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]

The only time I was involved in breaking a horse to harness, they used a "breaking cart" which was wide and low, with big rubber tires.

He was a chubby old pony, so he wasn't likely to get his leg over the traces, kick the cart to pieces, and gallop off trailing bits of harness . . . but you never know.

My mare is singularly unsuited to harness, being very tall, very leggy, and very narrow.

[Duchess47]

There are several people in the area who train horses to buggy and cart. A lot of them hook the horse up with an experienced horse or mule and drive them that way to start.

[cjshapi]

Thanks!

[AnAmericanMother]

Like the elephant trainers put a newly captured elephant in between two old hands.

[cjshapi]

RIP Laser. Deemed beyond repair today. New one ordered and will be delivered Monday, installed Wednesday. Deuce will be taken to the hospital Thursday and first surgery Friday.

At least we now know what is going on.

[MissTargets]

Oh good. I hope this one works ok.

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

omigosh, I have spent all day at work, on and off, reading that entire forum about that little arabian mare, KARA that was rescued.

I can't even speak. It brought back memories, made me angry, made me cry ..

I'm going to add them to my favorites and keep tabs on that story.

Thanks!

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

What a nice little horse in harness! I love the pleasant look..

[Duchess47]

Good, at least now you have a definate date to shoot for.

[BladeRider]

I've broken my nose four times - but not barrel racing. Jumping in the days before the hunt caps had SOFT brims. Horse flings head, brim breaks bridge of nose. Rinse, repeat. The last time I broke it, an old country doc who happened to be there just grabbed the bridge and pulled it back to center. Ouch! You really can't see that it's been broken so many times, unless you look hard, but the inside is all messed up with bone chips and stuff.

I also had my nose broken when playing softball. Lost a fly ball in the lights, found it with my nose. Weirdest feeling, like the center of my face was missing. Had surgery to repair it, not sure I could have handled the old country doc method!

[Duchess47]

:) Thank you.

[BladeRider]

omigosh, I have spent all day at work, on and off, reading that entire forum about that little arabian mare, KARA that was rescued.

I have spent most of the day reading it also. UNBELIEVABLE! It made me sick to see those carcasses. I was glad to read on page 30 that they got the guy.

[AnAmericanMother]

Oh, he just said, "Here, let me look at that!" and ka-ZAAM! he had done it.

You probably could have heard me yell in the next county.

My parents' next door neighbor was a plastic surgeon, he looked at it a couple days later and said it was o.k., but if I broke it again he'd have to build me a new one.

[AnAmericanMother]

OK, now you've got a date.

We'll pray to St. Francis and all the relevant horsey saints (St. Martin de Tours, St. George) for a really good outcome . . .

[HairOfTheDog]

I avoided getting started on that thread because I haven't had time to become an emotional wreck :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, there's progress anyway!

Hope the fee for the surgery didn't just jump to pay for the new machine!

[HairOfTheDog]

Took a few pictures of the horses this evening out goofing off... this is Bay looking all intense :~)

The light was interesting in this one of Cyn, I thought :~)

Cyn again... I've never seen another adult horse do stuff like this.

And this is Bay... ready to ~spring~ if that little bit of blown in garbage makes another move :~)

And one more of the pony, if a bit blurry, and her fancy feet.

[Duchess47]

Great pictures. You can sure see the Arab in Cyn in the second picture.

[HairOfTheDog]

Once in awhile you can see her face :~)

[CindyDawg]

Texas Department of State Health Services

News Release

September 12, 2006

Tennessee Horse Show Attendees May Have Been Exposed to Rabies

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) officials say that people who attended the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tenn, in August may have been exposed to a horse that has tested positive for rabies.

The horse was a 3-year-old buckskin gelding with a black mane and tail, standing about 14 hands (56 inches) at the base of the mane. During the event, the horse was ridden only by its owners and stabled in barn number 50. Illness was first noticed in the horse on Aug. 28.

Health officials are asking that people who attended the celebration between Aug. 23 and Aug. 31 call the Tennessee Department of Health toll-free public information line, 866-355-6129, if they were exposed to the rabid horse through a bite or through saliva from the horse coming in contact with their eyes, nose, mouth, other mucous membranes or a fresh wound.

If Tennessee health authorities determine that a Texas resident was exposed to the rabid horse, the person will be directed to contact a health care provider for preventive treatment.

Rabies is a viral illness that is almost always fatal in humans once symptoms occur. People can be infected with the rabies virus if they are bitten or exposed to the saliva of an animal that has the disease. A series of post-exposure shots, if given in time, can prevent rabies from developing.

Additional information about rabies infection and treatment is available from local city and county health departments or by calling the DSHS Zoonosis Control Branch toll-free, 800-252-8239 and choosing option three.

About 150,000 people attended the Tennessee event.

-30-

(News media: for more information contact Tom Sidwa, DVM, Manager, DSHS Zoonosis Control Branch, 512-458-7255 or 800-252-8239; or Emily Palmer, DSHS Assistant