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!

[Rose of Sharn]

Are they having some more of the good stuff tonight or tommorow? The "Fun" might happen later than expected, I hope not.
We havent heard anything either.
Some of our horses leave us tommrow. : (

[HairOfTheDog]

Sorry about that.... will be tough to see the babies go. Have they ever loaded in a trailer before? Do they lead? I hope your friend takes it slow with them, this first loading experience is so important to their attitude about it the rest of their lives.

I might recommend some Quietex for them if you can get it today. It's really a good product for taking the edge off. It sure works for my pony when we go to leave her alone.

[HairOfTheDog]

Does your friend live in a quiet area way by himself with no fireworks? I sure hope so... or the stress of them being in a new place with unknown fences AND fireworks might be a lot to contend with. I wondered the same about Cindy moving hers this weekend.

Do they have to be moved Mon? Tues would be so much better.

[Rose of Sharn]

Yeah its as quiet as a graveyard. Lots of countryside for miles around. like us. It's a good place.
He has tommorow off because of the holiday so wants it to happen then.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, that's a good consideration too, that he'll be there to watch the first 24 hours. I was just being the voice of caution, as usual.

Do they lead and tie?

[Rose of Sharn]

Thanks for the tip about quietex, I have just called deaconjim (at work all day) to see if there is any way he can get some or get Mark (new owner) to get some. I dont have the van today and my arm isnt up to driving the truck.
I am sure we will run into some problems tommorow, I am going out now to see what I can accomplish today. The colts are pretty good and will follow fine, but getting them into a trailer might be a different story altogether! I'm hoping that curiosity, feed, and lots of encouragement will work. Mark is very experienced so that will help too!
They wont be going far, it's only about a 10 min slow drive at best! : )

[Rose of Sharn]

What with the puppies, colts and the kids are doing homeschool today instead of tomorow, it's a busy day! Chat later! Good luck with your animals. : )

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, if they don't lead and tie, now (tomorrow) won't be the time to teach them. They'll have to travel loose. Do not attempt to tie them in the trailer unless they are very tried and true tying already. Hopefully his trailer is an open type? If it's a stock trailer or slant, the two babies loose together (no dividers they can get under) will be just fine, maybe with Misty if there's room and she's OK with both of them underfoot. Put her in first if she'll load and stand quietly tied in there, it'll help.

Better to back the trailer right up to your gate opening and kindof herd them in, than it would be to try to lead them in if they don't lead well.

Regardless of all the other considerations, it'll be more than one trip. Lightning shouldn't be trailered with them.


Those are my suggestions.

[Rose of Sharn]

Just caught this before i went out, Tying might be a problem. It will be new to them so like you have said, this probably isnt the time to teach it. Misty trailers easily. No problem there, and she is very good with the colts, so we'll put her in first like you have suggested and then the colts.
Lightning will be on a seperate load. I am not sure whether we will have two trailers or one, but if we have both, we can get lightning in and on his way while we work on the others.
I am going to try and find a way to get the quietex first thing. How long does it take to work? One of my friends owns the feed and supply place, and i am going to give her a call. : )
Well I have to check on the puppies, feed and spend some time with the horses. : )
See you later!
Thankyou for the advice. I am sure Mark will have it in his mind what he will do, but its good to know too! : D

PS>If things dont work, I am sure we can always keep the colts here while we train them to tie and load : )

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, the important thing will be not not let anyone rush things... Rushing things gets horses hurt. Especially babies. You don't want to be in a tugging match with them now, where they flip over backwards or get cut on the trailer. Plan on it taking all day, and let them take their time, pushing them only enough to keep progress moving forward. Backing off if they panic. If Misty's in there, they may be naive enough to jump right in, or they may decide they don't like it and take a long time going. It just could go either way. Watch heat and ventilation if Misty ends up standing in there a long time, let her out. If her presence doesn't help them jump right in, take her out or take her seperately.

Quietex takes two hours to work.... Give it early and it lasts all day, so you won't have to hurry with it. It comes in a tube like wormer, or a powder you add to grain. Either is fine, the powder is cheaper. If you end up with the powder, I pour it in and then add just a bit of water so it isn't floury.

