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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.
Actually, there are three categories in the Hunter Paces around here - Bluebird (a "bluebird day" is a day that the hounds never find), Check, Cast & Run (typical hunt - a few runs when the hounds find, but lots of "checks" where you stand around waiting on the hounds), and Gone Away or Full Cry (gallop like a fiend throughout.) Each category has two divisions, Hilltop (where you don't have to jump but can if you like) and Over Fences (where you must jump every jump).
Ordinarily, the beginners do Bluebird Hilltop - no jumping and just walking and trotting - which is fine for casual riders. Our group (led by our trainer) always does Check Cast and Run, which is usually mostly trotting with the occasional canter. But the times were set so low, that we wound up mostly cantering, with occasional gallops and occasional very fast trots, and the odd walk to let the horses blow. And I saw a couple of Bluebird riders (obviously Western riders - they were both on smallish round Arabs, with curb bits in their mouths, even though they had slapped English saddles on their backs for the occasion) and their horses were sweating hard and they were cantering!
There's also something called a Poker Ride - where you pick up various playing cards at checkpoints and try to get a winning poker hand - that is much slower paced because it isn't timed. You don't have to be a member or the guest of a member to participate in that - it's a come one, come all kind of event, and it's amazing who shows up - folks in ratty T-shirts on plow horses with Western saddles that don't fit, little kids bareback on Shetland ponies, etc. Our trainer insists that even for the non-formal rides we dress in coordinated fashion - high boots (or Arial half chaps which are shiny) and buff breeches with matching T-shirts - usually black with the barn logo or Pony Club logo.
Thanks! This is Hay-Dawg, he inspects bales of hay.
When it's sunny and hot, he checks out the streams too. Just to see how deep and cool the water is. : )
Morning. Yawn. We didn't get back until about 1am. I just woke up. Too late for Sunday School but I should be able to make church.
Can't wait to see the pictures. The Poker run sounds fun too. I was just thinking the other day that I need to dress better to go to the stables. Lately just old t-shirts and recycled jeans or sweatpants and muddy shoes. It's just no matter how hard I try to stay clean I end up all sweaty and dirty.:') I see people that looked so groomed but I haven't figured out how they do it yet.
AWWW. I just love dawgs:')
Hunter pace sounds like so much fun. I would love to get more "out-of-the-ring" riding experience.
I get mud on my shoes going to the pasture. I get dirt on my hands cleaning hoofs. I know this sounds bad but sometimes I just wipe my hands on the horse or me. I figure it's their dirt and I'm going to wash them down in a bit anyway. Baths... People laugh and say I see you and Okie getting a bath today. I get straw in my hair... I have to hit the showers as soon as I get home. I just can't figure how others can look and stay so preppy:')
No church today. I'm taking that break. We went back to the barrel race in Tulsa. Got to see part of the youth and the finals of everyone that drew a check.
Lot's and lot's of nice horses. I really enjoyed watching, and learned alot. That new way I was talking about in the spring does seem to be the way to turn the second and third barrel. So now I can't wait to start working with Rusty again. Might saddle him up latter when it's cooler. Definitly tomorrow.
Becky
I'm going to walk out the horse trail. Yall want horseless pics? :') Puzzle about John on TOS if you or Mack interested.
It's so bad that I have to keep pushing Okie away. He thinks I'm his salt block. Barns are so hot.
Yuk! No snot yet. I've been pooped on and spit on but that's about it. Oh yeah, and there is the bit drool. Real nice lol I'm just a hands on type person.
Mack calls me PigPen. That little kid in the Charlie Brown cartoons, who always has a cloud of dust around him:). I start out every morning with clean clothes, usually by 9:00 AM you can't tell:), sometimes, on Wed. I would change my shirt before going to church, otherwise I just stay as I am. If someone doesn't like it, it's their problem, not mine:)
Becky
Well I have to change when I come in but no sense in going back out in clean clothes I'm just going to mud out. That's what I meant by re-cycled jeans. I just kick um in the corner and re-use. And my long manicured nails.. forget about it. Maybe I ought to just get the ferrier to file them too every 6 weeks :')
Wear those zipper leg waterproof/windproof pants over your breeches, and a smock over your shirt. This really does work to keep your buff breeches and white shirt clean. When you're ready to saddle up, just strip off the smock and zip off the pants. Voila! (Just don't forget to wash your hands!)
Hunts are always actively looking for members, and they understand that you may well be 'visiting around' before you decide whether or not to join. :-D
I would have to do something like that if we were going anywhere important. I have thought about some low wadders but I would have little foot protection if stepped on.
PigPen. That's great!!! :-) I worked for barns for so long that when I stopped, I had had to buy new summer clothes because all them were barn clothes! We're talking cut off shorts, t-shirts with mysterious horse related stains that never came out, "white" t-shirts that no longer well... were. I also realized that I didn't have decent summer shoes, just workboots and a pair of old sandals that I wore around the house once I got home. My poor mother was horrified.
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