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]

Well, it just means I have to say all the stuff I'd say if you were here.... scary huh!

Honestly, I think it's too bad you don't have a good experienced friend who is right there where you are and can take you on those trail rides and push you a little bit. It would take the heat off you here :~D

You getting to follow someone else on trail rides once a week for the first year would make a world of difference in how fast you progressed in both skill and confidence. I desperately want you to get out and go, but I'd be a bit scared if I were in your position and didn't really know where to go, let alone how to go. I hope you meet such a person you're compatible with, it would make riding a whole lot more fun.

And that's the part I can't help with.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

But what happens when they don't obey a voice command? What happens if the horse spooks while free lunging and takes off running and bucking or what ever.

JMO, but that is an excellent opprutunity to teach one to listen to you rather then their own instincts. If you have a line on them you can stop them almost immediately using your voice and the line.

What happens when the horse won't pick up the pace you want with a voice command if you have no line or no whip. If they go to fast you can't slow them down, if they go to slow you can't speed them up.

You can teach voice commands just as easily (easier, IMO) with a line and a whip as you can without.

And, IMO:), I don't think horses should be "allowed to blow off steam" when they are being worked. Their time in the pasture if for that. Once they are haltered, it's work time and they do what the handler wants. Allowing them to blow off steam is letting them have control, something I, personally do not want my horses to have when I'm using them.

JMO:)

Becky

[CindyDawg]

A buddy would be good. It's coming though. I've networked with some people that go riding, that I really like. Hopefully that will happen soon also. The good news is that I'm only working two days a week now so after I catch up a few things I'll have more time for my horses. I have to get out of here now though and go to Walmart. Another storm in the water and I need to pick up some stuff. Talk to yall later.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm ambivalent about lunging or round penning... I've never had a round pen, so I've done what I've done with the lunge line.

I think whether it's for discipline or blowing off steam we might end up at the same place at the end, a horse that's hopefully ready to ride.

Some horses I've spent a lot of effort with teaching lunging, some I haven't, and both types have become good riding horses. And that's really the goal, to ride. :~)

[Duchess47]

:) We teach the voice commands with a line and a whip, that's how they learn. Once they're off the line and on voice, they know not obeying puts them back on the line. And we lunge in a ring so they can't go far.

Horses rarely run and buck in the pasture, they are pretty lazy except on a cool crisp morning. Ours are used to being pulled out of a paddock or corral and being put in the ring and told run and play. I think it warms them up, and gives them a chance to pretend they are the Black Stallion or whatever they pretend :) and then they settle down to work.

All of our horses that are riding horses are at or expected to get to the point where they can be pulled out of the pasture, brushed and saddled and ridden without being lunged. But due to the number we have, they can't all be ridden often enough, so they go in the ring to be exercised and worked with.

I guess it's a give and take with control. Of course someone has to be in charge. And in hand or under saddle that someone has to be the person. But it's a fine line I think. Sometimes horses just feel off or sense danger. If a person isn't open to watching or listening, they could ride into a dangerous situation or work a horse that is ill or tired and compound a problem.

It's so hard on the Internet because we don't know each others animals, we are all guilty of not explaining ourselves thoroughly regarding methods we use, or giving reasons for decisions made. I at least, am very bad about that, I expect people to read my mind I think.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I think my negative feelings about free lunging come from the way it is promoted among some of the TV trainers. I could be taking it wrong the way they do it, but it seems to me that they make it sound like the be-all-end-all of making a good riding horse, and I just don't agree with that.

I've seen a lot of back yard horse owners, watch the videos go out and work with a horse to do that, and really think they have really accomplished something, when in my opinion they have just that the horse a "trick". The horse hasn't really learned much that will help in a riding situation, giving to pressure, rider control, etc...

The goal is riding, and free lunging IMO, doesn't advance the horse any towards that goal.

JMO

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I think the goal for all of us is a horse that can be taken from the pasture, brushed saddled and ridden. I think the lunging is for the young, greenbroke horse, the horse you are wanting to watch or evaluate for a lameness, and maybe also for Duchess's situation where they all need some exercise and there's no time to ride.

I don't think adult trained horses should need to be lunged all that much otherwise.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

You're right about it being hard to communicate "everything" over the internet:)

Your post is sensible, IMO:), and that you initially put them on a line, and back on for misbehavior, makes a big difference. Since I rarely lunge anyway, when I do, I want to get it over with, because I hate doing it, so I just wouldn't take the time to put them in the round pen "then" switch to a line if need be. Just easier, for me, to start with the line, if I have to at all.

