FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread 12

[FrogInABlender]

Yeah, I’m bringing Hope, but she’s the one with the swollen up leg right now. Hopefully she’ll be all over it by then though. If not, I’ll bring Ellie or Grace.

[HairOfTheDog]

Throwing hay into the pony's rack... I missed. ;~)

The morning was shaping up to be bright and sunny and cheerful, so after breakfast I took the horse blankets off.

Guess what happened as soon as I did.

[FrogInABlender]

Of course....it rained. It’s like washing your car. As soon as you do it, you know it’s gonna rain.

[HairOfTheDog]

It was actually pretty nice all day... then about 4:00 it got dark in a hurry... Thunder and lighting and everything! I could see it coming ;~)

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

What a beautiful picture:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh, I should clarify, altho they are both pretty, I really like the second one:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I thought this was interesting, don’t know if you all saw it. Read post #15

http://forum.horse.com/tm.asp?m=463215&mpage=1&key=񲖧;

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Interesting, and good morning :~)

I’ve got our annual conference today and tomorrow in Seattle, so I’m up very very early sipping coffee. I need to leave here by 6. Ugh.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning...you were up early.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Earlier than I intended to be. I had the alarm set for 4, but I woke up at 3:40 and figured there was no point in another 20 minutes.

~sip~

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I need some clarification on something. Over the last few months when I’ve read posts about English riding in the arena, I think I’ve been catching that they keep the outside rein in contact, not hard but in contact, to keep collection and steering, and the inside rein looser, to use as the speed control????

Am I understanding right?

And what does “opening up” a rein mean?

Becky

[MissTargets]

Good Morning.

Garage sale today and the next two. Heres hoping I get rid of all this junk! I will be exhausted.

Very neat pictures, Hair.

[Beaker]

Oh yuck.

[FrogInABlender]

So it sounds like Harley’s got Bend Or in his bloodline way back somewhere. Cool!

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, that’s the way that Walkin Baby talked. It’s not really the way I learned. Maybe it’s because I never schooled in an arena. We didn’t have a wall to hold them on, we had an oval ring of shavings with dressage cones inside it. There was no barrier to hold them against so we rode the line we wanted.

I used rein and leg to collect and guide the horse where I want him to go. If that’s along the wall I would have held him straight down the wall with fairly even rein and inside leg on the girth if needed to keep him from coming in.

Opening up the rein I think I understand, that would be to open your fingers or move your hand forward to allow the horse to take that slack. The horse should seek contact, so if you open the rein the horse should reach forward.

Does that answer what you’re wondering?

[FrogInABlender]

I like the first picture best. It looks like something out of a painting. Very dramatic.

[HairOfTheDog]

I liked them both, the first was what was happening to the South, to the left of the second picture. Couldn’t get it all in one frame :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - I better get in the shower. You’re probably more finely schooled to answer Becky’s questions anyhow. :~)

[FrogInABlender]

Good luck with the sale, and try not to let people get on your nerves too bad.

[FrogInABlender]

I thought Walkin Baby got her panties in a wad and left.