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Posted on 02/24/2006 9:12:25 AM PST 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
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!
Oh, I did mean to add tho, that I think the basic shoes would/do change the way they move, but it can be kept a positive change if the trim is right.
The shoes add weight to their feet, I think that would make a difference. They also keep the foot from wearing in a way that would be natural for individual horses. I would think every horse would have their own little nuances in thier movement, so trimming every horse the same no matter how natural the trim is, may not be 100% natural for each horse.
Becky
true enough.
Well, I'm heading for the saddle shop. I have my head sufficiently ready to deal with it:)
Becky
Heh - Be strong... Do no falter :~D
That's basically what Gene Ovnicek said when I asked him about them. But his point was more about the fact that since they're flat, you're moving the break over point out to the very end of the boot, just like you do with a flat metal shoe. I asked him about rolling the toe of the boot a little bit with a rasp and he said that that would help. But then you're grinding up your $100 boots. So there's that.
I guess the best option, if you have a horse that can, or you have the time to devote to hoof conditioning, let them go barefoot. The next best option if that's not possible, totally disregarding the cost aspect, is to put the ones you're going to ride in NB shoes and let the ones that you don't go barefoot. If that's not possible, say if you can't find a farrier who is educated in the NB principles, then leave them barefoot and use the boots when riding. And I'm only saying this about horses with normal, healthy feet.
That's just it, they're not trimming every horse the same. They're not even trimming every foot on the same horse the same. It's all guided by the conformation and landmarks of each individual foot. You could even have a different sized shoe on each foot, or different angles for each foot, if that's what the horse needed. You're not shooting for cookie-cutter feet.
I'm back.
This shop is owned by Stanley and his wife. As I was pulling in the girl that works for them that I tried to deal with yesterday was driving away:). When I went in Stanley wasn't there so I talked to his wife.
I told her first I wasn't really all that upset over the saddle not being ready. Having been in business for ourselves all these years, I've learned that finish dates are usually given on the basis of "ideal" circumstances:), and ideal circumstances don't usually happen. It's not right but that's the way it is.
I told her I was more upset about the way I was treated, and went thru the whole episode with her. She apologized very nicely, seemed genuinely sincere, took me back to the work shop to show me the paper work on the saddle so I could be sure what was going on. My saddle has actually been started. It's cut out and tooled, it's just gone to the guy that puts them together. So the 2 week time frame I was given yesterday is probably pretty acurate.
Funny thing, tho while I was back there with Stanley's wife, Stanley came in. His wife started to tell him I was there to find out about when my saddle would be done, and before she could say anything else, HE got nasty and said, I went thru all that with her yesterday, she was here yesterday. I mean you could tell he was mad, thinking I was in there nagging about the saddle being late.
I tried to interrupte him but he was going strong:), finally I said "STANLEY" I'm not gripping about that, and then his wife started in, and we got him shut down and told him what had happened. LOL, then HE apologized. It's kind of funny now. I'm not sure what will be said to the girl when she gets back:), but even Stanley's wife said the girl was being rude yesterday to her, so it wasn't just me.
Anyway, I left feeling better about it, and fairly certain I'll have a saddle in approx. 2 weeks.
Becky
Oh, well that's interesting.
I really need to get the book:)
Becky
Well jeepers.... it seems Stanley needed the talking-to as much as the girl!
I was half way expecting that. All those people over at this ranch don't have people skills. Never have. When Stanleys dad ran the dude ranch, I always wondered how he made it...LOL...not really good on customer relations. And Joe, the one that Charlie ropes with, well he's the worst of all. I tend to get a bit intimidated by all of them, that's why I had to get my head geared to going today. But dam, I was right, and Stanley, once we got him on track agreed:). I just wasn't sure if he would even agree.
That just make darn good saddles.
Becky
Well, when people come to a dude ranch, they probably half expect the wranglers to be gruff and mean... Like the movie City Slickers :~D - It's part of the experience!
Never thought about that:)
Becky
Well I'm glad it all went well. That's kinda funny about him going off on you like that and then having to appologize. People sure are funny sometimes.
Hopefully this saddle will do ya.
That whole family over there are strange people. If they like you, like Joe likes Charlie they are as loyal and nice as can be. But I've seen them treat people/customers like crap...I've always been amazed. Joe is a little younger then I am, and has old fashioned ideas (which are a bit redeeming), about "mothers' being special. I sometimes think that's why I've never had problems with any of them (till Stanley today:). I'm Charlie's mother:). One time Joe was over here, and saw that I was using a shoestring to connect my back cinch to my front cinch. He fussed at Charlie for letting me run around with and "unsafe" saddle. It was a nylon shoestring and had been on there for years and was till strong IMO:)
Anyway, I didn't even notice it for a while but one day I noticed that it had been fixed with a leather one. Come to find out that Joe had come over here and even tho no one else was here, he got my saddle out of the trailer and fixed it. Never told anyone. It wasn't till I noticed and asked Charlie about it that Charlie found out that Joe had done it. The really funny thing was that the leather one Joe put on it broke in a year. I had to tease him that my nylon shoestring lasted longer:). Charlie fixed it again after that with a nylon strap. I think the leather broke so quick because it gets wet alot from going in the creek.
Anyway, anytime I've needed help Joe has been there to help me. He's the one that came and help me and Charlie get the horse Cindy bought from me to load. Charlie and I had worked for six hours. Charlie called Joe and he came in just minutes with his bigger trailer and his expertise, and we had the horse loading in just a matter of minutes. He just gave Charlie those new stirrups last year for my old saddle when Charlie was working on it. So even tho he and his whole family are different and scare me:), I really apperciate them for the kindnesses they show me. You just have to be their friend, or the mother of their friends:)
Becky
Yeah, the old "Gooder'n Gold, but Stranger'n Strange" type. I know some people like that. They're great as long as they like ya, but if you piss 'em off, they're pissed of forever. At least these folks like ya.
Joe? Wasn't that the one who helped me with Okie? I thought he was very nice and patient:')
I hadn't gotten to the next post. Yeah. I thought he was nice. Did you see him making that halter for Okie? He made it from just a piece of rope.
Hey, tuffy, I just talked to my DIL. She was telling me about a show on RFDTV that is called extreme Cowboy Race. Have you seen it? She said it's something like my CTR competitions, but faster. Any way Lance Graves is in it. I thought you might be interested. It's only on for 30 minutes. Mack just happened to notice it last night and recorded it too. I haven't seen it yet.
Becky
You think? I thought it took a lot of patience by him and your son to load him.
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