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!

[CindyDawg]

You probably have a fancier way to do it but if you go back to the threads you can freeze the horse in various steps for a few seconds.

[HairOfTheDog]

I found a canter animation too. It's a three beat gait because in this, the near hind and the opposite fore hit the ground at the same time instead of all four feet hitting independently.

In judging between a canter and a hand gallop in the ring, the judge just really wants to see this change in rhythm, an increase in speed and an increase in the amount of suspension.

[Duchess47]

Now imagine any judge putting a class in a hand gallop twice around the arena. *shaking head*

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, they do it all the time in English Pleasure and especially Hunter, I don't ever remember seeing it in Western Pleasure.

[Duchess47]

I've not ever seen it in Western Pleasure or English Pleasure, but the part that really got me, other than asking children to do it and asking it of horses that are trained not to run, was that he asked them to maintain this gait twice around the arena. By the end of the day, some horses were exhausted, in the arena you could see them heaving. Some of the horses were put through this in up to 4-5 classes. Well, except for Prez and also Brianna mom forbid her to put her horse in a hand gallop also. The western horse she rides.

[MissTargets]

Nice pictures, both of you. My bad, I didn't take any today. Amy had the work camera there, so she will probably email me a few. We had the same kind of dorky judge. This one was a girl. She was placing kids, that normally don't win. Alison won 3 sixths and a fifth. Not too bad, for the large classes. She was disappointed, but hey that's horse shows. Her Grandfather (my ex) told her she should have won the class. He does this all the time and did it with Amy. I could not hold back anymore, and told him not to tell her that. I am trying to teach her good sportsmanship, and she doesn't need to hear that kind of talk.

Hair, IIRC, at a all breed association circuit we showed at, they hand galloped the Arabians in Western Pleasure. They sure did in Native Costume... :)

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, if it's not typical for the association shows you've been going to, I bet every head turned and said ~what~? the first time it was called for!

[HairOfTheDog]

They ALWAYS gallop in Arab Native Costume, the wilder and faster the better. Everyone hoots and stomps feet in the stands to see just how hyped up they can get all the horses. Me in those silky pajamas on a rather satiny seat I was lucky to stay on, and everyone else was in the same boat. :~)

I can recall a few times in very large classes at Arab shows that the hand gallop, which was required, was kept short just because the arena wasn't big enough to have that many horses trying to gallop.

[MissTargets]

I forgot to mention, that I took my friend, the one who owns all the really nice Appaloosas, to see that gelding. The show grounds is not too far from her mom's place. They were not home, but a girl was there cleaning stalls. My friend really like him, but thought he had a slight turn out, on the one front leg. We didn't ride him, as I had to get back to the showgrounds. The owner emailed me again yesterday. She wanted to know if I found a place to put him.I would really like to have him, but there is the frugal part of me, saying no...lol

[HairOfTheDog]

I think you're right to try to teach good sportsmanship, it's not good for her to think she's been cheated if she doesn't win every time. But a grandpa wants to say something nice and praise the job she did... I hope he understood the subtle difference.

[Duchess47]

Get him, you won't be sorry :)

[HairOfTheDog]

~giggling~

[Duchess47]

LOL - well he is a beautiful horse :)

[Duchess47]

I just cleaned out under my kitchen sink. The garbage disposal died and when I looked under for a reset button or something, I noticed the back half of the cupboard floor is standing water. The dishwasher is leaking also. This has not been the greatest weekend. :)

[MissTargets]

The Arab costumes class and the "Big Licks" were always big crown pleasers. Appaloosas have a costume class too, but they just walk around with these little bells on..lol A long time ago, they had what they called an "Indian Class", in that one they ran around like a bunch of wild Indians, all dressed up. It was very cool.

[Duchess47]

Cool picture. The tack looks very much like a picture of an appaloosa with actual indian tack, taken long ago.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh dear....

[HairOfTheDog]

Hey - that saddle looks nice and secure anyhow... better than bareback like I pictured indians!

[Duchess47]

I was wrong, it's a painting or watercolor.

[MissTargets]

Get him, you won't be sorry :)

STOP IT!..I talk myself out of him and there you go...heheheheh