Posted on 08/07/2007 7:33:14 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
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!
But better that way than the other way around, that they should be bewildered and sad at the loss of their Best Friend.
When I fell two weeks ago, it was because the saddle fell to the side. It had been tightened, etc.
This is what I think I need to do. I haven't bought a personal saddle yet. Since I'm a novice, I think I would like to have a barrel saddle because it seems to have a deeper seat. But I don't have a whole bunch of upper body strength, so I don't want a really heavy saddle. (either that or lift weights). I think a breast collar will be mandatory. Any other suggestions? I know I need to measure him.
I rode him yesterday and had to tighten the saddle about 3 times, and then once after I took him down the drive a bit.
Well, that’s true.
You can pad up a tree that's just a little too broad (that's what I do with my very narrow Tbred mare - she really needs a narrow tree but my saddle is a medium), but there really isn't anything you can do about a tree that's too narrow.
If the answer is different for Western than English, please correct me!
But I think that a proper tree width should solve this problem without going to a heavy saddle.
I think AAM is probably right on this one, but another thing that may help is one of those "Tacky Too" pads. They have a waffle-weave neoprene on the bottom that really seems to make the saddle stay in place. BladeRider has one for both of her horses and really brags on them. They look like this... 
I couldn't find them at Country Supply, but Jeffers has them and I'm sure other places do too. I tried to hot-link you right to the item, but their links never seem to work that way. Their item number is RD-CN, or you can search for "tacky too".
Yeah, the best thing to do is to take your horse with you when you go saddle shopping. That way the saddler can measure their back and make suggestions. Or another alternative is to buy a self-adjusting saddle like an Ortho Flex, Timberline or American-Flex. I haven’t seen a back yet that my Ortho Flex won’t fit, from the biggest, fattest most mutton-withered ones down to the little rail-thin 2yr olds.
Thanks, y’all. I’m making notes .... :-D
That saddle horn thing I think is psychological for me.
I hope you have a safe and uneventful drive today.
I really appreciate the offer on Rocky. If someone comes along that will pay your price and give him a good home, go ahead and sell him. I really do want him but God’s going to have to give me a miracle to bring that about. This was a weekend of miracles though so maybe that’s coming.
The point is, though - do not lose a sale for me. If I’m to own him, I will.
Absolutely, and I've had some awfully squirrley horses under me when I'm in it! Mine looks like this one that's currently for sale on ebay...
It's called the Stitchdown and there's been an unusual number of used ones for sale at a reasonable price on ebay in the last month or so. Here's the link to this one if you're interested in watching it.
Thx, Mother. There are always plenty out there, desperate for homes, but our animal count right now (over 50, including ducks) is just too high to intentionally bring another aboard.
I do have three good large dogs right now, and one of them could be something special if I could find the time to work with him. He’s a black-mouthed curr who wandered up hungry when he was about six months old, and he’s brilliant, especially as a tracker. I’ve toyed with the idea of training him as a search-and-rescue dog.
MM (in TX)
Thx, Mother. There are always plenty out there, desperate for homes, but our animal count right now (over 50, including ducks) is just too high to intentionally bring another aboard.
I do have three good large dogs right now, and one of them could be something special if I could find the time to work with him. He’s a black-mouthed curr who wandered up hungry when he was about six months old, and he’s brilliant, especially as a tracker. I’ve toyed with the idea of training him as a search-and-rescue dog.
BTW, you have some beautiful labs yourself, especially the one sitting so obediently waiting for the shot!
MM (in TX)
Anybody who says dogs don't think has never seen my Chocolate triangulating on a duck that's drifting with wind or current . . .
Why don't you see about getting your curr dog into Tracking? AKC will provisionally register (for performance events like agility or tracking) just about anything if you can figure out a registered breed to call him. I've seen some "Border Collies" running in Agility that looked about as much like a Samoyed as a BC.
Fifty animals! You sound like my friend up in Cherokee County who can't turn any animal with a hard luck story away from her door. She has a horse, 2 ponies, 4 miniature horses, an old blind toothless mule, a potbellied pig, 10 goats, and I dunno how many ducks, chickens and guineas. And that's just the OUTSIDE animals -- inside she's got 2 dogs, 5 cats, 3 rabbits, and 5 or 6 exotic birds.
My husband is sorta dreading when we move to the country (once our last kid graduates high school).
Congrats on the great performance! I’ve never gotten into any of the organized affairs, just worked my dogs on my own.
Still mulling the tracking thing; got a book on the issue that I need to sit down and read, since I know zero about training dogs to track. Gosh knows he should be easy enough to train, cause he’s a tracking fool all on his own.
My wife founded and ran an animal rescue organization for years, which is how we came by most of our animals. We have horses, goats, ducks, cats, and dogs. It’s wild kingdom around here.
MM
What kinda horses have you got? Any pics?
Oh, and there’s a brown one out there now with a BuyItNow price of $1999, so they vary widely, depending on who’s selling them.
Sorrel quarter horse, a big Palomino, a Palomino yearling, and a couple paints.
No good pix but I'll shoot and post some soon.
MM (in TX)
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