Good day to really get Rusty started. Today and tomorrow, then he would be off Sun. Then next week.

Becky

[Beaker]

Yeah I don't know what it is. Fever, chills the whole thing. Now it's progessed to a cold, and I can handle that.
What did you work on with Trash yesterday?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I guess I'll start a good morning ping to everyone to help our thread grow. If you know anyone who wants to get a good morning ping here let them know to let me know. If you want off let me know.

Becky

[Centaur]

Thanks, I needed that wake up call. :) My one mare was screaming all night just because we brought one of the geldings in! He apparently pulled a muscle in all the deep mud we have here in the east from all the rain and we wanted him to chill for the night. God forbid I should change the landscape for the mare! She actually screamed all night...and they're not even pasture buddies. That's a thoroughbred for ya!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Heathers mom has been feeling bad all summer. She got bronchitis on her vacation in June and has never really recovered. She told me yesterday that just the day before the doctor finally figured out she has pneumonia.

I don't really work on anything with Trash. Tami just wants him walked down trails, maybe a little trotting. I do make him move back and forth and around corners with my legs to get him to bend. He's a bit stiff bending to the right.

Funny when I first started riding him he did just fine. Went down the trail no fuss. Now after about an hour he is getting really pissy if we're on a trail that takes us home and I turn him away. Lots of tail swishing and head tossing, and going sideways:) I've had alot of horses do exactly that. I guess at the start since it's different they don't notice that they're working for 2-3 hours. after a week of it they act up some, then once I convince them they're going anyway, they really start to become good.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

This horse, Trash, that I am riding for someone did the same thing last night. His owner came and got him and I was in bed when she brought him home, when she drives off he starts in. He has done that everytime she brings him back. Feel kind of sorry for him.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning!

Welcome to this thread too Empress! I ride English too.... Poor Becky is inundated with English riders. However I did do a little cow cutting on Bay once when a neighbor had a bunch of heifers get loose! Another time there was a loose Emu, but I don't think Bay would have wanted to get close to it, let alone follow and chase it. I left that one to others!

[Empress]

I'm doing my final year of vet school in Ireland after 3 years in Grenada, West Indies and 3 years of undergrad at Texas A&M.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh - I do hope you feel well enough to ride tonight!

[CindyDawg]

Morning. Yeah, I saw it. Cool, huh?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Was there a special reason you went to vet school out of the country?? That's really cool.

Becky

[Beaker]

Doctors are funny like that. It can be really frustrating.
You're lucky to be able to go out on the trails. I really miss trail riding, it was one of my favorite things to do. My new barn has trails but the horse flies are so bad in the summer that my trainer doesn't like to take the horses out.

[Beaker]

Good morning!
What did you see?

[Beaker]

Oh I'll ride tonight, no worries! :-) I have a raging case of cabin fever, and I have to get out and do something.
Riding it is!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Poor Becky is inundated with English riders.

Becky doesn't mind:). I just like hearing/seeing horses, any kind.

Also, I'm still thinking of getting an English Saddle, and start trying to learn some of that stuff. I've never like the show ring western classes, but do the English. Not that I would show, but the English horses just seem to move more naturally, which for a barrel horse that's what I want. Also on trails, I think the horse would apppreciate the lighter smaller saddle.

After seeing the lady that is working with Harley under English Saddle he looked so good. An English Saddle may be something I invest in when I sale him. I kind of changed my mind about it awhile back when I was thinking of it, but back to it now. Takes me a while to make changes, maybe that's my age showing:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Flies have been terrible here too.
Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Takes me a while to make changes, maybe that's my age showing:)

That, and you ~are~ a conservative at the roots.... We are slow to change ;~D

[Beaker]

Flies have been terrible here too.
Oh! Ha, sorry, slow on the uptake. Still bearing the after effects of all the cold medicine. :-)