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!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I just feel guilty sometimes because it seems ever since I decided to keep him, is all I've done is find problems with him. He is such a great horse, I feel like I'm gossiping about him behind his back:)

I have gotten very attached to this horse, more so then any horse since Belle...the longer I have him and use him the more I "love" him, something I've never let myself do since Belle...and the more I love him the more I worry about "hurting" him some way, mental or physical...

I just want him to be perfect, which he is, this is all just stuff...

Geez, how sappy:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

The only way I know of to take weight off is to cut back more on the feed, but then his stamina is probably going to drop too, so you're kinda caught between a rock and a hard place

Bingo:).

I think I will get the name of the Purina rep from the feed store guy. He told me just the other day when I was asking about electrolytes that anything on nutrition let him know and he could find out.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Sept 9-10

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Geez, how sappy:)

Good for you! :~)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL,,,I knew you'd like that:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

So, I guess the question I should ask Purina, is what to feed to get weight off a horse that is an easy keeper, but keep his stamina up?

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Next she'll be putting a "Have you hugged your horse today?" Stickers on her truck :~)

I don't think there's any harm in loving a good horse.

Heck... I'm known to even love a bad one now and then :~)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, I have no doubt he can do what I need him too, I'm just finding out that all horses are just not the same...

Belle and Rocky have eaten/ate the same amount of the same feed no matter what. Altho Rocky never had to work like Belle did.

Harley just may need some adjustments, that doesn't mean he isn't perfect tho:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

And this little idiosyncrasy could still all be related to 7 wks off, and the heat...

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

Geez, how sappy:)

I don't think it's sappy at all. You're just starting to sound like a "normal" horse owner to me. I always thought you were trying too hard not to care about your horses because you didn't want to get hurt so bad when something happened to them or they died, but that was just you trying to put on a tough outer shell. I could tell that deep down there was really something there between you and Harley and that he wasn't "just an animal to be used" to you. To me, loving animals is one of the better parts of life and my life would be a whole lot less rich if I didn't allow myself to do it, even though they tear your heart out when they leave you. But that's just me and I may be reading a whole lot more into the situation than is there, so just take my ramblings for what they're worth. :o)

[MissTargets]

He looks really good. Careful on making a lot of feed adjustments before your ride. He's a QH and iirc, a foundation one. He will always have a large body mass. Maybe on those "off" days, you could give him light exercise in your arena.Like show horses who do nothing but go in circles all the time, a trail ride helps them. Some arena work just might be what he needs for a bit. Heck, get those barrels out! :)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well, I've just had such awful luck with horses:

The very very first horse we owned, that was bought for the kids, but I rode most, a week after we got him ran thru the woods and got an eye put out.

We kept him, for a long while (till we figured the kids weren't interested at the time), but bought another one that WAS mine. She turned out to not really even to be broke to ride (she came out of a dude string), pulled so many stunts on me a beginner rider, that that was were most of my fears came from.

We finally sold her and bought me another one. An Arab who was a very nice horse, but he broke his jaw and had to go.

Then I rode an Arab that we orginally bought for my daughter but turned out to be too much horse for her at the time. He was really to much for me to, so I never bonded.

Then came Belle...

Then came the idiot head thrower

Then came Rusty...

I've never had a chance to have one that you COULD love....I did make up my mind not to "love" one...

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

You know that's a good idea too...may be give him something different will make the trails more appealing.

Becky

[Inge_CAV]

What I have heard several times is, "If you cannot tell your horse you love it, sell it and get one you can." They may not understand the words you use but they are not mistaken in the meaning.

[HairOfTheDog]

And this little idiosyncrasy could still all be related to 7 wks off, and the heat...

The heat alone would do it to me!

Bay got to be in the yard today too :~) I just buted him, and wanted to make sure he had something in his stomach.

The new kitten-proofing of the birdfeeder also enables me to let the horses be in the yard again without them being able to raid the birdfeeder.

I did notice too, your observation that Harley's 'birthmark' was almost invisible right now. It is interesting that it changes so much with the seasons, and differences in his coat.

Bay's got a weird effect going on because of the way his hair is, it's normally dark at the root and light at the tips... by design, and undoubtedly a little because of fading from sun, but the effect is the new hair coming in under where the old saddle pad rubbed him is a lot darker than the rest of him, you can see it in the picture.

Now I'm off to go spread poop in the pasture... needs done, and it's good exercise.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That's what i've been waiting for, one I COULD love:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Gosh, look at all that green grass.

So are you going to be riding, is that why you buted him, or is something going on with him?

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Not riding till the weekend but I've been buting him at least once during the week as a maintenance measure, or when I see what I view as 'toe pointing' when he's in the paddock resting. What I saw today was him standing in the paddock with one front foot slightly out in front of him, ahead of the vertical, and alternating, like he was taking turns resting his front feet that way. It was subtle... I pointed it out to ecurbh and said "see that toe pointing? I'm gonna bute him" and he said he wouldn't have noticed it.

I don't think I've taken a picture of him doing it, because it's not something I like to see, but I should, so you can see it and tell me if you'd view it as a symptom or a ghost ;~)

[Inge_CAV]

When you know what you are looking for it is easy to find. Just may take a little time though. Took me a year of going to horse sales every weekend to find mine. My first thought after I checked it over was if there is any way possible, this is my horse and it is going home with me. It was the next day before I could get someone to bring it home for me. I did not have a truck or trailer......

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Since he's alternating back and forth it could be he's just resting his front feet, like they do when they cock a back foot.

Becky