I do agree too, that it is a fine line we walk on the control thing. I think Knowing your horse is the best way to walk that line. Lots and lots of working together. Then you can tell when it's time to let them control, or for you too.

When I come up on a booger on the trail, like the other day, a wash machine top showed up just laying there, I will let the horse stop if it's something new. I don't let them (if possible:) turn away from it, or back up with out getting a bit of pressure from a spur. If they just want to stop for a few seconds and stand and look, that's OK, then we'll take a step or two, and I stop him again. Pat his neck. I'll do that till we get right up to it for him to sniff.

It's just a knowing the horse thing.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I agree:)

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

It's Saturday and ecurbh and I are too lazy to ride. :~) Trouble with us is, we've got no one with a line or a lunge whip to make us go :~)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

And I'm sitting here wanting to go, but it's just way to hot, and my horse needs a rest:\

Becky

[Duchess47]

Basically, we're all three coming from the same place - we are just explaining it differently. And we are three totally different type of horse owners.

Becky, you own good horses that are expected to do a job, and do that job well. And, to do the job, they don't have time for silliness.

Hair, you own good horses that aren't expected to do much except walk down the trail once in awhile, and be a pleasure to ride and handle. You have the time and patience to deal with the occassional goof off or gold bricking.

I own too many horses :) but they are expected to look pretty, behave in hand or under saddle, and do whatever we ask of them. So I need horses that can halter but can also trail, do endurance, run pony express or handle farm day at the library, or hang in for a rescue operation in the hills in chest deep snow. So as long as they are totally behaved and predictable in their ground manners and will give me all they've got when I ask, I don't expect them to be the best endurance horse or the fastest runner, or whatever. And since they do come through when it's important, I probably put up with more from them when it's not important.

[HairOfTheDog]

Hair, you own good horses that aren't expected to do much except walk down the trail once in awhile, and be a pleasure to ride and handle. You have the time and patience to deal with the occassional goof off or gold bricking.

Well, that's a limitation too, of the horse I have at the moment, who knows, when Bay is gone, maybe I'll again do dressage, or maybe even rodeo :~)

What is this term "gold bricking"? :~) That's a new one on me.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL,,,,good post:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I think it means faking you out...Bay acting down when you're leaving camping, when there isn't really anything wrong.

Becky

[Duchess47]

:) That's it.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ah - I see. I guess I do have patience for that, with Bay.

I cut him a lot of slack I wouldn't cut for just any horse. He goofs off on the lunge, he gets to rub his face on me sometimes, he loves his face scratched, and he can even have a treat. I don't do it because the rules don't matter, I do it because I'm experienced enough to control it, and experienced enough to correct it if it becomes something I don't want. With Bay, I pick my battles. He's 25. It doesn't matter if he lunges well. He's as trusty under saddle as I need. He never gets pushy with me, even though he's fairly dominant with the other horses.

I also had a stallion. I handled him way differently. You couldn't pet and coo and feed him treats, you would be wise to not even risk bending over around him. Not because he was terribly rank, but because he would become rank if allowed to. Bay won't.

We're also different with Cyn, because of her temperament. Because she tends toward the mouthy pushy, we don't treat and fiddle fart with her face either as a game, because it inspires her to bad behavior we don't want to encourage. The key is to know your horse, like you said.

[HairOfTheDog]

New term for me :~) He is a Gold Bricker :~D

[squarebarb]

Vet check this coming Wednesday.

The vet comes every Wednesday to this little town (pop. 300 plus outlying farms, ranches, retired people and various enclaves of white trash --- there is a back road near here where I swear there are five trailers in various states of total decomposition ---- I call the road, 'Whispering Trailers')

and he comes early in the a.m. to the town square in his truck --- everybody with cats and dogs and even birds that need care are there en masse -- I know I have taken Sam down there several times for his shots --

Then afterwards he makes ranch calls. Last Weds. he was full up, so since it wasn't an emergency I said Okay next Weds. He will come and take blood. Then we'll see.

She's just too tubby and too *nice*.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

but because he would become rank if allowed to.

Bingo:), you just made my point. Almost any horse will become rank if allowed too. For a fairly new horse owner, IMO, care should be taken to not do ANYTHING that could start anything. A beginner/intermediary most likely wouldn't be able to stop the downward spiral once something got started. Yeah there are horses that won't pick up on bad handling and take advantage of it, but you need to KNOW the horse BEFORE you do/start things that could lead to bad habits. Especially with a younger horse (and I'm talking even 5-15 yo's), that may not have had much handling. Their behavior isn't set like Bay's is. Giving treats, free lunging, etc, could get things started.

Becky