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Thread III: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1311311/posts |
Posted on 09/18/2004 6:56:23 AM 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. In the last thread we had a great time and were a great help to each other working through lessons and training, horse lamenesses and illnesses, questions and challenges and always just our stories we like to tell.
I always have 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 also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. 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.
So... like the last thread, this is intended as 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.
I'd love to have lots of bits. I've got like 2-3.
I've had lots of what I consider real horsemen around here tell me it's best to switch out bits frequently, keep one special one for when your competeing and use it only for that. The rest of the time use different stuff. They say that keeps them from getting "hard" to a bit. I'm coming around to believing that.
Becky
Yeah, I was getting lynched for giving my opinion. I'll remember the screen names of those people and avoid them like the plague, except for the one that privately mailed me and apologized.
THAT works. I've seen it used on a horse that didn't want to give to the bit. Didn't take long, either.
That's what my husband does. DIL isn't riding him with spurs right now, although that may be next (hopefully before the baseball bat).
It sodesn't seem to be a matter of him not knowing, nor does he do this frequently. Just often enough to test her patience.
I've read that. Use a mild bit for practice then to go a stronger bit for competition, that way they'll be more responsive. I don't compete but the same scenario works for Tuffy. I use a mild bit for as long as I can, til he starts lugging on it. Then I switched to a sweetwater shanked bit to get his respect back. Funny thing is, he never lugs on the sweetwater.
Good choice, I've seen em do this to a lot of folks here, one of them don't like what you had to say and then they ping the rest of the swarm in for backup, it can get very bad quick.
BigMack
Now see I do it the other way around. I use an easier bit to compete for barrels anyway (what little I have competed), because I don't want to slow them down. You think I'm doing it backwards? I've never really asked about that.
Becky
My daughters filly, had trouble going to the left. She tied her head around a few times and that seemed to do the trick. But...thinking about it....I think she told me she started using some inside leg too....hummmmm, I'l have to ask.
Becky
No, I don't think you are doing it backwards for speed events. I was thinking of dressage where the movements need to be precise. You're right, in barrel racing you sure don't want something to slow them down. What do you think about those weirdo contraptions that you see people use occasionally, like an easy stop? The stuff that looks like torture devices. I'd really have to hate the horse before I'd use some of that stuff. (and I've had a couple that I hated that bad!)
My horse used to respond especially well to a kimberwicke. The smallest amount of pressure from my hands was all he needed, and he kept a lovely arch to his neck as well.
It seems to be a play issue, or battle of wills maybe, not training since 90% of the time, he's fine. He's not ever done that to my husband, although hubby doesn't ride him much or often, and only in the round pen. They just tolerate each other.
Oh my gosh. Can't fight by themselves so they get the group, huh? Nothing like the mob mentality to get the goons really brave. Wimps.
I did see a ton of people pinged on one post, that was about the time that the people on my side disappeared. Wish they would have told me what was fixing to happen, I would have disappeared, too!
It;s funny how some little something can make such big changes. Sometimes, most of the time:), it's a rider doing/not doing something that is the problem.
I remember last summer my daughter was here practicing barrels on her filly. When we got some coaching years ago on barrels we were taught to have a cue word that you holler when you want the horse to start a turn. I still don't know why Jenny did this but with Rocky when she was first starting him, she hollered Whoa. Which in my opinion is a big no no. But it worked on him. But the night she was here practicing she was having problems at the turn because the filly kept stopping (imagine that:). It finally dawned on me (I had gotten so use to her cue word that it took awhile to put 2 and 2 togeather.
Well she made a run, had trouble, and ~bam~ it hit me. Jenny, by this time was loosing patience, it hadn't hit her yet. I said "Jenny, can I tell you something" LOL...she hollered back "What" very frustrated. I said softley, smiling to myself because I knew she was going to be humbled, "The horse is doing what your telling her too. You're hollering Whoa"
Poor Jenny, she just stood there for a minute, like in shock:)
It was pretty funny, but show how we can do things and not even realize it. Horse never stopped again making her turn when Jenny switched her cue word to Hey, which is what I holler.
Becky
I'd say if you have to use something like that, you don't need the horse, or the horse isn't a barrel horse.
Becky
Yes thats the way it is, and this particular group seems to have a lot of power around here, best bet is to stay the hell away from them.
BigMack
Kimberwicke is one of the bits I'd like to get. I've used one before and really liked it. They're just so expensive, at least the ones I've looked at.
Hey, good to see you around. My husband was asking where you were just the other day. I told him you take trips alot, probably gone for Christmas.
Glad you're back:)
Becky
Saddles are definitely fun and I don't discriminate, I love them all! Barrel racing saddles are the most comfortable, in my opinion, but I use a ladies reiner that I like. ( I couldn't find a barrel racer with the tooling I prefer) I also have a nice english saddle that I like to make a fool of myself in. I'd like to have an antique sidesaddle, just to look at and marvel that people can actually use those!
The detachable stuff in the helmet sounds like the way to go!
I'll have her run through exactly what she is doing and does when Sonny decides to pull this. Yes, there probably is a reason since most of the time he's great (even though he is an appaloosa) :)
WEll then it may be something your DIL will have to learn to deal with. IMO, every horse has a hole, a problem. Once you find the hole, you just have to decide "is it something I can/want to deal with.
Since it's not often may just be his hole:)
Becky
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