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!

[HairOfTheDog]

Yes, and that will make it even harder to bear :~)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That's what I meant....find out who is like the President of the Pony Club and call them and ask if they have such a kid.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

You know you don't want to let her go. :')

[HairOfTheDog]

Thought about it lots of times, never acted on it. Mostly because I don't travel in the circles to know those people any more. Maybe something will come of the conversation and one will call. Maybe I'll hear about a show and go check it out and find out who's who.

[FrogInABlender]

...I always cringe with annoyance...when people say things like "just a trail horse" or not good for anything but trails, etc....

Well, you gotta admit that the majority of "Trail Horses" are not all that well trained. They're ridden by weekend warriors who just want to get out and socialize with other weekend warriors and just lolly-gag along, possibly drinking a beer, and not paying attention to anything around them, much less what their horse is doing. Oh, and they want to look good while they're doing it too, so there's that. And when the ride is over they want to put that horse back out in the pasture and forget about it until the next "trail ride". People who actually expect their horse to behave and to do and go where they're told are few and far between. So I guess I can understand the "just a trail horse" prejudice that some people have.

[squarebarb]

yes, they are all over my horses but esp. on the spine, little ones. I wish I could afford those drops but can't this month.

Down to low 50's tonite in the hill country O boy I am thinking about a fire in the fireplace!

[CindyDawg]

I thought they were little ticks at first, until I started brushing them off. It's 82 right now. We might get to the high 60's tonight. I don't have a fire place though. The county considers it a luxury and taxes accordingly.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Yeah, I understand that...that's part of my peeve:) So many potentially good horses going to waste....

I've often wondered if I had had horses all my life as most of these types have, would I be more like that. I had to wait till I was an adult to finally get one...I think I'm making up for all the years I wanted one but didn't have one:), and at the rate I'm falling apart, I get worried that I don't have many years left to do it.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I think trails or endurance would require the skills of all disciplines combined but each one is unique IMO. I hear trail riders that are snobbish too though so I guess it goes both ways.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh, and I had to LOL at your "weekend warriors"...I didn't know that was a common expression. I thought it was just an expression used around our home:), Sadly even weekend warriors gives most of them too much credit...more like bi-monthy warriors:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I hear trail riders that are snobbish too

Alright now, you're getting personal:).

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I think there's 'weekend warriors' in any discipline. I even heard it from a biker friend about people who pay a lot of money for Harley's and pretend to be real bikers. :~)

It's not the amount of time you spend, it's a judgment, sometimes unfair, sometimes not, on how well they do it :~) Like "cowboys".

[HairOfTheDog]

I hear trail riders that are snobbish too

Alright now, you're getting personal:).

I think that was one of the times you were supposed to act humble :~)

[CindyDawg]

Sorry.:') Some around here, where I live, do think they are "special" though. I figure if you are having fun and enjoying your horse that the sport is big enough for everyone.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL, Oh...okay:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

There are those types in any sport no doubt. Human nature. Sadly.

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

...I had to wait till I was an adult to finally get one...I think I'm making up for all the years I wanted one but didn't have one...

You sound like me. But I think you're right about people who have horses all their lives take them for granted. It's like anything else I guess. Familiarity breeds contempt, or at the very least apathy.

[CindyDawg]

Just a little off topic but I was reading an article today about people complaining of rudeness on trails. Some of the letters were about joggers, or bikers, or ATVers, or horse riders. They all felt like the other hogging or messing up the trails. The editor decided that all were correct because the trouble makers wouldn't or couldn't write in and the basic problem was that people just think their sport the best and regardless of the difference that people always have and always will "fight" when they get together. Funny.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Yeah, I agree.

I have gotten to where it doesn't quit bother me as much as it use too. I try to remember that enjoying them and having fun is the real goal for backyard horse owners, and if they are doing that even if it is only occasionally, then that's great....if they're happy, I'm happy:), as long as the horse is well taken care of.

Becky

[FrogInABlender]

...I hear trail riders that are snobbish too though so I guess it goes both ways.

I'll have to own up to that little bit of prejudice myself. I find myself feeling sorry for people who never get out of the arena. Their horses may be perfect in a controlled setting, but put them out in an unfamiliar setting and the whole thing falls apart. But I'm sure they could work circles around me on arena work and all that. So I guess everybody has their preferences and strong points and we just need to accept each other as fellow horse lovers and go on from there.