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.

[CindyDawg]

One day I was walking Okie thru a puddle. He stopped and looked like he didn't know about that. I laughed caz I knew what he had gone thru before and told him nice try and nudged him and he went on.

[HairOfTheDog]

Funny too, she got right in the creek just didn't want to get in puddles.

Aren't they all that way? Mine will cross rivers up to his belly, but step in a mud puddle? - scary! I always wonder if they think it just looks like a hole.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

None that I know of. Unless you count fescue grass with pregnant mares. We have to be careful of that. Other then that, I don't know of anything.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, that's a benefit of not having a lot of undergrowth then! - Much of it is bad for them!

[CindyDawg]

We are called the "valley" but it's really desert. Flat land. We can handle the fast moving storms but this one a very slow mover.

[CindyDawg]

Night lol

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I've wondered that. Puddles are usually cloudy where as the creeks are clear. Rusty on the other hand will drink out of the cloudy puddles quicker then the clear creek. A couple places in particular, the dirt is red, so the puddles there are really cloudy. He has even several times bit at the dirt there when it's dry. I've wondered if that is some mineral there that he wants. And if that has something to do with his anadrotic problem.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I think so. One of the things that is sometimes done on Alzheimers units is to darken the area by exit doors.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'm so sleepy having trouble getting up and going on to bed:)

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I'm on my insomnia kick again. Lately it's been bed around 1am but then I'm waking up at 6 or 7.

[CindyDawg]

And dreaming about horses for some strange reason :')

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I was up later then usual last night and woke up at 6. Got up and made coffee, and laid down to wait on it to make and actually went back to sleep. I was shocked when I woke up and it was 8. It was a nice shock tho.

I've really got to go now tho, church tomorrow.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Do you use those salt mineral blocks? I always have them, seems they go through binges of licking at it a lot, and then ignore it for awhile.

My horses dig big holes in certain spots in the pasture. Not sure what they are after there.

[CindyDawg]

I talked to Eddie and he said he would like to do it so I think we are going to go to a 3 day weekend clinic. I can take Okie and he can ride a loaner. Training and about 6 hrs hands on riding each day. Price reasonable. Kind of like a mini vacation. Maybe around July. I'm teaching VBS and then taking the grandkids to sea world the 1st 2 weeks of June. I was going to pay for JJ to go to horse camp at my stables too but I'm kind of thinking twice about it now.

[CindyDawg]

Yeah I'm gonna try to make a daylight appearance tomorrow:')

[HairOfTheDog]

Am I right in thinking you work at a nursing home? I used to have a good time visiting Alzheimer's homes with my dog Zulu. Escape was a problem they were always on the lookout for! Went to many of the nursing homes in the area and had several special people that really enjoyed my visits.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good night Becky!

[CindyDawg]

Yeah I do . My husband too. I specialize in geriatric rehabilitation and always sticking my nose into activities :') Pet therapy wonderful. We don't but some places have animals that live there. I'm still working on that and a pool table:')

[HairOfTheDog]

My Zulu was perfect for that kind of therapy, and I even had a big ole orange tom cat that was good. He'd sit and purr on anyone's lap.

[CindyDawg]

Before Cindy got her hip broken I would take her outside a let them see her jump up in the air to catch her ball and frisbee but she wasn't good to go into crowds. She would cower and start shaking. One on one a different story though :')