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Posted on 01/31/2005 8:31:31 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
*New* The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - Who's Who *pics*
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?
This is a horse chat thread where we 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 previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.
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 previous threads, 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.
Previous threads:
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - thread ONE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread THREE!
New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!
You're no damn fun Hair! :)
BigMack
We've been having fun in the HH making South Park characters of ourselves.
Becky loooooves me.
"for 3 grand you can find some GREAT finished horses"
I paid $3500 for Winnie and she's a wonderful mare. She was a little herd bound when I first brought her home but she must have just been insecure in a new place, she's not that way anymore. Plus, I think mares are worth more than geldings. Mare goes lame, you still got a breeding animal. Gelding goes lame, you got dick.
Well, not really even that.
Roflol:)
Becky
This gets more urgent by the moment so I am posting everywhere and suggest cross posting. I am in SW Virginia, but this seems to be wide spread.
As many of you know, we lost Whisper our PMU mare a week ago and had two other horses that we successfully treated. Now I am finding out about horses dying all around the area. I have almost lost count. Tragically I have just now learned of another death to this and almost all were treated for the wrong things. We suspect botulism but this has not been confirmed yet.
We suspect this disease is related to feeding round bales, and possibly the extremely wet conditions of the past year. Most these horses are dying because the symptoms are not being recognized early or are being treated as colic or something else.
To save a horse you MUST catch this right away and you must hit them with antibiotics. Naxcel is known to work, but Penicillin may also be affective. Here are things to watch for:
Symptoms mimic both colic and neurological damage. It causes damage to intestines and swelling of stomach. It also causes damage to the brain and spinal cord but these can only be seen if cultured.
A single strange gesture, turning head sideways while lying down, missteps, a weird stretch or lurch are most common first warnings and are easily overlooked. They are not repeated at first.
Blood work will show lymphocytes dropping first, then elevated white count and other indications of infection.
The next stage is lack of appetite. Dehydration and aversion to water. Difficulty swallowing. Chewing but not swallowing.
The final stage included shivering, immobility or falling down, difficulty getting up and seizures.
Temperature is normal or even low and heart rate may not be elevated as would be expected. This leads vets to assume colic and treat with mineral oil. Treating for EPM is ineffective as well.
If you have seen these symptoms please contact me at hollandtech @ earthlink . net (remove spaces).
John Holland
I just noticed that while I've been wasting the day away, the sun has come out... gonna go take blankets off horses and see if I can at least get some pictures.
Oh - and do some chores :~D
My trainer bought my mare at 14, unbroken, but she was a broodmare producing halter champion Appendix foals, she wasn't sold til she came up empty on two breedings. And she had a splendid temperament, sound as a dollar, beautiful conformation. Plus of course she's a mare, so if she ever were to get unsound she could always be bred again (she is in far, far better condition now than when we got her.)
I bet this girl bought this horse on account of his pedigree (it's pretty eye-popping - Secretariat, Northern Dancer, and Raise a Native - double breeding to Native Dancer) and figures the paper alone is worth the money. Unfortunately, he can't be bred so the paper is pretty worthless.
One very expensive problem that he has, which is typical of TB racehorses, is he has a broken back hoof pastern axis, with the accompanying low heel-long toe. To keep him sound, he'd have to have egg bar shoes with pads to raise his heels. (Tuffy has this problem so it's one I look for first).
His conformation along with his behavior makes him Frenchman's Steak. Only the inexperienced will see him as a great horse, until they get on him.
This girl was nuts not to take the $800. My offer no longer stands, the more problems pointed out to me, the more I realize buying him would have been a stoopid thing to do.
You have to figure a gelding who hasn't been ridden for years after coming off the track must have some sort of problem. Mares you can (sometimes) justify, but a gelding standing around eating his head off is worthless to everybody.
Look at his front right, it's a classic example, he has no heel at all. The left isn't as bad.
I forgot to answer your question, no, I have not seen him in person. It has all been on gut instinct, going by the description from the seller.
I gotta run, ya'll. Time to pick the kidlets up. It's been educational and fun.
Jeepers.... He doesn't look that bad to me, by your standards there's two classes of horses, world class competitors and meat.
The lady just wanted to sell her horse, she's not wicked, and the horse isn't that bad. He's not a push button school horse, and he's not perfection at 5 figures. I think he'll do just fine for someone.
Around here, a ten year old horse with some conformation problems, no real training to speak of, and a long layoff is going to go for around 1200, plus or minus depending on what the vet says. 800 is a little on the lowball side, but if you say "MAKE AN OFFER" in the ad you're going to get some skinflints cruising for a deal, if you don't want that don't put that language in the ad. (Folks are going to offer less than you're asking anyhow.)
I'd never buy a horse from a photo though. Even a movie would be better, but I want to get my seat in the saddle and my hands on him.
Old saying: "It's better to feel regret that you DIDN'T buy a horse, than that you bought one."
Only problem I saw at all, photo and description is a very little girl whose head doesn't come up to the horse's withers so probably feels very uncomfortable on top of him when he's feeling good. She can obviously handle him fine from the ground so he's not at all mean or unwilling.
Again, JMO, I don't own jumpers.
Oh well, I guess it was somethin' to talk about, if none of us are goin' riding today and no babies are comin' (??)
I just went outside for a bit... was in the paddock in my house clogs, and I'm walking along looking through the camera (not where I was going) I tripped, hit the deck before I knew I was fallin'. Heh.. First thing I did was look around to see if anyone else noticed.
Only ended up taking one pic of Cyn before dusting myself off and comin' back in ;~D.
It sounds like he needs work and just that. It definately sounds like she's scared of him.
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