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Thread Nine: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1584833/posts |
Posted on 10/04/2005 9:56:41 AM 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 MissTargets will now be pinging everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets 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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN
New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!
OK - I'll do that :~D I'll take the first lap in a bit. And I'll take a picture from the far end so you know I went :~D
I'll do one lap with the corrective orthepedic inserts in my shoes and one with just the retainer, and see what feels best. I don't know how much you remember about my feet things, but there's two different kinds.
RE the dog... I'd fear a tangle between him and your male than I would with the female, hopefully, he's not a real threat.
I remember you having trouble with your arches but I don't remember what you did about it. Did you go to a foot doctor or did you just buy some over-the-counter arch supports?
Hopefully the gravel will stay put and hold up to traffic. Let me know what you learn from it!
Horses will always make mud where there's traffic, my friend Tiff's barn has a short level patch and then the property dives off sharply, but she still got mud and ended up basically 'paving' the area in front of the barn with rubber mats :~D It was workin' last I saw, I'll take pictures next time I visit.
They're ~really~ expensive. But we bought into it because the promises were good. The guy who fitted me is supposedly a real physical therapist and their pitch is actually somewhat scientific. And they really do work, if I wear them all the time. I hurt myself when I go barefoot (I love to be barefoot and hate wearing shoes inside) So I fight myself, and pay for it if I don't follow the regimen.
As you can see, there is a gutter that would collect the water from the barn and lean to, but it's so clogged with needles right now, it's not functioning.
At this point we'd like to clean out the gutter first, and then push or pull all that soft stuff out of there, and replace it with packed gravel or something so water would drain into my drainage ditch, and go away :~D
Mack had trouble with his feet. He bought some kind of shoe insert at Wal Mart and says it has help tremendously. So I'd think your's would really work good.
Good luck on the walk. Since I still plan on riding this afternoon, I'll probably skip the afternoon trip, but go tonight. It's hard in winter to get 3 in. When i walk at night I just go around and around our circle drive. I meansured it once, if I remember right 7 times around is a mile. I'm scared to go down the property line in the dark:)
Becky
I can really understand where she's at myself. After losing Lady, I've never felt comfortable on another horse. She was never a push button easy ride, and several people wouldn't ride her because she got really difficult to handle for "cowboys" but I knew exactly what she would do and how far she would go. And she always gave me small little warnings ahead of time before she shied, or decided to jump a ditch or hill instead of walking. And she always did what I asked of her (sometimes with a slight arguement).
When we had all the kids horses here what to do with all the muck from the stalls was a problem. Now with only the two, and Rocky never dumps in his stall, I just pitch Harleys out front of the stall and the rain/wind carries it away.
And right now I've been hauling it up here to my flower beds anyway.
We had mushy spots like yours when we had more horses. I hated it. back then gutters across the front of the stalls probably would have solved the problem.
Becky
I think Beaker did the math on ours and 5 times around the edge of the pasture would be a mile, but my memory might be wrong about that. maybe she could do it again for me :~D
It's about 3.5 acres in area and roughly square.
Yeah, once you've had one awhile and know what their worst is it's hard to make yourself ride another if you have another to ride. I'm thinking it takes about a year of alot of riding before you can really say you KNOW a horse.
Becky
I drove mine to measure:). If anyone had seen me that day, they'd have thought I'd lost my mind:). I dont' do math well enough to go once around then figure, so I just around and around till I hit amile:)
Becky
That's Bay. I wouldn't put a beginner on him on trail, but I know what he's gonna do before he does it.
LOL - Well, I could do that :~D
When you do your walk, make sure you wear something like hiking boots that will really support your ankle. My ankle is still not right, but wearing the boots, I can trek miles. :)
James had terrible pain from heal spurs last year and was at the point of considering surgery as there were times he couldn't walk. Now he is fine, no pain and no surgery needed!
He bought the comfort Gel Arch supports from Walmart for $5.97 and we change them regular. He also stopped wearing tennis shoes and went over to his cowboy boots. The difference is amazing.
Rose :)
Well, I quit wearing the little flat Keds I used to wear all summer and got good walking shoes. I have hiking boots, but I ~think~ the walking shoes are better for this, as long as I watch my footing in the uneven parts and don't end up turning my ankle.
We are heading up to Virginia tommorow and are looking forward to hiking the snowy trails. :)
I use this one (The 5 in 1 reader)http://www.flash-memory-store.com/imagemate.html But any one of the readers will do. Look into it http://www.flash-memory-store.com/sandisk-store.html?gclid=CNbk9fDFsYICFScBOAodhgLEDg My friends thought I was nuts. Now they're all doing it.
You cant loose your pictures!! Backing up with a scandisk is (almost) idiot proof. Trust me. ;)
Harley is saddled, I'm heading out for awhile. I have the camera, but any pictures I take will be pretty routine....
Becky
I have the sandisk 4 different card reader version. Works great and I also have a flash memory store that I can download to and take whatever to anothe computer in a heartbeat.
As you say, they are well worth the money!
Rose
Eh - take them anyway! You never know what might be interesting!
I'm about to walk over to the store and get milk. I still haven't had breakfast yet.
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