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Posted on 06/19/2006 8:46:45 AM PDT 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
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!
"I got that from them always wanting to walk faster coming back than leaving:')"
That is called barn souring. They have learned that when you ride from the barn it is just a short time until you return and feed them. Most of the time load them into the trailer and take them somewhere else to ride. The direction back home will be unknown to them and both you and the horse will enjoy the ride much more. I had an old mare that was barn soured. When we would return to the barn, much faster than when we left, I would ride right past. She would panic and you could watch her think, OMG, we did not stop at the barn! Absolutely hilarious to watch.
Well, I'm gonna have to see how that works. I'm taking them to the beach Sat. My trail ride was postponed until Sept. but Eddie and I are going by ourselves to get them use to it and have a little fun.
Once you get them used to it you can try camping out with them when the weather is cooler. You shouldn't have any problems finding friends that already do it with their horses.
We are. Not this Sat but in Sept. We are going to ride Fri evening, camp out, and ride at Day break Sat morning. I'll probably sleep thru that one in the saddle:')
Not ever fallen asleep in the saddle but sometimes my horse would fall asleep while on a trail ride. You could tell it was asleep because it would stumble along.
Hope you have a good time at the beach this next weekend. Be sure to ride them along edge of the beach. Makes a good pic on tv anyway.
No riding here, but I'm looking forward to riding tomorrow morning. The high tomorrow is only suppose to be 92:) The morning should be pleasant.
Becky
I vary things and mine usually go a little while after they eat. Mine do not go in the barn. The only thing that is consistant is grooming down. I think it's got more to do with coming back to the other horses. You can go on and back track and do exercises and they oblige but you can feel a change as they get closer. Not bad behavior, just more energetic? I believe there is a security there. No matter how much fun we have, aren't we glad to be home, usually? Maybe horses anticipate that too. I don't know.
My question though was, are horses capable of enjoying getting out and riding or is it a willing animal and really just for us. When you take a dog out for a walk, they love it. I don't know about horses though.
Hi - I'm home :~) - Back from another day spreading bark for my dad at Dona's place. I don't like bark :~D
My new pads came in... Tomorrrow I'll clean the horse and try them on.
We also bought a set of shipping boots that will be Cyn's. Been using Bay's set to put fronts on both of them when they trailer... although I think we skipped that step for expediency when you were here. I like to use them on all four legs.... cheaper than a vet bill because they had to scramble after some kind of unexpected jolt.
ecurbh also got a riding crop. Could be he's ready to encourage Cyn to lead a bit on trail :~)
As for the topic... I'm soft on a little 'barn eagerness'... sometimes after a long ride, I'm eager to get home too. They're working their ass off on a ride, I don't mind them coming home at a little faster walk, as long as it's controllable. I wouldn't tolerate a runaway, but I'm happy any time Bay offers me a nice brisk walk or even a bit of piaffe on the way home :~) And when he gets home, he gets a nice reward for a job well done. OK - so he doesn't think the hose is a reward, but I would :~) He likes the turnout and roll without any delay. :~) And if they've been out all day, I feed them early, I work up an appetite and so do they.
So I guess I'm a softy, I do what I'd like done to me after a long ride.
I think their spirits are better for having been stimulated. They get soooooo bored standing around in the paddock all the time, they come back with a body that is exercised, and a mind that feels better for having gotten out. And/so I think alot of them do enjoy going, but they aren't exactly doing what they'd do if you turned them loose. :~)
What's yalls take on this?
Our take on what?
Do horses enjoy going on rides. See the above 3 or 4 posts.
We took BamBam and Lacey to a sale in California yesterday - three long hours away. By the way, we brought them both home again :) But we were talking on the way home about their behavior while there. Heads up, strutting like they knew they were great. A friend that went with us said "they acted like they were having fun", and we agreed, that was how they acted.
They get bored standing around and enjoy stimulation (not necessarily hard work) but something new and different. That's why they all jump in the trailer with ease.
You smile, but I'm sure that's not what you did all that driving for. Sorry you didn't get the bids you wanted. Slow day at the sale?
Almost all my rides were one day trail riding with Frog or something very similar with other riders that would last 3 or 4 days. I have to say that the horses enjoyed most every minute of it. Even the Xmas parades we participated in. Hundreds of kids were grabbing thrown candy out from under our horses. The horses did not mind them at all. When it came time to load up for the next trip, the horses were always ready to go.
Since I did not ride from a barn or other fixed location there was no problems with barn sour. The horses always thought that where ever we were was home so no big deal.
It wasn't advertised apparently - only sellers there for the most part. It was a private treaty sale not an auction. One couple was interested in both of them but they are apparently horse traders. In talking to the girl/girlfriend/wife? I learned that she rides the babies - yes, she thought Lacey was way past time to be ridden by someone light. Not the home I invisioned for my kids.
Well, I don't ride from home either... but they've been on all the trails we ride enough to know what direction the trailer is. :~)
I think Bay enjoys going, when he feels good. He's so chipper when he feels good that if he's off, I can tell. I can see it in his ears. He likes to be around me, when I'm not giving him Bute all the time, and he likes to go on trail rides, when he feels good.
Cyn pretty much loathes people most of the time, but she does what we ask ;~) It just makes it hard to pick up on the subtle difference between 'regular crabby' and 'sore and crabby' :~)
I had a mare I showed in Arab shows who had a personality like Cyn... just a real grouchy ole B*tch, really... Whenever we were in the ring, you could hear her grinding her teeth all the way 'round the ring, though hopefully it was hard sometimes to tell which horse was doing it.
Then I started jumping her, and she stopped that. It wasn't so much that she liked jumping or because she hated riding so much, it was that she hated all those other horses around her. Jumping, she was alone.
Isn't Lacey a yearling? She's the baby I liked best, right, with the dainty little snowflake pattern across the butt?
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