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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!
Awwwww, what a gorgeous little girl! I love that mischevous little grin she's got there. The horse sure looks nice too. You'd never guess in a million years that he was 21 yrs old.
Will do. I'm such a dork I was actually proud of myself for figuring out how to post a pic last week.
Meanwhile I've only worked in IT for the past 13 years. D'oh!
What kind of classes do you show in?
I know what you mean about wanting rain, and not wanting rain:), It's a puzzlement.
Becky
It's getting to where 21 isn't really all that old any more, especially for a horse that has/is receiving good care.
Celia and I have been talking a lot about a lady that competes in CTR's on a horse that is pushing 30. Elmer. Every year this woman gets a National Champion ship, which doesn't necessaily means she is winning first every time, but means she is in the Open division, and placing enough to build enough points for a Championship.
It's so funny, this lady is the perfect image of Ma Kettle, I swear she has a lip full of snuff, and has this old hat with the crown cut out, but with a very wide brim and, she looks older then the horse. Very inspirational tho what seniors, horses and human can accomplish.
Becky
I've been looking at the ponds, and they're about at normal levels now. The big creek that we cross to go to town is starting to flow, and the little one I cross on horseback is full again. The deep water crossing comes just over my stirrups now.
Becky
I show our half arabian pinto in western pleasure classes. Mom shows him hunter pleasure. He's a great horse and will do anything we ask him. I've played with him western sidesaddle and she's also done dressage with him. He's won in all.
My young horse is a Country English Pleasure horse. I've never ridded in a cutback saddle so this will be a new education for me. The trainer will show him this year and then I'll get on him next year.
Carolyn
I have used a hackamore with my halter bridle before, and you're right, the nose band does get in the way somewhat, but it still works well enough, it just looked a little funny. The trick is to get the cheeks of the halter part shortened so that it's noseband rides up higher, but not so high that the hardware is on their cheekbones, then lengthen the straps attached to the hackamore so that it lays lower than the noseband of the halter. The only reason I guit using the hackamore was that the chin chain was raising a lump on the underside of Tennessee's jaw, probably because he was being a little strong in it. The chin chain on a hackamore rests higher up the jaw than the chin chain on a bit and I guess it was pressing on something. After that, I let BladeRider have it to use on her old mare Queen, who seemed to like it better.
I picked up your books yesterday. I'll mail everything this week.
And you know I can't have that :~D It's just too much hardware on their face to want to use it with a hackamore. We've just been carrying a halter along... both of us if we're going on a long ride where we'll take a substantial break, if not, at least one of us, in case something breaks.
LOL
But I do know what you mean about having too much stuff on their heads. I don't like riding with a halter under the bridle just for that reason too. I do it at competitions because there just isn't any place to tie it on with all the other stuff I have to have.
Becky
I'd like to get one of those halter/combos too, but it is going to have to wait till after July:) I may need that link again then:)
Becky
Queen was really bad about fighting the bit, she would toss her head constantly and the hackamore worked wonders on her. She is such a good old girl (once you catch her ;-) I can ride her bareback with a halter and lead rope around the house now.
What is a cutback saddle?
Sounds like your horse is very versatile:) Those are the best kind.
Becky
How long have you had Queen?
I'm just wondering because we had a friend whose horse acted like that with a bit. They took her to the vet to have her teeth checked. Her teeth were fine, but the vet found that her tongue had been cut at some point and had a hunk out that a bit in the mouth caught on. The hackamore fixed her up too.
Becky
I'd like one if I could find one that looks as well made as Frog's. Hers is classy. The ones I've actually had my hands on at the tack shop seem rather cheaply made (not even the quality of a good halter) and too often are also in garish colors. So I've been reluctant to order one I can't see, online. If I get one, I want black... or leather... or black leather :~D
I was going to ask about dental issues too. There may be something that needs to be looked at even if you no longer are trying to bit her, especially if she's older and not been recently floated. My 24 year old gets floated just about every year, though this last time, he was still good so we just did the mares.
I had Queen for about 10 years, then after a nasty divorce FrogInABlender bought her from me. A few years later I was able to buy her back from Frog and have had her for about 5 years now, so a total of 15 years. She just hated anything in her mouth. She will tolerate a bit now, we usually put a Tom Thimb in her mouth, but in her younger years she was a spitfire, always had to be in the lead. We would ride more circles than we did straight lines.
The only drawback to the halter/bridle is that they take a good bit of initial finagling to get the bit in the right place. The straps that attach the bit to the halter seldom have the right number of holes to start out with. More than likely, you WILL have to punch some extra ones, so have a good hole punch handy. If you don't have one, you can burn them by heating up a nail on the stove eye, or using a small soldering iron if you happen to have one. Then it'll take a process of trying it on and adjusting to get it right. Those little conway buckles are a real b!tch to deal with, but hang in there. Once you get it right, you won't have to deal with it again unless you change bits or horses.
I'd recommend putting the halter on by itself and adjusting it the way you want it, then put the straps on your bit and take them up as short as possible with the number of holes you have to work with and try putting the bit in that way. Then if that's too long, punch or burn some more holes on the bit straps, about an inch apart, and try it again. Once you've got it close, you can adjust the length of the cheek pieces on the halter part longer or shorter, on one side or both to get the bit exactly where you want it.
I just thought you should know all that before you bought one and expected it to fit right out of the box.
Frogs is nicely made, I have seen it in person! I have had a problems finding one that will fit Blade properly. His head is not fully grown yet and last year he was between a cob and horse size. I had to buy one of each and piece them together. He has grown up in the last year between 3 and 4 years so he may be able to wear a horse size and my husband can't call him the tick anymore!
Yeah, big difference in quality. This one doesn't have solid brass hardware, so it'll rust and look like crap pretty quickly. Bite the bullet and buy the other one. I've had mine 15 years and they look as good now as the day I bought them. With just a little rinsing each time you use it, it'll last longer than you do.
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