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!

[FrogInABlender]

Whew! I'm glad I misunderstood then!

[HairOfTheDog]

They sound like little monsters! We're at our quota of those :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

That's a big responsibility for a 16 year old! But it's made you very experienced now.

[Inge_CAV]

I will try to do better the next time. Just knew that you would enjoy hearing about the two tiny tigers and their attack on the rubber tips of the crutches. : )

[MissTargets]

Wow! Not the same place I was at, that's for sure. What an awesome looking clinic. Here is a link so others can see.

Equine Specialty Hospital

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I dunno either:). I've never rode her. I'd say it depends on how much she gimps on the rocks. I feel bad for the horse when they gimp on rocks. I know I think Mia needed to be shod. She did it, and she did it pretty good. But I don't believe she did it comfortably. And that's what I base what I would do about shoeing a horse on.

Becky

[Inge_CAV]

There was a bumper crop at my barn this spring..........

[cjshapi]

I know you mean. I'd like to book myself a few days in a place that looks like that!

[HairOfTheDog]

Me too. And she does slow down and pick her way through rocks and Bay does not. So why are we resistant to shoe her? Pride? Is it possible a little 'barefoot' pride has creeped it's way in? I wonder if the shoes really protect much from sole bruising from those little golfball rocks anyhow... Bay's pads may be as beneficial for that as the shoes. I think the shoes just prevent the chipping and uneven wear that can happen... ???

We'll discuss it with Mark, again :~).

[MissTargets]

I forgot to tell you all that we found Patches a new home. She is the badly foundered pony that we rescued a few years ago. A lady wanted a companion for an elderly mare that she has. She had her x-rayed and the coffin bone is almost completely gone. All they can do is keep her trimmed and on meds for now. The prognosis is not too good for her, it there is not improvement in a few months. What surprised us, was they said she was only 6! We kept her trimmed, but you could see she was in a lot of pain. Poor pony.

[HairOfTheDog]

I hope she can be good and comfortable as a pasture buddy... what meds is she on?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I think the shoes just prevent the chipping and uneven wear that can happen..

Well, I disagree with this. They can still gimp even with shoes, but I've rode several horses barefoot, then put shoes on them....huge difference...huge huge huge.

Personally, I'd shoe her. If she slows down and picks her way, she's not comfortable. You could get by in the winter when you don't ride leaving her barefoot, but during your riding season, I'd shoe her.

Pride?

I'd have never thunk it:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh... it's just inertia with her... I have a feeling once we shoe her, it'll be forever. Not that there's anything wrong with that :~) That's normal, as far as I'm concerned.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, I think it's a healthy thing to let a horse go barefoot when you can. I only keep mine shod all the time because I ride all the time. If you know 100% for sure you're not going to ride thru the winter, I'd pull the shoes. If for no other reason then to save the cost:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

We'll hardly ever ride much in the winter, unless we haul to an arena for lessons or something, which I've thought about. Even then, it'd be soft footing. The trails close, so it wouldn't be trail.

[BladeRider]

We would have lost everything over that hill.

That is scary! That is always my fear when I am driving, loosing the trailer. Coming unhitched, falling off in a ditch. I probably worry to much.

Hush up Frog, I know you are agreeing ;-) 0

[FrogInABlender]

...Hush up Frog, I know you are agreeing ;-)

{whistling}

[Duchess47]

Turn WIDE with a gooseneck. Forget that at your peril :) Don't ask me how I know.

[HairOfTheDog]

Marc's been and gone... reset Bay without change, trimmed Cyn, who remains barefoot. That probably will settle it for this year... His next visit will be October, when we'll be winding down from riding for the winter... Next spring, we revisit the issue.

For now, I think she can keep up with the horse I've got without a lot of discomfort... That may change if I get myself a younger horse one day :~)

Been wondering about whether we should breed Cyn. What do you think my odds would be of breeding her to get Bay's replacement? Bay's replacement would take 3-4 years to grow into the job if we did it that way, question is, will I have Bay for 3-4 more years? hmmmm. If we bred her next June it wouldn't take her out of light service next year, but the first few months of the year after.

You saw her... would you breed her? Or should I just buy a horse when I need it :~) It'd sure be fun to raise one with ecurbh. He's not seen that.

[CindyDawg]

I have never been able to manage crutches. My arms aren't strong enough, I guess. Because of that my doctor put me on a walker once. I didn't have cats but I had two little kids hanging on to it "helping me" We all stumbled several times. You hang in there, ok?