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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!
I would like to see the pictures.
I hope so... Easiest way to spoil a horse is to let them develop bad habits by being too passive and treating them more like a pet than a horse. They aren't a dog and it's really not good to spend too much time just petting them. Grooming yes and that should be pleasant and feel good... but it's not play time, it's standing still. Petting tends to bring about a playful 'biting' reaction in foals... and you don't want that.
When I find them I will post them for you.
Oh - and I'm on the west coast, so I've still got two hours till 24 starts. :~D
"Here's what I want to ask. Are you willing to wait perhaps as long as 3 years and spend several thousand dollars on the training and upkeep of this horse that you can't really ride for that long?"
I really don't mind waiting to ride - I need to train myself as well, so we can just learn together. My husband and I have been really blessed with good hay and forage (even during this drought) so the money I would normally spend on that can be on other things, like training and facilities. (I want a round pen and a nice stall to go with it. And pretty horse fencing. And saddles. And...etc.etc.etc.)
Oh yes, and vet bills. Lots and LOTS of vet bills. I'm thinking about insurance after my dog bills lately... :P
It's not really about the riding, it's about the horse, and that makes it worth it to wait. Maybe it's because I taught school for so many years but I really feel like learning and teaching is FUN - it's a process of which I'd like to be a part. I wouldn't want to miss it for the world...
Can one of yall post a link for the homeschool you use? A woman at my church is interested. I'm going to give her some Abeka info but I wanted her to look at options. Thanks.
I would still take lessons so that you are ready when he is. You will learn a lot more than just riding. The more you want to do the more they will let you and most horse people love to teach. You can learn a lot of stuff hanging out at the barn on a Sat afternoon.
www.aceministries.com
Its accelerated Christian education. If she has kids in high school, she may want to join the lighthouse academy part as it is accredited and will make it easier for college. Her children can go online to ace, and take the diagnostic test free to see how they are doing and where they need to be placed.
It is a great home school curriculum and teaches by self study. My kids love it!
If she wants to know more, pm me and I am happy to give you my e-mail address.
Rose :)
They are around 5 and 7 .
At that age, all they need to use is the regular Accelerated Christian Education. She will only need to buy the "paces" (workbooks) not the answers, as it is easy stuff.
I highly reccomend it.
I've heard a LOT of good things about Abeka, but a lot of families around here are using ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) and they really like it:
http://www.schooloftomorrow.com/homeschool/
It's very structured, and has a lot of support available.
I'm using a mixed curriculum with my son - HEAVY on the advanced science and math, with hands on experimentation and application - but I still haven't found one particular curriculum which really serves our needs. I'd also like to find I'm also trying to find a good home typing program for a second grader, so if you have any suggestions, let me know!
You may now return to your regularly scheduled horsiness...
Ooooh, how do you like ACE's science program? Do they do a lot of experiments, or is it more paperwork oriented?
LOL, Welcome!
My daughter is age 11 and in grade 8 with some grade 9 work and is very advance in math and science. We use ACE and it works for us. Our son age 6 is already in grade 2, and our 3 year old is catching up!
Ace has a typing program, called Typemaster. It is a computerized typing program for levels 1-6.
Here's the unvarnished opinion for you to keep in mind...
My husband, who is lurking in on this whole conversation too, was a beginner rider when we married, and a little over a year ago, we bought him his first horse. What we wanted was steady and quiet, experienced and safe, and I was looking for a horse in her TEENs.
Now we ended up getting a horse who was ONLY 7. But she has a few traits that made her extraordinary for her age, in that she is bomb-proof by nature, nothing scares her (IMHO, fearful horses hurt more people than cranky ones) and she had been well trained and well experienced by 7. She'd been taken on a lot of trail rides, she'd been shown in 4H by a teenager, she'd been a lot of places and seen a lot of things. That all makes a HUGH difference in how safe they are for a green rider. So getting your horse back from the trainer at 3, with 90 days training on average, will not be the end. It takes another year of regular riding before I'd call them reliable for a moderate rider. So it will be a long haul for you.
So here's the thing. Don't think you HAVE to follow through with this horse if it's not working out, or even after he's trained. Even if he might be the right horse for you when he's 15, he might not be at 3. It won't be a failure for you to spend the next two years working on his ground work and decide to sell him as 'ready to start' under saddle. Every lesson you teach him increases his value. With good ground work he'll be worth more in a year than he is now, and worth more at 2 than he is at 1. No matter what happens, you will have learned a lot, and you still might make an informed choice that he'd be better off spending a few years with someone experienced who will put MILES behind him.
So just because you've made this initial stubborn (lol) decision to stick it out with this colt, doesn't mean I think it's a good idea. Your best horse to learn on is his momma. I still believe that.
After a couple of months of winging it, I was so happy to find Abeka that I didn't search further. This program is a lot less expensive. I sent for a catalog. Can you make payments or is it all up front?
It has both. It suggests lots of experiments for you to do. We also get the science kits, dna etc from discovery and Ace has a pretty good physics, biology, physical science and chemistry electives. They come in videos.
Rose :)
She's fed up with public school and just moved her kids to another school but still having problems. The family is on a limited income though. She asked me if she had to be a teacher. It's sad that parents don't realize that if they can read and write that they can teach.
With ACE you can buy one months worth, a quarter of a year, half a year, or the whole year. It's up to you.
I was paying about 800 a year for Joshua's workbooks and texts.
WOW! That is expensive!
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