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!

[AnAmericanMother]

You are kidding me! She looks like a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs. She must sore her horse's back something awful.

Usually, people either get better or they quit.

[AnAmericanMother]

It's not the faces, it's the body alignment, she's off back to front AND side to side, depending on the picture.

And being heavy makes it that much worse (I can SAY that - I'm 30 pounds overweight, but I balance well.)

And those big men were hard on the little horses (the sensible ones got lightweight teenagers to ride the babies).

[HairOfTheDog]

I understand the pictures don't show great equitation, I think it's entirely possible she'd do a lot better with her stirrups shorter, she's reaching with her toes to even find them.

I don't see anything in those pictures that can lead you to make such bold and harsh statements about her weight, or that she must sore her horse something awful. I cringe because I don't like rudeness about some poor gal who I'm glad is not here to see herself dissected. She is no heavier than some of us here in the forum, and while I don't argue it's a virtue, it's a fact polite company would take into consideration.

The horse is young, but appears both sizeable and mature for his age. He's not overburdoned by her. His age and maturity should limit his work more than the difference between her weight and a skinny teenager.

[HairOfTheDog]

We wanted a forum where we say what we think, eh?! LOL :~D

[ecurbh]

[FrogInABlender]

Hey, just for the record and because everybody has a right to my opinion, I think her stirrups are just too long too. Heck, ANYBODY would look uncomfortable sitting a trot with stirrups that are too long on a green-broke trottin' horse. ;o)

[FrogInABlender]

This is interesting. My server at work won't let me access anything on The Hobbit Hole site anymore because it's been classified as a "Weapons" site. Goofy computer Nazis!

[HairOfTheDog]

because everybody has a right to my opinion

ROTFL :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

This is interesting. My server at work won't let me access anything on The Hobbit Hole site anymore because it's been classified as a "Weapons" site. Goofy computer Nazis!

No kidding! I wonder is that just automatic because we use the word 'knife' or 'weapon' too much? Does that mean you can't see any of the images we upload to the server? The movies I upload are there too.

[AnAmericanMother]

Sorry if you think I'm being "bold" or "harsh." I'm just telling like it is. I used to be an instructor so it sort of jumps out at me. There's no ignoring the fact that this girl's body is out of alignment, long stirrups or no, and she's just too heavy for a young horse. He's a sturdy boy, but if he's only 2 his growth plates are still vulnerable. 30 minutes a day at a soft pace probably won't do him any harm, but I hate to see a heavy, out-of-balance rider on a young horse.

I'm not going to ignore something as obvious as this, any more than I ignore my own shortcomings. As I said, I'm 30 pounds overweight, and it makes me look bad on a horse. Plus my legs are short in relation to my overall height, no matter how long I try to let down my stirrups. That's why you don't see too many pics of me on Gracie - I know it looks bad unless you can see as little of me as possible. A 90 degree side-on picture is as bad as it gets. And you would never, ever catch me on one of my trainer's babies (and she wouldn't let me on one anyhow.)

But if we're all going to make nice and just say that everything in the garden is wonderful . . . o.k. Just let me know the rules ahead of time, I can deliver false compliments as well as anybody. (She looks splendid, and she and the horse can go to the Garden tomorrow. No, that one doesn't pass the smell test.)

[FrogInABlender]

I wonder is that just automatic because we use the word 'knife' or 'weapon' too much? Does that mean you can't see any of the images we upload to the server?

I'll bet it is. I think the filters work off of keywords. I know I couldn't see the little popcorn smiley gif that ecurbh posted but I haven't tried anything else.

[HairOfTheDog]

I guess I'm just going to leave it at "more than enough said".

[FrogInABlender]

You know what they say about opinions and @$$holes, everybody's got one, and as long as we don't wave 'em in other people's faces too often we'll be fine. ;o)

[HairOfTheDog]

~chuckling~
Very vidid, and very true, Frog :~)

Well, I put some grass seed down yesterday, Hoping it can still germinate and get established before the temperature starts dropping. I need to go block it off so it doesn't get constantly disrupted by pet traffic.

I think this business with your work server blocking the HH site is going to get in our way, you'll have to let us know if it's keeping you from seeing things, we'll come up with a work-around.

[Duchess47]

No, she's never had a problem with any of her horses or ours, as a matter of fact. And she can ride just about anything. Just not a natural :)

[Duchess47]

Not a problem here. I can handle it :)

Janelle is not a natural like some, but she'll ride anything and has never had a problem with soring a horse or a lame horse. She's not terribly overweight, just looks like it in the tights and shirt.

[Duchess47]

Her stirrups are too long, she's in Bob's saddle. Yesterday was the first time they asked him to trot and I think they only did that because I came out. Of course, yesterday was only the second time anyone was on his back.

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, if she can stay on 'em, my hat's off to her.

I don't climb on just anything, these days, because it hurts so much more now when I hit the ground!

[Duchess47]

As far as I'm concerned, you can say anything you want. You aren't upseting me at all. He is a youngster, just turned two in May, even though he is 15.3 and close to 1000lbs at least. He is still growing.

They are only working him 20-30minutes a day. I think they put him in a trot just because I came out, because they hadn't ask for that yet. When I showed up, they took him off the lunge line so I could see him work.

[AnAmericanMother]

I don't wear tights for precisely that reason (also because I would get arrested for creating a public eyesore.) Heavy corduroy/Lycra breeches, even in midsummer. . . . doesn't really solve the problem, just camouflages it somewhat. My weight really does limit the horses I can ride -- I guess I ought to get motivated to do something about it.