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Posted on 07/14/2005 3:23:55 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX
New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!
I got off schedule, because my horse fund ran short due to all the vet bills I had with Belle, and something had to be cut. But now I'm back on track.
Becky
That is so interesting. Thanks for the link. It answer a lot of questions I would have had for you, about the trees. How far of a drive is it?
How wondeful you had a good time. Now you are hooked right? How hot was it? It has been terribly hot and humid here. In the high 80's and low 90's. Scrattered thunderstorms almost every day. How about insects that bother the horses, many there?
Hello, speaking of insects....the horse flies have arrived here:(. I noticed Rocky running for his stall several times yesterday, and he has blood spots on his neck. I hate them!
Becky
I'm wondering now if maybe the stirrups weren't a bit too long for me.
I'm trying to picture in my head how I could have placed any weight on the stirrups when my feet kept slipping out of them.
Should your knees be pretty bent when you're in the saddle?
If you look at the last pic, you can see that I was almost standing.
Or maybe I needed a smaller horse. :-D
It was pretty hot and sticky. High 80s/low 90s here too.
South Florida is always hot and the flies drove the horses to distraction at times.
I did my best to brush off any that I saw land on my mare's head, neck or shoulders while we were riding.
Poor thing.
It's kind of hard to tell, you do have some bend in your knee. As long as you can get your heel down I think then it's a preference to the rider. If you get them to short, IMO, you'll tend to push yourself out the back of the saddle.
Please don't take this as critizism, I have struggled with this same problem forever. I think it's because adults have longer legs, (and probably weaker muscles then kids:), but look at the leg postion of your daughter compared to yours. That is typical mistake of beginner adults, letting your leg drift back behind you. REbecca's leg postion looks great, and probably why she didn't bounce so much. The first thing I would consiously work on next time if I were you is keeping your feet forward, and heels down. It's very hard at first, but the more you do it you'll strengthen your leg muscles and it getss easier. Keeping your feet forward helps keep your butt in the saddle and it won't get so sore:)
Becky
Oh gheesh. I hate those green heads too. They will be out here soon then. Deer flies, and face (black) flies have been really bad here. Soon, those big black dive bombers will arrive. They always know where to land on a horse, (middle of rump), tails and heads can't get em. At least they are slow, and you can smack them.
What did you think of that barrel saddle on Ebay? I know you want to try a saddle out before you buy (if you do), but it was fun looking. :')
AS a matter of fact, if you look at all the pictures of Rebecca, you can tell her heels are down:). She's a natural.
Oh and that's not to say you aren't:), it just takes more time for adults. But I have seen kids have that same problem, it usually comes for fear of falling and they want to hold the horn. Holding the horn won't keep you from being throwed off if the horse does something unexpected. It might help to hold it at the walk and trot, but your better off learning to sit well at the very start before it becomes a habit and you get to feeling secure that your good when holding the horn. Holding the horn, tends to tip your body forward and you get off your center of gravity.
Ok, I'll stop preaching:)
Becky
No offense taken, believe me.
The whole point of the questions is so that I can have honest feedback about what I'm doing wrong. How else will I ever get better?
The trail leader did tell me to put my feet forward, heels down but I kept drawing my legs back instinctively to clamp around the horse- which caused more bouncing.
I'm definitely going to focus more on leg and arm position the next time I go. Even if I spend the entire hour and a half with my feet forward and spreading my weight between legs and bottom.
Hey, the good Lord knows I need some leg strengthening anyway. I might as well be enjoying it while I do it, right?
It looked pretty good. If I land up buying a new one tho, I think this time I'd like to go with a round backed one. Something more compact. I'm pretty sure that if I land up buying one, I'll probably get one of those Martha Josey ones. It is suppose to help correct the very problem I'm talking to Ruthie about, legs drifting back. After 20 years of riding I still have problems with that at times, especially when speeding up.
Becky
Yup. That's what the folks at the ranch said about her too.
She had no fear, just a bit of nerves for the first few minutes. After that, she had that horse doing pretty much what she wanted.
I was amazed!
That's what I had to do. Spend alot of time while riding THINKING about where my legs were.
If you were clamping down on the horse with your legs, that might have gotten him more bouncey too. Your legs are what you cue your horse with, a squeeze means go:). You want to hold on with your knees, but your calves and heels are for cueing. You don't want to just let they hang loose and swinging and bumping, but you don't want them clamped down too.
But all that can come later, right know just work on keeping your feet forward with heels down.
Becky
good morning everyone, its a beautiful morning and deaconjim and I are outside drinking our coffees listening to a chain saw!
RMDupreee, congrats on doing so well. Next time wont hurt quite as much, i am still a novice so I sympathise with all that you have to learn and take in and remember to get through the ride. Enjoy!
We are out of here today to a bigger cabin. This way deaconjim and I will be able to sit in the evenings ant talk without having to go outside for fear of waking the kids up! We may also go to a nature reserve today. Yesterday we headed into MO and looked at some towns where we have details on places, to get a feel of the area. Well we definatly want to live around here somewhere, it is so beautiful! We went to AVA because Emma is readin ANNE of AVA for part of her ACE homeschool work. : ) She was very impressed! It seems to be horses, chickens and cattle here!
Kids:)
I've always had a bit of frustration in the back of my head that my kids are just so relaxed and look like one with horse when they ride, and they don't work at it nearly as hard as I do. Just doesn't seem fair. But they started riding as youngsters, they don't remember NOT having horses.
I was 32 when I started.
Becky
It's true. Kids naturally adapt to any position whereas we adults are a bit stiff and awkward.
I'm 32 and I'm just starting to ride. :-D
It's take a bunch more bruises and sore muscles before I'm an "experienced" rider, but getting there is half the fun!
Good morning :~D
I think, Ruthy, that your leg position looks pretty good for a beginner.... I see a lot of friends, who, their first time up can't get their leg to face forward, it's very common for new riders (adults) to have their knees pointed east and west. They try to bend their feet around, but the rotation has to happen at the hip. You're good in that department.
Getting your weight lower in the stirrups takes retraining of all those muscles is all. Rebecca is all flexible and bendable... Your muscles aren't trained or stretched to sit with your heels lower than your toe... You may physically not be able to do it until you stretch those calves.... You can stand with just your toes on a stair, a few minutes a day, and stretch down with your heels until you limber up a little.
I thought you were pretty close to the that age, going off the age of your kids. They're the same age mine were when we started. Charlie was 8 and Jenny was 5.
After 20 years....I still don't consider my self all that expereienced in some areas. The learning new things is what keeps it interesting.
Becky
I was 35 when we got ours, but saying that I havent had the time to ride like I have wanted too because of the care of Deaconjims parents.
Emma is told she is a natural rider too and loves it!
I wonder, as adults, whether our self consience makes us so aware of how we should be doing this and how we should be doing that, that we dont just sit on the horse and "feel" where we should be. : ) Maybe we just don't melt and move with the horse like kids seem to do.........?
Thanks, Duchess and Hair for sending the links to your pictures. They were so nice. Maybe next time.
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