FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 12

[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The FreeRepublic Saddle Club - (very out of date) Who's Who *pics*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, usually about our horses, sometimes about our dogs, gardens and other stuff we do. :~)

I have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and MissTargets will ping everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list.

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.

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
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 11

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]

She’s looking great! If you’re riding her before the snow flies then that won’t be long for Idaho will it?. When IS your average first snowfall? I was looking at the national radar over the weekend and it looked like it was already snowing in places in Montana. That just blows my mind because we’re still in the upper 80’s down here. Most of the time we just barely get a good frost by Thanksgiving.

The scenery in the background of your picture is gorgeous. What mountains are those?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning:)

Yeah, I wish we had another get together planned for this year too, it was a lot of fun.

We are having a very cool, rainy day here today. I guess the left overs from Gustav. Feels like fall.

[Noumenon]

We just had our first frost on Sept 1. We'll still see a bit of summer here and there, but overnight temps are now pretty much in the high 30s. The girls are starting to grow their winter coats. It's been interesting to see vegetation turning and mountain ash berries coming out a full four weeks before they normally do. All signs point to an early Fall and who knows what kind of winter.

As for the mountians, I've put in the original uncropped shot below. The view is towards the north from Red Top Stables on the Rathdrum prairie, and the majority of the hills and low peaks that you see are the Coeur d'Alene mountains tapering off to the north. There might just be a little view of the Cabinets way off in the distance. At this rate, we'll see snow in the higher elevations before the end of September.

[FrogInABlender]

An early Fall sounds nice, but I hope your Winter doesn’t get TOO bad. Of course you definition of a Bad Winter and mine are going to be laughably different! A “Bad Winter” to me is anytime the temps are down below freezing for more than a week at a time. ;o)

I think I remember you saying that Dandie is a Mustang, or at least part? She looks like she has the typical great-looking feet of that breed. Are you planning on keeping her barefoot when you start riding her?

[Noumenon]

Dandie (Dude's Dun Dandie) is half Canadian, half quarter horse. Her sire is Milagros Smokey Dude, a grulla dun. Jessamine, her mom is a purebred Canadian - looks like a compact Fresian, and she's just barely over pony-size.

Here's a shot of what last winter looked like at our place:

We were running out of places to push the snow...

[FrogInABlender]

JEEZ LOUISE! That’s a lotta snow! We may get a dusting a couple of times a year, and just that little bit is enough for them to let school out and cause wrecks and mass pandemonium when every Yayhoo in the county suddenly has to run to the store for milk, bread and toilet paper. You’d think we were going to starve to death or something!

I’ve never heard of the Canadian breed. I’ll have to look it up. Sounds Interesting!

[FrogInABlender]

Yeah, looks like you ARE getting a good soaking, with more of the same to come! Hopefully it stays that way and doesn’t churn up any tornadoes or anything.

[Noumenon]

Last winter was a good one, that's for sure. No panic here when we get a good snow - we just throw another log on the fire. Although I have to say that the first snow brings its share of hwy 41 and hwy 95 slide-offs. A lot of he warm country newbies think that having 4WD on their Cadillac Escalades confers upon them a special immunity from the laws of physics.

Canadians are a neat breed - check 'em out. Our Jess is a big, soft-eyed sweetie-pie. But we have to keep her in the 'diet corral'. Otherwise, she'd eat until she exploded.

Here's Jess and 20 day-old Dandie - 07/24/2005...

[FrogInABlender]

...we have to keep her in the 'diet corral'. Otherwise, she'd eat until she exploded...

Sounds like Canadians are easy keepers. I think a lot of Walking Horse bloodlines tend towards that condition too because I've got my share of
potential porky ponies. I've got one 20yr old guy in the "diet corral" permanently and 2 younger ones with grazing muzzles on most, if not all, of
the time during the summer, otherwise they'd do the same thing.

And talk about a color change from foal coat to adult color! Miss Dandie had quite a switch didn't she! She looked like she was going to be a dun when she was little.

[HaveFaith]

Yeah, I can’t stand Soldier anymore either.

