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The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*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

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning everyone... picture I took of Tweek yesterday.... it's a cat's life :~)

Turns out I'm not marking trail today... it seems I waffled enough about it that he found someone else. I called yesterday to say I was going to have the truck back and ~could~ do it, but he'd already found someone. Now I'm kindof disappointed. Now I want to go on a ride! Because the ride's going on Sat, I think we'll probably hold of and go on Sunday.

[MissTargets]

Good Morning.

Oh Becky, so sorry about Harley and hope it is not too serious.

Wow Duchess, that is hot! Still no rain here and temps in low 80's.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

You couldn’t still go? Can you have too many marking trail?

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, I wouldn’t have any duties, then, I’d be just sortof standing there watching them put up signs... ;~) And since I’m not going, Bob’s not riding either, he’s going to go make and put up road signs, so I’d probably be riding with someone I don’t know. Probably the gaited mule lady again, and Bay and I aren’t really ready to move that fast.

So if I’m not needed, I don’t NEED to go today. It was going to be a little out of my comfort zone to load Bay up alone and pull out of here alone. I’ve never done that. It made me balk a little but I decided I NEEDED to stop worrying so much and start just DOING.

Anyway... it was good for me to decide to go alone... now next time it comes up I won’t have to go through the silly worrying part right?

[BladeRider]

I’ve never done that. It made me balk a little but I decided I NEEDED to stop worrying so much and start just DOING.

Hair, I relate all to well with your situation. When my hubby can't go and I have to load up and haul by myself I am always uneasy. I think mostly because we do not have a reliable truck and I am always worried about being broke down, by myself with a horse. I have been there, done that and did not like it.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good :~) But you go anyway, right?

I worried mostly about the reactions of the horses, I guess, but I decided they’d be fine. Cyn would not care if she was left behind with the pony. She’d probably pat herself on the back for somehow getting out of work! :~D

And my issue with Bay hauling alone was that I don’t want to put him in the front stall in the trailer, it’s too small for him/he doesn’t like being closed in against the front wall. I remember that from way back and wondered if that would be an issue. So I decided I’d take the divider out... Problem solved. He’d be fine with the whole thing open.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh... that didn’t read right... I meant good that you understand my worrying, not good that you worry about your truck. :~\

[AnAmericanMother]

I parboil mine first for an hour, until they are tender but not quite falling off the bones. Then I marinate them overnight in a tomato-and-butter-based sauce, with plenty of onions and spices and Frank's Red Hot sauce added. Just finish them on the grill, and spoon some of the marinade over them as they cook. That way they're cooked through without having to burn them on the outside.

They met with entire approval from our guests. I cooked almost ten pounds of ribs, and there were barely enough left for my daughter to have some when she got back from visiting some friends!

[AnAmericanMother]

I see you treat your cats right! (I’m certain they believe the entire household is run for their benefit.)

[HairOfTheDog]

Including little cat-sized hammocks, as you can see :~)

[BladeRider]

Good :~) But you go anyway, right?

Yes, I go anyway, Frog would not let me out of it! She would tell me to get over it and c'mon. I have a good 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive to go anywhere there are trails and there are lots of hills to pull so I get quite anxious at times. But I am not going to let my anxiety stop me from doing what I love to do. Ride my horse.

[BladeRider]

Heh... that didn’t read right... I meant good that you understand my worrying, not good that you worry about your truck. :~\

I read it the way you meant it. ;-)

[HairOfTheDog]

Tell me if I’m silly, too, for turning down the idea of Bob coming to get me with his trailer...

He’d have Barney in the front, who Bay’s never seen before. As ‘studly’ as Bay pretends he is, wouldn’t it be an issue, the first time a horse sees another horse he’s stuck in a trailer with him? I pictured them striking at each other. Their legs are awfully vulnerable, even if Bay would be wrapped, Barney wouldn’t be.

And Barney scrambled bad in the trailer when I hauled him home to Bob’s... he was walking the whole time. A warned Bob about it, that he needed to corner and break real carefully, Bob just kindof “goes”.

[HairOfTheDog]

so I get quite anxious at times. But I am not going to let my anxiety stop me from doing what I love to do. Ride my horse.

Good for you! I need to get a little of that back. I didn't used to be such a quivering rabbit.

[BladeRider]

That way they're cooked through without having to burn them on the outside.

They don't burn in the smoker, I cook them for about 8 hours and they are falling off the bone. I don't put the BBQ sauce on until right before I am ready to take them out of the smoker.

[AnAmericanMother]

I have NEVER hauled alone - always been with a crowd, usually going to a show or a hunt and with multiple trailers caravanning. Even though Gracie is as steady as a rock, if it was just the two of us I’m sure I would be nervous and worrying about every little thing, from loading to tying to the weather to every bump in the road and every noise from the trailer!

[AnAmericanMother]

My daddy has one of those Big Green Egg smokers and uses it all the time — he mostly does turkey and chickens, don’t think he’s done ribs. I’ll ask him. Maybe I can try it!

[AnAmericanMother]

But do you have a Radio Shack cat charger?

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh... it does look like that thing is plugged in :~D

[BladeRider]

Tell me if I’m silly, too, for turning down the idea of Bob coming to get me with his trailer...

I have had to trailer my horses with a strange horse from time to time and after the first minute or two they are fine and seem to develope an alliance during the trip. My old girl Queen had to ride next to a strange gelding one time, she squealed at him at first with her ears pinned, I could tell she was not happy but they both behaved. When we got on the trail she did not want him out of her sight. Hard to say how Bay will act. I think if they have good trailer manners to begin with they will be fine.