The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX

See our "who's who" page! ^

[HairOfTheDog]

*New* The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - Who's Who *pics*

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!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FOUR
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE

New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!

[CindyDawg]

Could I not just untie them in a stopped trailer for awhile?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

The lady on the gray horse is the beginner. It was amazing the improvement she made. This was Fri. night and we were all waiting our turn for our individual instruction. Martha's husband RE, was standing next to the first barrel, then there were other instructors at each barrel and one in the alley way. RE would have us start at a trot, and then we would lope it till we turned good, then we made a fast run, we did it over and over till we got it good. It was really hard running at those barrels with people standing around them. The guy on the third barrel would sometime even reach out and grab the inside rein to help the rider turn the barrel, even if the horse was going fast. Or sometimes he'd push the horse away from the barrel if it was coming in to close. One girl ran over RE. He had to be taken to the house for awhile, but he came back after about an hour or so.

Here's Jenny and I waiting. Kristy had to stay away from Jenny, because Rowdy is so bonded to Dot. By Sat night, Harley and Dot had bonded so we had to seperate in lines.

I think I forgot to answer your question. It mostly quarter horses, some throughbredy types, and few of the kids on ponies

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

If you could put a horse in each section of your stock trailer, I'd travel with them loose all the time, moving or not, especially on a long trip. It's possible they would move around and put their head down enough.

But with regular slant load trailer, I don't think you'd want to do that. Even if they could and would get their head down, they'd likely get hung up under the divider and cause more trouble than benefit.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Our horses were stocked up a bit on Thurs, and Fri morning. But it would go away after being rode some.

Each day, we got a break to go to some demonstrations. They had a very good one on massage theapy, to help keep your horses muscles soft and pliable, and they showed us some really good stretching exercises for them. I'm going to have Mack take pictures while I do it. I think I could show you all how to do it with pictures.

There is a muscle in their shoulder. When the lady showed how to massage it the horse she was doing looked like she just immediatly went to sleep and was almost drooling on herself.

The stretching excerises looked cute too. You do them with treats. (I'm going to have to break my rule of no treats, HA HA. She did say tho it was the only time she used them.) But you use them to tease the horse around to where he's reaching clear back to his whithers practically before you give it, or you bend them down putting their head between their front legs. She said these were good for their back and necks.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh... the barrel guys had a dangerous job....

I'd think the guy standing there would change the way the horses would approach the barrel.

[Duchess47]

I'm loving these pictures. A friend who is an ex barrel racer lent us a bit for Sonny that is very similar to this - it might even be the same thing. She used it on her barrel horse.

[HairOfTheDog]

I've seen a massage demonstration... a lady doing something called T touch or P touch, or something, once. The horse did practically go to sleep ;~D

[HairOfTheDog]

You've gotta be tired.... are you - have you - gone to bed?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Here's a look between the 1st and 2nd barrel, with the instructor, the guy closest to the rail speaking into the mike. Looks like he's watching someone down on the third barrel. The one guy is racking the tracks smooth. The cones are to show us where we do different things and the path we take. It was hard staying between them going fast, and trying not to run over them or people or barrels:) This is about 9:30 Fri night.

This is Sat. afternoons individual instruction. This is Jenny.

This is me.

This looks like when we were suppose to double wrap the barrel, go around it twice. I didn't like that, it was hard:). Try going around a barrel twice and stay in the right path both times. It's really hard. But it teaches the horse to finish his turns.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I had to go feed horses. And Bink, my cat came home. CS told me today she hadn't seen him since Thurs. I thought he'd taken off or died or something. We've had him a long time 7-8 years. But he came home:)

But I am tired. I'll save the rest for tomorrow.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Great pics.... we look forward to more tomorrow.

Glad the cat is accounted for and I trust everything else was good while you were gone.

I wondered, did you take your little dog with you?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh yeah, susie had to go:). Even going she stressed pretty bad, because I was gone so much. She got to where no one could get her out of the RV when I wasn't there, and if I was there and leaving, she went under the RV or trailer where I couldn't reach her and wouldn't come out. Then of course as soon as I got on the horse she'd follow.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I figgered she'd get to go.

Talk to you in the morning. :~D

[Duchess47]

So - while Becky was having fun and everyone else was doing constructive things, I bought another horse. Mee Granite, an unregistered, unbroke, 7yr old appaloosa gelding.

[Duchess47]

oops - mee=meet

[HairOfTheDog]

He sure is cool looking.... looks like a ghost mustang.

Where's he been that he's unbroke at 7? and what are you going to do with him?

[Duchess47]

Well, the man that owned him kept him as a companion to his Morgan. The man is now disabled, the Morgan died and he has no use for horses anymore.

He's a little underweight, and a lot spoiled. Hopefully, he'll be broke and turned into an endurance horse - he's got the build for it. Bob bred his mare and doesn't want to ride her long. It will take until fall probably to get this guy trained and then in shape, but if he can handle it, he will be Bob's endurance horse.

[Duchess47]

He does look like a ghost - and reminds me of the legendary ghostwind stallions. When I saw his picture I thought that would be a better name for him than Granite.

[HairOfTheDog]

Sounds like a good plan!

Hope you'll post pics as he progresses. ;~D

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - The ghostwind stallions are what I was remembering something about. ;~D

Well, since he's unregistered, you can call him whatever you like.... GhostWind would be a particularly cool endurance horse name. :~D