| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 01/02/2007 10:02:41 AM PST by Sidebar Moderator, reason:
Locked - New thread - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1761352/posts |
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!
It probably was but I had a way of getting around required stuff in school. I did try to watch it once but after a few minutes I got fidgety and bored. I guess I'm just going to have to make myself watch it:')
Wow Cindy, good job on the beach ride! It sounds like a blast. Hang in there with the group rides though. It'll just take practice for her to get used to riding with a group, but it sounded like you did a really good job in handling her antics. The worst thing you could've done would have been to let her get away with doing what she wanted to, just to keep up with the group. They really should have waited for you though. That was kinda rude on their part, and a little bit dangerous too, to just go off and leave you like that. If somebody's having troubles in our group, we don't just ride off, we help them work through it. Maybe if you ride with them more often you can buddy up with one or two riders and develope a regular riding relationship with them. In any case, we look forward to more beach ride pictures. Thanks for posting them!
That's one nice lookin' buncha cowboys!
Well, she has my unmost respect then. It's truly a labor of love. I wish I had the time and the money to do more of it because I've seen the results that can be had by doing it. The friend that I went out there with is really into it. She's a Parelli Club member and gets all the monthly DVDs and all that, but she only works part time, plus she has a new indoor arena at her house and she can play with her horses a little easier that way. Maybe one of these days I'll do better.
I didn't want to hold them back. They were hooping and hollering and having a good time bumping into each other and cowboying it up. It looked like fun but I was uncomfortable getting her in to that, since I already had my hands full. They offered but seemed happy to move on when I told them that was ok. I got "checked on" a few times. I don't think SL knew what she wanted. The sand dunes scared her and set things up. Even when I was close to the group she didn't seem to be able to stand still and when I would cue her to move on she would fight me. Then she wan't to jig to catch up and didn't want to slow to a walk. Even whoas, which is her favorite part of riding was hard. I had to get firm with the bit. I think it was just new stuff. She didn't act like she wanted to be with the other horses but didn't want them leaving either. When we put her in the trailer she was still neighing to them. It was actually fun though and she did fantastic in some ways but I just don't know about this group thing.
Good morning....
Is your eye all on the mend?
We're very sore this morning. We're very out of shape. :~)
Me too. I have got to do some toning up. I have an unusual (for me) soreness. It's in both shoulders and goes down into a vee to my mid back. Want to borrow my heating pad? :')
My eye was fine by that evening, after napping all afternoon. Even the doctor said the best thing about eye injuries is the eye heals very very rapidly, usually with in 24 hours.
Yesterday, I was puny tho, but I think is was because of taking the pain meds the day before. Vicoden does bad things to my system. I was puny all last week, and I think it was because of the steroids I took for the poison ivy, then I had to take the vicoden....I take so little medications I don't think I handle it well...I'm feeling better today, but I've got a lot of bookwork to catch up on, so not sure I will get to riding. Julia is suppose to come ride tomorrow.
Becky
I don't care for really large groups either, because of the very reasons you are stating. There is always an @$$ in the group.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but IMO:), the best thing for you to do, is pick one our two people who you know will ride in a nice polite manner with you, and won't mind waiting while you settle your horse. It may be you will have to approach them and ask, but those types will probably be glad to help. Surely there are a few at your stable who would do that???
Becky
You've heard me talk about riding with groups, some are good, some are cowboys, and I like best riding with just my husband most of the time. Still, I hope you can go again with someone, till you learn where the trails are and can find some real friends that fit your style. I bet you wouldn't have as much trouble if you were at a ride somewhere other than the ocean.
Lots of horses get antsy and on the muscle when you're starting out, they're nervous, it's a new place. IMHO, the ocean is a fairly varsity place to ride. Lots of things like the wind (which always makes horses squirrely) blowing things, cars, dogs, tourists, and the big huge water, that all can be a challenge to deal with.
I think that is a very good idea. Have you ever seen a horse kind of sigh and totally relax though? I put her back in the barn for grooming. She acted nervous of me like she was in trouble. I hadn't been mean but just firm with her. There were many 'quit"s and one slap on her butt but there were also strokes and good girls too. Anyway, she was looking at me like I was gonna take a stick to her. I started rubbing her neck , kind of hugging and she just seemed to relaxed all over and kind of sigh. I don't know what that was all about.
Well, I was the "wet blanket" and I couldn't see slowing the group for me. I'm hoping the one lady that rode with me awhile that I ran off wasn't too frustrated and might ride with me sometimes. We are both in two associations. She called to make sure I got home ok , which I thought was nice. She has the TW though that kicks:')
We have to cut up chickens Friday so I'm sure we will talk a lot about the ride. One thing is for sure. I am not taking the week trail ride with them to the stock shoe this year. Sarah Lee on the rode...uh uh.
show
It's thundering and lightening. Woke me up about 5. No storm with the wind blowing the rain sideways like I was talking about though.
Well, I'm sure SL acted up worse when they were leaving, that stresses them out, they don't voluntarily leave a herd. I just wish you knew someone who understood all the issues who would work them out with you, because anyone who is experienced has been through most of the same issues. If you'd let them help, that is :~) A TW might not be the best match because they like to go so fast, but if she'll slow down and help, let her. Usually, the best thing for an inexperienced pair is to follow a very steady leader for awhile.
It's not that I wouldn't let people help. I just didn't want to be a bother. That boy can move fast even though it looked like he was not moving:') It will be better the next time. I need to learn to keep up too.
Bob is one of those horses. He gets charged up at the beginning of a ride and jigs and bounces and all that and I have to keep circling and circling him until he gets the edge off. After about the first 30 minutes he's fine. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he's coming up on 4 and that's the age when they seem to want to test your authority and see what they can get by with. Hope and Grace are still pretty compliant, even in large groups, and even though they're still what I'd consider green broke, but I'm sure their time is coming.
Hopefully you and that lady can get together and have some good rides. BladeRider and I had a good one yesterday. It ended up being just she and I because her husband's horse has a pretty bad case of the Heaves right now and we were afraid that it would be too much on him to take him out on the trail so he and Gary stayed back at the camp and took a nap.
I rode Hope for the 2nd time and I was real pleased with her. I made her go first the whole ride even though she didn't want to. She was very unsure and spooky at first. I mean, we spent 10 minutes trying to get past a kiddie pool that someone had set up for their dogs at their campsite, right at the beginning of the trail, but as the ride progressed her confidence seemed to build and she handled all the hills and mudholes and rocks and logs very well.
I think that the more you take a horse into unfamiliar situations, the more their trust in you as a leader builds and they finally reach a point where they don't question your decisions like they did at first and are much more layed back with the whole experience because they know you're going to take care of them. So I hope y'all can manage to keep going out and going to new places, because to me, that's the most fun thing of all.
Yeah. Over all I'm pleased. I give us a B. (an A for effort and a C for riding). I still have lots of work but I probably didn't pick the easiest to start with. I want to go back to the beach with just my husband or maybe another rider and work out the beach stuff and then the herding). I can't figure out how this horse came from a dude ranch though.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.