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!

[CindyDawg]

You're a good Momma:')

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I was thinking from looking at pictures that 17 would be plenty big enough for your girls, I know they are smaller then I am. That's what I was trying to tell you in my last post. After I posted it I thought it sounded funny:)

Becky

[Duchess47]

Thanks :)

[Duchess47]

It's hard to explain coherently I guess. Bob is finally realizing his dreams - raising and showing good horses. He can't do it himself now but the girls do it for him. They both just about think he walks on water :) and he loves them like daughters. I worry constantly that he doesn't have a lot of years left so fully intend to make the ones he has left the fulfillment of his dreams. He wants the girls to show English along with Western so I guess that's where we're going.

Shelley learned to ride English and to jump, if she remembers enough, she can teach Tracey - if not, we'll get her an instructor.

[CindyDawg]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

[CindyDawg]

I got my 2nd permit from the state today. All I'm waiting on now is approval from the Texas Workforce Commision.

[Duchess47]

Outstanding girl :) And how can they not approve - you are on your way.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Looking at all the pictures again this morning. How did the hackamore work? Did you like it?

I think what your are calling skunk cabbage is what I have a whole pasture of growing. Is it also called plantian (sp), or something like that? Eventually grows a tall stalk out of the center that is covered with seeds? I hate that stuff. I have sprayed and spayed, to get rid of it, but it comes back every year..:(

Climbing hills is good work for horses. The vet told me it will really make their backs and hindquarters (stifles) strong.

Becky

[tuffydoodle]

I love getting up in the morning and seeing beautiful horse pictures! Thanks, ladies!

[HairOfTheDog]

The Hackamore is good. It's a little strong, but when he's being strong he needs it :~D

I'd be surprised if you have the ~same~ kind of skunk cabbage in the pasture, because the stuff we have grows in swamps. Here's what it looks like when it flowers.

Maybe you've got a dryland relative of it down there. Does it stink when you cut it? This does... if you touch it it gives off a strong bad smell like a skunk.

[HairOfTheDog]

Climbing hills is good work for horses. The vet told me it will really make their backs and hindquarters (stifles) strong.

It is... Toward the end, Bay started being very slow and careful going ~down~ hill. That's when I knew he was tired.

[HairOfTheDog]

You're welcome :~D Good morning :~D

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Going down is as good as going up. Works different muscles. I think gong down really works their hindquarters, as they have to get their hunches underneath themselves, kind of brace themselves.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, your right, that isn't the same thing we have here. This stuff doesn't stink, but it does grow best where there is lots of moisture. I have a spot where all the run off from my pasture collects, and that's where it's the worst, but it does spread from there. It doesn't stink, because I've mowed it often,, that seems to help as much as spraying it. Mowing usually helps most the second year, if you mow it often enough to keep the heads of seeds from growing. That's my goal this year.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I think going down is hardest on his front feet too. So I let him go as careful as he wants.

We may do this loop again before doing any of the longer loops... maybe in the opposite direction. ~every~ time we've done that loop, we've done it in the same direction, it seems, though not intentionally, it's just the way that looks most attractive at the beginning :~D. and there's more long 'down' hills than up, it felt like. I'd like to do it the other way, more comfortable for everyone. :~D

[HairOfTheDog]

Mowing usually helps most the second year, if you mow it often enough to keep the heads of seeds from growing. That's my goal this year.

We're finding that with the bracken fern we cut in the pasture, because it's not good for them to eat. It's just getting smaller and weaker every year if we keep cutting it.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Here's what ours looks like, but when it is first growing before the seed heads grow, the leaves stand up like in your pictures. Right now it is all over out in my pasture.

Sounds like a good loop to work towards doing it in both directions in one ride. That's what I do with my creek hills, I hit every hill from both directions. It really will get them puffing, especially if you do both directions consecutively.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

The horses won't touch this stuff, even if it's all that's out there. I don't know if it's bad for them or just taste's bad:). But it sure kills out any grass that is trying to grow, I think because they shade the ground so much the grass can't get any sun.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I think going down would be harder on the front feet. Lots of pressure. Harley gets very very slow and careful going down even when he's not tired. He will get good marks at a ride for that:). Shows he is paying attention. Rocky just blunders down a hill, and speeds up, like gravity is pulling him. He just really isn't the best trail horse:). He doesn't really stumble, just doesn't seem like he's paying attention. It's about the only time he speeds up:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - that's not a pretty thing to have in the pasture.

That loop is a good one too, because there was NO mud, mostly because it's higher and more of it is clearcut and dries out. The dark lowland trails stay wet longer, and we wanted to avoid those till a little later in the year.