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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.
If you want to go the really cheap route, WalMart sells the pull-on knee-high rubber boots with steel toes.
What Walmarts sells was what I was talking about. You have to take off your shoes though. A lot of trouble. I can go slug thru the mud and get the horse out faster. As you can probably tell, I really don't mind getting dirty. It just puzzles me that others that do the same as I do without protective clothing can stay clean. :')
I just wear them to the barn and kick them off in the entryway when I get home. We have a rack in the entryway for muddy boots. You can pick it right up off the wall and carry it to the garden hose, boots and all.
The amount or lack of dirt on a person does not have any bearing on their ability at riding:). I'm not worrying about it.
Becky
Riding is such a dirty activity.... whenever I watch old westerns were a cowboy comes back after being out a week on the range or wherever, I always giggle when their wimmin run up to kiss them. Can you imagine what those guys smell like?
I like my cowboy a little rugged but a week seems too long for a bath. Unless you were a Dandy though, it did used to be a bath just on Saturdays whether you needed one or not:')
Eddie said he's ok but that Okie got kicked in the shoulder this evening by a mare (not Sarah Lee) . I asked if he was sure he was ok and he said yeah caz he tried to kick her back and chased her off.
Well I reckon I rode regularly for a good several years. Folks always laugh too hard when I tell them I never rode western so I figure I better quit saying that and remedy the situation one a these days. I had a fairly decent education in finer horsemanship which is probably mostly lost out of my system by now but I am looking forward to seeing if I can get a horse and a western saddle over a fence and still keep, er, everything intact. Topologically I suppose it's possible or there sure wouldn't be too many oater stuntsmen.
I flatter myself I could still tack and handle a horse pretty smart. Amazing how much you forget though.
I do have a point of inquiry though, that I have been mildly curious about because it is probably a huge point of contention. I never had a problem laying into a horse with a crop when it was warranted. The big lugs don't feel anything anyway, it's the noise and the attitude that get 'em. I imagine a fair number of folks are in the other camp though, the same folks who would never ever smack a dog in punishment no matter how bad it was begging for it. Just curious about the opinions on that around here.
I don't pop with a lunge whip unless I need to and only for direction and never punishment. I use the whip for a cue and even rub my horses forehead with it when he stops when finished lunging. I want it like my hand. There and most of the time gentle but will be used to smack if quit doesn't work.
I would use a whip as punishment immediatly and as hard as I could for biting or kicking. What does a momma horse do to it's foal when the foal bites or kicks? I've seen, mares kick their babbies clear across a stall, and guess what, baby still "likes" momma:).
Riding a horse I've never used one, I do ride with spurs, and have used them fairly aggressively for instance if a horse has decided he's had enough and wants to turn around and come home and is refusing to go forward. You let them get by with that, (and I don't care how well trained one is they can do that, has to do with the attitude of the horse) then then next time it will get worse. Consequences for that sort of thing need to happen immediatly and be enough to get their attention immediatly.
Alot of what the type of discipline a horse needs depends on the behavior they exhibit. If a horse is afraid of something that;s one thing if he's just being stubborn that's another. In my experience I have seen that most people tend to want to always say their horse is afraid rather then just being a brat. And horses can be brats. If a horse has done something, gone past a scary thing, loaded in a trailer, and seen that there is nothing to fear, THEN when they refuse to do it, they need some type of disciplene. For instance, my gelding once in a while will act like he doesn't want to go in the trailer, a kick in the gut and he loads right up. What do you think he would do, if I didn't give him some discipline? I hate being somewhere and have to jack around with one that is being silly about getting in the trailer.
You compared discplining horses to people discplining their dogs:), I always say discipline as you would your children. (But then, that isn't done so well now a days either by most people). I think horses can/should fear thier owners just as a kid would fear it's parents, not "afraid" fear, but "respectful" fear. JMO's:)
Becky
Good morning!
maxwell: Do you want on the good morning ping list?
Becky
Oh and let me add one more thing.
It's not a real good idea to do much jumping in a western saddle, for men or women FTM.
Becky
Mornin.
The weather has been so strange this summer. It got over 90 yesterday, I'm going to get started by 9:00. Waiting till then so I can call the vet:)
I guess it's the weather has brought something out that has made me have like allergy sypmtoms. Very very seldom have that sort of trouble, but I've been on the verge of an asthma attack for the last few days:(. I had asthma pretty bad as a kid, but haven't had a problem for 10 years. Consequently I had no prescription meds, so I got an over the counter inhalor last night. Helped some.
Becky
I'm a little concerned about this storm. All models project LA but it's acting like another 2 years ago that never made the turn.
I haven't read any updates since Sat. I was just thinking about it tho, and wondering where it was now.
Becky
Good morning! I think I probably agree with Beaker and Becky on whips, punishment, and 'encouragement'... I have carried a crop in the past, certainly, and would again if I had a young or reluctant horse that might need it. I have certainly responded swifty to an outright disobedience. I have used a riding crop just like Becky uses her spurs... One pop means "yes, I do want you to cross this bridge".
But I think 'laying into with the whip' is usually just a guy venting his anger. It's a fine line, and I've seen it crossed, certainly, and most of the time it isn't good horsemanship, it's a guy/gal who's lost his/her temper. We've all lost our temper, or wanted to, but I don't think we recommend it or feel proud of it. The horse is probably only thinking of getting away from you at that point, and not reconsidering what you were trying to teach him.
Because of the horn? The owner suggested I buy another saddle with a cantel I can hold for keeping my seat if I need to.
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