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!

[tuffydoodle]

They started charging for parking a few years ago. Remember when the zoo was free? It was always something people could do when they didn't have a bunch of money to spend. It's darn near as expensive as six flags now, and not nearly as much fun.

[tuffydoodle]

And thanks for the prayers. There is a little spot on the radar right now but I bet it misses us.

[CindyDawg]

Keep the faith.:')

Yeah a little Sunday afternoon outing about 100 dollars now. That's not right. I pay 65 a year for an unlimited grandparents pass and free parking. Food is reasonably high though. We usually just get a drink and maybe a snack and then have a McDonalds picnic in the park.

[tuffydoodle]

Agreed, it's not right. They do have half price day on Wednesdays but it's always packed to the gills. I'd rather pay full price than fight those crowds.

[CindyDawg]

I'm trying really hard to find my routine. If I go out to the horses in the morning, I'm tired and don't feel like doing anything the rest of the day. If I go in the evenings, I'm tired from housework and my husband likes us to be home. I'm a night owl ...So, I'm doing tomorrows work tonight. I'm going to the horses in the morning. I'll see how that goes:')

[CindyDawg]

Oh heck yeah. That's like going to the dollar movies, or shopping on tax free day. Forgetaboutit.

[tuffydoodle]

I have the same problem. I'd like to get my horse chores done in the morning but the heat wears me out and I get nothing done the rest of the day. When the weather cools down a little things will get easier.

My stupid yorkie dog just crapped on the floor. I'm gonna go clean it up and go to bed. Seems like I've been dealing with crap all day so it's par for the course.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I have that same problem too. Riding in the morning in this heat just takes it out of you for the rest of the day.

My goal is to ride 4 days a week. I'd like to ride 2 give him a 1 day break and then 2 more then a 2 day break. But it's just not working for me. Fri, and Sun. I can't ride, at least not right now with the heat. Maybe this winter when I can ride in the afternoons it will work better, but right now the 4 days have to be Mon. - Thurs. 4 days in a row is killing me AND Harley. He was really tired Thur. Ideally I'd like my schedule for the horse to be Ride Sun. Mon, be off Tues. , ride Wed. Thurs., be off Fri. Sat.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Riding Mon. Tue. off Wed, riding Thur, Fri. off Sat and Sun. would be a good schedule (thinking out loud:)...I could change my Fri Activity to Wed......

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I haven't figured it out yet but I Have to have a schedule:') They should be about thru eating now. Talk to yall later.

[HairOfTheDog]

That's a good schedule for what you need... you need the two days in a row like that to condition him for that.

We're going on a ride this morning... Probably up to the falls and back. We're bringing Rosie with us on her mountain bike, to show here where the trailheads are and what the trails look like so she can start going there if she likes it.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I won't ride again till Mon. You all have fun. It will be interesting to see how Rosie does...I can't imagine riding a bike up those hills:) If she can do that, wow!

I got my Stick massager yesterday evening. I just got done giving Harley a massage. I was interested to see how long it took. I knew if it took too long, I'd be inclined not to do it. But I got around him in about 4 minutes. I think it does stimulate blood flow. After I did the top part of his legs where it's meaty ( not suppose to use it where the skin is thin) you could see the blood vessels come out...wouldn't that mean it did increase blood flow??? I worked up a good sweat doing it, but it is very very humid right now too:\ I'd just like to know how much this really helps. The instructions said 20 passes over each muscle group.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I think it's a good sign if you see his veins coming out :~)

And if it makes him feel good, I think it's a good thing... all other serious athletes pamper themselves with massage and jakuzis :~)

She is worried about keeping up, I told her she'd almost certainly be faster than us, except up the hills maybe :~) So she may get ahead going down, and we'll catch her on the next hill. It'll be good for Bay to follow something faster again, might help further break his 'doggin' out of camp thing.

