The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread TEN

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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread NINE

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]

Directions say not to put spray on wet areas. They sweat and get wet though. I can't avoid that. I spray after the saddle on and I watch but I haven't noticed any skin problems. I did notice yesterday that after I took my bridle off of Sarah Lee she was sweating around her ears where the headstall was. I hadn't seen that before but it's so dang hot right now.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning :~)

Yes, Homer sees ghosts...

I hope since he escaped once from the house he doesn't start digging at the doors or windows when you leave.

I fear that too, but so far, he hasn't. We left him alone a couple hours yesterday and he was OK - no destruction - when we got home.

We could try a crate, we have one, but if he's this nervous I fear if he can't at least move around he'll turn the destruction on himself. My Logan chewed his feet when crated. It made him nuts.

Our problem child... well... him and the pony :~)

I ordered a new pad the yesterday... a fleece one that was at the tack shop. It has a pocket that runs the whole length of the seat that I think my cashell will fit in. That would be nice, to have that all bundled together.

The one they had at the shop had foam in it there, and was expensive because the foam that was in it is expensive, or I'd have bought it. I said "well heck, I was just going to take that out.... let me have one without it!" and in black. The one they had was white.

[MissTargets]

Good Morning. Raining this morning again. What a wash out this summer has been. At least it is cooler now. The heat really put a hurting on my tomatoes and flowers.

Near the end of WWII, on a Sunday in July at 9:15, a baby girl was born...ME! My daughter cooked steaks on the grill last night, because they were going to a wedding today. That will be the extent of the celebration.

[AnAmericanMother]

I find white is better because I can SEE the dirt before it grinds into my mare's back.

She has sensitive skin and a terrible swayback (that "broodmare droop") so I ride her with a soft absorbent rectangular pad next to her skin, a lambskin fleece above that, and a lift pad tucked into the gore of the saddle. That all seems to work. I use a black square pad for hunter paces etc. but the white for every day.

I bought 100 percent cotton quilted yardage from the local fabric store, cut it to the right size, and finished the edges with bias tape. I change those out every time I ride and throw them in the washing machine. Keeps the lambskin fleece clean too!

[AnAmericanMother]

My mare always sweats around her ears . . . the first place she sweats. I sponge her off carefully after we ride.

It was so hot Tuesday (100!) that after our ride I took her round to the back of the barn and gave her a complete head to toe bath. She loved it! Ordinarily she doesn't like me to spray her face but she stood there and took it, even drank out of the hose. I had to hose her down and scrape her repeatedly before the water ran cool off her back . . .

[HairOfTheDog]

What a wash out this summer has been.

Well, there's always next year...

That will be the extent of the celebration.

Well, there's always next year...

Happy Birthday Miss Targets!

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't mind washing either one. I usually do. I'm still not sure we didn't ~get~ all the gunk that was in the pad on that same ride. It didn't start out that way. I could wash the old one, but it was getting kindof flat anyway. Needed replaced.

I'm disappointed in the choices of pads at the shop. I almost got a wool felt one, but it sure seemed stiff and I'm not sure it would conform to him, with is sway back and huge wither, or if the edge of it wouldn't rub just like the one I've got. The real lambskin ones and the other quilted pads are fine for show, but when you feel them, there's just no real pad there. Thick luxurious sheepskin all around the edges and 'close contact' (no padding) under the saddle. They had a few of the real sheepskin ones, but for riding trail where there's real dirt, and real sweat, and wanting to at least hose it out it every time, the special washing instructions scared me, not to mention the price. Fine for an hour in the arena, not a dang bit of good for several hours on trail. There's others available online, but for the price, I want to feel them before I buy.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That was the exact problem I found when i was looking for an English pad. They just didn't seem very cushy in the center, just around the edges...

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

They have them online, particularly if you search under "endurance", I thought this one looked interesting... they just don't have them in the store where I can actually ~feel~ them, and they're $200. I don't care what anyone says, there is just not that much engineering or precious materials in a saddle pad.

I guess they figure prissy english people will pay anything.

The one I ordered doesn't have a LOT of thickness to it, but I figure, most of the real padding I need is supplied by that custom Cashell, and I liked the idea of the pocket that makes it all one piece. That will be nice. I'll see how it fits, whether I need to add anything else to it. I didn't like the square ones, and I have one already, with pockets in it like saddle bags. It's just really long, and really hot.