Randy actually didn’t act like he noticed the “5th leg”. He was on him when I saw it. He didn’t nicker or anything.

Yeah, you’re right about the loss, but better in the end. It’ll be a relief.

[HaveFaith]

Thank you. I hope she’s as easy to train as Sassy.

Beth,
The trails didn’t seem as bad, but we mainly went down newer ones. They had even had a bobcat in there and those were really nice. Might be muddy after a rain till it gets packed down.

[FrogInABlender]

I saw y’all down at the White Oak store on my way to work this morning. I was already past before I realized it was your truck and trailer or I would’ve honked at you. I saw Waterhead standing out there but I couldn’t tell who else was there. I’m assuming Shirley went too.

So how were the trails on today’s ride?

[FrogInABlender]

Hey there! Haven’t heard a peep outta you in a couple of days. You still there?

[HairOfTheDog]

Am I missing? I guess I am!

Been busy here, between arguing politics on the horse.com forum, watchin' the convention proceedings, getting ready for the yard sale, my farrier coming yesterday, and getting these two kittens fixed yesterday. (more about that I'll copy below!)

I really like my new farrier. He's good I think. And he's good with horses. With the NB kid, and even with the old guy, I was starting to have issues with Bay being really tense and nervous where I was at his head all the time, trying to settle him down, and Cyn and the pony too, were not angels. They sure are at ease with this guy. Bay I was able to throw the lead over his back and walk around and watch the farrier work, like I used to be able to do with Mark. It makes a big difference. He said all the horses are excellent, even the pony, which is remarkable given that the pony probably hasn't even had a halter on since the last time he was here. Demeanor and presence is everything for those guys. He does a lot of the work on his knees, especially on the pony, which I was a little nervous about because it's not all that agile of a position, but it's a lot easier on his back, I'm sure. He did say he was pretty good at crawling and rolling out of the way when needed.

And yesterday, he did get to see Bay pick up and prance a bit. Bay's acted so docile around him I think maybe the farrier had pegged him for a slow old man. When I turned Bay loose yesterday, Bay snorted out there with some kind of bug in his butt and chase his mares around awhile and looked great. He said "that old guy still has some fire in him doesn't he?"

Anyhow, back to the kittens... here's the update:

Kittens went to the spay neuter clinic to be tutored!

And because they're ferals, they needed to be put in the live traps.... I did manage to get the little Peanut into the tiny trap I borrowed. She went in easily, I wasn't so sure that would be true!



Wicket was either offering support or taunting, I'm not sure which.

I picked them up in the afternoon still a little groggy.





They crashed...



When they woke up a bit, they ate some, and I was able to pet them, so hopefully they've come through this little day of trauma OKAY.

[FrogInABlender]

Well I’m glad you got that behind you. Sounds like they did great though and they’re taming down quite nicely. Little Brother is such a cutie. Of course Peanut is too. I’m just a sucker for cats I guess.

Sounds like the new farrier is a true horseman, one who actually likes and understands horses, and they recognize him as such and are more comfortable around him. Those types are rare in the farrier and trainer world.

[HairOfTheDog]

I’m glad it’s done too. I was afraid of those girls going into heat with the little orange guy still intact, because he seemed more than ready! I still have Wicket to do next.

And who knows, maybe this will settle him down a bit as far as handling. Maybe some of the angst he’s had has been teenage hormone angst.

Right now they seem eager and curious about our goings on and eager to get out and run around. They’ll stay in for today though.

[FrogInABlender]

Did the mama cat finally give up and go on with her life?

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - I broke the cycle by putting the kittens in the spare room at night for a few nights so they weren’t here by the window any more where she knew to look. Once neither could hear the other, they could all move on. Poor thing. I still feel conflicted about taking them from her.

[FrogInABlender]

Well, you did the best thing for them, and she’ll get them back when you turn them back out in the barn anyways, so all’s well that ends well. That is still what you’re planning on doing with them isn’t it?

[HairOfTheDog]

Yep... that’s the plan, though I’m not in any hurry to turn them out, I’d like to get them as tame and socialized as I can, particularly with the dogs, so they can really be at home here instead of sneaking in during the night like their mothers do.