If they've never been tied, absolutely make sure the guy knows this and does not tie them. They'll go down and hang themselves on their halters, they probably aren't strong enough to break them yet.

Yes, if Mark is experienced, he'll know all of what I've told you, I don't think I've recommended anything different than anyone would do. They just might be issues you guys haven't faced yet so it's new.

[Rose of Sharn]

Just back in, It is SO hot! Puppies are doing great. Have to go back out to the horses, but grabing a coke first!
Am checking to see any replies from you, thanks!
Mark knows they havent been tied, he also knows they havent been trailered. He does not seem concerned. He is a friend of Deaconjims and from what I gather is very experienced.
I guess it could go either way, they could either be happy to lead into the trailer or not. I am getting upset and nervous about them going, so the best thing for me to do is to leave it to those who are much more experienced than I. I forgot to mention that Lightning trailers easily too. : ) Well I am off out again. Thanks for your help. Sharn

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, watch the heat with the loading, and when they are standing in the trailer, don't dally then, get the trailer moving so they don't overheat. If it's closed trailer, open every window that opens. Doesn't hurt to hose them down before you load them either, to keep them cool.

Good about Lightning.... I guess I've been focused mostly on the babies, but the big horses can have issues too.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL, drugged your dogs for nothing:) Tonight might be a different story.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

So you all hanging around home tomorrow to keep an eye on animals?

We have had a change of plans. We'll be staying here too. Blake will be with us after all, so we'll be here watching him blow up fireworks, instead of going into Tulsa.

Becky

[Rose of Sharn]

We have all the puppies indoors at the moment. they are inbetween feedings and it is SO HOT outside, even in the shade, I thought I would bring them in and let them cool. They have all gone to sleep! I did this yesterday at the hottest part of the day and it worked well. : )

As for fireworks, they make me nervous. They were banned from selling them in GA but this year I have seen them for sale in Wmart. I guess the law has changed somewhere along the way.........

[Rose of Sharn]

Just found this on it

Long illegal in Georgia, sparklers now are allowed thanks to a bill signed into law last month. Any small-charge sparkling fountain, as long as it doesn’t shoot in the air, is now legal.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

We've always shot off fireworks. I enjoy the night stuff as much as the kids do. The plain ole firecrakers I can do without, but the kids, especially boys love them. Charlie and my nephews use to run all over out here blowing up anything that seemed remotely possible to blow up:). Fortunately we've never had an injury beyond punk burns and an occasional cracker going off in a hand but those are short term hurts.

Becky

[AnAmericanMother]

Afternoon, all.

Fireworks are already starting to go off around here . . . they'll keep it up all night probably. Only thing I have to worry about my dog is her trying to RETRIEVE the darn things . . . if she hears a loud pop, she figures it MUST have something to do with a duck she's supposed to find.

I just got back from a friend's house. She has this cute little Arab pony that I am riding for her, because she broke her leg 12 weeks ago and she's still not back on her feet (it's a long story).

This was our first try with the new bit I bought for this little girl -- she had a Tom Thumb curb in her mouth that was WAY too much for a sensitive little Arab. I got her a nice D-ring French snaffle (the double joint in the mouth with a round copper barrel in the middle). It was cute to watch her - as soon as I put it in her mouth she started rolling the barrel on her tongue. We settled down to work right away. She accepted contact pretty well, she didn't understand what I wanted at first but we did tons of trotting circles and leg yieldings and she almost immediately understood what I wanted. She has a very rapid canter with her head up in the air, there's not much room in her paddock to work her down (I need someplace where I can do 20m circles with her) but she's starting to soften and not take such rapid strides. I started her over trotting poles, and she got the hang of that right away. Pretty good progress for a hot Sunday afternoon!

Got a picture of Gracie and me in the Hunter Pace --

We jumped the wimp panel, but what the heck. We'd been out for almost 2 hours at that point. . .

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Wow, that is a very neat picture:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Good picture, the pony sounds like a fun project for you!

Gidget too, would go after fireworks if I let her. She's as dumb as she is crazy. ;~D

Homer crawls in my lap and whines and paws me. Ugh.... come dark they'll both be doped out cold ;~D.