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!

[Beaker]

Hey everyone, just thought that I would stop in and say hi. I'm on a borrowed computer again. I'm still down in MA taking care of my grandparents. My oportunity to head up to Maine fell through, but oh well, things happen. The job search has been difficult because of other responsibilities, so I'm heading to a temp agency to try to find something. I really hope that everyone is well, horses and people alike! I miss you all!

[Beaker]

Beaker, if you are out there, I was "fixen" you up with our trainer. He was ready to make a "road trip" to Mass.

Oh really? :-) What were you saying? :-p.

[Beaker]

Hey - Beaker! Horse too!

I know! It's a twofer! :-D

[MissTargets]

Cute, petite collage grad, who rides, but doesn't have her own horse, shoots a gun and has this BIG biker dude for a daddy!

[BladeRider]

Right now he's hand grazing a lot when I'm done with work and as he's breathing with his neck down this darn thing is making a nasty rattling sound in his throat.

It is scary isn't it? We took Jake tot he vet today, his Heaves went into bronchitis and he has been struggling. Vet gave us some antibiotic powder to give as well as the Trihist. Well after wasting 3 doses trying get the antibiotics down my husband called to vent, he was pretty mad. I called the vet and he is going to swap the powder out with injections. Still the problem of getting the Trihist powder down him though. Even mixed with molasses he will not take it. He is not an easy horse to medicate or worm.

[BladeRider]

Yes, and I have lost weight and in better shape now.

GOOD FOR YOU! I to have lost 25 pounds. Wanted to lighten the load for Blade but now he has gained so much weight he still struggles climbing those hills.

[Beaker]

LOL. Yup, that just about sums it up! How old is he?
Geez, I wish that I wasn't in the position that I'm in right now, 'cause otherwise I'd be interested! :-)

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh - I wish I had lost 25 pounds already!

I sure hope your Jake gets better soon, and your Blade loses the weight he needs to lose. I just bought some fat supplement for Bay, he lost weight on that local crap hay, and I don't want him to get down too far and I don't want him to have more grain. He just needs a little, I've just noticed a loss in his topline and his butt is getting a little pointy.

[cjshapi]

Ugh! That sounds so frustrating. Have you tried mixing the powder into a paste and using a syringe to shoot it in the back of his throat? We've used that method on crushed SMZ pills and it works well.

[CindyDawg]

Hey Beaker good to hear from you. Can't stay long. I'm on my lunch break. How are you doing?

[BladeRider]

I sure hope your Jake gets better soon, and your Blade loses the weight he needs to lose. I just bought some fat supplement for Bay, he lost weight on that local crap hay, and I don't want him to get down too far and I don't want him to have more grain.

If we can get the meds down Jake I think he will get better but he is so stubborn about that. Blade will loose the weight but he will not be happy about it. Jake started going off his feed so we knew he was pretty sick, we need to find somehting to boost him back up and put weight on him. We bumped him up to 14% and were going to get some Calf Manna to add to it but they were out. He is about 100# underweight and Blade is about 100# over.

[BladeRider]

Ugh! That sounds so frustrating. Have you tried mixing the powder into a paste and using a syringe to shoot it in the back of his throat? We've used that method on crushed SMZ pills and it works well.

Getting the syringe in his mouth is a challenge, he does not want it near his face. He is a tall horse to and he can put that mouth up where I cannot reach it. Going to tie him tonight and try it in a syringe again. Had molasses all down the front of me last night.

[Beaker]

Hey there Cindy, I'm hanging in there. It's been a tough and bumpy road, but I'll be alright. :-) When I was scanning back through the thread, I came across your story and pictures of the beach ride. You did a really good job, and you should be proud of youself!

[cjshapi]

Boy, that doesn't sound like any fun. I hope you can find something that works for all of you.

[HairOfTheDog]

Our pony's bad about syringes and wormer, but at least she's short! With her, it just takes about 20 minutes of patience to let me get the syringe near, and then in, her mouth. I wouldn't want her tied because I think she'd sit back and end up in a wreck if she was cornered with it. Your mileage may vary.

This is the stuff I bought for Bay... Cool Calories 100 - Allivet Pet Pharmacy. Read down to the product review from the woman with the 32 year old horse... "She has put on all her lost weight and looks like she did in her early 20s." That's just so very sweet. :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

Glad to hear from you, hope you can be back regular soon. Prayers for you and your family, I know it's tough.

[FrogInABlender]

Hi Beaker! We've missed you! Sorry to hear about your troubles. I'll be praying for you that things get better real soon. Hang in there and drop in on us more often. We've always got good shoulders to lean on.

[FrogInABlender]

I was watching a show on Horse nutrition on RFDTV last night and there were some people from Purina Mills on there and they were talking about a new feed called ULTIUM that they had that was supposed to be one the most nutrient-dense feeds available and they were saying that it was good to give to horses that needed to gain weight. Check it out, it sounds like pretty good stuff.

http://horse.purinamills.com/products/ultium.asp

[Duchess47]

Sounds like that feed was developed expecially for rescues doesn't it? I'll have to remember that.

Becky, I liked Gone with the Wind but it was a long, long movie. I never did read the book however. Grizzly is a smart dog, picks a high position to sleep in. Safer and easier to defend :)

Hi Beaker :) Check out the trainer.

BladeRider - that's really scarey about Jake. Praying that he is on the mend soon. Have you tried mixing his meds in applesauce or molasses?

CindyDawg, I've seen Friday give a sign of relief :) when she gets confused and upset and I reach up and pat her neck and tell her she'll be okay. Becky, I know you think I'm nuts here, but she does do that.

Hair, I'm sorry about your truck but at least the fix wasn't bad.

Miss Targets, the purpose of retiring is to relax isn't it? You've been working full out since you retired :)

cjshapi, I'm glad to hear Deuce is going to finally be taken care of.

I'm home with a migraine today and so missed the first part of the following saga. The pictures are taken two hours into it. Indy is Tuffy's half brother - he's nine years old. He's run pony express, endurance, been on the show circuit on and off since he was a weanling, was part of the group of horses trudging in chest deep snow to deliver supplies to someone snowed in in the mountains, been crawled all over by autistic boys, been a lesson horse, etc. etc. He's been there, done that :) Nothing in this world so far has intimidated him except his mom.

Today was the day for Tuffy to learn a little humbling. Bob put him in the ring with Indy. I was really surprised that they are almost the same size 'cause Indy's not little. Tuffy learned quickly that he couldn't push Indy around. Then he learned that in their relationship, Indy was boss. I will say that Tuffy caught on quickly and when I went out, was doing the foal mouthing thing and trying very hard to get Indy to accept him as a buddy.

The last picture is about one second to late to show Indy's vocalization when Tuffy stepped out of line. Nobody got hurt this afternoon - well except Tuffy's pride I guess, but perhaps he learned a lesson.

[estrogen]

Does anyone on here know anything about Aiken SC? I am interested in it because it sounds real horsey and warm. I'm looking for someplace to spend winters when I retire.

Any comments would be great