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]

Good! She's a whole lot more likely to pay the credit card company on time than she is you.

[tuffydoodle]

Excellent.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, good! Part of me wishes it would have worked better for you... the fact that it didn't work was the source of a lot of uncertainty and stress. But at least you got to ride in an English saddle... so you know more about it than you did before. :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh... Just glad you were out to lunch, and not just stuck there with a frozen screen all that time.

[FrogInABlender]

...Just glad you were out to lunch...

I'm mentally out to lunch most of the time. ;o)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I would have still had it and not regretted it at all. I'm still willing to believe it might have just been that I didn't know how to ride it that made him sore. I'm glad I tried it.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't think it was you. It sure appeared to me as if the back cushioning on the saddle was simply the wrong shape for him. It perched on top of his back instead of conforming around him, and led to that ~rolling~ sensation you described. It shouldn't have felt that way.

[HairOfTheDog]

How's it going today? Did you ride, or are you and/or Harley still on the gimpy list?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'm giving both of us off till Thurs. My wrist and back are still pretty sore. Harley doesn't seem to be gimpy any more, but I'm going to get some vet wrap and duct tape to put around the edge of that shoe and his hoof. The bell boots just don't protect it enough IMO. Not sure wrapping will either.

I think my wrist is probably cracked. As long as I keep the wrist brace on it pretty snug it doesn't hurt at all. And my back....well, it now seems worse then my wrist:(. But it's bearable. Thurs. is the first day Celia could come back to ride, and she can come on Fri too, so that will be a good test to see if both Harley and I can make it.

fingers crossed.

Becky

[Duchess47]

Well, one of the mares is always very weak when she foals and before we got her, lost one foal and fell on another, breaking it's leg. She's a wonderful mare and has beautiful foals (I have always contested she's diabetic when pregnant but tests don't show that) The other mare, while she's had two foals previously, it was prior to us getting her, so don't know if she'll have problems or not. And basically, I'm just a nervous grandmother :)

[HairOfTheDog]

Jeepers, I sure hope you can recover by later in the week. I intend to work Bay at home later this week too, I want him to do more than just stand around all week to prepare for riding on weekends. I still have them locked out of the pasture because it's too green right now, and when they are just in the back forty none of them move as much. They doze all day.

Anyhow, waiting till later in the week to start any mid-week rides because we let ourselves run out of Bay's Isoxuprine and I had to cut his dose in half the last two days to stretch it out till the new order arrives. Just going through it faster than we realized this last month. Anyway, I don't want to push him till it's back up where it should be. Will ride tomorrow if the pills arrive today like they should.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'd be out there too.... Eager to see this year's babies!

[Duchess47]

:) That's part of it too - both babies are Sonny's and I'm anxious to see what they are.

I know it sounds silly but Farah always feels better if I'm there. She'll lay calmly and let me rub her down and give her water and bran mash with molasses. Guess she figures if I'm there, the baby will stay safe until she can take over :)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Thanks:)

Hope your meds come in so's you can ride:)

I'm looking forward to Thurs., aches and pains are just part of the deal, especially when you're 53:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Farah probably does feel better if you are there. While some mares resent our presence there, like Taffy, the one who waited till we went in for breakfast, some clearly do like and appreciate human help. I've seen that. A friend heard her mare whinny like a breakfast greeting when she went into labor, and was pretty sure she was calling her to come out.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, he needs to move during the week. and I could use it too :~D I can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm actually hoping it stays dry here and the pasture stops growing and dries a little. They run, play and just generally move around a lot more all day when they can be out there.

[MissTargets]

Here are a couple pictures my daughter took of Alison doing Showmanship Sunday. Now how could you not place her? :) That is the judge btw...lol

[HairOfTheDog]

Very cute. I love that 'duck behind the horse' :~D I never showed in Showmanship, it's quite a dance they do to make sure they aren't between the judge and the horse.

[MissTargets]

I never cared to show in showmanship, too boring.
Showing a halter horse, was fun and more relaxed.

[HairOfTheDog]

I showed halter only a little... and when I did, it was the Arabian Stallions class, which was always a wild, fun experience. There were always rumors that trainers would take the stallions out back and scare the crap out of them to get them all blowing and bug-eyed, but really, they didn't have to (all they'd need was a plastic baggie in their pocket).

All that testosterone in the ring at once always made them all arch a little prouder, the crowd would gather in the stands for the stallions class, and stomp their feet and holler and clap whenever the horses were moving. The horses, barely touched the ground in that class.

It's a lot different class than the QH halter classes.