[Beaker]

Happy Birthday MissTargets! I hope that it's a great one! :-)

[Beaker]

When I had my horse he developed strange cysts along his spine. They were hard lumps that weren't painful to the touch, but painful enough when someone was on his back. I used a small square gel pad, under the regular contour hunt pad and cashell, (we called the "bounce pads") and then the saddle. It was a lot of cushion, and worked quite well.

[HairOfTheDog]

I've heard about those gel pads, but never felt them in person. I'd like to.

[Beaker]

That was the exact problem I found when i was looking for an English pad. They just didn't seem very cushy in the center, just around the edges...

My theory is that it might support the saddle weight around the edges better, and take some of the pressure off. Just a theory, it could be totally wrong. I find that the synthetic sheepskin contours do just fine, and you can find cushy dressage pads, but they can be expensive.

[Beaker]

They're heavy because of the weight of the gel, but they sure seem comfortable enough. This was like sort of a smaller gel pad, not full size enough to serve just as a saddle pad, it was more therapeutic. But darn'd if I can't find a picture to show everyone what I mean. It had a thin soft fleece slipcover that was washable.

[CindyDawg]

Happy Birthday

[CindyDawg]

I took my 6 y/o grandson out to the stables today. He wanted to ride. I showed him there was more to horses than just getting on and riding. He helped me wet Sarah Lee down. Sprayed her in the face a couple of times too. I showed him how I use my hands .He tended to want to rush up fast and make unexpected moves too. He did good though. I think she knew he was a kid though because If I got water in her eyes she would have moved away. With him ,she just looked at me. He did good though until... I had to go to the bathroom. I told him to stay under the trees and swing and wait for me and I asked someone to keep an eye on him. Just a little later, they are yelling for me. We can't find him. A worker said he though he saw him come thru the barn towards the geldings. All of us are looking for him. He was in the van watching a movie. I explained that I wasn't mad but he couldn't ride this time because I wanted him to learn that horses are fun but that he has to mind me because he could get hurt. He started crying and threw his helment down. I told him he still had to put the horse back up and give her a treat because she didn't do anything wrong and it wasn't her fault. He folded his arms and refused so I walked her off. Here he come (made me proud) and took her back. He was still crying but an amazing thing happened. She bent her head down and kind of looked at him like "don't cry" and got all soft and kind of moved towards him, as he took over. Before she was just tolerating him. I saw them bond:').

[estrogen]

Happy Birthday Miss Targets !!!!!!

Doesn't this weather suck?

[Centaur]

Hello all

I was given a thoroughbred colt with joint-ill. We had him in the hospital and have the infection under control, but apparently there remains severe joint damage. One hock is enlarged and the opposing stifle, interiorly (is that a word?).

I was told from the get-go that the prognosis was poor and he should be put down (even before treatment).

Of course, I refused, well, because he had that "look in his eye" and all the heart in the world. It's been a little over a month since the hospitalization. He's out with the other mares and foals, usually with a knee brace on his hocks. He trots evenly, walks evenly, crowhops when he runs, but standing still, he tries not to put weight on the leg with the stifle problem. It flexes, he'll lie on it, but always has it cocked.

Okay, here's the question for anyone that has any familiarity with this sort of thing. I've read everything that I can get my hands on (none of it positive) so I figured if anyone would know, you guys would. Is there anything I can do for this little guy? He's healthy, eats like a horse (hehe), shiny coat and full of himself. If you didn't see his enlarged hock and poor stance, you'd never know he had been so sick. He's a little over 2 months old and I want to give him everything I can while he's still so young and developing. Any suggestions, experiences, heck, even rumors would be appreciated....except the ones that tell me to put him down.

Thanks
Lynn

[HairOfTheDog]

I'll ping everyone and see who has experience with this. For some reason I think I recall Becky knows someone who this happened to.

Everyone, please see above post by Centaur about joint-ill. Joint ill is an infection of the joints, as far as I know usually caused by either insufficient treatment and disinfection of the umbilical at birth, or lack of colostrum from the mare, or both.

[AnAmericanMother]

If the vets didn't get the joint washed out before the cartilage was destroyed, the prognosis is poor.

Not for his survival, but for his use as a riding horse. If he's guarding that leg a month out, he may never be sound. Glucosamine and chondroitin are supposed to actually restore joint fluid, so I would think that MIGHT help.

Since he's a T'bred and as you say has "that look in his eye," to keep him as a pet you're going to HAVE to train him or he will be absolutely ungovernable. If you can't put him under saddle, you can do ground work and long rein work with him . . . and maybe if that hock heals up enough, you can drive him in a light cart.

But whatever you do, socialize the heck out of him and get him into training right away. He's going to require special care for a long time.