The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE

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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread EIGHT

New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!

[Mr. Brightside]

No. I am in Michigan. But hopeless nonetheless.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ah - I see :~D

Well it sounds good, what you're doing, even if you haven't yet resorted to the gay pants ;~D

Dressage improves both your riding, and the horse's condition and movement. I'd love to do more of it, but my old horse Bay just really doesn't like the work, and I haven't pushed him. He loves to ride trail, and for the rest of his life, that's what he gets to do. He's 24, and been a trail and endurance horse most of his life... He has a really nice natural carriage, so I tried to play with it a little, but collection work just seems to him like me getting in his face for no reason.

About your wife and the new horse... is she just starting out riding? As I said, my husband learned to ride after meeting me, and we're having a ball riding together. I hope she really likes it as much as you do.

[Beaker]

I like the use of the word "borrow". Maybe I'm just dumb, but I'm surprised that the organizers get away with it.

[HairOfTheDog]

I am too! Every year it's hotly debated, widely protested, and every year I think they're just going to finally bag it due to the bad PR it causes for the whole area, and the whole event. But they do it again...

[Mr. Brightside]

My wife likes to ride, but not as much as me. (I don't know many people who ride as much as me, even "horse people.")

I went out this morning, went to church and will go out another 3-4 times today.

My job requires a lot a lot of hours during the week, which means I have to make-up riding to do on the weekends.

: )

[HairOfTheDog]

You ride more than me, that I'll freely admit! We've had the winter off, just beginning to start thinking about riding again.

[Beaker]

I had a good ride today. We didn't do any cantering, but we did work on getting him to soften and accept the bit, and for him to give me his jaw instead of his shoulder. It worked out when he put his mind to it and finally listened. It was more difficult at the trot of course, and I only managed to get him to soften for a stride or two at a time, but progress is progress. And I know that I was setting him up for it correctly because as soon as we would make the transition to walk, he would immediately go round. And we worked on letting him stretch out on his own by taking the inside rein, but the poor guy didn't know what to do, and a couple of times we ended up running into the fence. He finally "got it" after a time, but even when he was stretching, his ears kept saying "Are you sure this is what you want me to do? Because I am so confused."

[HairOfTheDog]

Sounds great... I think my life today will just revolved around getting stalls clean, but one of these days I'll get around to riding :~D Clear and cold today.

[HairOfTheDog]

The monsters are having a ball...

Getting brave... venturing far far away from the house!

TOO SCARY! Retreat!

Pippin heads out for the trees without Tweek... Cartman just keepin' tabs...

[FrogInABlender]

...I want to leave the door open for them a little, so they know how to get back in if they get spooked, so we're freezin'.

I thought I remembered you having a dog door.

[HairOfTheDog]

We do have a doggie door on the back of the house, but we closed it up and haven't been using it since Homer took off and seems to be able to escape the fence whenever something frightens him and we aren't home. Now when we leave, we have to close him in the house.

I'd love to be able to use it.

[FrogInABlender]

I went out this morning, went to church and will go out another 3-4 times today.

You went riding before church?! Boy, that IS hardcore. I'd do it if I could though. ;o)

[FrogInABlender]

Cute pics of the cats! It looks like a lovely day out there. It's cold and has been raining off and on but my cats finally decided they had to go outside, all but Cav's kitty Little Bear. He's never been outside, but he sure thinks he wants to when the other two go out. He'll occasionally escape out onto the front porch but changes his mind once he gets out there and scoots back in the door pretty quickly. The other two were raised outside and are used to it and have the smarts to disappear when anything strange comes walking up. I don't think The Bear would do that and would be a quick snack for any passing dog and I don't want to have to go through that again. So he'll have to be content to be a house kitty, for my sake.

[HairOfTheDog]

It's cold and sunny.... These guys are practicing their 'adventure out, retreat back', and though I worry when I go out and they ~don't~ come when I call, I'm getting a little more comfortable with them being out, at least I don't think they're just going to run away.

[CindyDawg]

I've been trying to ride weekends because of my job schedule but I have so much going that I'm starting to view it as another chore. I'm going to go back to riding during the week. I enjoyed it more. Mondays are my favorite days to ride for some reason.

[CindyDawg]

It's like he's watching them:')

[Beaker]

The picture of Tweek retreating is a riot!

[FrogInABlender]

Cats are almost as big a chickens as horses.

[FrogInABlender]

Looks like you've got stuff beginning to leaf out there. Springtime can't be far away!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Hey, I love hearing that you ride alot. That's what it's all about IMO:).

I use to ride a lot. In fact back when I was riding my mare and competing alot, my husband figured out going on the 4mph average that I rode 2500 miles 3 years in a row. I retired that mare tho and since then have had nothing but trouble finding another one that could do that. I'm crossing my fingers that the horse I have now will do that IF I can get a saddle that will fit him. I have one being built as we speak and it should be ready Wed.
Anyway, hang around and keep those of us who can't ride right now reports of your rides. Becky