We're going to go out of Mima, the little trailhead we went to first with you... there's a pretty good climb right out of camp, and I'll have to convince her, probably, that it's not like that all the way! You'll have to tell her to believe me. We'll go to the falls and rest, and then if she feels done, we'll go back the short way, if she's got more, we'll take the 10 loop around.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, I don't think you'd lie to her:). I do remember that initial climb. But after that I can't swear to where the rest of the climbs were, but I remember alot of them:) If you say that initial one is the worst on that loop then I would believe you:)

Does it make him feel good....I don't know, he just stands there while I'm doing it...Doesn't lean into it, but doesn't lean away...He did seem to be standing there very relaxed during and after...but I can't swear that he does't always do that. I've never paid that much attention.

I'm wondering tho, what would you say. You're suppose to do this before and after the ride. When I get back he is, of course, wet, especially under the saddle. I've noticed if I massage him (when I was using the bug), he is wet he does react like his back is sore. If I wait till he is dry he doesn't. Should I wait till he's dry or go ahead and do it while he's wet?

I'm hoping Kirk will be at the ride in Sept., he is suppose to be last I heard. I'm going to have him watch what I do, make sure I'm doing it right, enough, and all the places I'm suppose to be doing it. And ask him about doing it wet or dry...

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, there's a lot of hills, but usually there's a down for every up :~) That's not as helpful for us as it is for a bike, because they can't coast down like she can. That first climb is the steepest, and probably the most full of roots and things that would give a biker trouble. After that, it's better. In the future, she could drive up that hill and park where those campsites are and bypass that first part.

As for the massager, I'd ask him on how to handle it if it's making him wince. If you can keep going, gently, and he gets better, then it's a benefit, but if it's just making him wince and get tense, it's probably not helping.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, after the first time, I've always waited till he was dry, but I may try this and start very gentle and see if the wincing works out...if it does that I'd think that would be a good thing....

I've figured out at the rides not to dump water on his back. I hosed his legs and chest and neck after I got back but did not put any on his back, to be sure he was dry before I took him to check in. I'm also planning on massaging him right before I check him in after a days ride...

I use to be in a hurry to get check in's out of the way, mostly because they make me nervous. But I'm figuring out with Harley the longer I wait after a days ride, especially if I get him out and let him move around, lunge, etc, so he doen't stiffen up I have better check in's. I'm hoping the massages help too.

You know there isn't a perfect horse out there, and it may be with him that I'll have to give his back this extra care. The closer a ride gets, the more I start worrying about him checking in sore. I've made progress. He was a lot better last time then after last years. But he still had "some" soreness. But then, I've never believed I've had him in tip top shape for one. He probably won't be for this one either, not tip top, But by next year....he'll be there:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I'd agree that letting him get cool and dry is a good idea, and keeping him resting, but still moving too. I wouldn't be in a huge hurry to rush him to the check in either.

Every horse has something that is their weakest link, and I think these rides are designed to be hard enough that each horse has theirs tested. He's got good leg and hoof... I'd be thankful for that! Everyone's fighting something.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I know you understand, how bad you feel when you come in from a ride, run your hand down their backs and they cringe...I hate that:) I'm just hoping I get it solved.

There is a man that has been competing for years and years. He has been riding the same Arab Stallion now for, oh I'd say 5 years. Poor man, has never checked in without the horse having a sore back. I've heard he has tried everything. But a funny (sad) consequence now, is that if you even look at this horses back he tries to bite. He has gotten so gun shy now about his back, that now they do not know if he is really sore, or has had it hurt so much in the past he's just reacting altho not sore. I have nightmares about Harley now ending up like that...

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeesh... Yeah, how could you ever know with a horse like that.

[CindyDawg]

Funny you should post that, because that is what Sarah Lee does. She looks at her back and bites air when I go to put the blanket on. She isn't sore and it doesn't hurt but she acts like she thinks it is. She isn't sore when I take it off. Maybe all that dude riding day in and day out or they were rough with her saddling. I don't know. She's better now, and doesn't act weird each time but occasionally she still does this.