The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 11

[HairOfTheDog]

The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread TEN

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]

Like she's been whipped. Maybe she just needs a boyfriend:')

[Beaker]

It's kind of like spanking your kids in public though, during a lesson. Did she know she could get away with it today?

Absolutely, if you don't usually correct her during your lesson times. You usually run into that kind of thing with show horses too who behave like an angel at home, but learn that they can get away with murder in the show ring because you are less likely to forcibly correct them. Don't be worried about correcting SL in front of your trainer if she needs it. Also, lessons should be about focusing on problem areas with you and your horse, and if you need your trainer's help on an issue, don't be afraid to ask her.

[Beaker]

Maybe she just needs a boyfriend:')

LOL!

[BladeRider]

but where would I look to find an easier ride?

I guess it would depend on what you want. I work with a guy that has a 10 year old grade quarter horse (sorrel) that his teenage daughter does not ride anymore. He said he is a very laid back horse and kid broke.

[BladeRider]

I absolutely loathe and despise starlings -- just poop machines x 10n.

They are that, and it gives you the feeling of being onset in the movie The Birds when they take off all at once. Kinda eery.

[FrogInABlender]

Hey there! I'm having PC problems again and am working off of a loaner right now and have no e-mail addresses for anybody. So e-mail me so I can get yours back.

[HairOfTheDog]

While I think most horses should be able to be ridden without being lunged, but if that's what you usually do, and you skipped that today, then that alone could explain the difference in her attitude. When did you ride last? I wish you got more useful help from that trainer there. That the trainer was right there and the only solution was for you to lunge her and fend for yourself seems a waste of your lesson dollar. Stuff like this should have been fixed, and you should have been shown how to fix it, long ago.

[CindyDawg]

Right before the weather got bad but I've gone a couple of weeks and she's been fine and then rode back to back and she would act up. I thought maybe but I haven't seen a pattern. The trainer agreed she shouldn't need lunging but she felt it was a safety issue and pulled me off to lunge her. When she saw her bucking she called the lesson. She has a trainer that is going to be evaluating SL the next 3 days and then will set a plan. He's working with her right now. If she acts up for him, she said I might want to consider selling. If not, and it's me, then we will sit down and look at what I need to be doing. She wants to see how she acts with a trainer first though. She mentioned some stuff I needed to be doing but I think right now she's trying to see if she has a horse or student problem or both.

[CindyDawg]

Hold that thought:'). I may sell her but it will be awhile before I buy again.

[HairOfTheDog]

OK - good... I hope between someone giving her a tune up, and working with you, you two can work it out.

[HairOfTheDog]

"I bet I could knock him right off of there..."

Well, we pulled the charger down and there were two fuses inside... but they don't look blown, i.e. no loose filament, no burn mark on the inside of the glass.... it looked like the filaments were still good. Would they look blown if they are? Is the thing just dead?

[CindyDawg]

Yeah but that puts me right back to square one. Yes I could do better but this horse needs an attitude adjustment and I don't know if I have the energy to keep working with her. Time will tell though. I hang in, a lot longer than some but I do have my limits and she's pushing it. I just hate to see her shuffled to someone else. I have an idea now why the dude ranch sold her.

[CindyDawg]

You think? She always looks like she adores Ecurbh IMO. To me, It looks like she's trying to figure how to get up there with him.

[CindyDawg]

I was in San Antonio in Dec. I stayed downtown and was walking about dusk, by the Alamo and black birds were in all the trees . Probably 1000s of them. To see them flying and crying was very eery.

[HairOfTheDog]

Every horse needs an attitude adjustment... I'm all for some guy getting on her and working out her bugs right now, whatever they are, but then someone, that same guy needs to teach you how to RIDE and make your communication matter. And then you have to do it, and perhaps often. For both of your sake, so that all these reflexes become automatic.

I think it's the only way, with SL or any horse.

[HairOfTheDog]

She likes him better than she likes me, I think :~)

We've got to go get hay today... but then we should saddle her up and work her... we have to see if she'll be a good girl after this winter off.

[CindyDawg]

She has a look in her eye, when she watches him. You have captured it several times:')

Sarah Lee...don't get the idea that I can't ride her or handle her. I can. I do. I'm just getting tired. Physically and mentally. It's like a bratty child. You correct them. You keep up with them. They wear you down though. If I had not got caught today, I would have got off, lunged her and worked it out of her. That is no fun constantly having to do so though.

[FrogInABlender]

Have you ever thought that maybe she just doesn't like arena work? She might do better if you just took her out on trail rides with your son more often. I've never had a horse to ride well when riding around home, but they are completely different horses when I load them up and take them somewhere else. Just a thought.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'd second that. :~)

[CindyDawg]

....HMM. I was looking at it as a progression...you know...if you can't behave at home....I'm thinking...