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!

[HairOfTheDog]

If we're home, he doesn't take off (He clings to me instead) he took off because he was home alone. I knew he was nervous about the storms, but I didn't think he could get out of the fence.... we should have left him inside and blocked the doggie door.

[AnAmericanMother]

Good morning! Just got back from taking my son to look at a high school we're thinking about for him.

Then it's off to get his hair clipped for summer camp - our hairdresser just takes out her clippers and takes it all off -- takes all summer to grow back which suits him fine.

Had an interesting adventure this weekend - don't know if I've told you about my friend who has a menagerie in her back yard - goats, pigs, chickens, guineas, miniature horses, a mule, and an Arab pony. . . . anyhow, she broke her leg 8 weeks ago and is flat on her back in traction. She has always had problems with her bones and hadn't been able to ride much lately - now of course she's not riding at all. She loves this Arab pony and wants to keep her even if she can't ride her.

Anyhow, she called me in a panic last week - seems the girl who's been looking after the livestock told her the pony was ungovernable, was running away from her, was getting totally ruined, and she ought to sell her. So I volunteered to come out and give the pony a try . . .

I came all prepared with all my training gear and a big bag of treats . . .

Talk about the grand anticlimax! There is NOTHING wrong with the pony that regular work won't cure. She came right up to me at the gate, let me handle her, groom her (she didn't like the fly spray, but who does?) etc. So I took her out to the round pen and free longed her . . . she did perfectly, was very intuitive to commands (just lifted arms and voice), was a little sticky going to the right but did it when I insisted. So, I saddled her up and rode her off - not a buck in her, a few little starts and balks but nothing you wouldn't expect in a horse that hadn't been ridden for months. I'm getting rid of the horrible long shank curb bit, she doesn't need it, and I'm going to try to work her regularly to keep the kinks out.

The only thing that bothers me is that the round pen is TINY, and the paddock is fairly large but has trees, a run-in shed, and other obstacles scattered throughout. I guess I'm spoiled as far as having a nice big flat dressage ring to work in . . .

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, he may tear up the house some, then (or then again, he may just hide under the bed!)

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, good going getting the pony back to work. Sounds like she just doesn't like the caretaker ;~D

So what will she do now? still sell her or keep her till she's recovered?

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't really think he'd tear the house up... He's really meek. And we're assuming he got out through the paddock fence that is currently closely spaced electric wire, and we have a roll of horse mesh we're going to replace that with this weekend. Regardless, we don't want him to be able to get out. Right now, we're going to have to leave him locked inside (or take him with us) whenever we go anywhere. Poor guy.

[Duchess47]

Oh my - perhaps he needs to stay with you during storms and fireworks. Ride with you in the truck if you leave. Poor boy :(

[Duchess47]

He looks so good. Seems like the trail rides are doing great things for him.

[Duchess47]

Good morning. Everything looks the same to me.

[HairOfTheDog]

He is just frantic today.... they are firing artillery at Fort Lewis, which they do all the time, and normally he just shadows me and pants and lays under my feet under the desk when this happens, but I am also working, and having to punch a lot of paper, and the "violence" of having to slam the whole punch is making him whine claw at me and climb up on my lap while I'm trying to work.

I don't want to have to get mad at him when he's like this, so I gave him two of the doggie downers. He's gonna sleep today away and try again tomorrow ;~D

Honey, we're gonna have to make sure we've got another bottle (20) or so to get through the fourth with these guys.

I swear, I don't do anything to deserve neurotic dogs, they just happen to me ;~D

[HairOfTheDog]

It just thrills me to see him play and feel good after all that. Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint when they ~aren't~ right, but it's usually impossible to miss when they are.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

This is what I've been doing this morning. I couldn't decide if I wanted to do this or ride before it got hot. This needed to be done, and I would rather be hot on the horse, then hot in the bobcat. Now I just need it to rain good.

Before.

After.

I think it came out pretty good. I had to move alot of dirt. You can't really tell form the first picture but I had two rain run off gullys across the arena, and they were right where the second barrel was. Is seemed no matter where I put the second barrel it put us in one of those run offs, and it felt like he slipped alot in it.

I imagine it's going to be slippery now too for a while. It's nothing but powder:(. We need some rain.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

It looks fantastic. It looks like a place you could get real work done!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Did he ever feel "not" right to you during all your riding this weekend, or just tired? From the pictures he looks like he got over being tired fairly quickly:). He's probably in alot better shape then you give him credit for, but I know how that feels. That's one reason I don't think I'll ever feel comfortable about Rusty. He's just had too many problems for me, and every little misstep I wonder if something is wrong, and that wears on my nerves.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I think I'm going to wait till this evening now tho to ride. It's really hot. I have lots I can get done in the house.

So are those cavalettis high enough to do any good?

And speaking of cavaletties that reminds me I still haven't heard from the vet about Belle's culture, and I think she is very close to being breedable. I need to go see if I can get hold of her.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Sure, I think the cavelettis look real good.... do you ever move them closer together so they have to lift with every stride? That's another thing you can do.

Do you walk and trot them?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well to be honest, I've been afraid to trot them. I've wondered if I have them to far/close. Never done it before, so I'm not sure how far to space them. Can they trip bad at the trot if they hit one? And since Harley had done some jumping will he jump them at the trot? LOL...I'm a coward....I just dont' know what to expect.

Becky

[Beaker]

Heh. Methinks she might be scared of the pony. That happened to a girl in my barn. The mother bought her a young pony (first mistake) beacuse she thought that the pony would be good for her... it was an adorable jet black welsh, I think. So she was terrified of the pony, and of course the pony then became terrified of her, because fear breeds fear. She'd haul that poor pony about like no tomorrow, or run like the wind and go too fast. Finally it got so that the kid couldn't manage the pony. (Surprise) So my then trainer took me aside and asked me to do some ground work and schooling with him. I get this pony on the crossties and he's shaking and snorting and rolling his eyes All I had to do was give him a pat on the neck, and take it easy with him, and it was like someone let air out of a balloon. No problems. You could see this horse deflate and actually breathe again. We had some rough going in the ring because he had two speeds, stop and RUN, but consistancy solved it all.

I'm interested to see this pony of yours. He or she sounds really cute.

[Beaker]

Nice Work!

[Beaker]

Nice Work!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Thanks:)

Becky