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The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*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

[FrogInABlender]

...I went back and read my post, and I just don't think it's insulting...

Not to be jumping into something that's not my business, but I didn't think it was insulting either. I think most of us here are pretty understanding about each other's breed preferences and can take a little frendly ribbing about stuff. I've been known to rag on the non-gaiteds pretty hard, but I don't mean to insult anybody about it. It's just kind of a "my hoss is better'n your hoss" thing. No harm intended. ;o)

[BladeRider]

Here's a radar image of the smoke from the fire:

Hi all! been out of town all week in Ocala Florida. Just starting to catch up. I drove right through this area on Tuesday 4/24 did not see anything, when did it start?

[AnAmericanMother]

Thanks. I have taken in good part a certain amount of ribbing about my mare’s giraffe-like neck . . . and I admit it, her neck IS too long!!!!! Even for a Thoroughbred! But I’ve gotten used to it.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

There is a lady in this region who use to compete on old style apps. And according to her, I know nothing about app bloodlines so I’m taking her word for it, her mare was came from good bloodlines. It was my first time seeing one....I have to say, yes she was hardy and strong, but she was butt ugly, pretty much the way AAM described them. There is nothing wrong with calling it like it is. It doesn’t matter, if you still like them, fine, but it doesn’t change the fact that they are not the most attractive breed. I can understand feeling irritation over some one saying it, I get irritated every time an Arab rider at a ride, comments about my bulky QH. But I finally had to admit, yeah, they probably aren’t the best breed to compete on, they do require more conditioning, but I just let them say what they want then go out and beat them:)

Becky

[AnAmericanMother]

It's been burning now for several weeks.

Heard this morning on the radio that it's about 85 percent contained now, but has burned over 50,000 acres (up from 22,000).

No rain in the immediate forecast. They are about 19 inches behind in South GA, we are 7-8 inches behind up here. The last two weather systems that brought us some rain (along with a bunch of tornado watches but thankfully no warnings in our area) missed SGA entirely.

[HairOfTheDog]

Whatever. :~)

I've said my piece.

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

I will concede that those are more modern apps .. (however prince plaudit is from the 60’s.

However you made the comment that when looking for hunter conformation, apps aren’t where it’s at. and clearly that’s not true anymore.

I’ve been involved with apps for MANY years. All the old apps are not ewe-necked, big headed and scrawny.

They are not overbodied, tiny-footed QH’s or finely tooned fragile running machine TBs, but I get so tired of hearing about ugly appaloosas.

If you don’t like them, which is obvious, just say they aren’t your thing. Why go into the ugly comments?

I’ve loved some horses that people would call ugly. Just like people, I accept horses individually, not based on a bias about their breed.

[AnAmericanMother]

I think the conditioning is the key!

The breed is just the potential you START with. If my mare had a better rider, she'd be a much better horse.

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

I guess I'm going down memory-lane now. I hope nobody minds my sharing a little appaloosa history.

Morgan's Leopard ApHC F-437 foaled in or around 1928 was known as "The Circus Horse". He left his mark on many great Appaloosas and was prepotent at passing on color. His get also produced tons of color such as his son Leopard Cortez who sired brilliantly spotted horses. Any program wanting more color would do well to include bloodlines of Morgan's Leopard.

[FrogInABlender]

...I just let them say what they want then go out and beat them:)

LOL!! That's the best way, and I'll bet it really chaps their butts when you do it too. And all you have to do is smile sweetly at them when you pick up your ribbon.

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

Sundance was an early Foundation Appaloosa who was a very refined and well built, true leopard. He was a good ranch horse and was very intelligent and taught to do a number of tricks. Because of his ability to pass on these great traits, an organization exsits to promote his bloodline called Sundance 500. You can go to the Sundance site by going to my links page. Sundance was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. (BTW .. his dam was a wild app)

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

Chief Chelsea ApHC F-2154 was a prepotent stallion that had a great demeanor, a stout form and color being a tri leopard. He was an excellent ranch and rodeo horse who founded a dynasty with his get. They had uniformity and superiority and won big in the show ring including several National Show Champions such as Pateeka, Cinteeka, Atilla, Princess Ginya and more. After he was purchased in 1961 for $ 5,000 he was handled exclusively by women and children - further testament to his great disposition. He was retired from show competition in 1962 after several high point year-end awards. (Just about as App as you can get)

[FrogInABlender]

Now THAT’S a nice looking App! He’s got a nice athletic build but he’s not too big and he’s not too small. Thanks for sharing that one!

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

Choya, "Premier Sire of Using Horses"

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Come on, give it a rest.

Becky

[MissTargets]

but it doesn’t change the fact that they are not the most attractive breed.

That is just wrong. Looking back, you can find most old time breeds were not the most attractive. There are plenty of examples of ugly QH & TB's.

[HairOfTheDog]

Lots of crabbiness today... I suppose it’s better than boredom.

P2B... I think the point’s been made, and I’m glad you did :~)

Frog... I have a breed question I’ve been wondering about... How come there’s not a bigger gaited presence in long distance, endurance and CTR sport? Or are they there and I just don’t hear about it? I’d just think as ground-covering they are, that they’d do well, if they could do it for the distance... It seems like they can, I see them finish 15 and 25 mile distances well ahead of casual trail riders at organized rides anyway.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I never said there wasn’t.

There are ugly horses in all breeds.

The type that AAM was referring too, I’m sorry, I don’t think there is anything attractive about those types...nothing. They also look nothing like Duchess’s apps.

AAM’s post, for those who will be honest, was right on about a lot of the old app type she was referring too. Her comment was a general statement, not meant to offend anyone. The comment I made that you highlighted was speaking of the same type, as the whole post indicated. It’s been blown way out of proportion now.

Becky

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

P2B... I think the point’s been made,

Okay, okay .. *smile* .. I'll go back to my hole!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

She didn’t make a point, it was obvious those were not the types AAM was speaking of. And in all honesty, the type AAM was referring to, from the little I have heard and read, is what the breed “originally” looked like .

Becky