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The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*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

[BladeRider]

I don't think putting a blanket on them makes them shed any faster either, I think it just helps rub it out faster once they start shedding..

They blanketed them so they would not come into full winter coats, no so much to spead up shedding. The lights on also was to fool the horses into thinking it was not winter with the shorter days. They do the same things at the chicken farms here to get them to start laying eariler.

[HairOfTheDog]

We haven't had coyotes yodeling in awhile now. Last summer they were frequent visitors in the pasture, and nearby in the woods. Then they disappeared.

I s'pose they'll return when we start seeing the bunnies... Haven't seen them yet this year either.

[BladeRider]

Oh, and I don't think this is necessairlly true either...I use to keep a blanket on my mare all winter and she grew a full winter coat...is why it seemed like she didn't was the blanket kept the winter coat flattened down and polished, rather then it standing up and being fluffy. IMO, a horse is going to grow the winter coat that the horse is going to grow regardless:)

I agree with you, but I am not the high dollar show trainer that advises my neighbors, so I just tease them about their Equine Motel 6 and keeping the lights on.

[HairOfTheDog]

I think for the lights to work, they need to be bright, bright enough to fool the horse's brain that it's still daylight out. One light, particularly if they can go outside away from it, won't cut it. I knew show barns, and breeding barns, that did that... Left bright lights on till around 10 pm in spring to get them to cycle earlier.

[BladeRider]

Last summer they were frequent visitors in the pasture, and nearby in the woods.

They are out by the river back behind the house, probably 1/4 mile away and they sometimes venture into the nearby woods. They were the loudest I have ever heard last night in the 7 years we have lived here.

[BladeRider]

I think for the lights to work, they need to be bright, bright enough to fool the horse's brain that it's still daylight out.

They have several florescent lights in their barn and tarps up at the openings. Thier padded horses don't go outside except to be ridden. Not a life I would choose for a horse.

[FrogInABlender]

...I think it's the espresso that I thought sounded good around 5 pm ;~\

LOL! Yep, that might just be it. I don't tolerate caffiene well at all and if I have ANYTHING after lunchtime that's not decaf I'm sure to have the big-eye all night long.

[FrogInABlender]

...AHH, one of your kamikazee rides huh?...

Hey, this one wasn't my fault! I was just along for the ride. I even tried to get them to go back the way we came and take the real trail, if you can believe that.

Was this in the Sipsey Wilderness?

No, this was actually at the Pine Torch trailhead. We rode the yellow and blue trails down to the big break area and back on around.

[CindyDawg]

Morning yall. Just finished my class. I was thinking about going out to the stables but it looks like a gully washer coming. I need to do some grading anyway, I guess.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, Tiff's hubby just came and got the blue truck... The mouse's days are numbered.

[FrogInABlender]

I borrowed one of my co-worker's PCs during lunch and got my ride pictures uploaded...

Here's a pic of part of the group before we started out. The people in the background weren't part of our group, but they were 6 or 8 of them and they were all riding gaited too. I believe that's the most gaited horses I've seen at that particular trailhead maybe ever. The tan looking horse on the left is the champaigne. The little bay filly in the center was 3 or 4 and a really nice mover. The big red mule on the right was the gaited one...

A head shot of the mule. Gotta love those ears! Plus she could really rack on down the trail too...

Shirley and Star at the steps...

A couple of the guys coming back up the steps after watering their horses...

This cool black & white swallowtail that landed on Bob's foot...

My buddy Bob...

A view of the creek on around the bend from the steps...

The group at the big break area...

The horse in front of me is a Rocky Mountain horse, as evidenced by his chocolate body and flax mane and tail. He's the one I stuck Bob behind at the start of the ride to make him behave...

I've got some video, but I'll have to upload that to Photobucket first. I can't even preview it here on this wimpy little PC, but I'll post it if it turns out to be any good.

[FrogInABlender]

Yuck, I hope you don't end up smelling mouse pee every time you turn on the vents. That'd be just plain nasty!

[HairOfTheDog]

Terrific pictures! What a big group!

I'd sure rather go up those stairs than down them.

The butterfly pic is a neat touch :~)

Your forest there sure looks like it's still in the dormancy of winter. I'd have thought you'd have greened up before we did, as warm as it is down there, or is it because it's been so dry?

[HairOfTheDog]

You and me both :~\

[Beaker]

*tsk* *tsk* *tsk*

:-)

[FrogInABlender]

I'd have thought you'd have greened up before we did, as warm as it is down there, or is it because it's been so dry?

We've been 20 degrees above normal around here for the last couple of weeks, so I'd think so too, but apparently it doesn't work that way. They must be kinda like horses and depend on the length of the day or something. It sure was dry out there that's for sure. During the times I was at the back of the pack I was eating dust like it was the dead of summer. I could've grown corn in my nose by the time I got back! ;o)

[HairOfTheDog]

I could've grown corn in my nose by the time I got back! ;o)

Picturesque ;~)

[FrogInABlender]

Thought you'd appreciate that one. ;o)

[CindyDawg]

Bob looks all wet:')

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Wow, those are great pictures:)

I'd sure like to see that many gaited horses going down the trail in one of the gaits:).

Bob is a nice looking horse, I love his color:)

Becky