The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread EIGHT

See our "who's who" page! ^

[HairOfTheDog]

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 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!

[CindyDawg]

I have to be going somewhere:') I've been walking for awhile. My favorite trail is to Walmarts at lunch. I learned really fast to shop lightly after carrying a couple of bags back.

[Duchess47]

Santa Jack LOL - He's a cutie. Is Spike part Siamese?

[Duchess47]

Does the thunder and lightning mean you are gong to be getting RAIN?

[Duchess47]

gong = going

[Beaker]

How do you figure out how many posts you've posted? I've forgotten how.

[CindyDawg]

Cindydawg got pizza tonight. I was off sick a week and the work waits for me so I didn't get out til late. I stopped by lil Ceasars. We thought we wanted it but really didn't. She's a happy camper.

[Duchess47]

I'll bet she is - I'm sorry to hear you were sick - I missed that. What's the matter?

[CindyDawg]

I'm ok now. My Vet doesn't like me giving her people food but she likes it so much :')

[Duchess47]

It always tastes better to them if it's people food. I've always given my dogs scraps every now and then = it's amazing what they enjoy. My dobie ate grapefruit sections with me, my min pins love raw vegetables :)

[CindyDawg]

The Dalmation we had liked grapes. One day he got in and ate them all, including the vine:')

[Beaker]

I had a dobie who loved strawberries. The dog I have now loves grapes, though I think that they aren't good for dogs.

[FrogInABlender]

Wow, it does sound like you had a good weekend! It's great that your mare is doing so well at 29. We'd love to see some pictures of her and some of your rides.

[MissTargets]

Good Morning.

Boy, I can really get used to this "gettin up when I want" attitude. It's going to get close to 50 today also. Still so cloudy and dreary. Suppose to rain this afternoon. Although, I see some blue out there. Unusually warm for this time of the year.

Frog, with a group one time, where we rode through some clear cuts. Quite tricky and not very much fun. You worry so much about your horse getting stabbed by dead branches or getting a puncture wound.

Biscuit went to the trainers Sunday. Poor Jody looks so lost without her. At least she has the little pony for company. She isn't running around whinnying or going nutsy, just stands in the pasture looking forlorn. After my gelding died, she was alone for quite awhile. I am so glad it doesn't seem to bother her too much.

[FrogInABlender]

...Unusually warm for this time of the year...

Same here. We've had a couple of weekends with temps at or near 70 and believe it or not, I found a TICK on my neck yesterday. Who'da thought about finding ticks on ya in JANUARY!? He was really small but was really dug in good and the skin around it was already inflamed. I tried to pull him off but I heard his head snap off and when I went to look at it with a mirror there was enough of him left in there that part of a leg was sticking out. It about grossed me out so I decided I'd better go to Med-Plus on my way to work and let somebody dig the rest of him out. I sure didn't want it to get infected or get tick fever. I guess from now on, when it's been kinda warm like this, I'll do a full body tick search when I get in from riding.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

We did get some very light rain thru the night, and it is continueing this morning, with a few snowflakes here and there. The news said it was not going to be a significant enough amout to really help alot, but it will decrease the fire danger.

Beaker, to find out how many posts you have made go to your comments page, Then click on "more" up in the far right hand top corner. The info will be at the top left.

Today I'm going to Tulsa (yuk:), to a farm supply place. I'm checking out pasture seed. I'd like to have it on hand to sow as soon as the we get a good rain or snow. I've heard sowing in the snow is good (anyone else ever hear that), because as the snow melts it sucks the seed right down in the ground and you don't get a lot of wash off. I'm going to ask at this place today about when to plant. I'm also going to buying fertilizer.

Then tomorrow I will put up some hot wire runs for both horses (Rocky's needs to be redone), that way as soon as I sow it, I can get them off it.

Becky

[Duchess47]

My DIL (the vet tech) tells me they have discovered grapes are not good for dogs - eventually affects their kidneys I think. That's sad, my youngest minpin just loved them.

[FrogInABlender]

I've heard that sowing grass seed in the snow is good too, and for that same reason. I think the same applies to frozen ground. After you sow it, I think you need to keep them off it for at least 3 months. I found this site on pasture management at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension and found it very helpful. The part about cross fencing and rotation looked like a really good idea if there's any way you can do it...

http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/horsepastures/past_mgt.htm

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Thanks for the link. I've always rotated my horses, or at least didn't let them on it 24/7. I realize I just don't have enough and have to be careful to not let them overgraze it.

I didn't buy anything today. I stopped and talked to the guy at my feed store. He can get anything I need. I wasn' for sure about that. He gave me alot of good advise on what I should do. I think he knows what he's talking about too, so I'm going to follow it.

I will be planting fescue and bermuda in April when there is no danger of frost. These two types germinate easily in just a few days of nice temps. If they did germinate and then we had a freeze I'd lose the whole planting.

The types of seed you can sow in the snow are timothies and a few other types. The reason you do it is the seed is so hard it takes several weeks of warm temps to geminate. So there is no danger of them germinating to early. He says he sows thay type of seed by feeding it to his stock. The seeds are so hard going thru the digestion system doesn't damage them. Then the seed is pooped out in ready made fertilizer, the other stock won't eat it because it's in poop, which gives it a chance to grow and get good roots:).

He says I can seed and fertilize my 2-3 acres for between $200-300. Sounds close to what I've read on the internet, so I'm just going to get it from him when I need it.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Would you or anyone know: If you start flower seeds indoors when do you do that? I bought some of those trays today at WalMart that you buy to start seed in the house so you can get them started earlier. I just don't know when to do it or if the types of seed I bought can be done that way. Here's what I've got ordered.

Blue Poppy
Papaver
Rosa Angel Wings
Datura
Zinnia
Burning Bush
Swan Coneflower
Hummingbird Plant
Flowering Cabbage
Foxglove
Lupine
Hibiscus
Lobelia
Hollyhock

Becky

[Rhiannon]

Thanks,
I thought of getting some photos but I never carry a camera when I am riding and I have yet to figure out how to post pictures here. I will try to get some photos to post.

The only problem riding an older horse is you never know what will be a good day or not. She was doing really well in the summer and was being sought after to do some show and low level events. But then she went lame and this time it lasted quite a while. Arthritis has to be exercised to keep the joints lubricated. I have been checking around for another horse but can not afford 2 board bills.