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!

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm wrong, it's in the "trail preview" section...

Same guy, same horse, looks even more like Bay here. I can't even tell what country he's from.

[Duchess47]

AERC requires horses be shod or wear boots. One ride where Sonny was barefoot and the easy boots were filling up with mud and sliding all over, we had to get special permission from the ride managers to pull them and let him finish barefoot.

[FrogInABlender]

I didn't know that they didn't allow barefoot. I thought that competing barefoot was a big thing over there. But I knew that they were much more liberal with the types of boots that could be worn than the NATRC. Interesting!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

HHMMMMMM...that's interesting. I didn't know they couldn't go barefoot.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

The Bay-look-alike doesn't look as lean as the others, judging from his underline.

Here is some pictures to compare. Might not really be able to see anything, and it may just be my wishful thinking:)

Harley last week.

Harley today. I took some head on. I don't like them, I think they make him look like crap, but you can see that his gut doesn't bulge out, he looks pretty narrow, IMO, even in real life.

Same side view as last week, does he look tighte?

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

They can change so much in the way they are carrying themselves and how much they are 'sucked up' from moment to moment. The Bay look-alike is compressed in length because he's posturing in that picture too... He'd look more lean in the belly if he were reaching more forward... but he probably is a little heavier than the others we've been lookin' at.

I wish I could figure out what country that horse is from, if he's American, it very well could be that it's not a coincidence he looks like Bay... there's a lot of Bey Shaw/Bey El Bey/Huckleberry Bey horses around.

I think Harley does look narrower than I pictured he would from his profile bulk, but pictures never do justice to how they really look. It'll be good for me to see him in person :~D

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

This just posted on the NATRC site:

The U.S. Marshal Service has asked that we forward the attached >information to all members and ask you to be on the look out for Dr. >Genevieve Kelley, who is charged with custodial kidnapping. Dr. >Kelley and her daughter are known to be very involved with horses, >and the Marshals hope that contact with various horse industry groups >might result in leads to Dr. Kelley's whereabouts. >

>Dr. Kelley is considered dangerous. Do not attempt to apprehend her, >but contact the nearest U. S. Marshal Service office. >

The last sentence is interesting:)....

Becky >

[HairOfTheDog]

I saw that! That's pretty high-action-intrigue for a trail riding forum!

[BladeRider]

The U.S. Marshal Service has asked that we forward the attached

What state is this in?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I "think" Tx.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I thought I'd tell you:

The halter bridle combo that I got came with a set of split reins. I don't care for split reins that much, and especially the nylon ones. I like to have some weight in my hands, the nylon ones are so light, I don't think the horse can even feel them. So today I took those reins to the saddle shop and asked them if they could make some of the straps that hooks the bit to the halter out of them. They are going too. I told them just to make as many as they could out of them. I'd like to have enough for all the bits I have, that way it will be easy to change bits.

I"ve looked to see if you can buy just those but I never found any. Of course, I don't know what they are going to charge me:)...It will require some sewing and the hardware, but at least those lengths of nylon aren't going to go to waste...

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

Sounds like a good idea. I had a couple of extra ones made for my older halter/bridle too and I'm glad I did coz the old guy who made them is no longer around. So what did you do about reins, just use some old ones you had or did you have a new single piece rein made? On the National Bridle Shop halter/bridle, the reins are sold separately so you can order split or non-split reins, depending on which you like. I personally like the extra length of the 7' split reins for convenience at watering holes. I went ahead and punched a hole in the end of each rein and added a conway buckle to keep them together. On my old one, I had the old guy actually sew a regular tongue-type buckle on there to keep them together.

[HairOfTheDog]

That's a darn good idea. A particularly good idea if you're having to change horses in addition to wanting a variety of bits.

So what kind of reins are you using?

[FrogInABlender]

Harley does look leaner, in a good fit-looking kind of way. Good job with the diet!

[HairOfTheDog]

I have a rope/lead like rein and a standard english type braided rein, both have quick releases so I just unsnap one side at rest stops to have enough rein to hang onto while they graze/drink.

[FrogInABlender]

Oh ok, but I was talking about the extra length being handy when they drink while I'm mounted. I don't have to bend over with them when they put their head down.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ah - well that's important too... some reins are too short.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'm using the black nylon barrel reins I got at the MJ clinic. I have them lengthened out as far as they will go. That makes them long enough for him to bend down to drink or get a bite. I like them because they are braided so they are heavier, one piece, and they have knots down both sides so you can always tell they you have them even on both sides.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

This is what the ones I use look like.

lengthened out I don't have to bend over him either when he puts his head down. And I have snaps on both ends. It is heavy enough to double as a lead rope, a requirement for CTR's, you have to have a halter and lead with you during the ride.

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

I've thought about getting one of the shorter, one-piece reins, just because there'd be less rein to have to gather up in your hand when you're riding, but then I think about how convenient it is to be able to use my combined rein length of 14' as a lead when I need to get off and lead them over an obstacle. We used them this past weekend when BladeRider's husband's horse Jake didn't want to step or jump across a good-sized log that was across the trail. I took my reins off Bob and snapped them to Jake's halter ring and BladeRider took them and pulled while standing at a safe distance while I got behind him with a stick and gave him a little manual encouragement. He didn't like it, but he finally jumped. If we hadn't had the extra length of lead, it would have been dangerous.