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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've been wanted longer ones, because while I don't usually need to, I'd like enough rein left to give Bay a good whack on the shoulder if he's not cooperating. Ecurbh too, one of these days, will push Cyn to lead on trail, past that point where she likes to just ~stop~... and short of carrying a riding crop, those long western reins with a flapper can come in handy.
LOL!!! When I first read this I thought you were going to be whacking Ecurbh too and I thought "Man, he must be seriously pissing Hair off!"
LOL! - The punctuation placement is important in that post, isn't it?
Yes it is! The periods in this particular font are kinda hard to see.
I find that a spur is more useful than a crop when encouraging one of mine to take the lead, but if she's never been ridden with them before, she may be prone to buck when they're first applied. Some of them will and some won't. My trainer uses them on all of mine when first breaking them. He said Bob and Blade never bucked but Grace bowed up like a rodeo bronc. I don't know about Hope, I'll have to ask.
I was started English where we carried a crop or whip as a matter of dress. You don't show without one. You have to be prepared for conflict with both and know when and how to apply them. A horse who feels pushed can rebel violently about your decision to go forward with either tool, or they can decide to submit.
I've not had good experience with spurs myself, not that the horse overly objected to them, but that I couldn't keep them on and in the right position. They always slipped... And I think, while one can accidently apply spur in a moment of imbalance (and make the situation worse) one doesn't ever accidently apply a crop.
I usually apply whip to the shoulder or flank just behind the leg to a disobedient horse who won't go forward... you're less likely to get a buck that way, like you might if you hit the butt.
Yeah, you've got a point there about accidental application. Been there, done that. As far as the fit goes, I've always liked the English styled spurs that had one long strap that threaded through the slots on the ends of the spurs, so that you could get the spur adjusted on your heel so that it sat on the spur rest on the back of your boot and that usually keeps them from slipping too bad.
The ones I'm using right now are actually western style spurs that have the little buttons on the ends instead of the slots, so I had to modify my spur straps to have a button hole in them, which isn't nearly as flexible. Once you've got that hole there, that's pretty much where those spurs are going to go. So if you change boots and the spur rest is higher or lower, then you need a new pair of spur straps. But they have larger rowels that are set crossways instead of up and down, so I like that part better. There's always trade-offs I guess.
It turns out all you need is an ornery mule:
I see a couple of hounds in the upper left corner of the picture, and an empty rifle scabbard. From the sequence of pictures, it's not sure of the mule killed the cougar, or is just taking out his frustrations on it. Still, don't mess with an angry mule.
Heh, I had seen that picture and wondered the same thing. I hadn't noticed the empty scabbard though. In any case, that's one gutsy mule to grab hold of a cougar like that, even if it IS already dead. From what Hair has said of Bay's reaction to her big dog it sounds like he might be capable of the same thing.
I just saw on the news that you have grass fires up there. Is this the same fire you showed us the smoke from? If so, it sure has been burning awhile. Kind of funny/odd in the land of so much rain:)
Good morning.
Becky
I've thought about the way Cyn does this some, since I saw her. I've wondered if ecurbh has ever rode her by herself just at home around you all's pasture? Not sure if it would help, I'm not a trainer:), But it would be interesting to see if she would go in that circumstance, familiar surroundings, but by herself. It might be a safer way to get her over it. If I did it, I'd lock the other two up so they couldn't follow her around.
Becky
I used them on Blade this weekend to make him lead and they did pretty good on the first 3/4 of the ride. Closer to the end he responded better to the reins on the shoulders. He would flinch when I used the spurs but that was all. Guess he got immune to it.
The fire we saw was up in the mountains in timber country, it's still burning because it's in steep mountain that's really hard to get to. But it burns slow, it's green and smolders more than it burns.
The grass fires I'm seeing on TV this morning are all in Eastern WA, where it is open prairie land, and is as hot and dry as OK right now. Farmers burn the fields over there sometimes after harvest, I wonder if one of those that got out of control...
He has ridden alone here... at least we've tested her before leaving Bay and riding out of sight of him, and she's fine here at home. No reaction.... This is a confidence issue on trail we'll tackle one of these days. Just haven't pushed it yet because it's a battle that can wait till both are more experienced. He bought a crop though, when we were at the tack store last time. :~)
Oh, well, I just didin't know if you had done that, and how it went.
Yeah, then it is just little lack of confidence on her part.
Becky
One of those sites, for Internet myths has the mule and cougar pictures. I can't remember the name of the site, but the cougar was actually dead when the mule got ahold of it.
My ex-employer still has not started sending me my pension money. They said my paperwork was not done correctly. Now they tell me. So, I have to redo it. Plus they have new people in the corporate offices. What a mess!
I've seen that whole series of photographs too, and it's not clear, if I recall, whether the cougar is still alive in any of them, but you're right about the mule, I wouldn't mess with him. :~)
I just got done giving Harley a massage then turned him loose to graze the front yard. I did ride some yesterday, I would have liked to give him the day off but Celia had brought Stormy and left him so we could ride, and I hate crapping out on someone who has gone to the trouble of hauling a horse here.
I sent her on a few loops and rode towards the opposite way, so we could just walk. He seems fine today. Anyway tho, another reason I sent her on the loops so we could move slower is we didn't get started till 3:00, and lordy was it humid. About 30 minutes into it, I knew I was going to have trouble. I had taken 2 20 oz bottles of water with me for me plus 2 more for the dog/horse. I was feeling the heat bad, sweating like a racehorse, and Celia asked me if I was OK....said I looked a bit green.
Anyway I sent her on and stopped and drank almost all my water, by the time she got back to me, I was feeling better, and the wind had picked up. My point is, she never takes water with her....I don't know how she does it...she said she wasn't sweating all that much either....my clothes were ringing wet, and I think about the time I stopped and started drinking I had stopped sweating....I've still got a headache this morning, I'm sure it's just dehydration. And I'm sitting here at the computer now sweating like a race horse, and the AC is on....I don't know if I have a problem, or if she does:).
And it's funny I thought I was doing pretty good with the heat. It hasn't been bothering me that much when I start my rides early in the mornings. I guess I acclimate. The tempratures were not that bad yesterday afternoon when we started, it was just the humidity.
I've told Celia she was going to get in trouble one of these days out like that with no water. Most times I share mine with her, but I didn't offer yesterday, I wasn't sure how much I was going to need...I felt bad about that, but she needs to carry her own.
Becky
HI:)
You read that book yet? :)
Becky
"that book"? Which one?
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