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!

[FrogInABlender]

we'll get Charlie to get on her:)...Aren't I a great mother:)

Hey, there's nothing wrong with calling in the Cavalry if the need arises.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

She is. She is really good at all the finesse moves. She was here one day riding when Celia was here. Celia was watching her in the arena and Jenny did a sliding stop, rollback, back to lope in the right lead just effortlessly, that was to die for...Celia was like who trained her (the horse) to do that. I said Jenny. She just shook her head and walked away.

Jenny's got the right balance of patience and push when working with one. I tend to back off to much because I get nervous. When she was still home and we rode together all the time, when ever my horse got silly, I was the one yelling "JENNY". I don't think she ever hollered "MOMMA":).

Ok, mom will quit bragging now:) sorry.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I've been thinking of a light back pack. Any problems riding with one?

[AnAmericanMother]

Of course, the ONE TIME my horse and I BOTH fell down, we were minding our own business cantering gently up a grassy hill during a fox hunt. We had just jumped a pretty stiff stone wall about 50 yards back and were going up a medium sort of hill (nothing you wouldn't drive up in an ordinary car) on moderate contact when her feet just shot out from under her and down she went.

Best as I can figure, she just hit a slick patch and her feet all shot sideways at once. I rolled over her shoulder and hit the ground rolling. Heard her go "WHUUUFF!" as her side hit - jumped to my feet and turned around - she was still on her side and her eyes were big as saucers, she didn't struggle or kick. I ran to her head, she just lifted her head and rolled onto her chest and waited, watching me. So I rubbed her ears a little, told her she was a good girl, and encouraged her to stand up. She got up immediately, shook herself like a dog, and waited for further instructions. I walked her out, then trotted her out, she was perfectly sound, so I readjusted the saddle, found a fallen tree, and climbed back on. (We took it easy for the rest of the hunt and went around all the big fences).

She is a pretty unflappable mare.

[CindyDawg]

She sounds like a wonderful horse. So, how did you roll off without her pinning your leg?

[tuffydoodle]

Sneaking in on hubby's computer again....

Rode Tuffy today! Did about 15 minutes total, in the round pen and on my at home trails. He did fine but I could tell he wasn't 100 percent. All we did was walk but it was great being back on him. I'll post pics of his feet as soon as my computer is working again. My husband's doesn't have the picture program on it.

[CindyDawg]

I'm so glad for you.

[HairOfTheDog]

Dang kids ;~D

It's even worse teaching them how to ski.

My trainer said every kid she ever gave lessons to eventually beat her in a show. She didn't think she was done till we did :~D

[HairOfTheDog]

Sounds hopeful with Tuffy, I hope he keeps getting better.

[AnAmericanMother]

As she went down I bailed out forward over her right shoulder, did an aikido forward roll over MY right shoulder (to get as far away as possible - also that is my good roll, I don't roll as well to the left) and just continued rolling forward until I was well clear. Things seemed to happen in slow motion -- i.e. my adrenalin kicked in and I was thinking VERY VERY fast.

Also, she was extremely sensible (as always) and did not thrash about or struggle to get up until she had collected herself and looked to me for direction.

She did the same thing years ago when she was a green broke horse and was just learning to jump. She completely missed her takeoff, put a foot through a coop, and fell across it, with her foot entrapped. I said "Whoa" in a firm but calm voice, and she froze. I was able to jump off, go to her head and hold her while two other folks pulled a board off the coop and freed her foot.

She was a broodmare for 14 years before we bought her, unbroken, but I think all the handling in the breeding shed and foaling stall taught her to Trust the Humans and If Confused, Stop and Wait for Directions.

[CindyDawg]

You do Aikido? Me too. I've been out about 6 months and fixing to get back into it. Rolling has helped me twice and once I took a forward dismount and landed on my arms just the way I was supposed too. I don't roll as well to the left either which is unusual because I'm left handed.

[CindyDawg]

Did you talk to momma?

[AnAmericanMother]

Lots of people have a different dominant hand and foot (and some folks have a different dominant eye as well). I am completely right-sided, but my husband is left-handed but right-footed and right-eye-dominant. So he has to shoot right-handed (the eye is the most important thing in shooting) but he fences leftie. But his aikido roll is better on his left side. He can throw darts with either hand.

We have a great dojo here, very traditional. No belts - they put your name on the wall in Japanese characters when you advance a kyu. They play pretty rough, but it's a lot of fun.

I got my kids started in aikido after my daughter got bucked off by a horse who put in an extra hop after a jumping grid, and landed like a sack of wet cement. It worked so well I signed up myself. Now we all roll like champs (it's a matter of self preservation)!

[CindyDawg]

I pretty much am a lefty. I step forward with my left foot when falling but left shoulder rolls just aren't natural for me. I am also very stiff when I'm standing there getting ready to roll but when I'm on the move during take downs I'm very good. I just can't stop and think about it:')

[AnAmericanMother]

Thinking about it is getting your left brain in the way of your right brain! (Aikido is a right brain activity for sure.)

[CindyDawg]

Isn't that the truth:') I do most of my practicing on the trampoline.

[Duchess47]

That is outstanding news :)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good news:)

Of course he won't be 100%, it will take awhile, don't worry:)

Becky

[Beaker]

You could shake it and call" Bay, come back boy or "nice kitty. Want an apple bar?"

Kitty?! That's one helluva cat!

[tuffydoodle]

Ahhhhhh, back on my own computer.

The other day when it was very hot, I brought all the horses into the barn to eat and cool off, with the intention of letting them out when the sun started going down. About 3 hours after I put them up, I went back out there and realized I had left Bud's stall door open. He was still standing in the stall, in front of his fan, not moving. No way was he dumb enough to leave that fan!